[JohnMcD348]

OK, these modern, polymer pistols seem to only be oiled, whereas many of the All Metal pistols, from just a few years ago and those from 100 year old technology, typically used grease on the rails and oil on everything else. The old adage of, "If it slides, Grease iI, if it Rotates, Oil It" seeed to go away after the Glock came out on the market.

It just got me thinking about it yesterday after I went on a Firearm cleaning Marathon all day. My wife and I went to a couple of training courses last month and I'd not gotten around to cleaning our M&Ps. So after putting those back, I picked up one of my other ones that hadn't been used in quite a while and cleaned it, and that just got me going through nearly everything in my safe. So as I was cleaning my wife's 2 month old M&P Compact and oiled all the spots that it called for, I picked up my 1911, from 1949 and cleaned it and Oiled and Greased it, followed by her PPKs, oiled and greased. And that's what got me wondering why we wouldn't want to, at least grease the metal rails on the polymer framed pistols for the same reason we'd do it for the regular metal framed pistols also?

I could sort of see not wanting to grease the internals of striker fired pistols, where the grease could possibly gum up the works if the grease trapped debris or crud from fowling and dirt. But that's about the only thing I could think of.

This is the kind of stuff that goes through my mind when I'm sitting at my bench.

Thanks,
John

 

[M1A4ME]

I've never greased the rails on anything but an M1A, M1 Garand or the SIG 556R.

All my pistols get the rails oiled. From the 1911's I've owned for 40 years to the CZ's I've had for 7 or 8 years and all the ones in between.

 

[Txice]

I've started to run grease on everything. I may cut it with just a tiny bit of oil but grease nonetheless. Oil just dissipates too fast.

 

[jkv45]

OK, these modern, polymer pistols seem to only be oiled, whereas many of the All Metal pistols, from just a few years ago and those from 100 year old technology, typically used grease on the rails and oil on everything else. The old adage of, "If it slides, Grease iI, if it Rotates, Oil It" seeed to go away after the Glock came out on the market.

It just got me thinking about it yesterday after I went on a Firearm cleaning Marathon all day. My wife and I went to a couple of training courses last month and I'd not gotten around to cleaning our M&Ps. So after putting those back, I picked up one of my other ones that hadn't been used in quite a while and cleaned it, and that just got me going through nearly everything in my safe. So as I was cleaning my wife's 2 month old M&P Compact and oiled all the spots that it called for, I picked up my 1911, from 1949 and cleaned it and Oiled and Greased it, followed by her PPKs, oiled and greased. And that's what got me wondering why we wouldn't want to, at least grease the metal rails on the polymer framed pistols for the same reason we'd do it for the regular metal framed pistols also?

I could sort of see not wanting to grease the internals of striker fired pistols, where the grease could possibly gum up the works if the grease trapped debris or crud from fowling and dirt. But that's about the only thing I could think of.

This is the kind of stuff that goes through my mind when I'm sitting at my bench.

Thanks,
John

This is what I do on everything.

 

[Rick M]

I’ve used Eezox on everything since I found out about it a lot of years ago.
It light, synthetic, and displaces water. It dries to the touch, and still lubricates.
It’s a good cleaner, and is also a corrosion block.

EEZOX

www.eezox.com

 

[Animalhd1]

It’s a whole different ballgame, comparing a full metal rail to rail contact with the tab to rail contact on most polymer pistols. I’ve always used grease on my classic P series Sigs and 1911s rails but just oil on M&Ps and Glocks. Without as big of a contact patch I’d never felt the need for grease on a polymer striker gun.

 

[ShooterGranny]

The owner's manual can be helpful - like one of mine which specifically states to never use grease on any part of the (metal) gun or the manual which firmly states to never clean this gun in an ultrasonic machine.

My viewpoint is that if I follow the manufacturer's instructions and the gun has any kind of problem that requires going back "home" I will not have voided their warranty.

Others feel they know more than the manufacturer when it comes to caring for their guns. That's one reason why life is not boring.

 

[john v]

OK, these modern, polymer pistols seem to only be oiled, whereas many of the All Metal pistols, from just a few years ago and those from 100 year old technology, typically used grease on the rails and oil on everything else. The old adage of, "If it slides, Grease iI, if it Rotates, Oil It" seeed to go away after the Glock came out on the market.

It just got me thinking about it yesterday after I went on a Firearm cleaning Marathon all day. My wife and I went to a couple of training courses last month and I'd not gotten around to cleaning our M&Ps. So after putting those back, I picked up one of my other ones that hadn't been used in quite a while and cleaned it, and that just got me going through nearly everything in my safe. So as I was cleaning my wife's 2 month old M&P Compact and oiled all the spots that it called for, I picked up my 1911, from 1949 and cleaned it and Oiled and Greased it, followed by her PPKs, oiled and greased. And that's what got me wondering why we wouldn't want to, at least grease the metal rails on the polymer framed pistols for the same reason we'd do it for the regular metal framed pistols also?

I could sort of see not wanting to grease the internals of striker fired pistols, where the grease could possibly gum up the works if the grease trapped debris or crud from fowling and dirt. But that's about the only thing I could think of.

This is the kind of stuff that goes through my mind when I'm sitting at my bench.

Thanks,
John

Perfectly good subject to consider. Plastic guns with their self lubricating properties probably less lubrication is more. I like shiny bores but some guys shoot their stuff until accuracy suffers or something jams. Proof these mil spec weapons can take some serious punishment.
Tuned up/close tolerance tools of the trade become zen partners, and you give’em time and attention, and they reveal what works. I use light-medium weight machine oils for nearly everything. Won’t waste my $ on the 5 bucks an ounce space age stuff.

 

[Canyon Man]

I have gotten plenty tired of picking up a pistol that hasn't been used for 6 months, and finding it bone dry. I don't care what any owners manual recommends or what anyone says. For the last 4 or 5 years, I've put a little grease on the rails of all my pistols - which are all polymer now days. I put grease in my AR's. I put grease on EVERY firearm I own. No longer do I pick up a firearm that isn't ready to be run if I need it to run. I use oil too, but oil runs and eventually the gun will get dry. Now if I were in the military, seeing daily combat, I'd probably just use oil. But I'm a simple civilian, and I don't wish to have a weekly routine of wiping down and reoiling everythingI own.

I do wipe down and clean two pistols I use for EDC about once a month though. I use Fail Zero bolt groups only in my AR's - and have test fired them bone dry to make sure they indeed work as advertised with no oil if need be. (I also have a trusted gunsmith retorque and restake the bolt carrier key prior to using them, because Fail Zero is famous for doing poor jobs on torque and staking) But I still put a little grease on the AR's bolts and and a little on the receiver's side walls.

This practice works well for my personal set ups and routine. I just don't trust oil to still be there if and when I need something that has sat for a while. I'll close with this - I'm sick of paying the high prices for gun oil too - it's the biggest rip off in the gun world. I'm considering using synthetic engine oil on my firearms. I haven't done it yet, but every time I purchase and get ripped off / price gouged for gun oil, I move one step closer to switching over to it.

 

[jdh]

The owner's manual can be helpful - like one of mine which specifically states to never use grease on any part of the (metal) gun or the manual which firmly states to never clean this gun in an ultrasonic machine.

I gotta ask, what gun?

 

[ShooterGranny]

I gotta ask, what gun?

If I remember, the next time I go to the gun cleaning room to clean guns, I'll check my manuals and come back here and let you know. It's on a different level and I have trouble with stairs, so I don't just dash up and down without good reason.

 

[M1A4ME]

I used 3n1 oil for a long time because that's what I was brought up using.

In the early 2000's I started using (mostly) the left over Mobil 1 from the jugs after oil changes for the truck/cars.

I've not had an issue with oil drying up. I do use plenty though. I have a few guns that are squirreled away in places I know about and get them out once or twice a year to inspect/clean/lube. Never had one come out of the hidey hole dry. Dusty? Yeah. Never dry. I've pulled old shotguns/rifles out of cases that were in the attic for 8 years. Oil was still wet on the receivers/barrels in spots. That was 3n1 oil back in those days.

I have seen oil (3n1) dry up on guns. Not sure what was going on but maybe my dad just didn't do the once or twice a year clean/inspect/lube work I do on mine.

Bottom line, I guess, is we do what we believe works for us.

 

[jkv45]

I think the reason manufacturers don't recommend using grease may be because there are so many types, and a user could easily overdo it. Most grease will solidify with time as well, and I've had new guns arrive with rusty grease that was more like wax.

I use grease very sparingly, just enough to give a thin film, and like a light synthetic. It doesn't get stiff in cold temps, and doesn't cake-up or drip when hot.

 

[M1A4ME]

You know, come to think of it, I did use grease on a pistol. Just a couple weeks ago. I worked on that frame from Aim Surplus I used for the 5" 1.0 PC slide kit (9MM). Changing some springs and polishing got the trigger pull down from 7.5 lbs. to 6.0 lbs.

A buddy recommended some stuff called Krytox so I smeared a tiny dap on the sear/striker contact points and a tiny dab on the part of the trigger bar that lifts the striker block upwards. Dropped the trigger pull to 5.5 lbs. 0.5 lbs. means the Krytox was just a bit slicker than the Mobil1 oil alone.

No idea how long it will last till it loses that edge over the oil alone. I doubt I could feel the trigger pull increase from 5.5 to 6.0 lbs.