Lubrication: Grease, oil, or either?

[Mike1948]

Hi everyone. This is my first post--I'm planning to buy a PM9 tomorrow. I have read many threads, trying to learn as much as possible before I clean and lubricate my pistol for the first time. This may sound like a silly question for you old-timers, but here goes. Some forum members seem to use grease to do some or all of the lubrication of their pistols after cleaning them. Others talk about this or that brand of oil. Are grease and oil interchangeable, so that either can be used for all lubrication purposes, or is grease appropriate for some areas, such as rails, and oil for other areas? I'm not looking to make this harder than it needs to be, but I would like to use the best techniques for taking care of my pistol. Thanks for your help.

[Bawanna]

Lots of opinions on this, probably as many as there are options.

I use light grease (TW25) on slide rails and oil most other places. Oil alone will usually work just fine. Any oil will work, some last longer than others.

Anyplace that wears against someplace else needs oil or grease.

There's an excellent lube chart in the tech section that shows some of these places.

I'm kind of an over luber. I tend to run things wet which isn't always good. But it's not a bad thing on a new Kahr at all. A little extra oil during break in can't hurt a thing.

[O'Dell]

I'll back Bawanna on this one. I overlube too, something I learned with SIG's 30 years ago, but I've never found it to be a problem, unless the oil is leaking out of the pistol. That's because I ALWAYS clean and lube after every firing. For over forty years, I've been using grease on the rails, barrel and lockup assy, and oil everywhere else. I can almost count on the fingers of one hand the number of problem guns of the dozens and dozens I've owned, and none of those was a lubrication problem. I've used many kinds of grease and oil over the years, and I think most of the modern gun products are acceptable - everyone has favorites. Currently I'm using Militec 1 for oil and BC gun grease, but others are good too. Read the Kahr lube guide, [it works for most other guns too] follow it, and enjoy your PM9. I know I've enjoyed mine.

[jocko]

if ur gonna pocket carry the less oil the better, as it will run. buy what you like anything u buy will last a very long time. Like ammo. just to many good lubes out there to say which is better IMO.

TW25 is a super lube for the rails and anythinbg that makes mteal contact, and damn just a tad goes a very long way to,.

Mil-comm.com for their TRW25 in a syringe

[hss.strat]

I'm in the over oiled camp. I haven't been able to figure out the disadvantage especially with steel framed guns. Pretty much anything that touches anything else gets oiled. Afterwards just rack the slide about 50 times so it doesn't keep leaking.

[Thunder71]

Over oil? No thanks... gets all over and gets in places I don't want it to go.

I oil lightly, only necessary parts, and clean/re-oil after each use.

[Mike1948]

Bawanna, you say you like M pro 7 cleaner and TW25 grease. Mil Comm recommends their own cleaner for use before the TW25--that the two are meant to work together. Have you used their cleaner?

[muggsy]

A light film of oil is all that is necessary. Too much oil attracts dust and dirt. Grease and dirt is basically lapping compound. Over oiling can ruin wooden gun stocks. I know I'll get conflicting views, but lightly oiling my guns has worked for me for more than forty years. Any good gun oil will do.

[jocko]

Bawanna, you say you like M pro 7 cleaner and TW25 grease. Mil Comm recommends their own cleaner for use before the TW25--that the two are meant to work together. Have you used their cleaner?

think that is a ploy by Mil-comm to get u to buy both of their lubes. I don't oil whgere I grease or grease where I oil.

[Bawanna]

Bawanna, you say you like M pro 7 cleaner and TW25 grease. Mil Comm recommends their own cleaner for use before the TW25--that the two are meant to work together. Have you used their cleaner?

I haven't tried it myself. Many makers prefer that you stick with their product across the board and I'm ok with that if its good. I just haven't tried it yet and I'm sure what I do will work until I do.

I clean and lube after every shoot so none are neglected. Over oiled perhaps but not neglected and I'm trying to do better.

[Rubb]

I use CLP for cleaning and lubrication…over 1400 rounds without a bobble.

[O'Dell]

I use CLP for cleaning and lubrication…over 1400 rounds without a bobble.

I use CLP as a preservative and sometimes as a cleaner after a good solvent, but I've never thought it was much of a lubricant.

[pocket pistol]

I use CLP all the way, for over 20 years. I used Rem-Oil in there somewhere and had a shotgun freeze up while duck hunting. Went back to CLP and never missed a lick. Cleans, Lubricates, and Protects... Just like it says.

[jocko]

I havenoticed from fondling many guns of samemake and model that some just are much smoother out of the box than others. Doesn't mean eiter is bad or good but to me just means that maybe some guns need good lubrication to get right where as some can damn near shoot dry and get by. I have not done it nor really thought about it but I am sure my PM9 after all the rounds through it, cannot get any smoother than it is and I would bet it would shoot dry for a couple hundred rounds with ease. When I think about that though I then ask myself WHY, as I don't carry it that way. I try to shy away from trying to prove any real extra unnecessary virtures of my guns, jus to prove a point..

[jocko]

I use CLP all the way, for over 20 years. I used Rem-Oil in there somewhere and had a shotgun freeze up while duck hunting. Went back to CLP and never missed a lick. Cleans, Lubricates, and Protects... Just like it says.

why I waterfowl hunted here in cold ass Indiana with my Model 37 for over 40 years. Never frooze up once..:banplease:

[pocket pistol]

why I waterfowl hunted here in cold ass Indiana with my Model 37 for over 40 years. Never frooze up once..:banplease:

That was back in my pre Benelli days... lol
It was an old Remington and it was probably the shotgun as much as the oil, but my buddies talked me in to thinking it was the oil, said they'd had similar experiences...
But now my Super Black Eagle II is a tank.

I'm still stickin' with my CLP.

[Rubb]

I use CLP as a preservative and sometimes as a cleaner after a good solvent, but I've never thought it was much of a lubricant.

I do use #9 for bores.. CLP does nothing for copper. This is not the greatest lubricant test but, I’m convinced CLP does very well as a lubricant.

We had an exterior door at work…the door to the offices we always used for smoke breaks. That door always stuck and we would often have to walk back and shut it so we could set the alarm. Finally, I wiped off the bolt and face plate assuming some crud was holding it up….not the case. I grabbed a can of CLP from maintenance, sprayed it on a paper towel and gave the parts a good wipe down.

I was in that building for at least 3 and probably 4 more years before they shut down. With several of us being smokers we used that door at least 20 times a day/ 5-6 days a week through very cold winters and very hot and humid summers.

Assuming 5 days a week with 20 cycles/day for 3 years that’s 15,600 (low estimate) cycles and that door never stuck once after using the CLP…

[Whaleman]

I like TW25. I think when I first started using it I was using too much. TW25 is white but if applied how I do now you do not see any white it turns clear. My new theory is if I see white I have too much. I use a small artist brush to apply. Please correct me if I am wrong on this. Dan

[CJB]

Question: Does your pick'em up truck use oil or grease or both? Are all the oils the same? All the greases the same?

Engine oil differs from transmission lubricant, power steering fluid, rear axle oil, etc. Similarly axle greases vary from universal joint greases and suspension greases.

Along that line of thinking - I just use the product that does best on the place that needs lubing. I like #9 Bench rest above all... its stronger, cuts copper better, but I dry that nickle plated barrel - just in case. I like TW25b for rails and other light lube needs. It does flow a little... especially when warm, so it has its purpose, and places (to me) that other lubes serve better. I've got some really nice sticky synthetic green marine grease that I've used for ages on locking areas of slides, where there is a lot of abuse and pounding of parts. The stuff stays there while you shoot, and yes, it does attract a lot of soot. I can deal with that at the range, and its a non issue for a carry pistol, since if I have to fire 200 times in self defense... I'm gonna be about 194 shots shy of the mark as far as ammo count goes.

[Sap]

Ive had good results with. Break free LP. It's a little thicker than the CLP and seems to last longer. I run my guns pretty wet.