Lube for Locks

[necchi]

I was fishing for better techniques.

Yeah, I get that. I guess my point was that it's not so much a superior/better/best oil to use as it is a matter of not letting what you do use to get too old and gummy.
Just make sure the lock has fresh oil when you want it in top condition. I'm not attending rendezvous like I use to, but it was a simple matter to remove and spray the lock with brake cleaner, dry it and re-oil before the weekend of shooting matches and maybe a drop or two of oil while cleaning Saturday night before Sundays shooting.
The best oil is clean fresh oil.
For me it's a matter of maintenance I guess instead of a magic oil, :idunno: :v

 

[Billnpatti]

There are a lot of good lubes on the market 3 in One is a very good oil and it has a good rust preventive in it. The secret is to use lube very sparingly and completely avoid any grease. Grease and heavy use of oil just collects dirt and fouling. just a very tiny drop of oil on the surfaces that rub on anything is all you need. If you apply enough to run, that is too much. Wipe off any excess and your lock will operate quite well and be very less likely to collect fouling and dirt. While it is not absolutely necessary to clean your caplock every time you use it, I do recommend that you clean and re-lube a flintlock every time you clean your rifle. I clean my caplock, too. every time I clean my rifle. I have found that it is very easy to clean my locks by simply using a spray can of either carburetor cleaner or brake cleaner. That stuff will really clean out all of the gunk and leave your lock sparkling clean. It also evaporates very quickly and you can then sparingly lube your lock.

 

[Cowboy]

I totally agree with what necchi and Billnpatti said! There are a large variety of lubricants out there that are more than adequate to do the job. More important is maintaining your lock through good practices and a consistent maintenance schedule with proper cleaning and lubrication.

I myself just use good old 3-1 oil. I also clean and lube my lock's after every shooting session or will reapply if muzzleloader has been in storage for a lengthy amount of time.
Respectfully, Cowboy :hatsoff:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I started using choke tube lube because I had a tube of it on the bench. I figured that since it will take the heat of a shotgun blast going though the choke with only a thin layer of steel between it and the heat, and will also keep the choke from rusting up in the barrel, it's OK for the job. The only problem is it's black so tough to tell when it's dirty or not, so I clean the locks all the time. It's probably graphite and some sort of grease.

I know three or four guys who are all into cars and flintlocks and they like lithium grease.

:idunno:

LD

 

[mooman76]

Plain old gun oil for me. Lately using(trying) Break Free.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I was wondering what everyone uses for lube on their locks after cleaning. :idunno:

Engine assembly lube

Specifically designed to eliminate galling on high friction parts during initial start up.

 

[rushlake1]

"super Lube" clear lube..all moving lock parts.
water resistant.clean no stain.
Seal the lock to the barrel with no-ox grease
Helps to keep out water and fowling when I water flush the barrel with the lock on the gun in the field.

 

[Juice Jaws]

I have never heard of oil getting old or gummy. I thought as long as it was kept clean in the can and lid on, it would be fine. How does it get old and gummy if kept in the can?

 

[Many Klatch]

I mix 1/2 2 stroke motor oil and 1/2 kerosene for all the working parts of all my smokepoles. It's worked well for me for 40 years.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have never heard of oil getting old or gummy. I thought as long as it was kept clean in the can and lid on, it would be fine. How does it get old and gummy if kept in the can?

All oils get old with time. :wink:
Many oils just naturally get gummy with time. But, most modern oils will not get gummy. Some lubes, however, are better/worse than others. I have had horrible results with Ballistol and excellent results with WD-40.

 

[Patocazador]

Graphite or barricade. I tend to use graphite more on the flintlocks. It seems to give a lighter trigger pull, important to eliminate the tendency to flinch when the flame is expected. :hmm:

It never gets cold enough here to cause the oil to thicken so the graphite isn't for that reason.

 

[Billnpatti]

Some lubricants can do that. Barricade is an excellent example. It will, over a relatively short time, become thick like a grease, on the surface of your gun. I think the manufacturers intended it to be that way because it is an excellent rust preventive for long storage. The thickening will start to take place over a period of about week and by 2 or 3 weeks it will have become like a grease. It's good stuff but you have to know that it does this and take care to wipe it all away before taking your gun our to shoot it.

There are other lubricants that have some kind of volatile additives that will slowly evaporate and the lubricant will become thickened. I can't think of a good example right now but I have had some small cans of lubricant that did sit in the can for a loooong time (years) and became a thickened goo inside the can. Some of this thickening of lubricants can be caused by polymerization. I don't know all of the conditions to which a can of lubricant would have to be subjected to cause it to become polymerized but I would put time and heat into the equation.

I have never heard of light machine oils such as 3 in One thickening. That is not the only brand of light machine oil that is a really good oil for guns and contains a rust inhibitor. That is the kind of oil I would pick for my guns. If I am going to let them sit in my gun safe for a long time (months or years) I would use something like Barricade or RIG. If you use something like one of these, just be sure to wipe out all of it using a solvent such as mineral spirits, kerosene, etc. before taking it out to shoot.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Thanks

 

[Dan Whalen]

Motorcycle chain lube goes on very thin and turns to a very thick grease quickly. Dan