WD 40 -- Any Uses?

Rust

Prevention (preventative vs preventive.....irregardless is the one that bugs me). "Rustprufe" works like a charm. Body salts (as in fingers) won't penetrate. Hard to find these days. This is my preference for storage of firearms.
I use WD40 almost interchangeably with LPS1. LPS2 is better, but LPS3 gets really gummy.

Dennis
 
'Preventative' ain't in my dictionary (Webster's) at all. Just because a word is used much does not mean it's correct. That's right, ain't it?[/U
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The online dictionary lists preventative as an acceptable variant for preventive.

You have made the same point twice in this thread. Thank you for helping us sort out the important issues.
 
I did try it

as a bore cleaner over the past few days. It does help remove carbon from barrels. My patches were still coming out black after two days of scrubbing and sitting. I finally killed it by using one of the commercial yeller cleaners. I will ingestivate WHY the patches keepo coming out black this week and report back.
 
it made me wonder if perhaps WD-40 would be a good cleaning solvent for rifle barrels? If it will clean barbique grills, well, it just get one to "thankin", that all; guess I'll go try it. I'll report back
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I mentioned early in the thread that I have used it as a final patch through the barrel before putting the gun away-- I spray the final patch wet with it and swab through.

I checked the WD-40 web site-- it is supposed to prevent rust. A good machine oil with a bit more viscosity would maybe be even better.
 
Two reasons why I don't use WD40 in my guns.
First, it's a penetrating product and if it makes contact with a loaded round that for any reason isn't fired it can infiltrate and foul the primer.
Second, it collects on parts to create a sticky/gummy film. That's not seen on the routine exterior parts of the firearm but as it penetrates into the gun's mechanism(s) it can, over time, become a bigger problem than solution.
After having used it for years, I wouldn't have it in my shop (let alone my gun cleaning kit) today.
 
I think the biggest single reason WD-40 is popular is the same reason Hppies #9 is so popular, no matter how poorly it preforms. The single reason is the odorant in both products. It is a pleasant odder to people and they like the smell.
 
Don't leave home without it!

There are better single purpose products than WD-40 no one can argue that, but if I need (or could have only) one product only on my shelf WD-40 is the one I'd keep and reach for. I don't worry about it being a penetrating oil as I don't leave my bench gun loaded where it would contact the primers. Home defense weapons different story. Hunting weapons always get a good wipe down before I put them away.
 
This is interesting - - -

I cleaned both rifles last week using WD 40. I kept getting grayisn patches until I finally ran a patch of GM Top Cleaner through them. The gray went away.

I shot both rifles all day Sunday without cleaning them. Just a few minutes ago I ran a wet patch of WD 40 through one of them and had a gray patch twice. I then ran a new brass brush through it ten strokes. Went back with a clean patch and had a moderately gray patch. I then ran a GM patch through and it came out clean; no black. Unbelieveable! I will try the brush again after lunch just to see - - - -
 
Hi i'm a new guy here but for my 2 cents it seems WD 40 is the only thing that keeps my 870 and 1187 expresses from rusting ,in extreme hunting conditions on the Chesapeake Bay. I have tried Remoil ,Break Free. and a host of others. That being said I use it only on the exterior.
 
WD 40 is not my idea of a product that goes well on guns. This is not to say that I don't use the product on occasion. If someone sold Kerosene in an aerosol can, it would do about as good a job and I'd probably buy it for the convenience if it was cheap enough.. Thin solvents are good for freeing mechanisms, cleaning up heavier oils and dirt as they are applied and for general use as light honing oil and exterior rust prevention, and for "shining" things up. The CLP's , Rem Oils and Break Free type products are slightly better than WD40, but none are very good lubricants. I think people like them because they don't leave a lot of "oily" residue behind, but that is what is needed as a lubricant. A trend in this direction leaves us with the "dry" lubricants, which are mainly a joke as far as gun use is concerned.

The problem with WD 40 is the protective film it leaves when it dries. This may be OK on the outside of a gun, but in triggers and bolts it leaves a heavy varnish buildup (over many applications) that I find difficult to remove without mechanical scrubbing. Perhaps lacquer thinner in an ultrasonic cleaner might remove it, but gun parts cleaners with normal "safe" solvents don't remove the buildup (I am a professional gunsmith with a recirculating solvent parts cleaner at my disposal).

Most oils will leave an oxidation residue over time, as will 3 in 1 oil, petroleum based motor oil, kroil, sheath, etc. Surprisingly, sperm whale oil, an old standard, oxidizes very slowly in comparison. I base this on my observation of many old guns, but mostly from the tops of old cans of various lubricant products in the shop.

My current experiences are that the modern synthetics are superior in oxidation protection and viscosity stability to the old standards. Synthetics such FP 10 and commercial moly disulphide greases in silicone carriers do most of my heavy lifting these days, but I wouldn't be surprised if synthetic automotive oils/greases of different viscosities wouldn't do about as well. I don't have quite enough experience with the metal filled and other specialty lubes to comment on their long term effectiveness.

Scott
 
just bought "sili kroil" (kroil + silicone) from Kano on line. they also provide peniphite (kroil + moly). $50 will get you enough for 20 lifetimes of split with buddies.:cool:
 
Sqeaks

I use some on the hinges of my Trailblazer just last night. This morning the squeak is back, and a big WD40 stain om my running board.
 
Never did get back to it

Pete Wass said:
I cleaned both rifles last week using WD 40. I kept getting grayisn patches until I finally ran a patch of GM Top Cleaner through them. The gray went away.

I shot both rifles all day Sunday without cleaning them. Just a few minutes ago I ran a wet patch of WD 40 through one of them and had a gray patch twice. I then ran a new brass brush through it ten strokes. Went back with a clean patch and had a moderately gray patch. I then ran a GM patch through and it came out clean; no black. Unbelieveable! I will try the brush again after lunch just to see - - - -
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I will try my experiment again next week. I am still on the road :D Also, I need to have the bore scope to see what is going on.
 
Pete Wass said:
I got to be back for a medical appt on Tuesday but udderwise, NO. I am a Free Man; for now at least. :D
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"A man is free, the moment he stops looking outside himself for someone else to solve his problems." :)
 
This thread is just like WD40 it just never goes away, does it?
 
MColeman said:
I know this is picking at nits but there is no such word as 'preventative'. It is preventive.
Class dismissed. ;)
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Noun 1. preventative - remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease; "the doctor recommended several preventatives"
preventive, prophylactic
 
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