STI Trojan Oil or Grease

[Dr.J]

Picked up my first 1911 yesterday, an STI Trojan 9mm. The STI manual states "High-Quality Gun Oil (Do not use grease)." I'm confused, what lubricants do you recommend and where do you put them? I read an article by a gunsmith Grant Cummingham that recommended ATF fluid for oil and Lubriplate for grease. What are your thoughts on these lubes? Are there any "good" videos or articles showing the lubrication points? Trying not to be anal, but don't want to screw it up either. Thanks in advance.

Dr.J

[CocoBolo]

I use a combination of CLP and Rigg grease on my open guns. Grease on the end of the barrel, the bottom lug where the link is on the sides and where the slide stop rides up, also on the rails, and on teh top of the barrel on the locking lugs. Clp a drop down the firing pin hole and slide release. Before putting the slide on a small amount in the begining of each rail. Works for me.

Grease also on the bottom of the slide where hits the disconnector, and a tiny bit on the bottom of the barrel where the guide rod rides.

With time you will learn how much.

I'm sure other lubes will work however, this has worked very consistently for me with the gun running all the time all day long.

Edited March 17, 2012 by CocoBolo

[392heminut]

I use Mobil 1 synthetic oil on all my guns, a quart will last you for years! I bought some small 1 ounce needle oiler bottles from Brownells;

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=44434/Product/NEEDLE-OILER-BOTTLES

I keep one on the bench and one in my range bag.

[Carmoney]

Here's a big +1 on the Mobil 1 thing.

Tons of threads on this topic already--everybody has an opinion and none of them ever changes his mind!

Dr. J, you're far enough north that I think you should avoid using grease on your pistol, unless you intend to use different procedures for summertime and wintertime. I personally do not believe in using grease anywhere on pistols, except perhaps a little dab on the sear nose.

[gng4life]

I usually use Brownells Friction Defense or FP10 as my lubricant and then I have started using Brian's Slide Glide Lite on a few areas too. It seems to really make a difference.

I have really been considering the Mobil 1 trick, just not sure yet.

[See_Archie_Shoot]

Dripping wet with fp10

[al503]

Slide glide lite on the bbl lugs and slide stop. Moly on the sear/hammer hooks. I fill up a needle bottle with Mobil 1 mixed with a few drops of ATF for the rails.

The SG stays put. The Mobil 1 doesn't which is a good thing IMHO. It migrates out of the rails but brings some of the carbon/fouling out with it. All you have to do is reapply.

I would leave the firing pin/tunnel line free. The lube might attract dirt and other stuff that you don't want in there. JMO.

[Wild Gene]

I think it depends on how you are going to use the gun. I use slide glide and really like it along with EWL 2000. Works great on competition guns, but I am not as likely to use grease (I will use Slide Glide Lite) on a carry gun.

wg

[bassochist]

never use grease on the slide rails, that stuff atracts dirt, after a few shots it's like chewing gum, and your slide cycles allot slower.

i use gunbutter, or fp10 oil, motor oil will do the job also, i only use a little bit of gunbutter grease, on the locking lugs and the internal trigger parts.

and if you use grease, the gun is much more difficult to clean.

[wide45]

never use grease on the slide rails, that stuff atracts dirt, after a few shots it's like chewing gum, and your slide cycles allot slower....and if you use grease, the gun is much more difficult to clean.

My experience is the opposite.

The gun runs longer on grease, and is easier to clean.

[CocoBolo]

never use grease on the slide rails, that stuff atracts dirt, after a few shots it's like chewing gum, and your slide cycles allot slower....and if you use grease, the gun is much more difficult to clean.

My experience is the opposite.

The gun runs longer on grease, and is easier to clean.

+1, and you can oil up a gun put it in the case and a week later your have a dry gun and a wet case. I ran two complete nationals in Vegas using grease and clp no problem one limited and one open, but actually Vegas is a lot easier to keep a gun running than south texas, the red sand here will stop anything, even locked up my ghost holster. No body said use a 4" paint brush to put it on a little bit on a Q-tip is plenty too much. When the temps dive maybe thin it a bit but the fact that it stays put is what makes it work so well.

I've never seen any documented with numbers slide cycle tests, I hear a lot a bull about the cycle speed but until someone actually proves it with numbers its just banter. I will belive that the feel can change but the speed is still way faster than the average shooter can comprehend.

Edited March 18, 2012 by CocoBolo

[Doc Hunter]

I've changed every thing over to Slide Glide, STI's and all. No dust - easier to clean. I'm in the West Texas desert.

[hkguy]

i use quaker state cuz thats what i had. works great keepin my spartan running like a glock

[bassochist]

never use grease on the slide rails, that stuff atracts dirt, after a few shots it's like chewing gum, and your slide cycles allot slower....and if you use grease, the gun is much more difficult to clean.

My experience is the opposite.

The gun runs longer on grease, and is easier to clean.

+1, and you can oil up a gun put it in the case and a week later your have a dry gun and a wet case. I ran two complete nationals in Vegas using grease and clp no problem one limited and one open, but actually Vegas is a lot easier to keep a gun running than south texas, the red sand here will stop anything, even locked up my ghost holster. No body said use a 4" paint brush to put it on a little bit on a Q-tip is plenty too much. When the temps dive maybe thin it a bit but the fact that it stays put is what makes it work so well.

I've never seen any documented with numbers slide cycle tests, I hear a lot a bull about the cycle speed but until someone actually proves it with numbers its just banter. I will belive that the feel can change but the speed is still way faster than the average shooter can comprehend.

1 ran 2 tours in afghanistan and 1 in irak, believe me, grease will eventually jam the gun with all that dirt it atracts, on my last tour i just used only a little bit of oil on the guns, and they never jammed.

[wes777]

Mobile 1 synthetic works like a charm on a 240B machine gun. Which means it is Awesome on a pistol.

Ps: give you cancer... But everything does.

[Wild Gene]

Mobile 1 synthetic works like a charm on a 240B machine gun. Which means it is Awesome on a pistol.

Ps: give you cancer... But everything does.

Mobile 1 ATF or Engine Oil, and what weight?

Ps: It is known to cause cancer in California, stay out of California and you'll be alright.

[RePete]

I've been using BreakFree CLP with the teflon for years without issues.

I have no reason to change because I have 3 gallons of it. It was going for disposal, so I disposed it.

[Bob DuBois]

Big Fan Mobil 1 synthetic 5W30 been using it for a long time. Stays, cheap, great lube!

[blairmckenzie1]

MPro7

[jmbaccolyte]

I see everyone has different ideas, maybe because we treat our pistols differently or shoot them in different conditions. I sparingly use Lubriplate SFL-0 (special low temperature grease for Iowa winters, although I rarely shoot much under about 20 degrees Fahrenheit) on the rails, outer part of the barrel where it sticks through the slide opening, slide stop, barrel lugs & slide lugs, and the barrel locking/unlocking ramp (Its a Tanfoglio- not sure what this part is called, it performs the same function on this pistol as the barrel link on a 1911) and Mobil 1 on the trigger/sear interface (every hundred rounds or so) because Henning Wallgren told me to use oil here. Its not dusty in Iowa.

When I use up the Lubriplate SFL-0, I'll go with Slide-Glide. Oh, and I clean the pistol after every trip to the range.

[3wide]

Dripping wet with fp10

Same here!

[wes777]

Mobile 1 synthetic works like a charm on a 240B machine gun. Which means it is Awesome on a pistol.

Ps: give you cancer... But everything does.

Mobile 1 ATF or Engine Oil, and what weight?

Ps: It is known to cause cancer in California, stay out of California and you'll be alright.

We used mobile 1 synthetic diesel truck oil. Ran super smooth. Easy to clean. Grease works to. Just have to really pile it on. Not enough grease leads to heavy fouling. Crud and dust get inside movin parts and turn grease into sludge. Synthetic oil is smooth and stays lubricated for a while..... And there is the toxic fume/cancer thing.

[wes777]

Mobile 1 synthetic works like a charm on a 240B machine gun. Which means it is Awesome on a pistol.

Ps: give you cancer... But everything does.

Mobile 1 ATF or Engine Oil, and what weight?

Ps: It is known to cause cancer in California, stay out of California and you'll be alright.

We used mobile 1 synthetic diesel truck oil. Ran super smooth. Easy to clean. Grease works to. Just have to really pile it on. Not enough grease leads to heavy fouling. Crud and dust get inside movin parts and turn grease into sludge. Synthetic oil is smooth and stays lubricated for a while..... And there is the toxic fume/cancer thing. THE THING IS THIS: a properly maintenanced weapon will run just fine with little to no lube. So lube your weapon based on your environment and do what works best for YOU.