5 Best Gun Oil for Maintaining and Cleaning Firearms

4.7/5

Whether you use your weapon for self-protection or hunting, it is imperative that it always functions properly. Proper maintenance and care of your gun make a big difference in its effectiveness and performance. That being said, it is critical to use superior gun oil on a regular basis.

Gun oils and lubricants come in many different varieties. Although many companies give a lot of promises, their products often do not satisfy customer expectations. Bear in mind that not all gun lubricants for rust prevention are made equal. Each of them has its own set of advantages and drawbacks. For this reason, it’s important to find the best gun lube to prevent rust.

With so many oils out there, those who lack experience in this field can easily end up feeling overwhelmed. To make things easier for you, we have waded through a large number of options on the market and selected the best gun oils available online for heavy duty. Let’s dive in!

5 Best Gun Oils on The Market Today

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RATING

Review of the Best Gun Oils on The Market Today

Our Rating

Top Rated Gun Oil
5/5

Ballistol is a high-quality aerosol that is perfect for various applications, including rust prevention. It is not merely used for firearms. This multi-purpose oil/lubricant works great as a general-purpose firearm lube because of its valuable properties.

As a matter of fact, this product has initially been produced for the German army. It was intended to be used for cleaning firearms, leather gear and gun stocks. However, its application is not only limited to weapons. For example, the world’s largest companies like Coca-Cola use Ballistol to lower friction between moving components of their machines.

It’s important to note that Ballistol is completely safe to use. It is slightly alkaline, biodegradable, non-toxic and non-sticky. Plus, this all-purpose lubricant is proven to be eco-friendly as well.

Having the properties of an alkali, this product effectively reduces the effects that oil and sweat from the skin may have on your firearm. The migration properties of this aerosol come from oleic acid as well as benzyl acetate – a kind of benzene that can be found in many motor lubricants. Oleic acid comes from olive and coconut oil. Besides, it features a non-chlorinated mineral base.

Specifications:

  • Additives: benzyl acetate, alcohol, oleic acid
  • Base oil: non-chlorinated mineral
  • Type: Aerosol
  • Volume: 1.5 oz

PROS

  • A wide range of applications
  • Biodegradable and organic
  • It has alkaline properties
  • Harmless yet effective additives
  • Environmental friendly

CONS

  • Mineral base oil
  • Earthy odor

Best Suited For

This specially formulated product works for a wide variety of materials. It can preserve and protect fishing reels metal, plastics, leather, wood, and so on. In addition to oiling the moving sections of your firearm, this all-purpose lube can do a good job of cleaning and preventing rust. It will reduce your need for manual cleaning and make sure your weapon keeps working properly. Additionally, it can neutralize the effects of skin oils and sweat.

Summary

Ballistol is excellent for protecting and lubricating firearms. If you’re looking for a high-quality gun oil that works like a charm, be sure to consider this aerosol. It will help you keep your guns in good condition so that you will get your money’s worth from it.

Our Rating

4.8/5

There are quite a few good reasons why the United States Armed Forces prefer using this lubricant preservative. The Break-Free CLP-4 excels at lubricating, cleaning and protecting firearms. It features a viable mixture of organic oils that make it biodegradable.

Furthermore, it can protect your gun from wear and tear. Its boundary film shields metal surfaces from corrosion, environmental conditions, and moisture. In fact, corrosion inhibitors in this lubricant play a role in preventing rust formation.

Do you plan on using your gun in extreme cold? The good news is that Break-Free CLP-4 Cleaner is capable of withstanding extreme temperatures without losing viscosity. Moreover, it can resist sand, dust and dirt thanks to the antistatic properties.

Specifications:

  • Additives: dibasic esters, petroleum distillates
  • Base oil: PAO synthetic
  • Type: liquid
  • Volume: 4 oz

PROS

  • Great for corrosion fighting
  • Good antistatic properties
  • Long lasting
  • High migration
  • Can be used in extreme environmental conditions

CONS

  • A bit difficult to apply
  • Distinctive odor

Best Suited For

This synthetic blend oil is formulated specifically to handle all kinds of environmental conditions from high-salt environments to extreme cold. Changes in temperature can neither lose nor thicken its viscosity.

Summary

As its name suggests, Break-Free CLP is a product that’s meant to clean, lubricate, and protect the firearm. That means you get a 3-in-1 product. It easily gets into every pit and crevice of the gun, thereby providing the best protection. On top of that, this product can reduce wear effectively.

Our Rating

4.5/5

Hoppe’s No. 9 is a reputable and well-known brand that is popular with gun owners. Their products are considered one of the best gun oils, as they are effective and long-lasting with regard to gun protection. The same is true for Hoppe’s No. 9.

Please note that this gun oil is designed to work as a boundary lubricant. You can use it to clean your firearm and keep it safe from pitting and water damage. It also provides good protection against corrosion. It’s all about anticorrosive compounds that give added protection and extend the life of your gun.

It is tested rigorously in tough environments and situations. The migrating formula of this oil features high stability so that it can be used over a wide temperature range.

Specifications:

  • Additives: synthetic blend
  • Base oil: mineral
  • Type: liquid
  • Volume: 2.25 oz

PROS

  • It shows extra stability under different conditions
  • Boosted by a synthetic blend
  • Ideal for new guns with modern alloys
  • Long lasting

CONS

  • It needs periodic replacement
  • Concerns with mineral oil base

Best Suited For

Created as synthetic lubricating oil, this product is particularly suited for new firearms that come with modern metal alloys. Actually, it’s a specialized synthetic blend that works best for newer weapon models.

Summary

If you own a newer model gun with contemporary alloys, this cost-effective gun oil product is right for you. It will help you clean and protect your firearm against wear and tear, pitting, and corrosion. The high viscosity makes it stable under varied environmental conditions so that it won’t harden or thicken with the temperature variation.

Our Rating

4.1/5

Here’s another all-purpose gun lubricant made in the US. It conditions metal parts to hold up to carbon fouling. As a result, you will have less hassle when cleaning your weapon.

The FireClean oil is made from a biodegradable earth-safe formula. It’s non-toxic as well, meaning it can be used around pets and family. The powerful cleaners present in this formula cause grime to break down, making it easy to wipe off carbon fouling.

Stable with both extreme cold and extreme heat, this oil can get the job done even in the harsh environment.

Specifications:

  • Additives: not available
  • Base oil: biodegradable, organic
  • Type: liquid
  • Volume: 2x2 oz

PROS

  • Exceptional carbon cleaning properties
  • Boosted by a synthetic blend
  • Non-sticky
  • Anti-fouling

CONS

  • Protective properties are questionable
  • Pricey

Best Suited For

This oil is formulated specifically to decrease carbon fouling and deep clean firearms. It is suitable for those who clean their guns a lot. With this powerful cleaner, gun maintenance is much easier.

Summary

If you’re in the market for a top-notch long-lasting gun lubricant that can reduce carbon fouling and friction, the FireClean will live up to all your expectations. This conditioning oil will do a decent job of protecting your gun against corrosion. It provides long-lasting protection even when used in extreme environmental conditions.

Our Rating

4/5

If you have a rapid firing gun and look for a biodegradable lubricant, then Lucas Oil is something you need to use. This household oil is meant to withstand extreme temperatures and resist moisture at the same time. You can use it to protect your gun against corrosion and moisture alike.

Being environmentally friendly and odorless, it’s an excellent choice for sporting and hunting firearms. Another thing you will like about this oil is that it can neutralize acids from fingerprints.

Specifications:

  • Additives: unavailable
  • Base oil: organic and biodegradable
  • Type: liquid
  • Package volume: 2 oz

PROS

  • Perfect for hunting weapons
  • Can be used in long-term storage
  • Biodegradable
  • Odorless

CONS

  • A little sticky
  • Loses its slick quickly
  • Overpriced

Best Suited For

This hunting lubricant is specially formulated to prevent full-powered rifles and machine guns from overheating and jamming. It is suited to sporting and hunting weapon including lever action rifles, pumps, revolvers, and shotguns.

Summary

Lucas Oil is an environmentally friendly, biodegradable, organic, well-priced lubricant that works perfectly in just about any weather condition. It can resist evaporative breakdown and extreme temperatures. This oil meets very specific needs for firearms that are prone to overheating in case of rapid firing.

What is the best gun oil on the market?

The best gun oil on the market is Ballistol Multi-purpose Lubricant and cleaner. Other than lubricating the mechanical components of your firearm, this general purpose oil also acts as an anti-rust agent and this will prevent the formation of rust which can interfere with the proper functioning of your firearm. This lubricant is safe to use and as such, it will not have any effect on your skin. 

The lubricant is alkaline in nature and this greatly reduces the effect that the oil and sweat on your skin may have on the firearm. The lubricant has impressive migration properties and this means that it penetrates the moving sections of the gun to provide sufficient lubrication. The lubricant is made from eco-friendly materials and this way, it is not harmful to the planet and other organisms. The Ballistol Multi-purpose Lubricant is highly versatile and it can be used to preserve other surfaces like wood, plastic, and leather.

What gun oil does when you apply it to your gun

As mentioned earlier, the best gun oils are meant to provide a barrier to the moving components within the gun. This allows the different components to slide over each other without any friction. You may think that the surface of your gun is smooth but a keen look under a microscope reveals tiny craters that if not properly oiled, will grind destructively against each other to wear out and damage the firearm.

Applying gun oil to your weapon fills these tiny craters with a slick substance that helps to reduce friction and allow the different gun mechanisms to operate without contact. Your firearm is, therefore, able to perform optimally and reduce undue wear and tear on the gun. This is what is called hydrodynamic lubrication and it allows the gun to function in a friction-free environment. Gun lubricants, however, need something that is called a ‘boundary’ that prevents the oil from getting pushed out through the crannies and nooks when the gun is engaged.

A boundary element is a substance that is added to the gun oil to thicken it. The more solid the gun oil is the better it is at coating the mechanical components of the handgun. It will also not get squeezed out of the weapon when it is engaged and this way, it protects the components from wearing each other out and ruining the gun. Gun lubricants are also intended to protect the firearm from other elements such as extreme pressure and rust that develops when the weapon is exposed to moist conditions. Where you live, therefore, determines the type of gun oil that you can get as you will be required to get gun oil with sufficient anti-rust agents if you live in a highly humid area.

Most times, detergent products are incorporated when making gun oil that breaks down all the built-up dirt when you apply the oil to your gun. Other than lubricating the firearm, gun oils also serve as cleaning agents which is just as important since the dirt and dust inside the firearm can cause it to malfunction. After some time, gunfire residue, dust and other forms of dirt collect on and within the weapon and you will have to clean it properly to ensure that it is functioning properly. The detergents added to the oil helps with this.

When you choose to buy a 3 in 1 gun oil, you get a product that is intended to lubricate the firearm, serve as a gun cleaner, and protect it from the agents of oxidation. These products offer an all-purpose solution for your firearm maintenance routine. They may not serve all your needs but for general gun maintenance, they work just fine. Most people like this option for its simplicity as they only have to get one product rather than getting multiple products for different roles.

Choosing the best gun oil

The best gun oil products are available in different forms – liquid form and solid form and as gases in some rare cases such as the impressive Boeshield T-9. Generally, gun lubricant products are a mixture of liquids and solids with the liquids serving as the base stock and the solids as additives. Combining different ingredients to make gun oil requires top-level engineering skills to ensure that the final product lubricates firearms properly to prevent them from rust formation and to keep the mechanical elements working properly.

Firearms are usually used for short periods and spend most of their lifespan inactive. With the best gun oil products, you will be able to maintain your firearm in the best condition and it will be ready for use the next time you need it for hobby activities like hunting or for personal protection purposes. There may be lots of lubricant products for guns but they all function under two forms of lubrication regimes namely hydrodynamic lubrication and boundary lubrication.

Under hydrodynamic lubrication, a thick oil layer forms between the moving components and it acts to stop the friction between the moving parts and reduce wear and tear. Hydrodynamic lubrication boosts the lifespan of the gun moving parts just like motor oil products do to car motors.

Boundary lubrication works to prevent corrosion and oxidation by forming a boundary. This boundary is formed between the metal fixings and active components and this helps with corrosion protection.

Thickness

To protect the weapon, the oil needs to move to the adjacent parts within the firearm. Thinner oil products spread faster to the adjacent parts and this makes them a priority for many gun owners. They are, therefore, more effective in preventing friction and resisting wear and tear and this will help keep the firearm in the proper working condition for long. 

Thin oils, however, are not suited to hot areas as they are exposed to evaporation and as such, they may not provide much-needed gun protection. In a hot area, thicker oils are more suitable as they remain on the surface of the gun longer.

Viscosity

Viscosity may be similar to thickness but these two terms differ greatly when it comes to contextual application. Highly viscous oils flow slowly while less viscous gun oils flow faster. Less viscous oil flows quickly when it is applied and it drains to the different gun components. It requires more effort to apply highly viscous oil but once it is applied, it offers better control to the machine sectors.

There are 3 types of gun oils according to viscosity: gun lube, gun oil, and gun grease. Among the three, lube is the thinnest while grease is the thickest. Lube is ideal for the parts that are difficult to reach while oil for the sections that are easy to access.

Additives

Additives to gun oil change its chemical composition and the effect it has on the firearm. There are a lot of products that are added when making gun oil but the most frequent one is AW/EP. AW/EP stands for Anti-Wear, Extreme Protection.

AW/EP (Anti-Wear, Extreme Protection)

The best gun oil will have these additives in the form of tiny solids added to thicken the oil. Different combinations of these additives are added to make specific gun lubricants. Some of the most common compounds added for anti-wear and extreme protection include;
  • Sulphur compounds
  • Boron
  • Zinc
  • Phosphors
  • Antimony dialkyl dithiocarbamate
  • Detergents
  • Tackifiers
  • Polytetrafluoroethylene
  • Pour point depressant

What to Avoid

It is important to know compounds you need to avoid when buying gun lubricants and they include;
  • Compounds of chlorine – these compounds can lead to stress-induced corrosion cracking. Microscopic cracks and pits develop when the firearm is exposed to pressure and this will result in the firearm malfunctioning.
  • Benzene compounds – they are commonly used to make motor oil products. They are, however, harmful to the skin and as such, it’s not advisable to use such oils on a firearm.
  • Mineral oils – They have poor lubricant migration and this means that your gun will not be properly lubricated.
  • Silicones – Silicones are good for protecting guns against water damage and rust but they add to the wear of the gun’s moving parts.
  • Graphite sprays – they are not beneficial to a gun.

Gun Oil Application Methods

There are different methods of how to apply gun oil to your firearm. The method of application that you will use will depend on how capable you are when it comes to disassembling and assembling your firearm. Novices are advised to choose a method that’s easy to apply so as not to damage the firearm as they try to disassemble it. Below are some of the gun oil application methods that are used widely;

Gun Oil Spraying

This method uses a pressurized tool and it is ideal for applying gun lubricants that come in the form of a spray like Boeshield T-9. This method is useful for applying gun oil on the outer parts of the firearm. It is, however, not recommended for the inner gun components.

Needle Application

Most gun oils come with an elongated lid that looks like a needle. The elongated needle makes it easy to apply lubricating oil to the sections of the gun that are difficult to reach.

Wipes

Some gun oils also come in the form of wipes that are soaked in gun oil. You will have to move the wipes over the different sections of the gun to lubricate it. With this mode of application, one is able to evenly cover the components of a gun with oil. It will, however, be difficult to access the hard to reach components of the gun.

FAQs

No, it is not. WD stands for water displacement and there are two things that WD40 does well when it is applied to a firearm which are to displace water from the gun components and penetrate tight spaces to make gun cleaning and removing rust very easy. When the metallic components of the weapon are exposed to moist conditions they will rust. Rust formation on the outer sections of the gun ruins its appearance while rust forming on the inside components prevents the mechanical parts from working smoothing. By displacing water from the gun and pushing it out through the cracks and holes, WD40 makes it difficult for rust to develop.

WD40 is also able to penetrate tight spaces and get underneath the rust. It, therefore, makes it easy to scrub the rust that has formed on the weapon and get it in the best condition.

All these properties make WD40 appear like a great lubricant but the problem lies in its ability to protect the metals to prevent rust formation in the future. After cleaning, WD40 leaves a chemical on the surface of the metal to repel moisture. With time, this protectant builds up and makes it difficult for the gun’s mechanics to work properly. You will, therefore, not be able to fire and operate the weapon properly and this is exactly why you should not use WD40 to clean your firearm. Get specially formulated gun oil like the ones we have mentioned above to lubricate and maintain your firearm in the best working condition.

Yes, it does. 3 in 1 oils are designed to clean the firearm, lubricate it, and protect it against water and oxidation. Considering that water and oxidation are the causative agents responsible for rusting, 3 in 1 oils help to prevent rust and this makes them ideal for lubricating your firearm. With a 3 in 1 lubricant, you get three firearm maintenance abilities from one product rather than buying three separate products.
Yes, it will. CLP (Cleaner, Lubricant, and Preservative) gun oil is able to clean, lubricate, and protect your gun. The lubricant preservative protects the gun from the agents of rusting which are water and oxidation. CLP, therefore, prevents your firearm from rusting and this makes it a great choice for lubricating your gun. WRAP UP
Top Rated Gun Oil for Maintaining and Cleaning Firearms of 2020
5/5

Wrap Up

You need to lubricate your firearm for both safety and performance reasons. It’s a bad idea to use a gun that is not lubricated at all. Such a gun is prone to malfunction and can be dangerous to use. Friction between moving has a negative impact on the performance of your gun. This hinders its ability to maintain shooting accuracy and high velocity. Gun oils can significantly reduce friction and keep your firearm(s) in good form. That’s why you should use the best gun oils possible.

All the products reviewed above work at lubricating, cleaning, and protecting firearms from corrosion one way or another. So it’s really hard to go wrong with any of these options. Choose one that best suits your needs and use it properly and regularly. That will make your gun perform well each time.