If you are a firearm owner, you know that lubing your gun can keep it from getting rusty and keep it performing optimally. It is also essential to clean your gun after each time you use it. Failure to do this can lead to dirt buildup and carbon fouling, which may lead to malfunction issues.
What’s great is that the market is saturated with gun lube oils and gun greases; therefore, you can always find something to treat your gun.
But the question is, which is the best to use, a gun lube oil or gun grease?
To answer this question, we will discuss what gun oil and gun grease are and their similarities and differences.
Gun Lube Oil
Gun lubes oils are either petroleum-based or synthetic-based. Most people today prefer to use all synthetic gun oils because they don’t gum up, nor do they hold dirt and powder residue. These are problems you find with petroleum-based gun oils, which explains why they are less popular.
That said, gun lube oils have a low viscosity and, therefore, can reach the tight spaces of a gun that are difficult to reach with a gun cleaning patch. Each gun lube oil has its own unique formula, and therefore, the temperature each can withstand varies.
But generally, most gun lubes oils can withstand extremely high and low temperatures. Besides that, good quality gun oils don’t evaporate, run or melt, and neither are they greasy or messy.
The other thing is that most of them function as cleaners and lubes, or cleaners, lubes, and protectants(CLP). Most gun owners prefer to use CLPs because they are convenient and economical.
Let’s be honest; nothing beats a gun lube oil that can lift dirt and powder residue easily, lube well, and provide your firearm with protection against rust and corrosion.
Lastly, gun lubes oils are easy to use. Most of them come with applicators or spray bottles for easy application. They are also affordable, which is a plus point if you own a collection of guns or use your firearm regularly.
Gun Grease
Gun Grease is formulated with the same ingredients as gun lube oil; however, gun grease is thickened. In other words, it contains a thickener that holds the ingredients together. This is why it is thicker than gun lube oil.
It’s commonly used for lubing the moving parts of a gun to keep them running smoothly and helps reduce friction, which minimizes wear and tear. It also prevents jamming and other gun malfunction issues and protects the exposed moving parts of a gun from catching dirt and dust.
Besides that, it also used a cleaner, but it’s not quite as effective at cleaning the hard-to-reach areas of a gun as gun lube oil because of its thickness. So generally, it is a superb solution for keeping the moving parts of your gun working well, reducing friction, and preventing wear and tear.
However, gun grease has some drawbacks. For one, it’s not the ideal gun care solution for long-term protection because it does not contain rust inhibitors. Secondly, it is not a great option for gun cleaning the interior parts of a gun because it is too thick.
Similarities:
- They can be used for removing dirt and carbon fouling
- They can withstand hot and cold temperatures
- They both lube well
- They help reduce friction, overheating and minimize wear
Differences:
- Gun grease has a thicker consistency than gun oil
- Gun grease is best for lubing when firing rounds
- Gun lube oil contains rust inhibitors, and gun grease does not, which makes it the ideal solution for long-term protection against rust and corrosion
- Gun grease works better in adverse weather conditions than gun lube oil
Final Remarks
If you own a firearm, you need something to keep it working well and protect it from rust and corrosion. Depending on how frequently you use your firearm, you can use both gun grease and gun lube oil.
For long-term protection against rust and corrosion, gun lube oil is the ideal solution. Gun grease is a good solution when firing rounds when you need to keep those moving parts working smoothly.
