I'll start this out by saying all my 3rd gen .45s are steel framed. However my boss told me he is going to start carrying his 4563 again, and that got me thinking. I remember reading somewhere that operators should use grease on this aluminum frames to reduce excessive wear. Is this correct? What do you guys recommend?

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"to protect and to serve"

I like & use Lubriplate's gun grease on all my 3rdGens, steel or alloy. Seems to work well & I haven't had any problems at all. If I remember correctly, I bought it at Midway.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

Like tim said, I just use the same synthetic base grease (Super Lube with PTFE) for both my steel & aluminum frame autos.

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Waiting for the break of day

Yup light coat of grease on the rails of my 5943, CS9 and 4553TSW.

I would recommend a high moly content grease. Not wheel bearing @~3% but 50+%. I bought mine from air rifle headquarters. But Honda offers a version and I believe valvoline does as well.

It bonds to the metal and is incredibly slick, you just use a small amount. It doesn't get gummy over time, and I use it on internals as well for a poor mans trigger job.

I use and recommend Lubriplate SFL-0. One can for $15 will last a long time. I did a LOT of research; reading tests and evals from people smarter and more sciency than me. My unscientific test included rubbing a glob of it between my thumb and finger while running my hand under hot water- the Lubriplate stayed on my hand and lubed, it didn't wash off. It's also nontoxic and doesn't stain, something I couldn't say about my previous grease- gunslick. Make like you're justifying a new gun to your wife and lay it on thick.

I use some polyurea grease I bought to lube the bottom bracket of my bikes. Or CLP, in a pinch. I feel grease is better, though.

Been using this for years. GARY
FTI, Inc. - Tetra Gun Care Products

One issue involved with aluminum frame pistols is galling where in contact and bearing against the steel slide. Good lubrication is a necessity.

Years ago a very experienced competition shooter showed me how he lubricates his semi-auto pistols. Using a #2 pencil the bearing surfaces are heavily coated with graphite. This provides excellent lubrication without the tendencies of oils or greases to collect dust, grit, lint, and powder residue.

I have been doing this for well over 30 years on pistols for law enforcement use, concealed carry, and competition. It works very well, and #2 pencils are about a buck per dozen.

I think it was an LAPD armorer who advised me that oil does not adhere well to s&w aluminum frames.

I use TW25b grease on mine. I follow "florks lube reccomendations" a guide that is a sticky on another gun board which deals with Sig pistols.

I've many rounds through my aluminum framed 3rd gens with no issues using TW25b.

The 4563TSW may be the perfect LE duty 45. I had a nice one. Slicked up by my gunsmith with a spurless hammer and the rail removed. Great pistol. So of course, like an idiot, I sold it. Oh well, hopefully I will come across another. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

TW25b for me too. Seems like I read somewhere.that the military selected that lube after their own extensive testing.

I may have to give the pencil lead a try though, sounds interesting, and I know it's slick. Curious about how long it will stay put.

after using the last of my jar of "slide glide" (which worked well and I liked it)....I switched to the Lubriplate moly also....the maintenance gurus in my former profession (mining) swore by it

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witty signature goes here

Air Rifle Headquarters: Isn't that Jim Maccari's web store?
I've bought springs, tune kits, and lubes from him. A bunch of them.
In fact, I need to order seals and tune kit for my Diana 48.
During the Obama panics, I shot my air guns a lot more than my powder burners, since pellets and BBs were in abundant supply, and cheap.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

Me three... TW25b, and just like what the old Briycreem commercial used to say (wow.. am I ever dating myself by quoting that)... "a little dab will do ya".

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

I use Lubriplate 105 assembly grease. It was originally designed as engine assembly lube, but works well for other things too. There are actually two different tube designs. One tube has pictures of car engines, boats, and some other stuff on it. The other has similar pictures, but one of them is of a firearm.

The contents are the same though.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Years ago, I read about reliability issues with M59s.
Were those inherent in the design, or were they an issue with individual cleaning/lubing techniques (or lack of)?

I can't see a reason why the 39 would be reliable but a double stack version of the same gun would not, unless it had to do with magazine issues.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

I always put a thin coat of Wal-Mart Super Tech Extreme Pressure Multi-Duty Complex Hi Temp Grease on all my slides/ slide rails.

It's the pink stuff. Call me crazy but it works for me. It's cheap and one tub will last forever.

Your crazy! LOL
Sorry, I had to say it. If it works for you, and you are happy with the results.

Several times yearly I unload my alloy frame .45's and put several drops of Break Free on the back of the slide where it meets the frame. Then I work the slide a few times. This has worked for me quite well ever since I bought the pistols new.

Both Lubriplate and Brownells grease has served me just fine. Will try TW25b at some point.

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USS ZELLARS
DD-777

Thanks for the advice and comments everyone. Lots of good info here. Like I said, all my 3rd gen .45s are steel on steel. I shoot them ALOT, and was concerned about excessive wear the aluminum frames versions. I'm sure I'll pick one up sooner or later.

I will pass this info on to guys I see carrying aluminum frame 3rd gens. Thanks again.

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"to protect and to serve"

Great thread. I used a concoction of TW-25B mixed with graphite grease. It sticks and offers quite a bit of lube where you want it without becoming gummy.

It does stain clothes however...

In the late 80's I met an old timer who recommended Rig +P Stainless Steel Grease for a recently Hard Chromed 1911 that I was using on duty. I bought a small jar & am still using it on most semi-auto rails. It has worked well for me in all applications.

TW25b hare as well

works well-no issues

Your thread reminded me that I also bought a small jar of the Rig +P lube back in the late 80's or early 90's, a little goes a long way. It's pretty good stuff,..........wonder where I put it? Seems like it was a small white jar with a black and yellow label,........right ????

I've been using Slide-Glide for close to 10 years. Keeps my aluminum frames looking like new.

Just a heads-up.....use caution when appying these "heavier" lubricants to firearms and then subjecting them to extreme cold temperatures. You'll notice on the Enos product, the material comes in three different grades, and the grades are rated by "temperature"....30+, 60+, and 80+.
On an everyday carry gun, particularly if you live in a cold climate, keep in mind these heavier viscosity lubricants can comprimise function if you have to be outdoors, or are stuck outdoors for some reason.
In these conditions it would be better to use a "dry" lube, or a synthetic that is rated to flow, even in inclement conditions.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

I was told several years ago that all the "new" and expensive gun lubes were just one or another lubriplate product repackaged into smaller tubes and sold at a huge mark-up. I can't say for certain it's true, but many sure seem to look the same.

No problem with grease here in Florida where it might get below 50 3 days a year. Today, it's 90. GARY

A little dab of Tetra Gun Grease. Thinking I want to give the Lubriplate a try, though.

Shooters choice grease for me. I'd use tetra or tw25b if I had it on hand.

That's all I use. Great stuff. I believe the Rig +P is specifically formulated for stainless, and works great on alloy and carbon frames/slides as well.

Regular Rig grease works about as well and looks almost the same.

And yes, it comes in a short, fat white plastic canister with with yellow and black markings. I've also seen it in tubes.

And no, you shouldn't rely on oil, CLP, or pencil lead. You need a good grease. (Some of the other mentioned greases and Moly greases are very good).

A key thing with grease is to clean it off when it gets dirty and apply a fresh coat, as it can trap grit and stuff. Typically on guns you need grease on bearing and sliding surfaces (slides on pistols: bearing surfaces and hinge pins on O/U's; etc) and a light coat of oil type lubricants on other moving parts.

I agree with the above fully. It's no leap of logic to know that a #2 pencil ain't gonna leave much of a trace of "anything" on the slide! try and write with even a soft pencil on something that hard and slick and see what happens. That person that said that was a better shooter than a lube engineer? Kind of like race cars-some drive em & some fix em.
I'm using moly on mine.

The tw25b was sent in a sample size with a new Sig I bought and it's good stuff. But boy does it COST. I use lubriplate now and it's every bit as good and a fraction of the price.

I guess I'm just old school. (Well, old anyway.) I've got lots of Lubriplate 130-A for my military rifles, so I just use it in my pistols, too. Works just fine.

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Retired Dep Sheriff & Armorer

Cheap and easy to get - Lubriplate 105 at NAPA - should be $8ish for a tube that'll last until Rapture.

Honda is also mentioned above by me & others-they have a MC & a marine moly lube that is as slick as it gets and stays put too! MC versions in my toolbox.
BMW MC mechanics like moly/grease products on a certain few applications with similar situ to the alloy frame pistol.
I'll agree that lubriplate is less $ and will serve the purpose as well!
But we could start a "which is slicker", "lasts longer", "stays on better"- "graphite vs. molykote war"