Cleaning and lubrication?

pilot25 · Aug 4, 2016

I'm sure there is a thread on this somewhere but a search isn't picking up what I'm looking for.

Picking up a Sig Sauer pistol soon and know I need to lubricate it up first thing. Question is what does everyone use for maintenance and lubrication. Mil products are popular but the mil_25b grease is really really expensive. I purchased some supplies like a bore snake, patches, nylon picks but as far as solvent, oil, and grease I'm still researching.

Any tips?

canonian · Aug 4, 2016

I predict this thread will be huge!!!!

Opinions vary. I clean with Mpro 7 Gun Cleaner or Charlies Soap Liquid

I grease the slide/hammer and some oil elsewhere at times. Again Mpro grease/oil, also like Magnalube grease before Mpro made theirs.

Heck you can use motor oil, grease out of a tube, Hoppes, Ballistol etc..

Don't over think this. Just keep it clean and lubed and the thing will outlast you!

I love bore snakes and have not patched in ages.

Uncle Duke · Aug 4, 2016

Mobil 1 synthetic oil

Mobil 1 red synthetic grease

The oil will last a long time. You won't likely use up the grease in your lifetime.

20 bucks and done.

Minuteman · Aug 4, 2016

Indiana Jones · Aug 4, 2016

Currently I have a bunch of CLP so I use that. When that is gone, I'll go back to ballistol and motor oil. My MK25 gets carried almost daily so it gets linty and dirty. I typically just wipe everything down in CLP and call it a day.

iH8DemLibz · Aug 4, 2016

WD-40

Tetra White Grease

Mobil 1

Red Wheel Bearing Grease

Minuteman · Aug 4, 2016

Unless you shoot a lot, or have carbon or metal build-up, you probably could get away with just giving it a quick scrub with CLP and wiping it down.

I carry a small bottle of lube in my range cleaning kit. That kit is mostly just incase my gun (or someone elses) starts acting up (malfunctioning in some way) due to carbon buildup, or lack of lubricant.

Also, if I ever see rust (inspect all of your guns,, hem..hem.. both of your guns, at least a couple times a year, don't store in those foamy/padded cases, and keep a light coat of protective oil on the metal), I remove it quickly and lube the entire gun well.

Another reason why I really like revolvers, but even they need to be occasionally cleaned and lubed.

MDS member Clandestine has an excellent video on cleaning AR15's, and he has been a wealth of information to members here over many years.

bob finger · Aug 4, 2016

Marvel Mystery Oil. $5 a quart at any auto parts store. For my tournament rim fire rifles I mix it 50/50 with RimFire Blend for barrel swabbing. Handguns I clean with Ballistol, oil with MMO.

Pistols need oil, not grease. Any oil is better than no oil. bob

smokey · Aug 4, 2016

iH8DemLibz said:
~~WD-40~~<---don't use this on guns

Tetra White Grease

Mobil 1

Red Wheel Bearing Grease

Lube isn't as big of a deal as people make it. Breakfree clp is fine general purpose stuff. There's better cleaners and better oil, but especially for a sig handgun, something like breakfree clp is gtg. WD40 will gum up and jack your gun if you use it for anything but a water displacer. Mobil 1 is engine oil and doesn't act as the best protectant against moisture, being that it's designed to hold moisture in it.

Melnic · Aug 4, 2016

I"m no expert but I think a cleaning regiment is in some respects dependent on what you will be doing with it.
Is it going to be sitting in a nice clean safe most of its life?
Taken to the range for range trips?
duty gun
backup gun
Sitting in a retention holster on your waste as you 4 wheel across your 200 acre Ranch inspecting all your storage containers you placed your prepper food and ammo?

iH8DemLibz · Aug 4, 2016

smokey0118 said:
Lube isn't as big of a deal as people make it. Breakfree clp is fine general purpose stuff. There's better cleaners and better oil, but especially for a sig handgun, something like breakfree clp is gtg. WD40 will gum up and jack your gun if you use it for anything but a water displacer. Mobil 1 is engine oil and doesn't act as the best protectant against moisture, being that it's designed to hold moisture in it.

I spray WD on a rag and wipe down my blued and stainless guns. I love the stuff. The lubricant of luddites. I put it on everything. Including knives and tools. Though the pancake episode is something I would strongly advise against.

The other three lubricants go inside the gun. Nothing like the smell of overheated engine oil in an AR. Like sniffing old and cruddy 350 small block valve covers.

And I do have some CLP laying around. Forgot about that one.

usa259 · Aug 4, 2016

Minuteman said:
MDS member Clandestine has an excellent video on cleaning AR15's, and he has been a wealth of information to members here over many years.

Where do I find this video?

Thank you!

alucard0822 · Aug 4, 2016

Most oil will work, I use Light machine oil or CLP, cheap and have plenty, engine oil is intended to trap moisture, not a problem if it's not relied on for corrosion resistance or used on carbon steel where the finish has worn off. I use synthetic chainsaw grease on locking lugs/barrel hoods, and some slides, stays put, little tubes work in a convenient little grease gun, doesn't separate, doesn't gel up in the cold, and holds up a bit better than oil, especially for carry guns. Caring for a Sig, or most quality pistols is easy, keep it lubed, clean out the dirt with CLP, rags, Q-tips, or patches when you feel like it, and keep shooting.

pilot25 · Aug 4, 2016

Minuteman said:
Also, don't store in those foamy/padded cases,

This, I have never heard before. Why? I just bought a safe with the foamy stuff inside. Should I take the foam out? I was thinking of putting in some of those salt bags you see, in the plastic, when you buy clothing online.

Excellent responses. Please keep them coming. I've seen a lot of videos and they are as varied as the responses on here.

I am leaning toward sticking with the Sig Sauer recommended cleaning and maintenance video until I get more experience and advise. However, they don't tell you what oil, solvent, or grease they use. I guess they don't want to promote any other company.

I plan on shooting at the range 4 times a month but with a family, other hobbies, and DIY house projects it'll probably end up being more like twice a month. I figure with that kind of frequency if I can't, at least, clean and lube it after each time I'm just lazy and not protecting my expensive investment.

Thanks again. Keep it coming.

iH8DemLibz · Aug 4, 2016

I still need to work on my rendered animal fat testing.

Talk about old school.

hodgepodge · Aug 4, 2016

pilot25 said:
This, I have never heard before. Why? I just bought a safe with the foamy stuff inside. Should I take the foam out? I was thinking of putting in some of those salt bags you see, in the plastic, when you buy clothing online.

Excellent responses. Please keep them coming. I've seen a lot of videos and they are as varied as the responses on here.

I am leaning toward sticking with the Sig Sauer recommended cleaning and maintenance video until I get more experience and advise. However, they don't tell you what oil, solvent, or grease they use. I guess they don't want to promote any other company.

I plan on shooting at the range 4 times a month but with a family, other hobbies, and DIY house projects it'll probably end up being more like twice a month. I figure with that kind of frequency if I can't, at least, clean and lube it after each time I'm just lazy and not protecting my expensive investment.

Thanks again. Keep it coming.

The pistol (and rifle) cases trap moisture and hold it against the gun.

Recommended oil? Pretty much anything listed above. Except WD-40; it's not a good lubricant.

cah9583 · Aug 4, 2016

The only gun I use actual geese on is my m1 garand my dad has a sig p226 from the late 80s its a west German made gun and it has maybe 10000 rounds through it, new barrel of course but other than that all original, I took over maintenance of the gun now and I use hoppes bore cleaner and then just some light hoppes gun oil or clp it doesn't take much

nmyers · Aug 4, 2016

If your safe came with foam inside, it's likely safe for guns. It's important that you keep the air inside the safe from being too humid.

What you want are the cloth bags/metal canisters that contain a desiccant (usually calcium chloride or silica gel). Also good is the "Goldenrod", a low light lamp that gently heats the air in the safe & drives out moisture (but must be plugged into an outlet). Brownell's has a good selection.

Neal

montigre · Aug 4, 2016

Breakfree CLP. Simple, affordable, and does the job 95% of the time. Sometimes with old milsurp guns, it takes a little more especially if bathed in grease....

d33rhunt3r · Aug 4, 2016

usa259 said:
Where do I find this video?

Thank you!

Here's the videos in question

http://www.schooloftheamericanrifle.com/ar15-m16-videos/school-of-the-american-rifle-ar15-videos/

Cleaning and lubrication?

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