Re-lube during a long range day?

[RickT]

My wife and I have SA 9mm 1911 Loaded (Stainless). We've got a two-day session coming up which will see 1000 rounds or so through each gun each of two days. Our normal range days are 200 rounds. Of course I'll field strip at night, but would most folks feel the need to at least field strip, wipe down and lube during the day?

FWIW "we" use FrogLube on our two primary guns and I've been experimenting with Mil-Comm on our spares. I've had no problem with FrogLube, but the 1911 is a new platform so I thought I would experiment a bit. Each of the two primary guns is seeing 1500 rounds/month so these tools deserve good treatment.

[mach1soldier]

If you get a lunch break, I would clean the rails, and feed ramp at least. Magazines also if you drop them a lot.

Otherwise a more thorough cleaning at night. I typically clean halfway through a major match and it's only 300 rounds typically.

[twodownzero]

Use grease and lube between days and you'll be fine.

[kmca]

200 rounds..I wouldn't bother with it during the day, unless you drop it in the dirt. I don't know about your guns, but my SA Loaded Target can't use grease, unless it's very hot outside. I keep a small bottle of oil (Mobil 1) in my pocket, just in case it starts to cycle sluggishly.

[armydad]

I agree with Mach1soldier. If your doing tactical reloads, as opposed to letting them drop on the ground, your magazines should be fine. If you'll be dropping them, I'd buy a magazine brush and run it through them during breaks to knock out debris.

[Dirty Rod]

I've done several multi-day classes shooting 500-600 rounds a day. A wipe down for the gun and mags and a couple drops of oil at the end of the day was all that was needed unless it was raining and muddy.

[MarkCO]

Clean the mags and stop using Froglube.

[ty34984]

Wow Im on the other end of the spectrum. Wipe the gunk out add oil and keep shooting. I think the little extra gunk make the recoil feel better, maybe slows the slide down a bit, never had a dirty gun malfunction, bad ammo "high primers bad case " type stuff but never a dirt relater problem, I Agree with MarkCO "Clean the mags and stop using froglube"

[Bob DuBois]

Mobile 1 5W20, put it together wet and shoot it.

[Nickb45]

I've ran 1000 round weekends in the summer with frog lube. Winter hit and my gun wouldn't run. I switched to mobile1 and have been very happy ever since, I will usually add a little oil to the rails, disconnector, barrel hood and barrel bushing if the gun feels sluggish.

[zzt]

Mil-Comm is good stuff. I use their mid-weight lube in my 1911. I shoot three times a week and fire 100 or 150 rounds each time. I clean my pistol once a month, or right before a match, whichever comes first. I use VV powders and they are super clean. That being said, I switched to Clay Dot this winter just to use it up, and it is a LOT dirtier than the VV powders.

Rick, if you lube with Mil-Comm you won't have to worry about cleaning during the day, unless where you are shooting raises a lot of dust. Bring a needle oiler filled with Mil-Comm and a package of Q-Tips to the range, just in case.

[entropic]

Another thread about lube in the gunsmithing section....sigh.

In my experience, and from what I have read:

Most factory 1911s will run for 2+ thousand rounds between cleanings, using only the residual lube left by the previous cleaning. I've done it many times with no ill effects. That being said, your best bet for any 1911 is to put a couple drops of almost any oil into the rails every two to three hundred rounds. If you want to become a lubrication nut, you can google Grant Cunningham's article on gun lubrication, or read Bob the Oil Guys's website to learn about what oil actually does. Or just let the feel of racking the slide tell you when it needs it. Clean it when the oil stops making the slide smooth to rack (and before a big match), otherwise don't worry about it, you will not hurt your gun by forgetting to lubricate it... It will tell you when it needs it.

[twodownzero]

Grant Cunningham's article on gun lubrication, or read Bob the Oil Guys's website to learn about what oil actually does. ......

http://www.grantcunningham.com/lubricants101.html

His choice, SFL #0, is what I used on all of my guns. If you think that you cannot use grease, you are mistaken.

I do also keep a gallon of his recommended oil, but the grease has never been a problem. I have shot in below zero and over 100 degree temperatures. The grease is soft enough to work fine.

[gng4life]

It's important to know how your gun reacts to crap that builds up in it. I usually run my guns (after break in) without cleaning until I start having problems. Most of them are tight so after a few thousand rounds, I start having problems. Use a good light oil (I normally use FP10) and with just a five minute wipe down and relube, it should keep it running.

On the flip side, not cleaning until you start having failures could be beneficial in a class where you can introduce malfunctions and then go through the clearing process.

[Steve RA]

Shell Rotella T - full synth - 15W/40

[RickT]

I'm loading WSF light against a 147gr bullet so I get a fair amount of soot. Don't notice much of a difference between Mil-Comm and FrogLube regarding cleanup, but I'm going to switch all four handguns over to one or another. I don't have any low temperature issues in California and haven't had any issues either with our M&Ps or 1911s, but the challenge seems to be trusting its lubrication properties even though the gun isn't being run wet. On the M&Ps you could really see the surfaces wet after they warmed up during a session; I'm not sure I've really seen that with our 1911s, but OTOH there's a lot more mass and the surfaces don't get very warm. Anyway, thanks for all the responses. I'll no doubt to a quick field strip with a quick clean of the rails and feed ramp over lunch.

[ricardo28]

I'm loading WSF light against a 147gr bullet so I get a fair amount of soot. Don't notice much of a difference between Mil-Comm and FrogLube regarding cleanup, but I'm going to switch all four handguns over to one or another. I don't have any low temperature issues in California and haven't had any issues either with our M&Ps or 1911s, but the challenge seems to be trusting its lubrication properties even though the gun isn't being run wet. On the M&Ps you could really see the surfaces wet after they warmed up during a session; I'm not sure I've really seen that with our 1911s, but OTOH there's a lot more mass and the surfaces don't get very warm. Anyway, thanks for all the responses. I'll no doubt to a quick field strip with a quick clean of the rails and feed ramp over lunch.

Although it has not been said here, Some people who use frog lube have experienced gumming. If your gun sits for any period of time, like any biodegradable substance (Froglube is) it breaks down and gums up. So either clean it weekly/monthly just incase, or use only oil and don't worry about just incase cleaning. A few drops of oil before big matches or during high volume sessions and shoot for thousands of rounds without worry.

With being new to 1911's and just getting to know your gun, I would run it hard to find its limits without cleaning.

[RickT]

We finished our two-day training session. The guns ran flawlessly save for one front sight, recently installed by a gunsmith, which moved. We need to add some lube after about 500 rounds to the two Mil-comm lubricated guns, but I may have been under-lubing somewhat since our typical range session is only about 200 rounds. Got some pointers on re-lubing "on the fly". My takeaway, as others above have indicated, is to let the gun tell you when a bit more lube is indicated. I will keep a lube pen in my range bag from now on.

[echotango]

I prefer slide glide(lite) vs any oils. It stays in place and can go 1000+ rounds without needing any lube. Might go more but I clean my gun before I hit 1000. I use foam swabs from Walmart to apply($2 for 10 pack).