One final note: You might consider storing your guns in a gun "sock" or "sack". Midway USA has a good price on these gun sacks. These look like large stockings which have silicone lubricant in them. They are priced well (about US$15 for 5 gun sacks. These seem to give an additional degree of protection. Surprisingly, the rifle sized sacks are about the same price! I keep my guns in a safes that are in the crawl space of my house (the "crawl space" is actually large enough you can stand upright). SO far, I have not had any rust issues.....

Powders
 

Hi:

The two best powders for me have been:

Power Pistol
SR4756

You can get these two powders from Graffs, Midway, etc.

Using the method I sent you in the PM, start your work with these.

Unfortunately, my loading data for these are out of state and I have no current access, but these are "the two" you will like, believe you me!!!

Sieger

Hey, no problem I trust your judgement since we are dealing with finiky Lugers and if one load works in one it mostlikely will in another.

FYI: CorrosionX is produced by a gentleman known as Mr. VanGilder. He also invented Corrosion Block.

They are both very similar in their make up. Part of the component in the blend is mineral spirits if memory serves me correct.

Because of this, breakdown will occur sooner than a purer refined prodcut that contains no mineral spirits. Mineral spirits can gum on breakdown.

CLP is another that does similar as examples shown to me by military armourers have shown seperation in tropical climate.

WD-40? It is a good inexpensive degreaser and only lasts for a few days at best for any benifit of lube or corrosion prevention.

I have had great success with CarWellCP-90/RustCOP/T-32. With this name they wanted everyone to remember them by having the longest name it seems, but seriously, the name can be any one of the nomeclature these folks put on their labels.

B4 I go further, I sell the stuff, and have used everything out there under the sun and as well. We have sold this stuff in 55 gallon drums to the US Army and anyone else who wants it.

It's on Strykers, HMMV's, at one time 105's and 155's, can't get past the arms manufacturer......since they thought they owned CLP.

Guess what guys, we have that 2 now, under the CORTEC VpCI (Vapor pahse Corrosion Inhibitor designed by the US Navy sometime around 44-45).

BTW, USMC equipment is treated with the product as well.

We have supported the local shooting community in Hawaii for over a decade with excellent results.

Won't post more here at this point as I don't want to be over obtrusive.

If anyone feel like they need some help with corrosion related issues, rust removal without bluing damage and long term storage or recently shoot and requires immediate preservation without cleaning please PM me.

Mod, if there is issue with my thread as it is commercial in nature, please remove it as I understand complications.

In closing, I have only posted once to this forum about an S/42 I had the pleasure of being in company with. It was some time ago so I am not certain if that is around yet or in cyber space.

I've just saw in my sign off that the post has been lost to time. Will look for images and repost for everyones enjoyment.

For standard cleaning I've used WD-40 with good results.

For difficult cleaning, I've tried naptha, but it just doesn't cut it.
I'm talking rough baked on burned up stuff here.

SO

Use Berrymans B12 Chem Tool. Oh yeah, it cleans the crap
out of your weapon.


CAUTION

Don't use it in doors! It has a high concentration of Toluene!
Toluene causes irreversible brain damage, possible coma
and death if inhaled for too long a time.

It happened to a a couple of acquaintance engineers over
at the bat wing company, serious stuff.

LUB-RA-CA-TION

For grease I use Shooters Choice all weather grease, its red.

I also use Tetra Gun, lube. I should have used the grease too but
didn't think about it...so the red grease is it in my Luger. I want to
head on out and go shooting today. I"ll keep ya'll linformed.


Regards,

Spike

Sperm oil..
 

Question; What was the lubricant originally specified for the Luger?? Sperm oil..

Anybody have an original owners Manual??

The original lubricant was vaseline. Seriously.

Vaseline in a cold weather enviroment ? really.....

Yes, that was one of the problems :)

....and the crap that would stick to it.......

Well, it was comparable to the tinned can and can opener issue. First they invented the tinned cans, found that while being a perfectly good food preserving container, opening them was a bit of a challenge. The can opener was invented quite a while afterwards.

The same situation is visible in the modern semi-autos like the Parabellum pistol. The need for a good allround lubricant and preservative came after the introduction of the pistol and the experience that the lubricants around had too many drawbacks.

Arguably, the original lubricant (and cleaner) was yellow Waffenfett grease issued by the Swiss Army. The high grade of Swiss Luger preservation is attributable to its use. The current Swiss issue, black moly Automatenfett grease is even more effective, if not as aesthetically pleasing.

Michael,

In Switzerland, yes. The original Parabellum manuals mention vaseline as the lubricating material, however.

The high grade of Swiss gun condition is mainly a result of the fact that the Swiss never went to war and that they had regular refurbishing and maintenance schemes.

I talked to this one vender who is a reg. at our local gun shows that deal's only with German ww2 hand guns, and has been doing it for many years And his gun's all way's look great, I ask him what does he use, he said three and one oil, and that's all. I don't think i've heard anyone here mention Three and one oil. is it just because it's old? any one here ever use it?

3-in-1 is just a lightweight lubricating oil used on everything from sewing machines to fishing reels to squeeky door hinges. It does give a nice sheen to a gun and probably inhibits rust. But it is also slow evaporating which attracts and holds dust, which in turn can hold moisture and/or make the gun nasty to handle after it has been stored for a while. For a gun that is handled and used regularly it probably is a suitable gun oil. Frequent wipe downs will keep a 3-in-1 treated gun looking OK, just keep it off the grips.

Ron, I will take your advice, But!...three in one sure smell's a lot better then break free or some of these other super lub's of today. Thanks....lboos.

Anyone use balistol?

I use 3in1 as a cutting oil; for threading specifically...I also rub it on steel I'm machining, in between operations (which can be several days to months), to inhibit rust...

For shooting, I use LSA (a US military lube [Lubricant, Small Arms]), which was specifically developed for arms with dissimilar metals in contact (M16 --> aluminum & steel)...For storage, I use SAE 10w-30 engine oil...(unused)...Probably not the best, since it has additives, but it's readily available (drug stores, supermarkets, gas stations) while the dedicated gun oils are a half hour's drive away (at $4+ a gallon)... :mad:

I think someone already mentioned it, but WD-40 is not a lubricating oil...It's good for quick cleaning of dirty/chippy metal, and I do use it at the range to give my guns a quick clean, but it's not for storage...

...Plus I like the smell... :p

I keep hearing of the use of WD40. As a cleaner/degreaser it is fine. Despite that the "WD" stands for "water displacement" I find that WD40 is a very poor water displacer and should never be used as a rust preventative, lubricant or preservative. The product tries to do too many things at once and none of them particularly well.

Back in the 70's, when I was an SCCA member and attempting to race my Austin-Healey 100/6, we had a local engineer give a presentation on engine oil (for racing)...One interest thing I still remember was that aviation engine oil was additive-free...because aviation engines were total-loss systems and additives served no purpose...

Doesn't contribute anything useful to this thread, I know...just some of that useless information that is taking up space in my overcrowded memory... :D

" Anyone use balistol? "

Yes, I use it on all my guns, it is even safe on wood.
Alf.

Postino, I worked with a guy many years ago who constantly spouted obscure "facts," much to the annoiance of his colleagues...

He was known as "a vast wasteland of information"... somehow I don't think you fit into that category... :thumbup:

-John

I have been catching up on the treads and decided to see what all I have been missing. On postings #49 or 50, there was a mention made of a lube very similar or was indeed Vaseline. I used to use Vaseline on all my guns when I was in high school and they really worked well.

About 12 or 15 years ago I found a 100% synthetic equivalent of Vaseline. It is called: Permatex Industrial "Super Lube", a Multi-Purpose Synthetic Lubricant With Teflon. This stuff has a working range of -65- +500 degrees Fahrenheit.

This stuff is almost the exact consistancy of Vaseline, and it has Teflon. According to the label, it"reduces friction and wear"; prevents rust and corrosion;won't melt,wash-out or separate;won't attract dust; and is odorless, clean and non staining; plus has the added lubricity of Teflon.

I have used this tuff on my Lugers and most of my other guns and it works great........................

Funny. I think the opposite is true. I hate the smell of Hoppe's, Remoil and Gunscrubber but like BreakFree CLP. To each his own I guess. I use CLP for lube.

Has anyone tried Frog Lube? I've been using it for a few months now and have had great results. No rust, good lubrication and its not bad as a cleaner.

Ha!!

As I said earlier, who goes around smelling old Lugers anyway!?!

If you can stand it, I do believe it is the better "Clean Lube and Preserve" out there, and at a reasonable price.

Sieger

Try RIG (Rust Inhibiting Grease) tradename, found in many sporting goods stores. Comes in small cans or tubes. I've used it for 45+ years and NEVER had a rust problem or found it to harden.

Hi:

I tried this on a vintage Mauser 98/09 around 1969 or so and not only found it to harden but also to attract moisture after doing so. This was my only and last experience with the stuff. Of course the modern formula might be quite different.

Sieger

I have not found RIG to harden, but in my climate in So. Az. it does turn to liquid during the many hot months that we experience. I still use it occasionally, but have been most pleased with TW25b, and it is my go-to lube product.

I also use Superlube, I never found a better lubricant and it's even food grade safe. Cabelas carries it in small tubes.

I don't post much here but I like how this subject got resurrected and I thought I'd note that I have used Hoppes 9 and Kroll oil at a 50/50 mix as a bore cleaner for probably 10 years. I also use this mix to clean up the crud around the ejector area of most of the semi-auto pistols I own, then CLP or Rem-oil.

Breakfree CLP is used on most of my trap guns for cleaning crud along with my 50/50 bore mix but my lube on them is the same one I use for my M1 Garands "Plastilube".

As a side note: Do you know how to tell when you have an inexperienced gun guy at a "Big Box" sporting good store?
When you ask them where they have the Breakfree and they suggest you must go to an Autoparts store!!!!!:roflmao:
Happened to me at a Gander Mt store here.

Levi

BALLISTOL was made for Luger Parabellums or was the Luger Parabellum made for Ballistol ?

On the guns that I use at the range I use some sort of cleaning solvent like Jerry does, then I clean extremely well inside the barrels with a brass cleaning brush. I've always used Ballistol oil and in some bits Tetra gun grease. The final touch is given with a very thin layer of Finsuper teflon oil. In any case I always clean very very well, the inside of the barrel must remain very clean and dry from any grease.
Despite what it seems I use a very little amount of lubrication.
Generally I get all my collectibles out of the safe at least once a month, I check them for rust, and I clean them all with Finsuper teflon oil, or with a silicon cloth, just to pamper them a bit :-)

I am a user of CLP and FrogLube. The latter has very slick properties.

Hi,

Well, it certainly works on Black Powder crud. The formula on the can says 10% Ballistol 90& water for corrosive primers.

Sieger

FP-10 is the most amazing I have ever seen. I saw a demo for it when it first came out, at SHOT. ( I believe a gentleman in Special Forces first told me about it.) I have used it for years with great success. Now sold by Shooter's Choice.

I use Frog Lube as well. Seems to work well on my luger as well as my glock.

Is anyone else using Ballistol? It seems to be working fine for me. Nothing has gummed up, broke, rusted, caught on fire or any other catastrophic failure to date since I have been using it.

Daddydogg

I use both Breakfree CLP and Ballistol. Rather like the Ballistol so far and may not restock on the Breakfree when I'm out.

Hey, Daddydogg, where in Washington State are you (out of curiosity)?

Spokane.