Grease vs Oil - what's the skinny?

[dc dalton]

I watched a few videos on youtube about proper care of firearms and they all seemed to say the same thing ... gun oil sucks, use a good grade grease on your weapons.

I bought some "snake oil" grease yesterday and re-lubed all my handguns and I will say, even without firing them the action in the slides feels a HELL of a lot smoother.

So what's the real skinny and if grease is so great why bother with gun oil at all (except to lube mechanisms that is)

I'd really like to hear opinions from those with more experience and esp you armorers and gunsmiths.... inquiring minds want to know!

[PisnNapalm]

My wife's uncle who's been shooting guns for probably 70 years says to oil parts that pivot and grease parts that slide.

I use Hoppes gun oil though.

[Hawk]

Depends on the gun as to what I use.

AR15 - oil & grease (dependiing on the part)
M1 Garand - grease
AMT Backup 380 - grease
Browning O/U - grease
9MM pistols - oil

[hower610]

I use Mobil One on everything.

[dc dalton]

I use Mobil One on everything.

Nah .. seriously?

[Lycanthrope]

I use Mobil One on everything.

That's not bad advice. How smooth a gun feels has NO bearing on wear. Grease feels smooth, but can cause serious issues in some guns....especially when cold.

You use oil to reduce friction and protect.

As in a car, you get the best performance from the lightest lube that still protects.

Lycankerosenebasedlubesarereallygoodthrope

[LittleRedToyota]

grease stays in place better.

but it also traps and holds more dirt.

so, in spots with very tight tolerances and/or that are very sensitive to dirt, grease sometimes isn't so good.

but, in spots that either aren't going to get dirty or have loose tolerances, grease is good.

[hower610]

Nah .. seriously?

Why not, people put Mobil 1 in a $30,000 + cars that operate at tighter tolerances and just as high temps if not higher. So why wouldn't work on a $1000 firearm...

Remember. this is just my opinion, I am sure there will be a lot of people who disagree with me.

[dc dalton]

Depends on the gun as to what I use.


9MM pistols - oil

Now that's interesting because the video specifically showed a Glock and the used grease on the slide hood, around the barrel and on the slide rails

Gotta see if I can find that video again and post it

[27hand]

Now that's interesting because the video specifically showed a Glock and the used grease on the slide hood, around the barrel and on the slide rails

Gotta see if I can find that video again and post it

dc, what did the Glock come with?

One of the trainers I had the privilege to train under (Glock armorer as well) made a Glock detail strip miniclass available to those of us in his class that were shooting Glock pistols.

He went through the entire strip/reassemble procedure and suggested to us to use a good quality gun grease to embed the connector in and to place grease at the 4 locations on the slide where the rails are.
That was around 2002 and i have used grease since then with no problems.

I do make it a habit to detail strip my pistols sometime after taking a 700+ round class over 3 days and a couple times during the year. i haven't taken a class for a couple years and am well overdue.

Sometimes the grease looks a bit dirty so i clean off the slide and take out the trigger assembly and regrease the pistol.

I don't put it anywhere else and just wipe the other parts with and oily rag.

Glock says to use oil. I trust this gentlemans advice over what Glock says.

Grease for me. Do what you feel comfortable with.

27greaserhand