Let the religious wars of faith begin! Lubricating Side by Side shotgun hinge pin

[Elric]

Let's find out if the fervor to burn unbelievers has diminished since Salem...

I have a nice Ithaca SxS, caried it around quite a bit since the mid-70s. Bluing is a bit worn, but the action still locks up like a vault...

What lubricant should be used on a hinge pin? It does not need to allow a slide to cycle, it is high load, slow cycle time (opening action).

 

[Brad]

For rotating parts oil is a good choice. Use grease for sliding type interfaces.
And good oil would be fine. Could even get by with a little ATF.

 

[fiver]

grease is fine.
I use pretty much whatever comes to hand first.

 

[Brad]

Pretty much what most of us do fiver. Within reason anything is better than nothing.

 

[RicinYakima]

I use Lubi-Plate white lithium grease. If it was good enough for the M-1 it is good enough for the SXS.

 

[Ian]

I use a sticky EP bearing grease on all my shotgun pins and locking bolts.

I wasn't aware that it was a point of contention in some circles.

 

[JonB]

years back I bought a qt of Microil precision instrument oil (Kano labs)...a qt is a lifetime supply. I put it in my needle oiler and I use that everywhere you want a oil that won't dry up and turn into a gummy varnish. If I had a side by side, I'd put Microil on the hinge pin.
Praise be Kano labs !

 

[RicinYakima]

Ian, The best I can tell, this came form the Handi-Rifle folks several years ago. If you greased the hinge pin or locking lug, the barrel would turn into a snake and shoot behind you. Ric

 

[RBHarter]

I had an O/U that was tight and stiff . I tried several oils . I had some very old Outters graphite reel grease . I figured it couldn't hurt to try it , a dab in 3-4 contact points open and 3-4 cycles and it ran like .....greased glass is overly generous but it was a far sight better than oil . I guess I used it 3-4 times after cleaning , I was hunting ducks on a lake/river mouth and everything was wet from rain or snow or full of blow sand but the birds were thick and easy to decoy . Whatever happened there , 10 yr after the last of that went away it was still slick and free and just a touch like bush spray of Hoppes kept it fresh .

 

[Walks]

I used CLP on my IGA Stoeger, not good enough in SoCal heat. Busted. Stoeger sent me a new one. Those last 2 missed shotgun targets were the only misses I had at that EOT '99. Would have been my first clean EOT.

Lubed with white lithium grease since then. And switched to my Savage 311R, ever since.

 

[Mitty38]

Choke tube thread grease.
Because I do a lot of tree and field hunting, with my only shotgun, I always have it handy.I use a small amount of molly based choke tube grease on springs, bearing surfaces,or threads. I even use it on my powder guns breach plug threads.Then I #9 every where else.
I actually have the workings on the entire lower on my AR15 coated with a thin coat of Birchwood Casey choke tube grease.Because that is what was laying on the table when I Built the lower. Except for wiping a little Ct grease on the bearing surface of the trigger- hammer, if it fancy's me, I never have cleaned or re-lubed the lower. I never have had an issue with the parts that have been lubed with it one time on day 1 at ???K rounds ago. No issues.
If I am not doing a strip, on a gun, I just soak the whole thing down with rem oil, run a rag down the barrel then make sure I wipe the chamber out real good. If it got wet, I use WD-40 first.

 

[Walks]

In My Experience nothing will gum up a Firearms internals like WD-40.

 

[Ian]

Only one thing is worse: CLP.

 

[Walks]

CLP isn't bad.

It just isn't any good for lubrication. And it will remove FRESH powder residue.

 

[Mitty38]

WD 40 removes water well. But yes you still need to clean and lubricate afterword.
It does have a tendency to carry garbage into cracks, but it also gets all the moisture out.
So in my book it does have its place. Like say I dropped my 870 in the pond, or left it on the porch barrel up, action open, in a thunderstorm all night.(not that I would ever have committed such sacrilege)

 

[Rally]

I find myself using more Mobil 1 on my guns these days than most anything else. I use it in all my vehicles and after an oil change just leave the jugs turned upside down into a funnel overnight. First started using it on Browning A5's and worked so well I just keep using it.

Don't feel bad Mitty38. I left a rifle in the woods once overnight, after setting it down to check some traps. Ruger 77/44 so it was no worse for wear.

 

[Walks]

Dropping a Shotgun into a Pond ?

How about Throwing one as far into a Salt Water marsh as you can. Standing up in the boat whirling 3 times over your head and letting go. It's still down there, rusting in the Mud of the Wister Unit for 33+yrs.

 

[358156 hp]

You're all wrong.

The correct lubricant is Sperm Whale oil.

 

[358156 hp]

Dropping a Shotgun into a Pond ?

How about Throwing one as far into a Salt Water marsh as you can. Standing up in the boat whirling 3 times over your head and letting go. It's still down there, rusting in the Mud of the Wister Unit for 33+yrs.

Bad day, huh?

 

[Walks]

Fought that REM 1100Mag for 3 seasons. Back to REM twice, warranty station four times. Blasted thing would constantly double feed. Getting set up for transition to steel shot.

Bought a WIN 1300 Camo Combo for next year, 1987. The following year a REM 870 Express. Finally settled on a Benelli Montrefelto in 1990.
Used it without problem until I had to stop Hunting in 1997.