Grease or Oil?

I did a quick search for this and didn't see anything and feel this is an important topic for maintenance of your firearms. So the question is do you guys use grease, or lubricating oil for your firearms?

I just ordered some grease for mine, because I don't like the way the oil seems to end up "splotchy" and leaves areas of the rails and other parts of the weapon un-lubricated. So again, what do you guys use for lubricating your firearms?

Rem-oil, then some good ol' fashiond brown gun-oil. Use a little toothbrish to get into those rails. Works every time. Also if you use the jersey type patches I find it deals with the splotchyness problem nicely.

Hoppe's oil. I am of the opinion that grease should only be used in long storage type situations...ie. plastic containers buried in the yard *cough*...

If there are any newbies to firearms reading this....please don't use WD-40, okay?

Thanks, for the responses. I've been using Break-Free CLR. I just ordered some Magnalube-G it's a PTFE grease and is rated to -32F to 500F, where as the other greases I have run across are only rated for certain temperature ratings. And the place I live in the temperature fluctuates outside of the margins the grease is good for.

So I'm going to try this stuff and see what happens.

It depends on the application and weapon. For military weapons, go dig up a surplus manual and it will show you exactly what should be used where.

For oils, Rem-oil or basic light machine oil, or basic hydraulic oil (expensive stuff has a lot of additives). 3-in-1 gums up and doesn't lubricate well.

For grease, and some weapons really need it, lubriplate 130(?) is awesome.

My general rule of thumb: if it slides, grease it. if it rotates, oil it.

*edit: rule of thumb.. its been a looong day.

[edit on 2-12-2009 by CoffinFeeder]

Does anyone else get a big grin and fond memories when they smell Break-Free?

There are certain smells that seem to recall the good moments in life. The acrid smell of freshly burnt black powder... the aroma of jet fuel blowing out of a turbine exhaust... and Break-Free!

Originally posted by emsed1
Does anyone else get a big grin and fond memories when they smell Break-Free?

There are certain smells that seem to recall the good moments in life. The acrid smell of freshly burnt black powder... the aroma of jet fuel blowing out of a turbine exhaust... and Break-Free!

YES!!! I'd say for me, it's the gun cleaning kit in general...solvent too...soon as I open it up...mmmmmmm.

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reply to post by CoffinFeeder

My general rule of thumb: if it slides, grease it. if it rotates, oil it.

I like that rule it also makes sense.

reply to post by emsed1


I don't get fond memories smelling Break-free but I do get fond memories smelling Hoppes No.9. Reminds me when I was a kid cleaning my Shot-gun.

Ahh... The great debate. Personally, I have only used grease on the threads of my choke tubes. For all else I use a Tri Flow pin point pen or boeshield t-9.

I have never been to impressed with the rather short staying power of Rem Oil.

I have to add that the Tri Flow sprays have a tasty aroma unlike any other.

I also have to ditto on the No No regarding WD-40 as a lubricant. I work with bicycles quite a lot and I still see people spraying the stuff everywhere including bearings. Little do they know that WD 40 will break down the grease to nothing leaving them with dry bearings. WD can do a lot but lubricating is not one of its attributes.

I have a funny story about grease...several years ago after cleaning my cheap hi-point 9mm handgun that I bought for $99 I noticed it required grease instead of oil...well I didn't have any grease so I searched the garage and found some thick blue marine grease my father had...I used that thinking it'd work just fine...man that stuff was so thick and sticky, the next time I took her out to the range...usually its BAM an the slide moves so fast you almost cannot see it...this time however I pulled the trigger an BAM and the slide almost locks back, an then slowly ssshhhhlick slides forward an barely loads the next round...it took about 3 full seconds to cycle the action


[edit on 12/2/2009 by AnonymousMoose]

reply to post by AnonymousMoose


I worked at a shop in the 90's that sold Brycos, Jennings, Lorcins, etc. At least half of every one we ever sold was returned (or attempted to return...we didn't take guns back). They jammed so much it must have been like, "okay, if I pull the trigger 50/50 it's going to fire"...I even had a few Louisiana Police try to buy them but I managed to talk them out of it....I was a great salesman, huh?

[edit on 2-12-2009 by Signals]

That's a funny story Ananomous Moose. Probably surprised they heck out of you when that happened. At least it was only a $99 pistol. It don't think a Hi-Point would last very long on the coast though. Aren't most of the parts made out of zinc?

Signals, I had a friend that was getting ready to buy a Jennings, a quick search on the internet and was able to talk him out of it. Unlike you trying to talk people out of buying them, the people were trying to talk him in to buying it.

I wouldn't exactly feel comfortable buying a pistol from a manufacturer that changed owners because they were being sued and it was cheaper for them to sign the company over.

My experience is that the grease with pick up dirt alot faster and hold it...Nice big clump of greasy mud in your action

I use the oil...Sparingly

oh yeah, wd-40 is the devil. its not a lubricant, its a water displacer, and that's about it.

hmm, good smells.. PB Blaster.. yep

My relics and leff often fired guns are packed away in grease.

The guns I fire every day or week are lightly lubed with a light viscosity oil. I have a shelf full of cans from Rem-Oil to CLP to some expensive as hell little jar I never touch and the oil that gets used the most is whichever is closest to me when I'm cleaning.

I used to be fussy as hell but after a few years reality sinks in. Like a new parent rushing to the ER for every bump and bruise. Sooner or later your kid is jumping off of rooftops and your reaction is reduced to "walk it off" or "rub some dirt on it."

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


Well you know that NH dirt is the absolute BEST thing to rub on an injury...Its true...theyve done studies...

My experience is that the grease with pick up dirt alot faster and hold it...Nice big clump of greasy mud in your action I use the oil...Sparingly

----Binge Bob

I totally agree. I use whatever lightweight gun oil is handy. But like Binge Bob, whichever oil I use, I don't use much of it at all. I live in the desert and there are places that the dirt is talcum powder.

Don't own any weapons but personally i would use an oil rather than a grease, grease has the ability to pick up all kinds of grit and dust and turn into a grinding paste which would not only increase any war to a weapon but also increase the chances of it jamming?

Don't own any weapons but personally i would use an oil rather than a grease, grease has the ability to pick up all kinds of grit and dust and turn into a grinding paste which would not only increase any war to a weapon but also increase the chances of it jamming?

Exactly. Even oil does this, just to a lesser degree.


Some guns need oil though and I don't doubt that some even need grease. Depends on the gun. I wipe down any gun made of blue steel all over with a lightly oiled cloth so it doesn't rust.

But I have a Smith and Wesson 4566 and I don't oil it anywhere but inside the butt once in a blue moon. Basically I just clean it because it's made of stainless steel.

reply to post by Signals


I disagree with the advice on wd-40. I don't use it to lubricate but I do use it to clean my rifles and it works better than nitro-solvent. Then I apply regular gun oil. WD-40 has it's place in the care of firearms. If you have an AR or anything with a synthetic stock, be sure not to leave wd on it for too long.

[edit on 9-12-2009 by projectvxn]