LUBRICATING A FIREARM ACCORDING TO ITS DESIGNATED USAGE - MOSTLY FOR NEWBIES

[chief38]

Over the past year or so I have been noticing that there are many more Newbies at the Range than in prior years - understandable considering what's been going on now days! I have also noticed that the number one mistake Newbies make is how they lubricate their firearms. This is not meant to be a discussion of WHAT to use but how much of what ever you use and where to use it.

Newbies (and some long timers) apparently go on Youtube and watch a video or two then proceed to slather their pistols with oil or grease or both - not even aware of what the manufacturer recommends. Many times they do NOT understand the difference of a Range gun as opposed to a every day carry gun. Over lubing a Range gun (while it could be messy) is not as detrimental to the ammo because the ammo is only in there for a few moments. A carry gun is usually always loaded while being carried. Guns that are slathered with lubricant and transfer that lubricant onto Primers and ammo is IMHO something that should definitely be avoided. I believe they don't think about what the ammunition touches and rests against when they are applying lubricant to the inside of their pistols. They forget that oils migrate, leak out of a firearm if over applied and ruin their clothing, holsters etc.

I am also a bit saddened on just how many new gun owners neglect to read their instruction manual that comes with every new gun! Every manual I've ever seen specifically states what type they recommend using for lubrication (oil or grease), where to put it and quantity to use. They always warn that some areas must remain clean and dry for proper function.

Today I assisted a friend who bought a new Sig P365, When I was showing him how to disassemble, clean and lubricate the gun, the first thing I noticed was that the entire inside of the gun was slathered with grease. Sig specifically recommends oil, not grease. There was grease and grit inside the Striker Tunnel which is an area Sig specifically goes out of their way to let you know it should be dry and free of any lubricant! Not following their instructions could result in light strikes and or misfires. I would suspect this is not just on Sig's - but any similar Striker Fired SA Pistol as well.

When a new gun owner gets a new gun they often ask me to shoot it to check the sight picture (when they are having trouble shooting groups). 99% of the time the sights are just fine and it's them but the first thing I notice is that my hands are all full of lube. I usually try and let them know they should read the instruction manual and that more is not always better.

Last but not least...... I laugh my butt off when I watch some youtube instructional videos on firearms lubrication. It seems to me that MANY of the guys in the video's are Newbies themselves who oiled a gun once or twice and have now made how-to video's. Apparently they have not read the manual either!! I caution new gun owners to be careful in what they believe from video's and recommend strongly that they read and follow the manufacturers instructions rather than some guy making a Youtube video who is almost as green as they are. If still in doubt, CALL the manufacturer! They will be more than happy to guide you through and answer any questions you might have. Hey, I am in this hobby for 50 + years and still occasionally call a manufacturer if I have a question or need something clarified. I am not embarrassed to do so either.

Just figured I'd mention this as it is fresh in my mind after having to help my buddy clean off lots of excess grease from his new Sig today!

 

[6518John]

You would bet that men and woman responsible enough to purchase their first firearm will be responsible enough to eventually read the manual. I bet most do but probably go by the adage, as I frequently do with many things in life, that if a little is good, a lot is better! I bet they will figure it out eventually. Freedom is a wonderful thing even if it takes some practice occasionally.

I never thought about it, but I bet this is a boom time for gun goop manufacturers too. I know ammo is booming. This was in the paper yesterday.

In an interview after the conference, Chris Metz, chief executive officer of Vista Outdoor, said Remington’s Lonoke facility now employs about 900 and is still looking for hundreds more workers. That’s up more than 100 workers since February and double from November’s count of around 450.
He said the plant is producing as much 9mm and shot shell ammunition as possible to meet the unprecedented demand that has left retail shelves around the nation bare for nearly a year as shooters and hunters scramble to find ammo. He said the integration of Remington is ahead of schedule and progressing without a hitch.
“The plant is humming,” Metz said.

 

[500SNW]

As an aside, I'd like to complain about todays One-Size-Fits-ALL instruction manuals. 9 times out of 10 the manual you get doesn't even show your particular model...just some representative model or a generic weapon, even. Think Smith & Wesson's new manuals...but there are plenty of others. I miss the days when the much thinner, though no less informative manual was specifically written to cover your actual firearm and discussed in specific how to clean and maintain it...and even making minor adjustments. Todays manuals are written...perhaps appropriately...for masses of idiots. 90% gun safety manual, with the other 10% on which phone number to call or which email to contact if you have a mechanical or operational problem that you are too ignorant to figure out yourself.

Oh well, JMHO

 

[shocker]

Well there's not much to do about lubrication - Glock manual says put a drop where the arrows point in the photo. I don't even do that, just wipe those with an oily cloth. Microscopic amount is all that's needed between moving parts.

"Less is more" not "these guns like to run wet"

 

[6518John]

Well there's not much to do about lubrication - Glock manual says put a drop where the arrows point in the photo.

How I would clean mine—if I had one.

 

[stansdds]

Let me be facetious for a moment.

Here at Bubba's Kitchun Table Gunsmifin' Shop, we jus dunk pistils in a bucket ah dubbya dee 40, then let em drip dry fer a while. Fer cleanin Glocks we put em in tha dishwasher on heavy doody cycle.

Now, in all seriousness, firearms manufacturers write owner manuals for a reason. They are to instruct the owner in the proper use, care, and maintenance of their firearm. Yes, sometimes manuals are a little generic, the manual for an L-frame S&W stainless revolver is likely the same as the manual for a J-frame, N-frame, and X-frame revolver. Why? Because all of S&W's revolvers follow a very similar, if not identical, pattern of design and materials. So maintenance of the J-frame will be the same as maintenance for the X-frame. But, I guess that's not good enough for a lot of people.

I guess it's a lot easier to ask a neighbor, a friend, or Bubba, or watch a YouTube video that may have been made by Bubba. But, when that advice produces malfunctions, it might be best to pull out that owner's manual. As my junior high school English-literature teacher used to say, "when all else fails, read the instructions".

 

[chief38]

My Dad taught me well, although at the time I hated his answers! Whenever I asked him a technical question his standard answer was "look it up Son". I always resented that instead of him just telling me. HOWEVER I have since come to realize that when you look something up or research it, you always remember the answer. When someone tells you something many times it goes in one ear and out the other. Little did I realize that back then!

 

[Krogen]

Interesting post, chief38. I admit my failure to read gun instruction manuals. Candidly, I have no excuse. You post motivated me to read the lubrication section in my Model 41 manual.

Over the years, I've fought "The 41 Battle." I know I don't need to go say how temperamental some of them can be. During my experiments, I learned lubrication was a big part of reliable function. So imagine my surprise when I saw that I'm doing it all wrong! S&W points out two spots for a drop of oil. I have to assume that means the rest of the gun should be dry. Whoa Nelly! For me, that would be a recipe for a malfunctioning 41. I learned there are a number of key places for light oil or a dab of synthetic grease to make the 41 work; at least in my case. YMMMV.

So who's right? Me or S&W? While I would want to believe they're right, my experience with the 41 says otherwise. Yes, this is about a specific, often cranky gun. I can see how many guns are over-lubed. The 41 marches to a different drummer, I guess.

 

[chief38]

Interesting post, chief38. I admit my failure to read gun instruction manuals. Candidly, I have no excuse. You post motivated me to read the lubrication section in my Model 41 manual.

Over the years, I've fought "The 41 Battle." I know I don't need to go say how temperamental some of them can be. During my experiments, I learned lubrication was a big part of reliable function. So imagine my surprise when I saw that I'm doing it all wrong! S&W points out two spots for a drop of oil. I have to assume that means the rest of the gun should be dry. Whoa Nelly! For me, that would be a recipe for a malfunctioning 41. I learned there are a number of key places for light oil or a dab of synthetic grease to make the 41 work; at least in my case. YMMMV.

So who's right? Me or S&W? While I would want to believe they're right, my experience with the 41 says otherwise. Yes, this is about a specific, often cranky gun. I can see how many guns are over-lubed. The 41 marches to a different drummer, I guess.

The BEST way I know how to vastly improve reliability and eliminate FTE on a M41 is to install a Volquartsen Edge Extractor ($12.50). They are much much better than the Factor stamped out part and many times it completely fixes failures to extract. For the cheap price it is well worth the effort and cost.

Exact Edge Extractor for S&W Model 41 | Volquartsen Firearms