Alternative Firearms Lube
Mon, 10/31/2005, 20:57
I've been experimenting for a while now, and think I can now definitively give my recommendation. I've found Mobil1 Synthetic ATF to be an excellent replacement for Breakfree CLP (Cleaner-Lubricant-Protectant; the standard US military arms care product).
-It's persistent, unlike Breakfree CLP, which tends to evaporate quickly.
-It's very aggressive on buildup, a quality that manifests itself in much longer runtimes with dirty ammo (i.e. Wolf and its ilk), and in residue cleanup on exterior surfaces (cosmetic, I know, but it shows you the cleaning power)
-It's homogeneous; unlike CLP, where the PTFE tends to precipitate out of solution (or fall out of suspension), the Mobil1 doesn't leave lubricant clumps that get pushed out of the way, rendering them useless.
-It's very slick. Applying it to the carrier rails, I can feel a difference compared to Breakfree CLP. (related to the above point)
The use of transmission fluid is relatively well-documented as a good general-purpose cleaner product (e.g. the
Armalite Tech Note, but I feel that Mobil1's synthetic variety is also excellent on the lubrication and protection aspects. Its use as a firearms lube was discussed a bit on a
thread over at 10-8 forums.
At $6/quart, I don't feel there's a better product on the market in terms of effectiveness or value. As always, though, YMMV.
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