WD-40 as the ideal bore cleaner?

[Fulldraw™]

I guess I''ll contribute my .02 with this informative link:

http://www.6mmbr.com/corrosiontest.html

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Keep in mind that the stuff that makes the best CLEANER may make a totally inadequate LUBRICANT or PRESERVATIVE.

:wink:

 

[victank1]

I have used WD-40 for years for a moisture dispersing treatment when hunting in rain or for shooting on humid days in the deep south, butt it is also a good stop agent for bore cleaners or cold bluing when you need to stop these processes. It is a poor lubricant, here at the ROCK, Anniston Army Depot we use what was designed during the first few years of the M16 rifle, Break Free, it is still used for the M4, M16A2's series rifles and all other army types including the M2(ma duece). The only bad thing that WD -40 will do is eat the crap out of you soft rubber grips such as Pachmyar or Hogue. Continous use of WD-40 I don't think will damage you Stianless Gun or mine would fall apart, butt be careful not to get it on your rubbers. HHHAAAA

 

[Anonymous]

I only use WD-40 for flushing out crud. For general cleaning, particularly after shooting lead, I use good ole homemade Ed's Red gun cleaner. Cleans great, protects and lubes some as well. Make by the gallon for about $5.00.

Bigcot.

 

[Stubshaft]

Personally I think that Kroil Oil is a better penetrant than WD-40. Not only does it smell much worse, it gets the lead fouling out better.

For rust prevention and light lubrication, it's hard to beat TSI 301.

+1 On using Kroil.

 

[captaintom]

Been using it over 20 years ONLY IN BORES while gun is warm and with Barnes bore cleaner and super lube thereafter. Still shooting half inch groups @100yds.

For 20$ a gallon,we save a fortune vs the Corp. misinformation. The gun cleaner companies would go out of business if the public used wd40 instead of their $5 3ounce solutions. The retailers want repeat business and not every 20 years business.
REMEMBER wd 40 will dissolve plastic,rubber,neoprene,vinyl,lacquer,wood etc.(seals in scopes,and stocks)
Still have some of the same gallon from years ago,and I reject the smear campaign against wd40!!!!

You can make your own snake with a piece of copper wire and heavy cord instead of paying $15 as sold.
Use your own intelligence and experiences,not the profiteers disinformation.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Gotta love it when a SIX-YEAR-OLD thread comes back to life.

Welcome, Captain.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I use a lot of WD40. It works best for starting a fire in my wood stove. One of the old timers on the Benchrest Central forum was one of the engineers who developed WD 40. He said it is 98% kerosene,with some aromatic solvents added to make it smell better.

I use Turpentine to clean my guns followed by RemOil to lube and protect. Good old Hoppes #9 to clean the bores and cylinders.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

From the WD-40 MSDS . . .

3 - Composition/Information on Ingredients
Ingredient CAS # Weight Percent
Aliphatic Hydrocarbon 64742-47-8 45-50
Petroleum Base Oil 64742-58-1 <5
64742-53-6
64742-56-9
64742-65-0
LVP Aliphatic Hydrocarbon 64742-47-8 12-18
Carbon Dioxide 124-38-9 2-3
Non-Hazardous Ingredients Mixture <10

Not exactly sure what all that means, but if you search for Aliphatic Hydrocarbon 64742-47-8 you will find it as the primary ingredient of a zillion cleaners/solvents/thinners/etc. Looks like it's mostly solvent with a little oil and "good smell" added, with carbon dioxide as propellant.

I've always called it "aerosol kerosene".

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

"aerosol kerosene" Exactly, I have to remember that!!! Good one.

 

[powder smoke]

My 44 mag barrel for my contender leads like crazy. Gonna give WD a try. Thanks. ps

 

[The Happy Kaboomer]

For over 30 years WD-40 and 3-1 oil kept our rifles/shotguns & handguns clean and rust free. This was before the age of many of the "miracle" lubes and cleaners hawked now ever existed. And those old guns are still rust free and going strong.

 

[Slenk]

I have used WD40 for years.
On a side note anyone having problems with Leading , try powder coating your cast bullets.

 

[powder smoke]

Thanks, Been meaning to try that. The only gun I have problems with lead is my Contender, I suspect some fire lapping will take care of that.
The barrel is brand new unfired for maybe 15 years took it out once. May be a little rough. ps

 

[Slenk]

I have been told that you need to run 1 to 200 round of jacketed bullets to smooth out a new barrel before shooting cast bullets . Well let me tell you it ain't so. I took a brand new .357 Blackhawk out the other day . between my wife , son , and granddaughter, and myself we ran 150 rounds 170 gr. cast powder coated bullets through the BH barrel was shinny and just a slight bit of powder crud . They were not wimpy loads. We had 2 other .357s we ran the same type of loads through with the same outcome.

 

[OldePhart]

@Slenk by powder coated are you talking about the baked on poly bullet coatings? I haven't tried them myself (yet, will be soon) but from the little I understand of the product that is probably a better "treatment" for a new barrel than jacketed rounds...I suspect because the cured poly coating is "slick" but also pretty hard. I saw a post from one guy who poked a hole in the coating of one and used a torch to melt the lead...and the coating, thin as it is, held it's shape as the lead dripped out.

 

[Slenk]

That's the stuff . if you go on cast boolet forum, there's a whole bunch of info on it. I use the shake & bake method. And coat 2 times then size. They are hard bhn about 22-24 for the powder coat. I found that I can use softer lead for my bullets with powder coat. Also a little higher velocity with same powder charge.

 

[cherokeetracker]

I am not that crazy about WD-40 but it does work to get gunk out. Try using Kroil oil afterwards. Many bench rest shooters use it and it really gets into the pors of the metal and makes the "next time" easier. FYI WD-40 stands for water displacement to 40 degrees. When it came out in the 60s a man demonstrated it to customers by spraying an electric motor with it and I mean soaked it good and then sprayed his hand and arm. PLUGGED the motor in and with it running, held it in a 5 gallon bucket of water. That was some dedicated salesman. I was a kid and my Dad looked at me and said he would whip me into the middle of next week if he caught me doing that. I told him not to worry I didn't like electricity much and that had to be the stupidest thing I had ever seen. But we used to use it for everything, from cleaning guns, to getting bubble gum out of our hair to starting cars (back when propane was the propellant) I even treated a dog with mange since I didn't have any kerosene handy. Hmmm good ole days

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

NOT water displacement to 40 degrees, it was the 40 th. combination the designers tried before they felt it was good enough. This was told to me by one of the people who developed it. From the horses mouth ,so to speak.

 

[mohavesam]

You guys seem to have a lot more faith in WD-40 than I do. It was designed to be a Water Displacer, thus the WD in the name. Anything else it does is by accident and not by design...

A couple of cattle ranches have been known to use it for first-aid vet purposes on cuts and scrapes.
Even on broken skin. Sterilizes and seals, kinda. - Parrafin and kerosene - who knew?