Comparative Product Test… Rust Preventatives for Firearms

[HootmonSccy]

I saw this on another forum and thought it was an interesting test.. I thought I would share it here..

Comparative Product Test

[joec]

I use Break Free CLP sold under the Winchester brand, but still made by the same people. I also use to clean a dirty gun either Gun Scrubber or Winchesters Break Free Powder Blast both work great with the only difference in smell. I use Hoppes #9 solvent in the barrel for cleaning and tetra grease on the slides.

Never had a gun rust here in Kentucky, Florida, Texas or Louisiana. I've always loved CLP for normal lubricating. I do use an air compressor though to speed up the drying of the Gun Scrubber/BF Powder Blaster. I use the CLP letting it sit for a little while before blowing off the excess.

[OldNorthState]

I saw this on another forum and thought it was an interesting test.. I thought I would share it here..

Comparative Product Test

I wanted to add this note to this interesting lubes reference piece that Hoot linked, here. There's a product I've been using for years (since late '70's or earliest '80's, at least), that's VERY unusual as a lubricant and protectant in many ways, and is still relatively unknown by many folks. The stuff's called, "Fluid Film", by Eureka Chemical Company (I'll just use "FF", from here on out), and it's some of the most versatile and effective stuff I've ever used. (and let me say, right here: I'm not associated with this company/product, in any way. I'm just very interested in technical things like this, and I'm enthusiastic about this company's product, in much the same way that I am about SCCY's product.)
Though the company apparently does NOT 'target' the firearms marketplace, per se, it's as good or better than anything I've ever worked with as both a corrosion inhibitor AND a lubricant for firearms. And, FF is a lot better than many others when considering both those factors simultaneously (I think a lot of us use those two words interchangeably, but there are big differences in different products' lubricity and corrosion inhibition, in my experience. For instance, in my opinion WD40 doesn't do either one particularly well. "CLP" is pretty good at both, plus it has solvent in it, so they throw in the "Cleaner" part of the acronym, "CLP"... but as a lube/protectant, I prefer the non-toxic nature of FF, and use a separate solvent for cleaning, prior). Because FF is NOT a "bore solvent", nor does is contain any solvents, if you buy a can (and let me tell you, a little goes a long way) for lube and rust protection use, you might be using it for the next 15 years or more. A lot products (like WD40) are MOSTLY thin petroleum distillates (solvents), so when the solvents dissipate, there's not much protection or lubrication left. Not so with this FF. To my knowledge, the only other thing in the aerosol can form of it, besides the actual FF, is propellant. What you spray out of it stays there, rather than half of it evaporating over time. And it never seems to harden or "set up" on the weapons. In fact, one old can I still have, yet had misplaced for years, had FF accumulation around the top when I found it that was obviously there for all that long time, yet it was still thixotropic and even still smelled and felt "fresh". Shelf life of the product, even though naturally sourced, is amazing, also. Those old cans, like that one just referenced, were from sometime around 1980, and the material is virtually just like it was then. So, calculating how much I have left, I still have 3.5 lifetime's worth, to go.

One of the things I like most about FF is that it's what is known as a thixotropic material - it's sort-of semi-gel, or at least thick-like and slow flowing when standing still, but becomes fluid when you touch it (and not because of body heat, as is with butter, for instance). And, it has a very strange (not bad, just different) odor.... not a petroleum solvent smell like all the rest. But it's really SLICK (meaning lubricity), and yet simultaneously one of the best anti-rust agents I've ever learned of. (The Navy used it for rust control in ships, beginning in WWII, and they undercoat and overcoat industrial equipment with it, today, as a rust retardant, even in salt water environments.)

I use the product very sparingly on the outside of my weapons, including fine wood stocks (unlike petroleum oils, which this is NOT - it's naturally sourced - it seems to actually enhance wood stocks, etc.) and even enhances polymer stocks/frames (like our SCCY's frames)... as it will not "eat up" synthetic plastics or rubber, and may actually be useful for enhancing appearance and longevity, etc., without the decomposition that some petrol-based oils accelerate)... I use it as a slide lube in the CPX2, and also in the actions of my traditional hunting longarms. Because of the thixotropic nature, FF tends to stay put pretty well, and seems to give some fairly substantial hydraulic buffering to parts that are being slammed during live firing, as well as providing a "fast" or "slick" environment (reduced wear AND improved functioning) for the slide action. I'm more liberal with it on the slides, but again, you don't need a "ton" of it, anywhere. (Any "slinging" of material would indicate "too much"; nor would I want to increase the risk of creepage into any ammunition casings/primers). Also, as with any oil or grease (FF is almost like an oil AND a light sprayable lube grease, all at once, yet still different than both), I don't leave a lot of it in the bore when I'm anticipating actually firing the weapon, to avoid any chance of spiked chamber pressures. iI you'd swabbed the bore with it previously, FF is still in there in safe trace amounts even after dry-wiping the bore before firing. I believe you'd have to use a solvent to completely rid the bore of traces of FF, as firing the weapon would do, also. And, as pertains to the outside of the weapon, even a good once-over with a very lightly FF-sprayed rag - not a dripping-wet rag - is all the material needed to keep the weapon in good shape.

Now here's one of the biggest factors, at least for me personally, that I'm more conscious of today for health reasons: FF, being naturally sourced, isn't toxic to handle, apparently. And let me tell you - many or most of the petrol-based gun cleaners, lubes, etc., are, in my estimation, VERY toxic... not only from the fumes, but through transdermal absorption (through the skin) while handling. Don't get me wrong. I'm not some tree-hugging candy-arse, but I know that most of the petroleum-based products we've been working with are "bad news" for us, healthwise, and Fluid Film is apparently very safe on all counts. (I don't believe I'd have it on my toast in the morning, but... lol....). And again, the versatility of the stuff is almost unbelievable - because it has a natural (lanolin) base, you can even use it to condition your leather boots, etc. (Try that with petroleum oils and see what you have in a couple of years...) I won't go on, but look the stuff up and enjoy learning about it. From personal use, I can tell you its quite remarkable, yet very few of our fellow gun enthusiasts are up on it.

[HootmonSccy]

Interesting... I'll have to check it out...