Ben's Gun Oil
- Thread starter Ben
- Start date
Ian
Notorious member
Pardon my dyslexic label. My first introduction to the SHC line of industrial lubricants was from a 1978 Speed Star drilling rig manual and the person who developed the manual typed "SCH" in every place. Took me a bit to discover the error when chasing down a replacement product. Unfortunately it never burned correctly to my "hard drive".
The SHC 220 is a light, buttery #1 (or #2 if that's what you want, like for chassis and wheel bearing applications) grease with PAO base and not much if any sticky, stringy, gooey additives.
The SHC 220 is a light, buttery #1 (or #2 if that's what you want, like for chassis and wheel bearing applications) grease with PAO base and not much if any sticky, stringy, gooey additives.
bruce381
Active Member
Most of whats said here will be oily but not stop wear to much the mystery oil has no anti scuff addtives better to get commercial machine slideway oil and thin it with kero if you want it thin.
Me I use a #1 synthetic lith EP grease as is or sometime mixed with a little PAO to make a thinner semifluid "low break away" torque lube for low temps. I tested on a match 1911 greases it and put in freezer take out and run a mag.
Guns do not need a lot but just "keep them" wet is some time all you need bye the way PCMO is IMHO not a very good gun lube in that it is not great on rust or wear protection.. Compared to my blend.
Me I use a #1 synthetic lith EP grease as is or sometime mixed with a little PAO to make a thinner semifluid "low break away" torque lube for low temps. I tested on a match 1911 greases it and put in freezer take out and run a mag.
Guns do not need a lot but just "keep them" wet is some time all you need bye the way PCMO is IMHO not a very good gun lube in that it is not great on rust or wear protection.. Compared to my blend.
bruce381
Active Member
you can look for Mobil SHC 221 grease that is a #1 or as Ian uses Mobil SHC 220 that a #2 both will work fine thinned to whatever you like with in reason. Even a PAO motor oil like Mobil 1 will be fine to thin it out maybe 10-20%.
The grease give enough EP to protect from sliding wear and the PAO base makes for a low torque at low temp fluid.
The grease consistency keeps it on the places you lube.
My baer 1911 has maybe 70K round or more and the slide has just blueing wear.
Corse the extractor broke 3 times but.
The grease give enough EP to protect from sliding wear and the PAO base makes for a low torque at low temp fluid.
The grease consistency keeps it on the places you lube.
My baer 1911 has maybe 70K round or more and the slide has just blueing wear.
Corse the extractor broke 3 times but.
There is a lot about oil / grease ( and many other things ) that I know very little about. It could be that my requirements needed for a gun oil were not very stringent. However, I've used this for a long time with zero complaints , along with many of my other shooting friends.
For me, if it isn't broke, I don't plan on trying to fix it.
Ben
For me, if it isn't broke, I don't plan on trying to fix it.
Ben
Last edited:
L Ross
Well-Known Member
Years ago I was at our County's Hazardous Waste Recycling Center. They had a room where you could take things you needed. I found a 5 gallon bucket of pure mineral oil still sealed. I used a little bit when I made a batch of WFFL years ago. So 4.95 gallons is still out in the shed.
Now for some thread drift. Any experts have an idea of why when I drain the condensate out of my Porter Cable air compressor I am getting more oil out of it that water? I cleaned the air filter first. Today I was looking at it and the pipe from the compressor head going into the air storage tank has drips of oil hanging from it.
I bought this nearly new compressor at a moving sale years ago without an owner's manual. I pull the oil level check plug and keep it filled with air compressor oil.
Now for some thread drift. Any experts have an idea of why when I drain the condensate out of my Porter Cable air compressor I am getting more oil out of it that water? I cleaned the air filter first. Today I was looking at it and the pipe from the compressor head going into the air storage tank has drips of oil hanging from it.
I bought this nearly new compressor at a moving sale years ago without an owner's manual. I pull the oil level check plug and keep it filled with air compressor oil.
Ian
Notorious member
Page two, someone asks a related but different question and we drift to.....
Reciprocating air compressors. First thing to check is an inlet restriction causing excessive vacuum on the intake stroke of the cylinder(s), which you did. It could still have a valve hanging up, particularly between stages, causing excessive differential pressure in the crankcase and oil intrusion into the cylinder. Sticking valves usually make a popping noise accompanied by reduced air output volume.
Most likely culprit is worn-out or broken piston rings.
By the way, straight paraffin vacuum pump or recipe oils make excellent bases for gun oils because of their resistance to varnish build up and oxidation. Mineral oils work well to "set" bluing. PAO rotary compessor oils are even better. Add some concentrated zddp such as from Coast camshaft assembly/break-in lube and thin with transmission fluid as required. If you want the concentrated zinc without fhe sticky of the cam lube (even diluted 10:1 it can make your oil sluggish), there are zinc additives for flat-tappet racing engines (I like Crane Cams oil supplement, there are others) that come in pint or smaller bottles which have less of the cold molasses effect on your gun oil recipe.
Reciprocating air compressors. First thing to check is an inlet restriction causing excessive vacuum on the intake stroke of the cylinder(s), which you did. It could still have a valve hanging up, particularly between stages, causing excessive differential pressure in the crankcase and oil intrusion into the cylinder. Sticking valves usually make a popping noise accompanied by reduced air output volume.
Most likely culprit is worn-out or broken piston rings.
By the way, straight paraffin vacuum pump or recipe oils make excellent bases for gun oils because of their resistance to varnish build up and oxidation. Mineral oils work well to "set" bluing. PAO rotary compessor oils are even better. Add some concentrated zddp such as from Coast camshaft assembly/break-in lube and thin with transmission fluid as required. If you want the concentrated zinc without fhe sticky of the cam lube (even diluted 10:1 it can make your oil sluggish), there are zinc additives for flat-tappet racing engines (I like Crane Cams oil supplement, there are others) that come in pint or smaller bottles which have less of the cold molasses effect on your gun oil recipe.
RBHarter
West Central AR
Is this the one Ian ?
cranecams.com
Looks like they are alive and well .
Engine Assembly Lube
Crane Cams is the original leader in performance camshafts for street and race engines
cranecams.com
Looks like they are alive and well .
Ian
Notorious member
Sorry, I misremembered the oil additive (my choice due to high zinc and low polybutene) is COMP cams stuff:
Basically what I try to do with gun oil (if I'm making it) is use a PAO or mineral base stock and get a heavy dose of anti-scuff stuff in there and thin as required. If starting with an ISO 100 or so base oil there is no thinning required. Like Bruce said a thinned-down lathe way oil is a good choice, and for the same reasons. Way oils have extreme pressure, anti-stick, anti-gall additives (zinc compounds, sulphur, and/or other good things) and anti-corrosion additives suitable for guns too. The only issue is viscosity and extreme cold.
Basically what I try to do with gun oil (if I'm making it) is use a PAO or mineral base stock and get a heavy dose of anti-scuff stuff in there and thin as required. If starting with an ISO 100 or so base oil there is no thinning required. Like Bruce said a thinned-down lathe way oil is a good choice, and for the same reasons. Way oils have extreme pressure, anti-stick, anti-gall additives (zinc compounds, sulphur, and/or other good things) and anti-corrosion additives suitable for guns too. The only issue is viscosity and extreme cold.
Rally
NC Minnesota
Ian,
A buddy of mine sent me an online video, that did a test of Synthetic oils in extreme cold test, where they tested it at -40. Mobil 1 beat both Amsoil and Royal Purple. They tested four oils, the other was a fleet truck oil, but I don't remember the name now (Shell Brand maybe). The Royal Purple wouldn't even drain out of a 1" tube at -40.
You definitely know more about lubes than I do, but Mobil 1 has been a godsend to me. All my machines work better, many which are stored outside in extreme low temps, and have to start every morning. The law in Mn. says I have to run snares above ice every day, no matter the temp, and I can't afford to lose my license. I went from Gastrol GTX to Syntech, but Syntech priced theirself out of my market. Conventional gear lubes are like raw honey at -40 and the machines sound like sewing machines, if they turn over at all, and belt life on my Snowmobiles increased dramatically, with Mobil 1 gear lube. Ski Doo mineral oil in my oil injected snowmobiles.
Regular gun oils would frost on the firearm in the holster and looks like white butter, cylinders barely rotate. G96 gun treatment allows mould to grow in the checkering of wood stocks here in the summer time, in a dark gun cabinet! Smells like bubble gum too.
My recoil operated Browning A5's are not sluggish in cold weather anymore, no matter the temp. I can't imagine not having half a dozen around! LOL
I use ATF as a lubricant in the bores and cylinders, because I use Bens Red as a bullet lubricant, and it is already in the lube. The rest get Mobil 1 5w30 High mileage. It just works up here. Use it on all my presses too.
A buddy of mine sent me an online video, that did a test of Synthetic oils in extreme cold test, where they tested it at -40. Mobil 1 beat both Amsoil and Royal Purple. They tested four oils, the other was a fleet truck oil, but I don't remember the name now (Shell Brand maybe). The Royal Purple wouldn't even drain out of a 1" tube at -40.
You definitely know more about lubes than I do, but Mobil 1 has been a godsend to me. All my machines work better, many which are stored outside in extreme low temps, and have to start every morning. The law in Mn. says I have to run snares above ice every day, no matter the temp, and I can't afford to lose my license. I went from Gastrol GTX to Syntech, but Syntech priced theirself out of my market. Conventional gear lubes are like raw honey at -40 and the machines sound like sewing machines, if they turn over at all, and belt life on my Snowmobiles increased dramatically, with Mobil 1 gear lube. Ski Doo mineral oil in my oil injected snowmobiles.
Regular gun oils would frost on the firearm in the holster and looks like white butter, cylinders barely rotate. G96 gun treatment allows mould to grow in the checkering of wood stocks here in the summer time, in a dark gun cabinet! Smells like bubble gum too.
My recoil operated Browning A5's are not sluggish in cold weather anymore, no matter the temp. I can't imagine not having half a dozen around! LOL
I use ATF as a lubricant in the bores and cylinders, because I use Bens Red as a bullet lubricant, and it is already in the lube. The rest get Mobil 1 5w30 High mileage. It just works up here. Use it on all my presses too.
Ian
Notorious member
Mobil 1 (whether group III-A or group IV PAO base) has a special pour point depressant package. Mechanic buddy moved to Alaska 15 years ago and says the same thing you do, below -30⁰ it's Mobil 1 or fuggitaboutit, nothing else will even pour out of its own bottle.
My point was use what you need to, with knowledge of what it does and why, rather than what you think is going to be good and end up regretting it later because it had unintended consequences. "They use this on the space shuttle, it ought to be great for my AR-15" may not be the best approach.
My personal disaster was 25 years of caring for a small fleet of wood and blued steel guns with the Army's miracle product "CLP", recommended to my by my uncle, a Vietnam war vet and small arms armorer/specialist in the reserves. He gave me a quart of the stuff and told me how to use it. Well, turns out I don't have any M16s or Beretta 92s and didn't for a long time have a 1911. That crap has stained every stock, gummed up every action, and ruined the Acraglas on two rifles. It also allowed rust if not applied very frequently. I finally threw the last of that stinky crap away and set about finding something that actually worked for MY guns, and for years that was plain Singer sewing machine oil.
My point was use what you need to, with knowledge of what it does and why, rather than what you think is going to be good and end up regretting it later because it had unintended consequences. "They use this on the space shuttle, it ought to be great for my AR-15" may not be the best approach.
My personal disaster was 25 years of caring for a small fleet of wood and blued steel guns with the Army's miracle product "CLP", recommended to my by my uncle, a Vietnam war vet and small arms armorer/specialist in the reserves. He gave me a quart of the stuff and told me how to use it. Well, turns out I don't have any M16s or Beretta 92s and didn't for a long time have a 1911. That crap has stained every stock, gummed up every action, and ruined the Acraglas on two rifles. It also allowed rust if not applied very frequently. I finally threw the last of that stinky crap away and set about finding something that actually worked for MY guns, and for years that was plain Singer sewing machine oil.
fiver
Well-Known Member
atf user here too.
I'm kind of thinking about sucking it up and buying a bottle of that Z-max stuff and using it straight though.
I have gone so far as to just stripping all the oil off my guns in the cold and giving them a wipe down with white gas as a cold weather lubricant.
atf gets sluggish in the negative 20 down temps too, but warms up super quick with a little pressure.
unfortunately you need a gun to work on the first and feed the second, and time might not be something you have.
I'm kind of thinking about sucking it up and buying a bottle of that Z-max stuff and using it straight though.
I have gone so far as to just stripping all the oil off my guns in the cold and giving them a wipe down with white gas as a cold weather lubricant.
atf gets sluggish in the negative 20 down temps too, but warms up super quick with a little pressure.
unfortunately you need a gun to work on the first and feed the second, and time might not be something you have.
Tom
Well-Known Member
Anyone have any opinions on lubriplate grease/oils?
Lubri-Kit.com - Lubricate and protect your guns.
Lubri-Kit.com - Lubriplate grease and oil for your firearms. Lubriplate SFL grease and FMO oil have been detirmined by experts to be the best lubricants and protectants for you rifles and pistols. We sell them both here.
lubrikit.com
Rally
NC Minnesota
Looks like the Z Max is mostly white Mineral oil
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Ian, I have gallons of way oil from a closed machine shop. It is useable for the base of gun oil rather than ATF?
bruce381
Active Member
ATF offers low temp, low vis but not much in the way of anti wear and or rust a good quality way lube cut with a lighter oil or mixed with a grease to make what ever viscosity you want would make a good lube better than ATF or mystery oil IMHO. ATF or nystery oil are at best to keep clean and allow low temp use and low vis