Grease/Oil

[adam12]

Now that I've re-joined the ranks of the 1911 acolytes, I find myself thinking and re-thinking maintenance policies I had way back in the day. Mostly, it's new thinking because I can't remember most of the policies I had for my 3 Colts!

Anyway, the age-old question of what to oil what to grease is the topic tonight. It was actually spurred on from another thread in which I read a member wrote that greasing the slide to frame is the worst thing one can do.

I DO remember I used to grease the rails with RIG grease. This practice seemed to be directly from the 1911 bible.

So in the spirit of starting fresh, what/where are the places to lightly grease and what/where are the places to lightly oil?

Finally, what products do you modern shootists recommend?

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I use Shooters Choice grease and Rem oil on the slide rails and barrel bushing/barrel surface. All four of my 1911`s get this treatment and they all run as smooth as butter and not a trace of galling can be found anywhere. Shooters Choice grease is quite thin and almost flows and of course Rem oil is as thin as water and will creep into the tightest area. Rem oil is used on the locking lugs and barrel hood also. Every other cleaning the hammer pivot pin/safety and the disconnector gets a drop or two of Rem oil also. Too much lube causes a mess, too little lube causes a worn out gun.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I had a Springfield that would mis feed, consistently, if it was greased.
Same gun with . . oil . . had zero problems.

FP-10 works very well, or Slipstream.
Slipstream is quite expensive (about $10/oz) but my two ounce bottle is
almost five years old, and still half full.

The owners manuals handle where to oil. 8)

 

[adam12]

A couple years ago I was turned on to a fabulous oil called EEZOX, which I've used on all my longarms. It's claim to fame is superb rust prevention, but I'm almost dead certain it would be fine in all the slipping and sliding places it was applied to. I'll look into it.

I've got to tell you, this news about grease being a culprit in a 1911 is a bit of a shock to me, and I'm not convinced yet, to tell you the truth. But I'm willing to admit it could just be a case of "old habits die hard".

 

[revhigh]

Mobil 1 10-30 .... You don't need anything else.

REV

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

The best way to find out for yourself is to try it. If grease causes your gun to get sluggish and malfunction it is very easy to just clean it back off . It certainly wont cause any damage to the gun. You can always put oil on it after cleaning that grease off.
Every gun is a rule unto itself. My thinking is, if light grease will prevent a gun from operating then that particular gun is already on the ragged edge of not working anyway. Weather the issue is lube clearances,ill fitting parts or weak springs,whatever,it is just too finicky to be reliable. Military 1911`s will run with a handful of sand in them.
They are not target guns. A self defense gun does not need pure target precision either. Some where in between match grade and GI spec is where a SD firearm needs to be.

 

[Pat-inCO]

My thinking is, if light grease will prevent a gun from operating then that particular gun is already on the ragged edge of not working anyway.

It seems you have not read the Kimber manuals.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I wonder if John Browning read the Kimber manual? I haven`t.

 

[Pat-inCO]

I wonder if John Browning read the Kimber manual?

Any bets on that being why his design would run with sand it it?

OH, wasn't that why it was called a "rattle trap"? :shock:

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Pat, you got that right. The one I qualified with in Germany was so loose I almost had to hold it in two hands to keep it in one piece.
Friend, you and I would get along famously. We are both sticklers about our guns and ways of doing things. What ever works is the thing to do.

 

[mistermills357]

I have used lithium grease on the outside of the slide; because it seems to withstand just about anything. Yes regular old car grease, smeared onto the slide and wiped down. It worked for me at least. I used Break Free as my light oil, on the insides of the gun. Discretion guided me, as to where to use what.
As far as the old Army .45, I picked one up and shook it, and it rattled like a skeleton. I did not care for that at the time, but I have since changed my mind. The method of a very loose-fit, is a very practical one.
I now have no aversion to that type of .45, and I welcome my next chance at getting one cheaply. It will surely happen.

 

[Brian48]

I use CLP/BReakfree for pretty much everything, although from time to time, I'll put a little Mobile one on the rails.

 

[Triton]

Well guys, this is always an interesting topic, mainly because there is not a wrong answer. Whatever works for you and your guns is fine. I recently tucked my 60th year of gun ownership under my belt.
In those years I have hunted from Canada to southern points, owned and maintained more guns, long and short, than I can recall.
Everyone of them were maintained with products from Hoppes. Not one gun has ever failed to do its job, in the frigid winters of the great northern woods, or the hot and humid mountains of Virginia.

 

[Precision32]

I tried EEZOX and had some major rust issues. And I read good reviews of the product. For what ever reason it did not work for me.

I now use M-Pro 7 for my EDC. So far I've been please with the results.

 

[Elfego El Gato]

The first time I shot my all-stainless Dan Wesson PM7, the slide galled to the frame. I sent it in to DW, they fixed it (lapped the rails, etc.), and recommended I use grease on the rails. I've done so ever since and I've never had another problem. The gun runs great and I enjoy shooting it very much.

It's important to note, however, that this is a semi-custom target pistol that was never intended to do combat service. It's a competition gun and requires special handling. That's fine with me. I didn't buy it to carry it, I bought it to use in pistol competitions at my club and there is simply no better gun that I could have bought for this purpose. The DW is a tack driver and I love it!

 

[Pat-inCO]

The first time I shot my all-stainless Dan Wesson PM7, the slide galled to the frame.

That's the first one in years that I've heard about with galling. As I mentioned
above, I had a Springfield that would not function with grease. As mentioned
above by another poster, it seems a function of the individual gun, rather
than a "rule".

 

[wvjoetc]

Pat,
I've used FP10 for years also, a great product for long term storage also. No one around here carries FP10 anymore, I guess I'll have to order it on line, I'm gettin close.

 

[chaindrive]

I've had great luck with brian enos' slide glide (standard / red).

matter of fact I broke my SR1911 in with it.

after over 1500 trouble free rounds through it the internals still look brand new.

I run it pretty wet and the parts that I do oil get hoppes elite.

the old gunner's mate in me makes me clean it after each use... 8)

 

[Pat-inCO]

I've used FP10 for years also, a great product for long term storage also. No one around here carries FP10 anymore, I guess I'll have to order it on line, I'm gettin close.

That's amazing. I would think that most sporting goods stores would carry it.
Brownells seems to have the best price.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=25954

 

[NH Rugerman]

Well guys, this is always an interesting topic, mainly because there is not a wrong answer. Whatever works for you and your guns is fine. I recently tucked my 60th year of gun ownership under my belt.
In those years I have hunted from Canada to southern points, owned and maintained more guns, long and short, than I can recall.
Everyone of them were maintained with products from Hoppes. Not one gun has ever failed to do its job, in the frigid winters of the great northern woods, or the hot and humid mountains of Virginia.

Ditto for 40 years for me...since I was a boy and got my first Ruger and my first "real" firearm, a 10/22...only Hoppes for me, my wife says it's one of her favorite smells as she finds it "very comforting", of course...she was raised in a gun aficionado's home and her Dad only used Hoppe's too.

I do use RIG for longer term storage though....

 

[Chief_10Beers]

I use Ballistol ( Safe for your Furniture too ) and Hoppe's Gun Oil..............................

 

[SweetWilliam]

I've never greased anything on a gun.
Hoppes, Rem oil, 3n1 oil is all I've ever used

 

[loaded round]

I'm always a sucker for new products and have seen several ads and testimonials for a new product called "Frog Lube", supposedly used by the Navy Seals and the Armies' ''Delta Forces''. So I ordered a small jar of Frog Lube grease and first used it on my new Windham Arms 308 semi auto. I was very pleased with the results, since it actually seemed to cycle much more smoothly and was much easier to clean after a shooting session. I have just cleaned and degreased my SR1911 and my Sigarms P227, but have not had the opportunity to fire either of these firearms yet. Another report will follow soon, and BTW, and added feature of Frog Lube is it's smell....almost smells good enough to eat with it's minty smell. Even the wife likes it...a bonus!

 

[Unk]

If it rubs, grease it. If it turns, oil it.

Switched to Mobil1 synthetic grease for my M1, will transition to that on other semi autos when finally run out of my original, old small tube of RIG. I use a $.79 flux brush to spread a very thin coat of Mobil1 syn- looks pale pink when applied.

Easy does it on lubes for me..no full autos for this old pilgrim.

Best.

 

[pjvrefugee]

Well guys, this is always an interesting topic, mainly because there is not a wrong answer. Whatever works for you and your guns is fine. I recently tucked my 60th year of gun ownership under my belt.
In those years I have hunted from Canada to southern points, owned and maintained more guns, long and short, than I can recall.
Everyone of them were maintained with products from Hoppes. Not one gun has ever failed to do its job, in the frigid winters of the great northern woods, or the hot and humid mountains of Virginia.

Ditto for 40 years for me...since I was a boy and got my first Ruger and my first "real" firearm, a 10/22...only Hoppes for me, my wife says it's one of her favorite smells as she finds it "very comforting", of course...she was raised in a gun aficionado's home and her Dad only used Hoppe's too.

I do use RIG for longer term storage though....

still use #9 to clean but have switched to Mobile One 0-20 for lube in cold weather and 5-20 in warmer weather. storage is a different matter. rust preventative oil in the bore for long term. this works for me and has for several years. used Hoppe's exclusively before switching to the synthetic motor oil. every person seems to have a different preference, and all of them seem to work just fine. I guess there probably is a bad answer some place but have not seen it yet. different strokes for different folks.