Guns and WD40?
Printed From: Tippmann Paintball
Category: News And Views
Forum Name: Thoughts and Opinions
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URL: http://www.tippmannsports.com/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=187215
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Topic: Guns and WD40?
Posted By: Reb Cpl
Subject: Guns and WD40?
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 1:34pm
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Gun owners, here's a question for you.... This weekend after hunting, I had a friend of mine ask me about cleaning his rifle with WD40. I was clueless. I'd never used it, the thought never actually crossed my mind to. A quick scour of the interwebz finds heated debate with plenty of people on both sides of the fence. So how about it? To use? or not to use? Some say that it gums up, some say it ruins stocks and finishes, others say that as long as the excess is wiped off, you'll be okay. In the meantime, I told the guy to either wait until I could get him an answer or find a proper cleaning solution. On that note, what is a favorite solution you all use? For blackpowder rifles, I actually clean the bore with hydrogen peroxide, then follow immediately with either Hoppes 9. I've also had plenty of luck with Rem Oil. ------------- ? |
Replies:
Posted By: ParielIsBack
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 3:11pm
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I've heard people clean their guns with WD40. I wouldn't, and it's not like Hoppes #9 is hard to find. Apparently cleaning your gun after after shooting corrosive ammo is best done with vinegar (as long as you don't have a chrome lined barrel.)
------------- BU Engineering 2012 |
Posted By: rednekk98
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 4:32pm
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Oh god where to start.... YES It will ruin stock finishes, some plastics may also be harmed, but plwnty of dedicated gun-cleaning products will also do this It is not a great bore cleaner. Hoppes #9 is much better, but it's probably better than nothing for a quick clean and to temporarily prevent corrosion It may gum up, but I would say by no means would it do so badly. Like any wet lubricant, it will attract grime and fouling if you do more than a thin layer. Also, it evaporates pretty quickly. It's not a long-lasting lubricant. The best use for it is as a water-dispersant. I'll use it when my gun gets a soaking to blow the water out of it, and it's useful for blowing crud out of the trigger group. I make sure I wipe it down well afterwards. It's something to use in a few situations or if you don't have anything better immediately available. CLP is a good all-around product, but has many of the same complaints as WD-40 except cost (Gums up, dries up, can be bad on some wood finishes) but does a much better job overall. It's just more expensive. Frankly, if price were no option I'd replace WD-40 in every application with CLP to include non-gun stuff, but realistically you need at minimum, a dedicated solvent for bore cleaning and a lubricant that will protect the finish. I have on hand: Otis bore cleaner/ everything, Rem Oil, Hoppes #9, Garand Grease, copper solvent, and TC Bore Butter and BP Solvent (which are both edible) for my Hawken. The worst thing I have dealt with is 3-in-1 oil. That stuff certainly gums up, especially at low temps. There is about 50 years worth of it on my grandpa's old shotguns. It's worse than cosmoline. |
Posted By: GroupB
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 4:35pm
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I use Hoppes solvent and I think the oil I use is called Outlander. ------------- 
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Posted By: stratoaxe
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 5:43pm
| I used it on my guns when I was a kid, just have to be careful. Like Rednekk says, works in a pinch, or as something temporary until you can get your hands on some good gun oil. |
Posted By: Reb Cpl
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 6:05pm
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thanks red. that's about what I figured. Like I said, the idea never actually crossed my mind to use it until he said something to me the other day. I literally went "Uh......let me see what I can find out." ------------- ? |
Posted By: oldsoldier
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 7:01pm
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Wincheater, Cleaner/Lubricant/Protective...ie US Military grade CLP.
Great stuff, bore cleaner, solvant, lubricant...I only use CLP on my military grade weapons. ------------- 
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Posted By: SSOK
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 9:09pm
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Wasnt it you OS that said you used WD-40 and carbureator cleaner in your M16 in Vietnam? ------------- 
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Posted By: rednekk98
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 9:09pm
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CLP and the otis stuff are mainstays, I'd still suggest a better bore solvent, but you don't need it for every cleaning. Remember that it DOES evaporate so either reapply for protection or use something else for storage. Consider a dry lube if you're worried about picking up gunk. Being of higher importance: What do you use for cleaning gear? Those aluminum 1-peice rods used from the muzzle will wreck a barrel faster than a bad solvent or corrosion. I use a Dewey coated steel rod and bore guide on firearms I can clean from the breech and the Otis pull-through for everything else. The Otis kit, a nylon brush and a bore solvent is really all you will ever need for ANYTHING other than black powder or an artillery peice. |
Posted By: GI JOES SON
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 9:12pm
| ^^i use bore snakes whenever i can, they seem to do the trick. |
Posted By: oldsoldier
Date Posted: 27 November 2010 at 10:59pm
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carburator cleaner was a mainstay in the old days for decarbon on the M16 and M-60, brake cleaner solvent in dunk tanks for the m16 and m60 recievers. WD40 was great in the jungle, the old issue goop oil collected to much silt and crap. -------------
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Posted By: Mack
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 9:37am
Another bit of trivia--when the M16 first came out the troops had to use whatever they could find because they were issued without cleaning equipment. (Someone in the supply chain believed the hype about this gun not needing it.) ------------- 
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SSOK wrote:Posted By: oldsoldier
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 10:35am
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The original specs propellant was clean burning, the final propellant wanted by the military was a dirty, high carbon mix. Original M16 did not have a foward assist either on upper reciever to seat bolt if it got too dirty to seat after prolonged firing.
Cleaning rods and comic book styled manuals were issued after the 'need' was determined by command.  -------------
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Posted By: SSOK
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 7:20pm
Whereas the M14 would pretty much shoot no matter what was thrown at it, correct?
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Posted By: oldsoldier
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 9:07pm
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M14 was more reliable using a modified 'garand' operating system. tolerances on M16 were too tight. In a pinch all you needed to do to clean m14 in a firefight was to dump mag, partially pull back bolt and 'pee' into reciever to clear dirt, stank but worked. M16 was a teardown no matter what, plus the cases had a tendancy to stick and rim would get pulled off if too carboned. The later crome bore fixed that little problem.
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Posted By: agentwhale007
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 9:25pm
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This morning I used Hoppes gun oil on the floor track of the sliding glass doors. The stupid thing was getting all gummed up and catching, not to mention sounding like a cat was stuck in it. |
Posted By: merc
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 11:14pm
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a good friend of mine who is an avid hunter and i respect what he says...
guy shoots remington 1100s and said he had a problem with one jamming during cold hunts. his gun smith said it was the oil he used. ever since he just sprays it down with wd40 and hasnt had a problem with it acting up at all... ------------- saving the world, one warship at a time. |
Posted By: DaveEllis
Date Posted: 28 November 2010 at 11:54pm
| Lets all be clear on the fact that WD40 has no lubricating properties. |
Posted By: Ceesman762
Date Posted: 29 November 2010 at 12:47pm
This. WD40 will break up corrosive powder residue from crappy 8mm ammo. So, any of you who use WWII era 8mm ammo, spray it into the barrel after you are done shooting and then clean it out with Hoppe's or Shooter's Choice when you get home. ------------- Innocence proves nothing FUAC!!!!! |