Thread: Gun Oil etc

Happy New Year.

Thought I'd post about lubricants and corrosion protection for hunting and fishing gear. I'm also interested to learn what others do about oil in their rifle bores.

When I started hunting there were three common firearms: .22 rimfires, Lee-Enfield .303s and shotguns. Our .303 ammo was corrosive, so we always tried to clean and oil our rifle bores after a day out. Back then we used the heavenly-smelling Steven Young's oil, or whatever we had. The bores of .22 rimfires were seldom cleaned and oiled. And one thing I liked about shotguns is that you could put plenty of oil in the bore and not have to worry about wiping it out before using the gun.

I use oil at a surprising rate. I guess a lot of it is used on cleaning patches that are forced through a bore then discarded. I came across the recipe for making 'Ed's Red' gun oil (using auto transmission fluid, kerosene, lanolin and solvent). It seemed to work as well as anything and I had a heap of it.

I am a fitter and turner by trade, and I was known as a 'wet fitter' by my colleagues. I always liked to apply appropriate lubricants or anti-seize or anti-corrosion products to things I assembled or made. I still think like that. I keep a tube of marine grease for screws on rifles that may corrode, and I am generous with lubricants. (I hasten to add that I avoid getting too much oil into an action, or in places where it really isn't essential and may gather grit).

I discovered a NZ made product called Prolan. It was marketed as a 'safe' oil, and it contained lanolin for long-lasting corrosion protection. I bought a litre of it and I have not been disappointed with the way it protects against the weather. However I thought it would be a good idea to soak the action of my Rossi break-action, single shot .22 hammer gun in Prolan. Hammer actions aren't always simple to strip and clean, and because I took this particular rifle out in wet weather I wanted to protect it. This was a learning experience. One damp day I took the Rossi to shoot a trapped pig, and I only got clicks for my first few attempts at shooting. The oil had gummed up the action enough to slow the hammer down. Eventually the gun went bang. Shortly afterward I flushed out the action.

I used Prolan and melted bees wax to make a lube for my cast bullets. It works as well as anything else I've tried and I like to think that the lanolin is helping to protect the bore.

I started to think about how my gun oil inevitably got on my skin, clothing and game meat. While it would only cause minor contamination, I figured I could make better choices. Also, because I sometimes needed oil for the sewing machine, fishing reels, hair clippers, pocket knives and door hinges, I thought it best to seek out an oil product that was more natural.

I used cooking oil for some jobs, it lubricated well but it also went gummy in a relatively short time. I still use it as a cutting fluid when I drill stainless steel. I have a super-duper purpose made cutting compound, but I'd rather breathe the spray and smoke from cooking oil.

I was given a small bottle of Ballistol, and I did some research on it. I only read good things about it so I bought half a litre of the stuff. It has worked well for me. I even like the smell of it.

A while back I thought I should get some more Ballistol while I could. But I couldn't find a source for the big (more economical) bottles. Then I remembered a local guy I'd met a few years ago at the Nelson Market who was selling an all-purpose lubricant he was making from NZ grown vegetable oils. He had a process to stabilize it. He seemed like a good bloke and I bought a wee squeezy bottle. I tried it... it seemed to be fine... and eventually gave it to my brother who lives in a marine environment and is always maintaining his boat and machinery. He seemed to think it was OK too. I'd forgotten the guy's name and the name of his product, but when I visited the Kelly Country gun shop I saw some of the oil, labelled as a gun oil. I bought a small bottle because they only had small bottles. I Googled the product, made enquiries, and found that this Eco Fix gun oil was the same stuff as the Eco Fix Breakout F-CLP food grade oil. So I ordered a four-litre container which arrived quickly. Just like having a case of ammo feels better than just having a small packet, it feels great to have a long-term supply of gun oil. It seems to remove fouling as well as anything, and I know if it ends up on meat or fish that my grandchildren will eat there shouldn't be a problem.

Now, my question.... I am a frequent cleaner of the bores of my centrefires. Naturally I oil the bore after cleaning. I've been drilled to always wipe out a bore before shooting, and this makes sense. Yet there are people who seem to get away with shooting through an oily bore. I'm thinking I could oil my bore then wipe the bore with a loose dry patch so as to leave some oil behind, but it is hard to know if there is enough oil left to give me protection for a month or two... or if there is too much oil which may build up in front of the projectile and cause a hydraulic bulge in the barrel. When I think about all the lube and fouling that gets left in a bore of my guns that shoot cast bullets, I actually wonder if I'm too fussy about wiping the bore. But I'd rather play safe. Although it would be nice to know that I have a rifle with an adequately oiled bore that I could quickly grab, load and shoot.

Thanks in advance for any bright ideas or insights...