So what is the general consensus on lubrication of your bolt rifle actions?

[Mr.Snerdly]

What about spraying the bolt with graphite? It doesn't attract dirt and dust like grease, although I would think the lugs should be greased very lightly. I use John Deere Polyurea grease on the lugs but genuine CaseIH 251H EP is always preferred. I would think graphite would make for a smooth working bolt.

[jkv45]

Using Hornady One-Shot as well for cleaning, light lubing, and corrosion protection.

LP (Lube Protect) for oil.

Super Lube light synthetic grease on sliding contact areas.

[cchgn]

Places you should not put any lube: trigger assy, chamber, bore, sear assy, firing pin assy, ammo. Mineral oil is the base of 99.9% of all lubes, so just get mineral oil, it's alot cheaper.

IMO, I don't trust anything that claims to clean, lube and protect all in one. I suspect that it doesn't do any of them very well. To me, the issue isn't what lube (most all attract dust and dirt and grime, grease more than oil, and then dries out), but how much to put on. I take a flannel cloth and infuse it (not dripping saturated) with mineral oil and keep it in a gallon baggie and simply, lightly wipe down everything that I didn't mention up there and then wipe it off with a clean, lint free cloth (plenty enough stays on it). Remember, it's not a car engine (or even an AR or semi SG or pistol) it's a bolt action rifle, no rapid fire, it doesn't get NEAR as much friction as folks think. Gun makers harden the crap out of their parts, especially those that rub against each other. Anyway, we're letting them cool off between shots, too, right? YMMV

[geneackley]

Places you should not put any lube: trigger assy, chamber, bore, sear assy, firing pin assy, ammo. Mineral oil is the base of 99.9% of all lubes, so just get mineral oil, it's alot cheaper.

IMO, I don't trust anything that claims to clean, lube and protect all in one. I suspect that it doesn't do any of them very well. To me, the issue isn't what lube (most all attract dust and dirt and grime, grease more than oil, and then dries out), but how much to put on. I take a flannel cloth and infuse it (not dripping saturated) with mineral oil and keep it in a gallon baggie and simply, lightly wipe down everything that I didn't mention up there and then wipe it off with a clean, lint free cloth (plenty enough stays on it). Remember, it's not a car engine (or even an AR or semi SG or pistol) it's a bolt action rifle, no rapid fire, it doesn't get NEAR as much friction as folks think. Gun makers harden the crap out of their parts, especially those that rub against each other. Anyway, we're letting them cool off between shots, too, right? YMMV

My feelings exactly!!!

I SUSPECT the military has adopted CLP as a "good enough" product to be used in the field, so that soldiers are not having to carry a separate cleaner, lubricant and preserver in their field packs... Lord knows they are weighed down with enough equipment already!!!.

However, for us civilians who don't get deployed, its probably best to just employ a good cleaner, a good lubricant, and then a good preserver.

I still lean toward the "automotive class" of chemicals for their quality in relation to their cost and quantity. Ed's Red for example is a lot cheaper per gallon than CLP... and you can pick up the ingredients at Walmart or Home Depot... in other words, just about anywhere!

[BillPa]

Bolt or lithium grease on the locking lugs, primary extraction cam and cocking ramp. Ronson lighter fluid on the triggers and CLP on everything else.

[Stumpkiller]

I have been having good results with MicroLubrol - a 100% Silicone oil.

I put a few drops on the bolt head lugs and wipe with a cotton rag. Just a very light coating.

The rest of the metal gets an occasional wipe down with Birchwood Casey Sheath (was formerly Barricade) that is a protectant oil.

I use liquids - not sprays.

[geneackley]

I've bounced around all over the place through the years but have moved back to what I started with originally for the most part. Good synthetic grease on the high friction areas. A very thin film on the bolt body, and then good coverage on the back of the lugs, as well as the cocking cam, and extraction cam. Those are the areas with the most pressure. Most of the time I use Mobil 1 synthetic grease. Much much cheaper than anything made specifically for guns and is rated down to -40F. I also put a little bit on the sear engagement. Everything thing else is usually sprayed down with Hornady One Shot as it's a very good dry lube and rust protector. The reason I've gone to that regiment is because oil tends to migrate and creep in to places it's not supposed to be and doesn't stay where it's needed. Grease and dry lube tend to not run off.


As I replied earlier, I had decided to check out this grease because it seemed like a very solid answer that wouldn't cost a fortune as compared to "gun specific lubricants" - which are a fortune for a tiny little bottle's worth at the gun store...

So I went to my local walmart and they didnt have it, nor did the local O'Reillys... I could have kept going to other auto parts stores but I decided to go to my trusty EBAY and there they had it. I paid 13 bucks for it delivered to the house... but... I figure that one tube of grease will last me the rest of my life, and because of the quality, it should handle anything that I am likely to need it to.

Remember that OILS MIGRATE: Grease remains.

As I understand it, one of the problems initially with the M-16 in Vietnam was that soldiers would not adequately clean and lube their guns because they initially thought that these new "space age rifles" were "self cleaning"... In fact no cleaning kits were even issued with them at first!!!

And because of the direct impingement gas on the bolt carrier, these guns would get very hot very fast. And when oil was indeed applied, it would boil off quickly. So LSA is a special "liquid grease" that was developed to solve this problem; It flows like a liquid (in order to be able to apply it on the fly from a bottle), but then tends to stick like a grease. I own a couple of quarts of the stuff that I bought surplus somewhere years ago for 5 or 8 bucks a quart; Great stuff. Made in Germany by world class chemist and NATO uses it on their machine guns to this day. So for the price and given its pedigree, that's all I use in my ARs.

But I will let you all know how the Mobile 1 Synthetic grease works out... but I bet great!!!

Again thanks for all the input !!!

[justinp61]

I've started using TSI 321, a synthetic oil on my bolts. I use just a touch of moly grease on the recoil lugs and cocking ramp.

[ninner]

Lucas CLP every time I clean wether it needs it or not, then dried with a shoo rag and a final sweep down the barrel with a dry patch.


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[efm77]

I forgot to mention too that I've started using Ballistol some too. Haven't tried it for lube yet but I'm sure it would be fine. I really like using it to wipe down my wood stocked guns since it's not petroleum based and isn't harmful to wood. That way I don't have to worry about getting it off of the wood as it's supposed to be beneficial to it as well. I'm sure if would be a fine lube too as many seem to really like it. Again, being an oil though, it will migrate, so I probably won't use it much for that as I've gotten really attached to One Shot dry lube and grease.

[Robinhood]

I forgot the link to Hobo oil if anyone is interested.
https://hobooil.net/

[efm77]

https://www.cherrybalmz.com/

I found this site in doing some searches for lube info. Sure they're trying to sell their product. However, the articles make some very good points and are interesting reads. A lot of what they say in their articles supports what I've thought for years.

[PhilC]

Hobo oil. Contact: Group Therapy on Accurate Shooter
Same here and Sinclair synthetic grease for high stress points.