YOU ARE FIGHTING YESTERDAY'S WAR
Modern Firearms Require a Modern Lubricant Solution
Why would you put a 107-year old lubricant on your firearm?
Sadly, the majority of American firearm owners do so. The top-selling firearm lubricant in the US was introduced in 1913—prior to World War 1.Firearm owners love to obsess about the next new cartridge, argue endlessly and inconclusively about ARs vs. AKs, and can’t wait to buy the next new tacti-cool gadget to show off at the range. However, they neglect the single most crucial element in keeping their firearms running smoothly and reliably—the lubricant. Perhaps it’s not as sexy because it can’t be laser-etched or dipped in camo, but the lack of scrutiny the majority of firearms owners apply to their lubricant choice is shocking.
This historical blindness is not without cause. Until the end of the 20th century, the single greatest enemy to carbon steel and wood firearms was rust. Rust pitted finishes and seized parts causing malfunctions and ultimately the deterioration of the firearm’s blued metal finish to the point of failure or a life-threatening malfunction. The cleaning process required harsh chemicals and hours of scraping that put excessive wear on parts and wasted an enormous amount of time. Neither firearm’s function nor its reliability was materially improved; its owner was fighting a losing, defensive war against the ravages of heat, friction, and chemistry.
A lubricant should improve your firearm’s performance
Modern firearms require a different lubricant solution to support their unique functional requirements and materials. Today, most firearms are made from synthetic materials, stainless steel, or coated metals. Rust is still a concern in some cases, but friction, heat, and contamination from carbon, dirt, and un-burnt power are the true enemies to reliability and performance.
A modern firearm lubricant has four key elements, largely ignored by the current products in the market:
- A synthetic-based lubricant capable of handling the heat and pressures of modern firearms without breaking down, being displaced by water, or gelling in low temperatures.
- A penetrant to lubricate and clean the micro crevices between small parts that can become clogged with contamination.
- A detergent to clean the moving parts and bearing surfaces while the weapon functions and is safe on synthetic materials and finishes.
- A dispersant to prevent the contamination from re-adhering to the metal, particularly under heat and pressure, thereby changing the geometry of the parts and ultimately causing a failure
Finally, a modern firearm lubricant should speed cleaning and lengthen the amount of time between required cleanings. This element is particularly true if you are a serving in an austere environment where your reliably functioning firearm determines your ability to defend yourself from harm. Ask yourself, if you had two identical firearms you carried and utilized daily, wouldn’t the more reliable of the two be the one with a lubricant that functioned consistently under heavy use yet was easier to clean? Isn’t the ability to stay in the fight longer and be cleaned quickly--giving the user back valuable time to eat, sleep, improve a defensive position or focus on other mission-essential tasks, not a significant tactical advantage? If the lubricant you are using does not enhance your firearm’s capabilities, you are fighting the wrong war and using the wrong product.