What say ye?
Thanks,
Hiddencreek

I use it to lube about everything else on my farm, why not?

Use to use it about 36 years ago. Was OK, but nothing spectacular. Just gave my last 2 cans of it away Wednesday evening to a neighbor because I wasn't using it anymore.

Great for door hinges and to stop plastics and nylons from squeaking, but I would not use it to lube guns for anti-wear or corrosion protection. Silicone applications produce a very thin layer which is okay in light wear applications but not for heavy or repetitive wear. Oils, on the other hand, provide a thicker layers of lubrication and is more easily removed than silicones.

In my opinion, a better option for dry lubricants would be a PTFE lube. I use it on my semi-auto shotguns and the mechanism stays much cleaner, since the dry lube does not attract dir, grit, and debris like oils do.

__________________
Gary
SWCA 2515

In a pinch...maybe.
Too many options available with better viscosity and film strength that can be applied in a more judicious manner.
Silicone lube would weep out all over the place.

Silicone is not good for wood if you ever want to reapply an oil base wood finish either.
Lubricating oils also have extreme pressure additives that increase wear resistance and reduce coeefficient of friction. They are designed for high pressure metal on metal contact, and actually maintain a film between the two metal surfaces in moving contact.

If silicon was a good gun lubricant, why doesn't the military and police use it or any gun company recommend it?

They don't because it's just not very good as a gun lube and there are MANY other lubes that are better.
For the same reasons, most dry lubricants are not very good for lubricating guns.

Marvel Mystery OIL for anything made out of steel.

__________________
Just a shooter

Many years ago, 35 or so, I had an AMT Hardballer. For those that don't know an early SS 1911. The directions with the gun said to use Silicone on the rails. After a short time the gun started to bind-up. I sold it.

I've used silicone on my guns for the past 40 years and never had a problem. Some gun makers include a silicone impregnated cloth with all their guns. I know of a lgs that wipes down the guns that customers have handled before he puts them back in the display case.

There's a huge difference between using a silicon treated cloth to wipe down a gun to prevent finger prints from causing rust, and using silicon as an actual lubricant.

As a lubricant silicon just isn't very good and other lubricants are far superior.

Yeah, like canola or extra virgin olive oil.

I should've said that I also use it to lubricate my guns & so have many friends and coworkers. Perhaps it's because of living in a dry desert climate that it works well as a lubricant. Anyway, I don't want to argue about it. Everybody can use what they like.

You can't just walk away like this.............

One of the great joys of the gun forums is endlessly arguing the benefits of everyone's favorite lubricants.
NO subject is more discussed and it's a staple for the forums.
You're supposed to stick around and get in your punches.

Always thought silicon was best reserved for certain enhancing implants.