Lube Beyond the Bedside: How To Keep Your Weapons Running, by GuerrillaLogistician

Location: Possibly at the G-camp
Time: A few weeks before this article

GLogistician – “I use automatic transmission fluid (ATF) on my firearms.”

NCScout – “You better not put that shit on my guns.”

Me looking at NCScout thinking did I get duped online as I drown in ATF.

No mice were drowned during the making of this article, and no nuclear missiles were lost in deep-sea trenches. However, at this point, I would look for competent leadership down there before I looked at last night’s State of the Union address.

Scout, if you read this, it isn’t a gotcha article, and I would never put shit on your firearms without your approval… also, no one should touch anyone’s rifle unless they say its ok. There is a warning below on why that can be a major issue.

The two things I fear most about writing articles on here and being a conservative are getting the wrong information. For years I have watched people make bogus claims both about both firearms and politicians. When someone that you respect vehemently rejects something that has been a staple in your life, it is wise to question whether you are correct. I would even say it is responsible to see if any of the claims on the left are correct to know the weaknesses of your positions… but alas, I digress. The reality is right now, I don’t run Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) on any of my firearms anymore, and it’s not because I don’t approve of the use of it: I have animals that are around my firearms as much as I am, and I don’t want them getting sick from chemicals so I have opted for a more all-natural solution. My use of ATF has never been because I thought it was some amazing product that surpasses all others; it was more so because ‘smarter’ people told me to do something back before the Internet was truly in fashion. All that being said, maybe I’ve been blindly following the advice of people who were completely wrong, who knows. So we’ll take a dive into the topic of lubricants and see if I will prove my hypothesis about ATF or end up sinking my ass more embarrassingly than Ocean Gate.

Why is a logistics guy talking about lubricants for firearms? Well, sometimes you don’t have the opportunity or capability to grab your favorite frog Lube or even CLP. While CLP is a major staple in the military, many people don’t know anything beyond its use in the military. Occasionally, the military gets it right, but other times, it is way off the mark, which I’m sure most of you know. So, what do I care? I’m just a simple dude in the woods taking care of his tools or an Urban Guerrilla who read Concrete Jungle; well, I care a shit ton… let’s first break down CLP, and who better to do it than the trusty Gov. Also I want to show I did my homework on the subject. Some of you will also eat up these details in the links I provide. (Link to report https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA416474 ) Polyalphaolefin oil (65%), synthetic oils, esters, and other synthetic proprietary ingredients (27%), isoparaffinic hydrocarbons (5%), and dibasic ester (3%) are the basics of CLP. Polyalphaolefin oil (PAO) is the most common major synthetic base oil used in industrial and automotive lubricants. In fact, most ATF fluid is up to 49% PAO. Your engine oil is about 75%. The esters are usually there to help low and high-temperature performance. So… ATF, Engine oil and CLP have some base overlapping components, but all greases are this with a base agent that thickens up the oil. We know that grease isn’t always the best lubricant in every weapon or in every condition, which means having common components doesn’t mean one-for-one use. This is similar to how many Napalm-type substances are usually a base fuel mixed with something that allows it to stick and continue to burn. So finding this info off an Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is only part of the story and not the complete picture.

More information and details on how to figure out what is what: https://www.realgunreviews.com/whats-really-in-gun-cleaners-lube/

Now that we have that, how can I figure out what my gun lube is made of? Well, the above is a good article that references the Safety Data Sheet and how to figure this out if you are inclined. Mind you, some companies like CLP love to obfuscate the hell out of their secret formulas because they make a lot of money selling you a few ounces of something for 10-12 dollars, which costs you about 3 dollars a quart but is missing esters that makes it smell a certain way. To prevent this from being a substantial fucking science article, I am going to link the basic info for you. So now we can figure out why we use one oil vs another, but why was I recommended ATF? Well, this came to me from a guy who worked on firearms in Vietnam. He said he was experimenting with different stuff trying to keep the corrosion down on the NEW at the time M-16. He had used ATF from the motor pool because, as he said, it was more rust-preventive than motor oil and seemed to help, which is what he told me. Cool story from one vet to another, but that doesn’t mean it is true.

Another thing that has been flying around the internet for decades now is what Armalite says:

[ArmaLite, Inc. Technical Note – Alternate Cleaning and Lubrication Materials

Tech Note
October 10, 2004

Technical Note 64, Alternate Cleaning and Lubrication Materials for Small Arms

Background: ArmaLite officials conducting small arms maintenance training in an allied nation were advised that Military and Police officers often use common cooking oil as a small arms cleaner and lubricant. A 4 ounce bottle of cleaning material common in Europe or America could cost as much as a weeks income for a laborer in much of the rest of the world.

ArmaLite is concerned that improper cleaners and lubricants could threaten the performance of its rifles in critical moments. ArmaLite’s staff has therefore conducted a preliminary study to identify inexpensive, effective small arms maintenance materials that are available worldwide.

Findings: ArmaLite has consulted with Small Arms experts at Rock Island Arsenal and elsewhere, and has conducted preliminary evaluations of the materials they recommended:

Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) as a cleaner and light lubricant. ATF performs admirably as a carbon remover, and protects steel surfaces excellently (“Have you ever seen a transmission that’s rusty inside?).

Twenty weight engine oil serves in an environment that is far more strenuous than normally found in small arms so is normally quite successful. The Army authorities recommend synthetic oils such as Mobil 1. (In fact, one noted authority has used Mobil 1 as his personal firearm lubricant for over two decades.

No safe copper remover formulation has yet been identified, but government tests reveal that copper removal provides no advantage in a standard military arm. It may serve a useful purpose in cleaning the bore of a rifle meant for extremely precise fire, such as a sniper rifle.

Recommendations: Employ ATF as a small arms cleaning agent, and follow with 20 weight synthetic motor oil as a lubricant. Until a commonly available alternate copper solvent is identified, employ a commonly available commercial copper solvent such as Hoppe’s Number 9 on firearms intended for a high degree of accuracy]

Now I am not saying some vet in Vietnam got the idea, and somehow ArmaLite recommended it, and I will tell you also why you shouldn’t use ATF. ATF has a bunch of additives compared to normal oil, including a dye that could stain wood. With that being said, it is perfectly serviceable in a pinch, so I wasn’t fucking out of my mind, and it works fine for what it is, a cheap alternative to overpriced stuff; however, is there better stuff on the market? Sure, but that means with an SDS, we can see what Hoppe’s #9, my all-time personal favorite cleaner, is. Hoppe’s No. 9 Gun Bore Cleaner mainly comprises kerosene, ethanol, and propanol. I remember working on engine parts with kerosene and wire brushes as a child. Most manufacturers take a few little additives and change the smell, look, etc., to something that won’t stain wood and plastics like ATF. Sometimes it’s as simple as the base component of Kerosene and a bit of ammonia and citronella like Hoppes 9.

While this is all good for older products, what about the new fashion of “Non-toxic” lubricants because I have kids, cats, and dogs, or maybe I just want to stock something food-grade stuff that won’t kill everyone? Well, the SDS usually doesn’t tell you anything about those things. Much of it comes from the same idea as what Armalite proposed above. Common cooking oil has been used in many nations; Canola oil (rapeseed oil) has been used to lubricate artillery and quick-firing naval guns. It’s also used in MIL-G-10924F and BLG-2 lubricants as well. (https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA396703.pdf#:~:text=rapeseed%20oil%20into%20MIL%2DG%2D10924F%2C%20while.%20BLG%2D2%20were,while%20deleting%20the%20petroleum%20oil%20and%20some ) Let’s look at Frog Lube and Seal 1 as examples, and it is because someone did a bunch of hard work before me that I can show how we as a gun consumer culture have been dooped into putting out lots of money for cheap items. Long and short, this stuff and a substance called track lube (which used to be very cheap) were almost the same. Like all good chemical companies, things were added, and minor tweaks were made, but the spectrum analyzer didn’t lie. Mind you, the companies said they all invented this lubricant themselves and it is all original, but realistically, they could have devised the idea separately. That said Track Lube has the earliest history of the three. The essential thing to know is that a lot of this is just ordinary food-grade stuff like coconut oil. With Ballistol being another good product, its old SDS said it was medicinal grade mineral oil, alkaline salts of oleic acid, several alcohols, Benzyl Acetate, and oil from vegetal seeds. The new SDS has some crap about nothing toxic, which is accurate, and be mindful that after all this came out, people started hiding this information as best as they legally could.

Link to the whole study on Frog Lube, Seal 1 Tracklube

https://www.vuurwapen.com/blog/general-opinion/lies-errors-and-omissions/froglube-tracklube-and-seal1-laboratory-analysis/

Images of the Spectrum Analysis referenced in the link above

THE WARNING

If you change lubricants, especially from synthetic to natural oils like coconut oil, clean your gun of all residue. If you don’t, it will turn into sludge over time, and your weapon will be an expensive paperweight.

School of the American rifle AR-15 lube

A note from the School of the American Rifle: Here is his formula for cheap, good lubricant. Let’s face it: most of you will be running an AR. This also works on AKs, but keep some of that grease for your internal rails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTpWfjVFfEU

Conclusion

Unlike Virgil in “The Abyss,” I was not snorting some ATF-looking liquid or smoking some pipe I found in Hunter Bidens hotel room. ATF can be used; it is a good alternative that not only cleans carbon and prevents rust its high temp but also displaces water. It again isn’t my go to, but I also have used it on dirty rifles and at the range on a dry AR-15 because I could pull some off a dipstick for someone. I also have dived into Coconut oil and a substance called INOX, which is a food-grade lubricant. The reality is to run what you have, but in a pinch, understand a lot of food oils and engine oils will work on your firearm. This is mainly because even though we think of rifles blasting away they aren’t under the stress or force most engines experience every second. If someone gets a barrel of 10W-30, and that is all your team has, use it. Remember that these substances do have a flashpoint, and while it is possible to use, things like bacon grease might smell great but be less optimal on something like a SAW, and it might be unusable in colder climates. Although the thought of throwing lead down range and having the smell of freshly cooked bacon flowing through the air into the noses of your starving unit might be all the motivation, your team needs to get the enemy’s supplies. Maybe saving that bacon fat like Grandma did might be a useful endeavor. Whatever you do use prudence check around the internet and compare information, and by all means double check yours sources even if you do trust them.

Questions complaints you can now find me on X.com @Glogistician or leave a comment