What are the options, what matters and why?
Let's begin with the basics. Why do we lubricate things at all? Simply to prevent wear and enhance performance. In other words, our goal is to keep parts from rubbing directly against one another while making their interaction as smooth as possible - thus improving working life and reliability.
As it turns out, polished surfaces that rub against each other are far from being smooth. Under a microscope, even highly finished metal surfaces still look like a jagged mountainside with huge voids, depressions and valleys. Imagine what happens when these parts meet and rub together - not only do the parts become difficult to move but their tops get broken off - leading to wear at a microscopic level. That is why we lubricate those surfaces in the first place!
Lubrication works in two ways: "hydrodynamic" and "boundary". So let us explore those further.
Oil, also known as Hydrodynamic Lubrication, is the process of protecting parts with a thin film of liquid or semi-liquid lubricant. This fills all voids between them and acts as a buffer between them - until a load applies and squeezes the lubricant out between the surfaces. Or if you store your gun for some time and the oil runs away or dries up completely; at that point the surfaces grind together and wear rapidly.
What if we added something solid to the mix - something more substantial than oil lubricant, something that couldn't easily be squeezed out? That is exactly what "boundary" lubrication does: by adding small particles of more substantial material as a physical separator between surfaces, we prevent them from grinding each other to pieces.
The solids responsible for providing this service are known as "anti-wear" or "extreme pressure" (AW/EP) additives. These microscopic particles are mixed into lubricants to form protective boundaries under load. Examples include "Moly", which is an umbrella term for several molybdenum compounds; lithium, PTFE and more; each having specific properties which lubrication scientists must balance to get the optimal lubricant for any given application.
Lubricants come as a complete package - the primary lubricant plus any necessary boundary additives.
Contrary to popular belief, firearms don't tend to be particularly hard on lubricants. They face intermittent high loads followed by extended periods of inaction - thus the primary need for lubrication doesn't stem from hydrodynamic needs - rather it's a boundary need - so not oil, grease!
What exactly should we be searching for when selecting a boundary lubricant? Excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, as we don't want our grease thickening up during non-use. Water resistance and mild acid/alkali resistance would be beneficial as well; low temperature performance is especially critical in some parts of the world, while grease stability under load must also be ensured.
As a general guideline, oil should be used for rotating parts and grease for sliding objects that carry weight. When it comes to firearms, grease is especially recommended for any part interaction that has scraping (aka "shear") action that will be exposed to pressure or shock - such as slide rails, bolts and BCG's, charging handles, mag release buttons, springs and spring guides; plus sears and striker release mechanisms.
Oil should only be applied lightly into the bore after usage to protect and outer surfaces. Given these facts, using oils on firearm moving parts makes no sense. Another issue with oil is migration. Migration is the ability of a lubricant to spread into its surrounding area. An oil with good migration will easily penetrate by capillary action and enter small spaces, coating everything it comes into contact with. When not in use for some time, you may notice your firearm is dry - the oils have done their job and migrated or evaporated. Unfortunatly, this tends to be into your holster or clothing.
No, there are no "miracle" lubricant products made specifically for firearms. All of the lubricants, bases and additives necessary to use in firearms have already been well developed by the lubricant industry - some combinations might be unique but all have been tried before. So thats where we come in.
Gun Goo is here to make applying gun lubricant easy and mess-free. We took a food industry machine lubricant with all the properties ideal for firearms, and packaged it with an applicator so you can apply the stuff directly onto your firearms with minimal mess and effort. Gun Goo is food grade, non-toxic, water repelling, acid and alkaline resistant - ideal for working across a range of temperatures without staining clothes black. No matter the temperature outside, Gun Goo will stay put and won't run away even on hot days. Furthermore, testing has demonstrated that cleaning is easier due to the black deposits created from shooting being trapped on the surface and easily removed with a cloth. Even suppressed AR-15 and other DI rifles that experience significant fouling due to increased back pressure are easier to clean. This is because the dirt doesn't penetrate into the metal surfaces you're protecting; rather it sits atop the grease and gets pushed away by cycles / operation.
With years of shooting experience under all kinds of climatic conditions, nothing has worked quite like Gun Goo!
Gun Goo provides many advantages over oil
Step by step, we take you through the application and best practices for your firearm.
This product has been a real eye opener for me. As an early tester, I've been using it for quite a few months now and its amazing. My AR's action feels slick and smooth, I'm not having to constantly apply oil to the bolt during classes and when I cleaned it last, it was just a case of wiping off the old gunk and applying a new coat. What amazed me was the lack of wear marks on my new Aero bolt. It looks like its new despite the amount of shooting i've done with it.
I love how this stuff doesn't run onto my cloths and make everything black and nasty. Can't tell you how many blouses i've ruined with gun oil over the years of EDC. Awesome!
Triggers Improved
Bolt Cycles Extended
Shirts Saved
Rounds Fired
Grease is simply thickened oil, commonly referred to as a boundary lubricant. To create it, oil and corrosion-resistant additives are mixed with a "base", usually metallic soap in the case of Gun Goo; this base consists of an aluminum complex.
Grease is classified in thickness by its NLGI number; most grease you're familiar with falls under #2; smaller numbers indicate less thickness while larger numbers signify greater. Gun Goo, for instance, is rated NLGI #00 and appears almost liquid when stored at room temperature.
Different bases offer various degrees of water resistance, cold weather performance, stability (the ability to resist oil separation under shear and mechanical operations), oxidation resistance, and reversibility (the capacity for re-absorbing any oil that might have separated out). Gun Goo is designed with these properties in mind for firearms applications.
Lithium is the most prevalent base, being cheap and easily produced with enough good traits for general purposes. Aluminum bases on the other hand offer several advantages: greater resistance to water (and acids and alkalis), superior low-temperature performance, greater stability at high temperatures, and greatly increased reversibility. While more difficult to locate and more expensive than lithium greases, their performance advantages can be significant.
Food-grade lubricants must provide wear resistance in corrosive environments, even after being wiped off of whatever surface they're protecting (which is actually part of what meets food contact ratings!). They have excellent boundary protection and excellent corrosion resistance even in presence of acids, alkalis, and moisture - exactly what we need!
One of the primary obstacles when using these products as an individual is that they are usually shipped in large drums intended for industrial use. We've made it simple - we've repackaged an existing product so you can apply it to your favorite guns with ease.
Testing has demonstrated the superior performance of this grease as a general gun lubricant. It is white, aluminum-based, and low odor; with outstanding boundary lubricant properties designed for use in environments with wide temperature ranges. Plus, it resists water washout, and acid/alkali environments have great shear resistance and don't oxidize as lithium greases do. As an all-around grease, we have yet to come across anything better.