I also hit rusty spots with it. When I was in the National Guard, they wanted our weapons turned in "dry and clean." WD-40 was good at sucking out any residual oil thus making the armorer happy.
Call it "gunsmith's friend". After an uninformed shooter uses it for a period of time for ALL gun lubrication and protection, a waxy, gummy build-up will finally render the gun unusable, requiring a trip to a gunsmith for a good cleaning.
And that's just for GUNS. I have horror stories about WD-40 in an industrial and utility environment.
B-b-but Cajun, how can this be? A fast-talking South Carolinian from whom I bought a car stated with some authority that WD, being a typical Yankee invention, was "nothing but ker-o-sene and deodorant." What's to build up?
Howard Hughes sponsored its development (i.e. got stuck with a bunch of airplanes he had to keep saleable), so there has to be something not to like.
But it's a War Between The Lubricants. How dare you come on to a pro-WD site and spout such troglodyte propaganda--you must Not Get Out Much! You're Hiding Something!
As a breakfree penetrator, I know of a product that's better. As a light lube, several. As a protectant, there are many better (though, if we were to try to be fair, protectants are like that--haven't seen one yet that can't be abused). But put them all together, factor in that they cost 3+X as much, I have to say none of them smell as good.
Seems to me that what matters is HOW you use something, not the something itself. I've used WD40 on my guns since somewhere in the 1960s and have never had all these problems that people natter on about at great length.
I'm not much for "mea culpa" when something works quite well for me for more than forty years.
"Please note that "lubricating or preserving firearms" is not among them."
don't let my forty + year old ruger mkll hear you say that...three or four kazillion rounds, never a detail strip (i don't have that much patience), and never a malf.
Tam, WD-40 DOES have a use on firearms. Remember the WD stands for "water displacing", and alot of gunsmiths use it in the displacement bath after bluing, rather than the more expensive stuff(especially when hazmat charges are factored in), that the likes of Du-Lite and Brownells sell. A former employer used it similarly to prevent rust on tiny, high dollar parts: They'd sit in jars filled with WD-40.
Never leave home w/o it!
ReplyDeleteI use WD-40 on my guns. Love the stuff. I don't lube with it, but do use it as a rust preventative on exterior metal surfaces.
ReplyDeleteMy father and uncle used WD-40 on their hunting shotguns all the time.
ReplyDeleteOf course, they hunted saltwater ducks, so the water displacing aspect probably helped.
Regards,
NMM1AFan
I also hit rusty spots with it. When I was in the National Guard, they wanted our weapons turned in "dry and clean." WD-40 was good at sucking out any residual oil thus making the armorer happy.
ReplyDeleteCall it "gunsmith's friend". After an uninformed shooter uses it for a period of time for ALL gun lubrication and protection, a waxy, gummy build-up will finally render the gun unusable, requiring a trip to a gunsmith for a good cleaning.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's just for GUNS. I have horror stories about WD-40 in an industrial and utility environment.
MC
Ballistol.
ReplyDelete'Nuff said.
B-b-but Cajun, how can this be?
ReplyDeleteA fast-talking South Carolinian from whom I bought a car stated with some authority that WD, being a typical Yankee invention, was "nothing but ker-o-sene and deodorant." What's to build up?
Howard Hughes sponsored its development (i.e. got stuck with a bunch of airplanes he had to keep saleable), so there has to be something not to like.
But it's a War Between The Lubricants. How dare you come on to a pro-WD site and spout such troglodyte propaganda--you must Not Get Out Much! You're Hiding Something!
As a breakfree penetrator, I know of a product that's better. As a light lube, several. As a protectant, there are many better (though, if we were to try to be fair, protectants are like that--haven't seen one yet that can't be abused). But put them all together, factor in that they cost 3+X as much, I have to say none of them smell as good.
After watching the video, I have the feeling that I would end up wearing a burning tire around my neck if I tried that. Hah!
ReplyDelete"...for that Soweto vacation experience without leaving your driveway!"
ReplyDeleteI LOL'ed. :D
Seems to me that what matters is HOW you use something, not the something itself. I've used WD40 on my guns since somewhere in the 1960s and have never had all these problems that people natter on about at great length.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much for "mea culpa" when something works quite well for me for more than forty years.
Hmmph. Newbies...
Art
Er, why is it that people never seem to realize that WD40 is a dessicant, not a lubricant?
ReplyDeleteBut yes indeed, it has a raft of Greenland proportions of uses.
I should have added that any soldier / Marine with a brain takes that WD-40'd dry weapon and lubes it with a LIGHT coat of good oil before using.
ReplyDeleteBy "good oil" I don't mean CLP - I used Miltec since it doesn't attract sand.
As a range coach in the National Guard I saw some real nightmares when support units show up.
"Please note that "lubricating or preserving firearms" is not among them."
ReplyDeletedon't let my forty + year old ruger mkll hear you say that...three or four kazillion rounds, never a detail strip (i don't have that much patience), and never a malf.
jtc
Hey, somebody wins the Powerball every drawing, too. ;) :p
ReplyDeleteoh, chit, ya mean i used up my onceinalifetime lucky hit on a twohunnertdollar plinker? figures. :o(
ReplyDeletetruthtotell, though, i think that thing would still go bang every time if i soaked it in a bucket of sand between sessions...
btw, whaddaya think s.b. would take for that ol' m21 thingy you picked up at the show? ;o)
jtc
Tam, WD-40 DOES have a use on firearms. Remember the WD stands for "water displacing", and alot of gunsmiths use it in the displacement bath after bluing, rather than the more expensive stuff(especially when hazmat charges are factored in), that the likes of Du-Lite and Brownells sell. A former employer used it similarly to prevent rust on tiny, high dollar parts: They'd sit in jars filled with WD-40.
ReplyDelete