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Old 03-29-2012, 10:12 AM
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M2MikeGolf M2MikeGolf is offline
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The Hoppe's silicon based oil/lubricant is very good, and what I use often. Many don't understand that Hoppe's makes a protectant/lubricant and probably thought you were referencing their excellent, time-proven solvent; they make a great pair, the solvent and the oil. Each one has it's purpose.

Any silicon based oil product is a great lubricant protectant, at least ones designed for firearms that is.

If you want to simplify your life, Break-free/CLP is a good general purpose do-all (thus the title, "cleaner-lubricant-protectant). It's no accident that the military adopted it decades ago.

Only a few that have been mentioned here would I caution against. 3-in-1 oil has virtually no protectant and while a great lube, not so good for protecting against finger prints, salt, etc. WD40 is one to stay away from; not only does it not protect the finish, when it comes to mechanisms it will eventually break down and turn to gum. It's not really a great lubricant either, especially for high heat. Neither of those were designed with firearms in mind, nor were transmission fluids or engine oils. Some people like to wax their firearms for instance, which is fine, but car waxes are not the kind of wax you should use since they are designed for paint, and actually contain some elements which can damage blueing.

As far a the Tennessee National Guard concoction, I really couldn't say, but when you combine liquids, you never know what reaction you might get. I think it might be safer to just stick with your Hoppe's which has decades of reliable use behind it. I've seen even regular army guys use solvents and oils not designed for use with weapons, and in the worst case scenario, believe it or not, improper stuff can cause fire or explosions. Normally, it just eats up finishes and stops mechanisms from working, neither a very good end state. I often witnessed the results of bad cleaning/protecting practices

If you see the words "gun" (or firearm/weapon) and "silicon" on a label, you are pretty safe. Magic concoctions and quick remedy, home grown solutions often end badly, either now or later.
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