Would love to hear some expert opinions about using WD-40 for maintenance of your handgun
Thanks
Thanks
Handgun maintenance with WD-40
- Thread starter dben002
- Start date
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What kind of maintenance?
Water Displacement Formula 40 is just that. It doesn’t penetrate or clean very well compared to other gun cleaning products.
Water Displacement Formula 40 is just that. It doesn’t penetrate or clean very well compared to other gun cleaning products.
OP
was reading online where it was recommended for the prevention of rust and if necessary on older Firearms removal of rust.....
Inusuit
Member
I am not an expert. Kanewpadle is correct from what I know. It is not intended to be a lubricant, solvent, or a rust remover. There are specific firearms products for those uses. I have no personal experience because I do not use it on my guns, but I have heard reports on this forum and other places that WD-40 degrades to a gummy substance that will eventually interfere with the functioning of the firearm.
Over time WD-40 coagulates to an amber colored sludge that hinders movement of spring powered internal parts. I own a barely fired 1950 2" .38 M&P that has a problem with coagulated lubricant. The rod inside its extractor rod and its front cylinder locking pin very slowly return to their at rest positions. It's a collector revolver so I have not gotten around to it but one of these days I need to completely dissemble the cylinder and remove the front locking pin to clean out the poorly chosen lube. While I do not know what lubricant caused the problem there is a good chance that it was WD-40.
While I do not ordinarily use WD-40 as a substitute for preservative oil or cleaning solvent it is better than nothing. As a gun cleaning solvent it works fairly well after firing cast lead bullets. Due to its lack of ammonia WD-40 does not substitute for cleaning solvents for removing jacketed rifle bullet fouling.
After buying a gun I give its exterior a wipe down with WD-40 to remove other people's sweat. The only thing I know of that would be better for that is hot water and soap which is over kill. I wipe the WD-40 off then re-oil with Hoppee's gun oil.
While I do not ordinarily use WD-40 as a substitute for preservative oil or cleaning solvent it is better than nothing. As a gun cleaning solvent it works fairly well after firing cast lead bullets. Due to its lack of ammonia WD-40 does not substitute for cleaning solvents for removing jacketed rifle bullet fouling.
After buying a gun I give its exterior a wipe down with WD-40 to remove other people's sweat. The only thing I know of that would be better for that is hot water and soap which is over kill. I wipe the WD-40 off then re-oil with Hoppee's gun oil.
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Too many good gun related products on the market.... no need to mess with WD-40. I use WD-40 on shovels, picks, etc. I use G-96 or Rem oil on firearms.
Rammer Jammer
Member
I wouldn't use WD40 on any of my guns.
robertrwalsh
SWCA Member
I used to use it regularly for one very specialize firearms related purpose. I found it was good for cleaning black powder residue from the bore of a 12-gague used to fire blanks. I am sure that there are other things that also work as well or better, but that did a good job and was available. I would not use it as a general purpose gun maintenance product. That isn't what it was designed for.
Protocall_Design
Vendor
I have seen guns that were sprayed down with WD-40, then stored away. Over time, it dries into a varnish-like substance that attracts moisture rather than repel it. The 2 most memorable were a Rem. 870 and a S&W M27 that were both a solid mass of rust. Both were a total loss. Most were just rusty in spots and could be salvaged with parts and reblue.
WD40 is not a gun cleaning or gun maintenance product.
WD40 is a good cleaner to loosen up carbon and other crud, it is a lousy at preventing rust though. There are products that come in a spray can that leave a much thicker oil/grease film, one that I have been using the last couple years is Seafoam Deep Creep.
I have a lot of bare metal tool holders and vises, even spraying them with WD40 more than once did not prevent rust from occurring. Since I started using the Seafoam product, I am no longer having rust issues and I don't have to spray the metal until its dripping wet, usually I just spray the product on a paper towel or rag and wipe the metal down with it.
I have a lot of bare metal tool holders and vises, even spraying them with WD40 more than once did not prevent rust from occurring. Since I started using the Seafoam product, I am no longer having rust issues and I don't have to spray the metal until its dripping wet, usually I just spray the product on a paper towel or rag and wipe the metal down with it.
crstrode
Member
I used WD-40 for years and years - then I figured out why things were getting sluggish and sticky.
Yup - it does eventually build up into a sticky greasy yellow-brown sludge that clogs up spring channels etc.
I had a great Fox double that stopped ejecting the hulls, a 686 with an almost impossible to open cylinder, and several 22 LR semi auto rifles that stopped semi-autoing.
I really like WD-40, however it only goes on the outside now - never on the inside.
Yup - it does eventually build up into a sticky greasy yellow-brown sludge that clogs up spring channels etc.
I had a great Fox double that stopped ejecting the hulls, a 686 with an almost impossible to open cylinder, and several 22 LR semi auto rifles that stopped semi-autoing.
I really like WD-40, however it only goes on the outside now - never on the inside.
ggibson511960
Member
I've used WD-40 for decades without problem. It's hard to beat the convenience of a $1 miniature spray can of WD-40 for a quick spray down the tube at the end of the day. I can only imagine how much WD-40 has to be repeatedly sprayed into nooks and crannies to dry and accumulate to varnish-like sludge. There is considerable advertising exaggeration, good and bad, around gun oil suitability and WD-40 is no exception. Almost any low vapor pressure hydrocarbon will do 90% of what needs to be done to prevent corrosion and adequately lubricate a gun mechanism. Guns are not car engines.
Dvan34
Member
Many years ago we were warned that WD40 could get into the primers of your ammo and cause it not to detonate. You might do a search on the internet if someone doesn't send this info to you.
dfariswheel
Member
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The famous "Box 'O Truth" site disproved this.
They put primed cases head up in blocks and applied various products to the primers.
Among them were WD-40, Hoppe's #9, CLP Breakfree, and Kroil.
Most of these are well know as good penetrating fluids.
Kroil can creep into a crack as small as one millionth of an inch.
After more then as much as 6 weeks NOT ONE primer failed to fire.
The Box O' Truth #39 - Oil Vs. Primers - The Box O' Truth
One case of WD-40 being used as a lubricant is detailed in "Good To Go" by multiple tour Vietnam Navy SEAL Harry Constance.
He said that when he returned from a patrol he'd remove the plastic stock and hand guards from his Stoner light machine gun and drop the gun AND HIS LINKED AMMO into a cut off 55 gallon drum of gasoline to soak while he cleaned up and had breakfast.
Then he'd remove the gun and clean it and spray it with WD-40 to lubricate it.
He also removed the linked 5.56 ammo, dried it off, then sprayed it with WD-40.
He said that in his tours he never had a stoppage.
To be fair, like all SEAL's he was fanatic about keeping the gun clean and lubed every day.
It is better than nothing if that is all that you have available. Use it to get yourself going again and then remove and apply better lubricants when you are back home.
Randy
PS. On more than one occasion I have opened the hood of the vehicle and removed the automatic transmission dipstick and applied that as a temporary solution.
Randy
PS. On more than one occasion I have opened the hood of the vehicle and removed the automatic transmission dipstick and applied that as a temporary solution.
Use silicone treated gun socks.
WD40 is not a gun maintenance product. It is a gun nightmare product.
If you want an aerosol can of gun lube, Remington Remoil is a fine aerosol light cleaner. Its a terrible lube, but a great light cleaner. I use it to clean, and then dry the parts off, and use a real lube to lubricate.
If you want an aerosol can of gun lube, Remington Remoil is a fine aerosol light cleaner. Its a terrible lube, but a great light cleaner. I use it to clean, and then dry the parts off, and use a real lube to lubricate.
