Or, why does it matter because any ‘ole gun lube will do just fine.

Many of the traditional gun lubes out there have proven to be problematic if not a letdown once you get past the nostalgia of a lifelong toxic smell that brings back fond memories.

You would think a product is chosen because it is reliable and actually works better than the most common, lowest priced choices out there. Maybe not for some.

Old school solvent oils are terrible because they open the door to the biggest problems among gun owners, historically:

• Opens the door to rust

• Leaves plenty of gummy residue

• Mixing badly when you introduce a better gun lube

Stop blaming a quality gun lube for what you did with that damaging junk you soaked your gun barrel down with. You have no chance for success until you exorcise those gun solvent demons (and follow directions, that would help too).

Here’s why the wrong product are a mistake:

• Solvent residue is designed to eat or destroy lubricants

• Mixing cleaners or lubes from different companies is a recipe for disaster

• Your only hope is to apply lube to clean, dry surfaces

All of that means you need to get that solvent residue off. And yes, that includes any cleaning product or alternative lube oil, grease or coating that you thought was a good idea, even though it was made for cars or homes. There is a difference.

Are you following so far?

Wax type products are proven effective on car paint surfaces but have no business on gunmetal surfaces, especially in the bore. Get that stuff off. It only gets in the way and makes a mess, unless of course, you have already discovered this and its too late.

Nano lube is false advertising. A true nano particle of anything is so expensive and so small that its so ridiculous that it would not engage gunmetal on a microscopic surface and it would cost more than the actual firearm you are applying it to. We go with microns. That’s a real thing.

Ceramic particle infused oils and grease are great for sanding down your back deck but its quite asinine to think that abrasive material is going to be anything other than harmful to rifling.

Biobased oil products are not going to do much other than fulfill the environmentalist child within you. Limited performance. Save it for cooking.

PTFE lubes are fine but only a few brands deliver enough of the good stuff. A pinch of particle in a full container isn’t enough to give you want you want and the right dosage will cost money. It’s that simple. Most of those brands give too little. Some mix with Moly or other materials but that’s just marketing. If it’s good enough why mix with other lube additives that are supposed to do the same thing. That’s because they don’t.

Synthetic motor oil, transmission fluid, acetone and other items in this general category are the choice of car buffs, but we are talking guns here. There is a difference.

Petroleum jelly. Pig lard. Mineral spirits. Enough already. Stop trying to be a chemist and trying to concoct your own home brew of unscientific BS. Find something else to do.

The truth is that very few brands of gun oil, gun cleaner or related products is an actual manufacturer. Tetra Gun invented synthetic fluoropolymer grease and gun lube 40 years ago and it works great if you use it correctly.

Don’t over-lubricate.

Don’t contaminate with bore solvent residue.

Properly prepare gunmetal surface.

It’s just amazing how there is an endless line of people trying to prove that their idea is better, because, you know, they’re on the internet and they said so … or they rigged some fake test … or they don’t do comparisons with real products. Good luck.

Grease is not grease. Oil is not oil. Liquid, spray or wipe applications, doesn’t matter, they will all work if used properly … or, keep complaining about what you did wrong without owning what you did.

#gun #firearm #handgun #rifle #shotgun #sportingrifle #gunbarrel #cleanyourgun #cleanguns #gunbore #gunsmithing #guncleaning #firearmslube #gunlube #guncleaner #gunshop #gunstore #gunrange