Part 8. Understanding Firearm Cleaning and Preservation.
Understanding Firearm Cleaning and Preservation.

The Good Oil Gun Oil.
Part Eight
Oils Ain’t Just Oils
Lubricating Oil
37. Take some time to chose a good lubricating oil for the moving parts of a firearms mechanism. It can also be used for a short term rust preventative in the barrel, when the firearm is being used every few days. There are many unsatisfactory oils on the market. Gun oil for lubricating should not be two thin like many of the spray on lubricants as they seem to run off very quickly or evaporate not long after they are sprayed. Petroleum based oil rots wood work and dissolves some plastics, rots rubber grips on pistols and butt pads on rifles, so stay away from all of them. Some thicker oils gum up and stick some of the moving parts together, some evaporate in hot weather leaving a gummy residue, some solidify in cold weather. In Australia we do not often incur low temperatures but if so remove all traces of oil on the moving parts and use a small amount of powdered graphite as oil congeals in freezing weather.
38. In extreme dusty conditions which can be common in central Australia again dry the firearm parts and apply a small quantity of powdered graphite it is messy and black but it is a good lubricant.
The best oil for lubricating firearms is synthetic oil as it has no negative impact on wood or plastic, it is not too thin and hangs about in the right places. Additives of Molybdenum disulfide decrease friction and helps triggers and moving parts work together so much more smoothly.
Cleaning Oils
39. Some of the thin ‘spray on de-greasing’ Wonder Oils are good for cleaning in hard to get areas as they are thin and spread and get under years of grime and crud to the metal, separate it and quickly make a junk rifle look new. This is only temporary as those pressurised oils quickly globulise, leaving dry areas that you easily cannot see. They also evaporate quickly and are easily removed, just a rub on the inside liner of a gun bag and for all the good it will do, you may as well not bothered to waste your time and money. For your pride and joy, you want an oil that needs hot water to get it off, you need an oil that gets into the pores of the metal and clings to it. This is called Gun Oil and it has a high temperature rating, working guns do get hot.

Looks Like these need a bit of Gun oil. Or are they for Oil on Troubled Waters?
Click on Part 9. Understanding Firearm Cleaning and Preservation
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