The Best Gun Oil To Keep Your Gun Lubed

By Joe

What is the best gun oil? If you are a responsible gun owner, then you keep your gun clean and well maintained. This will not only result in your gun lasting long, but also help prevent jamming or misfiring. An important tool in keeping your gun well maintained is to use gun oil on a regular basis. The reason is pretty simple. The gun oil helps keep all the moving parts from wearing out quickly due to grinding/friction. It of course also helps to prevent rust from forming on the metal parts of the gun. So if you are going to be storing your gun, it is a good idea to give it a good clean and then oil it well before you put it away in a dry place.

The video below is not the most exciting video ever, but it does show in an easy to understand way how to oil your gun:

5 Top Gun Oil Choices

Below we look at 5 gun oil choices that we like and that we think are great gun oil options. However, other folks might have different views on which gun oil they think is the best gun oil out there. That is reasonable, as we all have different likes and requirements. So if you have some thoughts on what the best gun oil is, please share them with us in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you!

Hoppe’s No. 9 Lubricating Oil, 14.9 ml Precision Bottle

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The best gun oil is one that lubricates effectively with minimal application, doesn’t attract dirt to lubricated areas, has an easy to use applicator, and as an added bonus, is an effective lubricant for other mechanisms. This Hobbes product has been discovered to be a great all purpose lubricant from everything from milling equipment to pocket watches. But since ours is a search for the best gun oil, how does it work on firearms themselves? The answer is very well, provided that this product is used correctly. Pieces should be cleaned thoroughly before application. Because the protection of a firearm lubricated with Hobbes can last indefinitely, after the initial application, more sparing use of the product is indicated with future applications. Hoppe’s No. 9 Lubricating oil neither evaporates or gums up in the package, or after application. The bottle’s applicator design also works well for sending oil to hard to reach places. It is appropriate for the lubrication of a number of other outdoor items, including fishing reels and knives, making this a great product to take along on camping trips or on other outdoor situations. The only complaint about this product, and it is a frequent one, is that the oil bottle leaks badly during shipping, wasting much of the product. Until the company resolves this mail-order problem, buyers might want to consider purchasing it from a brick and mortar store. This mineral oil generally retails for around $8.00.

M-Pro 7 Gun Oil LPX, 4 Ounce Bottle

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In our quest for the best gun oil, one should consider the benefits of the product beyond lubrication. Some oils (such as mineral ones) do only that, where more sophisticated synthetic blends can act as a cleaner or coating as well. This M-Pro product does all three. In addition to providing lubrication, it acts as a dirt inhibitor and protectant for a firearm’s internal parts. If applied to the exterior of a firearm, it can provide external rust protection as well. However, given that this product is intended as and functions primarily as a lubricant, extreme caution should be used when applying this to the exterior of a firearm because of potential slipping issues. This M-Pro product is especially effective in combatting corrosion, both on the interior and exterior of pieces, even after prolonged exposure to salt water. The only real complaint about this best gun oil candidate is its package, which lacks an effective applicator. The oil generally retails for about $4.75.

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Aerosol Can Lubricant Cleaner Protectant

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While its manufacturer markets and sells this product as a general all purpose lubricant, its wide use and high marks as a gun lubricant put it in the running for our best gun oil contest. Its alkaline content helps this product to reduce the corrosive effects of salt residue produced by human sweat. In addition to metal, this lubricant/cleaner protects wood, rubber, and leather. Product comes with a straw to aid in reaching hard to reach places in firearms and other complex mechanisms like locks. But not all users would anoint this Klever product as the best gun oil. Some users have complained of “gumming” after application. Others don’t feel that it’s particularly effective in removing powder and residue from firearms. And regardless of users’ feelings about this product’s effectiveness as a lubricant/coating/cleaner, there is a universal dislike of its strong odor. Fortunately, this product is biodegradable, so if users feel forced to use it out of doors, it’s environmentally friendly. Other problems have occurred with shipping. When ordering from certain online companies, only a single (large) sized can is shown. If purchasers are not attentive to their multiple purchasing options, they may be automatically sent the smallest (6 oz.) can. These cans come in a range of prices as well, retailing between $8-$22.

Pro-Shot 1-Ounce Zero Friction Needle Oiler

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While many users are so enthusiastic about this product that it’s earned a place in our best gun oil contest, its big attraction is its container. Made of a sturdy plastic with a needle sized applicator, the package guarantees minimal waste both with user use and in shipping transit. Many users clean the bottle out and reuse it with other lubricants, and it seems to cause no issues. Oil itself is a unremarkable synthetic blend, although it performs well in sub-zero temperatures. This oil comes in a single-sized needle bottle, and generally retails around $6.50.

Lucas Oil 10006 Gun Oil – 2 oz.

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This company produces a number of lubricants that would fit the best gun oil category, but this lighter grade synthetic oil fits the bill as it works very well with a number of firearm makes, such as .45 STI, Kimber, Glock, and .22 Browning pistols, in addition to shotguns and rifles. It is not recommended for air rifle use. This product is long lasting upon application, and repells dirt well, including that introduced by ammunition. This product also appears to lack “gumming”, smoking, and burning issues when used. Some users have complained of “price gouging” when ordering in bulk from some online shippers. But the only true complaint about this product appears to be its built-in applicator, which is too thick to reach some recessed areas in firearms and other complex mechanisms with working parts. This product retails individually generally at $5.60.

Which Gun Oil Is The Best Gun Oil?

Before awarding the best gun oil winner, a few observations about lubrication fluids used on firearms, as they can have a significant impact on not only the protection, but the performance of a piece. Most lubricating fluids are now synthetic petroleum blends. Lubricating fluids made from mineral oil (which is usually distilled from petroleum) can also be an effective gun oil. But it’s important to note that these two lubricants can’t be used interchangeably with any firearm. Air rifles, for example, should never use a synthetic blend for lubrication, because of the risk of fire damage. Mineral oil generally doesn’t cause this problem, but as it’s a “lighter” oil, it needs to be applied more frequently that a more “modern” lubricant. And firearms used in areas where there are high humidity or salt levels may do best with very specific blend lubricants. Many longtime gun enthusiasts often like to prepare their own special blends, but in the interests of user safety and preserving the firearm, manufacturer recommendations as to at lest the general type of lubricant should be followed.

It should be noted that the products reviewed here were considered for their effectiveness as a lubricant/cleaner/protectant in terms of the inner mechanisms of firearms. Some users of these lubricants apply them to the exterior of their pieces as well. While there are several products on the market that are designed to do both, many of these gun oils are intended for internal use only. Applying them to the exterior of the piece may cause a gripping and safety hazard, and owners are again encouraged to defer to manufacturers’ recommendations.

In summarizing these products, it should be noted that users reported largely equal satisfaction with them in terms of lubrication use. To make a more unbiased determination, we looked at:

• long lasting lubrication effectiveness under all conditions

• packaging

• number of product’s uses

• price

Hoppe’s No. 9 Lubricating Oil, the only mineral oil reviewed here, is a fine lubricant that doesn’t have the gumming issues of some other products, either in the gun or container. The container’s design works well for application, as well. But this oil must be re-applied more frequently than other brands, and there have been leaking issues with the package when shipped. Given its steep price, there may be cheaper ways to get a “needler”. Similarly, the more reasonably priced Pro-Shot 1-Ounce Zero Friction Needle has a nifty container, but the actual lubrication fluid is nothing special. The M-Pro and Lucas oils are within the same five dollar price range, and provide reliable cleaning and lubricating protection. And Ballistol offers an all-around excellent product in terms of lubrication, cleaning, and as a protectant. It does have an undeniably unfortunate odor, so outdoor or ventilated use is recommended.

Which gun oil would we choose?

For the best gun oil on the lower end of the price scale, the winner is M-Pro 7 Gun Oil LPX for its durability in various climate conditions for a wide range of firearms.

And on the upper end of the price scale, the best gun oil award goes to Ballistol for its product environmental safety and effective lubricant and protectant use, both internally and externally on firearms.

What Do You Think – What Is The Best Gun Oil?

As always we want to hear from you what you think the best gun oil is! If you have some thoughts on the subject, please feel free to post in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you!

The Best Gun Oil To Keep Your Gun Lubed is a post from: The Smoking Barrel

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