Best Lube for air guns

[Trooperjake]

What is the best lube, grease or oil for a PCP Air Rifle or Pistol?
Where are the important places to use it.
I know any place 2 metal parts rub against each other,
Should have lube.

I use Mobil 1 oil on my firearms with great success.

[Modena]

when you say Mobil 1, do you mean engine oil? That is not a good idea as motor oils have all kinds of detergents in them which will not do your firearm metals any good at all. You want a weapon grade oil.

[Trooperjake]

Mobil 1 is a synthetic motor oil.
I’ve been using it for over 10 years with no problems.
Was taught this by the US Army Marksmanship Unit.
Doesn’t build up, never dries out.
Never had a firearm fail because of it.
And that’s at least 100,000 rounds.

Do you have it in Australia?

A quart lasts a lifetime.
I use 5w - 20w.

[kevinweiho]

PCP air rifles and air pistols are virtually maintenance free. Like you said before, metal parts that rub against each other as well as o-rings should be lubed infrequently with a synthetic grease, (I use FWB special grease, but SuperLube can also be used), petroleum based lubes will deteriorate airgun seals.

[Modena]

Mobil 1 is a synthetic motor oil.
I’ve been using it for over 10 years with no problems.
Was taught this by the US Army Marksmanship Unit.
Doesn’t build up, never dries out.
Never had a firearm fail because of it.
And that’s at least 100,000 rounds.

Do you have it in Australia?

A quart lasts a lifetime.
I use 5w - 20w.

like I said, it's full of detergents which will not do your metals any good at all.

[marky-d]

...but will not do your metals any harm either.

[atomicgale]

Silicon oil only on O-rings (if ever.) Try: Super Lube #56104 at 100 centistokes.

Metal-on-metal contact? I'll very sparingly (and rarely) use a Q-Tip soaked with 91% alcohol solution with PTFE (Teflon) power. (About 1/4 teaspoon per 16oz alcohol).

Keep petroleum-based oil far, far away from your air guns!

Mobil-1? Seriously?

The only thing more bizarre is ED's RED (look it up.)

[Tim S]

The recipe for Ed's Red is odd, but it's good general bore cleaner. I use it on my smallbores, and find that it cleans as well as traditional solvents like Hoppe's no 9, or Parker-Hale 009; it smells better than many too. I wouldn't use it on an air rifle though. Do you need a solvent anywhere?

For external rust protection, most multi-purpose oils seem to work if applied regularly.

[left360]

Ed's Red works well in an ultrasonic cleaner too.

[atomicgale]

I actually use ED's RED in an ultrasonic cleaner. Works great! Disassemble the firearm, let soak, ultra clean.

However, Ed's Red really stinks (kerosene) & I'm not a fan of the residual transmission fluid.

So, after removing from the ultrasonic bath, I'll then put the metal thru the "Rinse" cycle, which is Denatured Alcohol with both HBN powder mixed in (hexagonal boron nitride), and PTFE powder. Let the alcohol evaporate, then brush in the residual dry lube with a toothbrush. You're left with a clean dry part. The PTFE is hydrophobic as well.

[Tim S]

Our paraffin must smell nicer than Kerosene in the states (no idea why). Still it's better than the ammonia of Sweets.

[Trooperjake]

One last word on Mobil 1
It is made TO PROTECT metals.
Does not harm any metal.
Never said it was to be used on seals,
Never said it was to be used inside an air rifle barrel.
Only metal parts that move against each other.
20 years of use, says it does no harm.