The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Gun lubricants

Curuzer · February 23, 2001, 10:36 PM

Man, is there a lot of crap flying around in this thread. Someone please backup their answers with some real research other than "my Uncle Hans uses XPH35 in his underwear and it works great." I myself am a chemical engineer and know enough to call BS on some statements.

First, Mobil 1 contains some EXCELLENT corrosion inhibitors in the form of long-chain amines (oxygen scavengers). Second, what special "corrosion protection needs" do firearms have that my engine doesn't. In particular, except for temperature differences and alloy differences, and the fact that firearms are coated and therefore the "metal bonding" crap is overated.

Why would Mobil 1 recommend motor oil for firearms? To sell a few more quarts, while taking on some major liability since they don't have a clue what you are doing with the oil. Forget about it...manufacturers rarely if ever recommend a product for use on an "unapproved" application. Don't take it as a blessing or curse that they do not approve of this use...

Why would I care if Sig or any other manufacturer uses an oil or grease in house? Their guns see a few rounds and go in a box for shipment. They use whatever is satisfactory and can be bought cheap, even if they get a better discount for telling us that they use it. Do you think car manufacturers put top notch synthetic in a car before selling it to you? No way, they buy the cheapest crap they can that meets specs.

I gotta tell you that if you believe some snake oil "is reactive to metal" I want to sell you some property I got in Love Canal. Give me a break. This snake oil is probably a good blend of synthetic oils (bought from a large OIL COMPANY), and some other corrosion inhibitors - it is probably good stuff, just don't have a 'gasm over some fiction a fantasy writer came up with over a cup of coffee..."Let's see, 'This specially formulated lubricant took years of R&D and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop. It actually bonds with the metal in a highly reactive, tramsmographic retrotransformation whereby the neutrinos in the upper micron of the metal surface are transmogrified into the slickest substance known to man...even slicker than SLICK 50."

The fact that some military bureacracy buys the stuff is of no comfort to me...they probably are paying good tax dollars for something they could replace with, say, Mobil 1 from Wal-Mart. Give it a rest.

February 23, 2001, 10:36 PM	#17
Curuzer Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2000 Posts: 114	Man, is there a lot of crap flying around in this thread. Someone please backup their answers with some real research other than "my Uncle Hans uses XPH35 in his underwear and it works great." I myself am a chemical engineer and know enough to call BS on some statements. First, Mobil 1 contains some EXCELLENT corrosion inhibitors in the form of long-chain amines (oxygen scavengers). Second, what special "corrosion protection needs" do firearms have that my engine doesn't. In particular, except for temperature differences and alloy differences, and the fact that firearms are coated and therefore the "metal bonding" crap is overated. Why would Mobil 1 recommend motor oil for firearms? To sell a few more quarts, while taking on some major liability since they don't have a clue what you are doing with the oil. Forget about it...manufacturers rarely if ever recommend a product for use on an "unapproved" application. Don't take it as a blessing or curse that they do not approve of this use... Why would I care if Sig or any other manufacturer uses an oil or grease in house? Their guns see a few rounds and go in a box for shipment. They use whatever is satisfactory and can be bought cheap, even if they get a better discount for telling us that they use it. Do you think car manufacturers put top notch synthetic in a car before selling it to you? No way, they buy the cheapest crap they can that meets specs. I gotta tell you that if you believe some snake oil "is reactive to metal" I want to sell you some property I got in Love Canal. Give me a break. This snake oil is probably a good blend of synthetic oils (bought from a large OIL COMPANY), and some other corrosion inhibitors - it is probably good stuff, just don't have a 'gasm over some fiction a fantasy writer came up with over a cup of coffee..."Let's see, 'This specially formulated lubricant took years of R&D and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop. It actually bonds with the metal in a highly reactive, tramsmographic retrotransformation whereby the neutrinos in the upper micron of the metal surface are transmogrified into the slickest substance known to man...even slicker than SLICK 50." The fact that some military bureacracy buys the stuff is of no comfort to me...they probably are paying good tax dollars for something they could replace with, say, Mobil 1 from Wal-Mart. Give it a rest.