Shoot It Dry?

[mike_pinto]

How many of you shoot your AR's dry when it get below 32 degrees? I use a drop of Tetra gun lube and it seens to do OK. I was talking to someone from Ohio that said they shoot 'em dry in the Winter.. Just wondering what you all do..

[Helmut]

castrol syntec 5w30.....very light coat on the carrier rails......i never run it dry...personally

Edited February 16, 2006 by Helmut

[Bronco]

Helmut speaks the truth. I run Mobil 1 5W 30 year round with no failures ( 0 to 110 degrees F.) not a light coat either there is always excess that blows through the system when the gun is fouled, also makes the bolt group clean up much quicker. As always this is my experience yours may differ.

[kurtm]

NEVER EVER DRY!!!!

[TCK]

Shooting a gun dry is just asking for galling on your rails. At the very least, I would use graphite. I prefer TW25 oil and it stays thin even in the cold weather

[benny hill]

NEVER EVER shoot it at all below 45 degrees. We live on the coast.

[Paule]

Benny, I fell for that once. Went to Port Isabel for some redfishing between Christmas and New Years 5-6 years ago. North wind blew so hard the Laguna Madre looked like a draiinage ditch. Snowed of and on for a day and a half and never got above freezing. Finally got out to fish on day four. We did get a few reds that were too cold to fight much. Next year we opted for Islamorada.

As to the cold weather lube, Gun Butter works well. Very thin and stays in place. It's a synthetic base as well, so won't burn up either.

[Gregory_k]

Nedver had a problem using BreakFree CLP

[Derek45]

5W-30 Mobile 1

Break-Free CLP

FP-10

All work in lower temperatures than I do !

I don't like running my guns dry.

[George]

+1 on motor oil and never, ever runnin' AR's dry.

Synthetic multi-viscosity all-weather motor oil is what lubes all my AR's. Pick a brand you like ;-)

[mike_pinto]

I don't run it dry either, just asking. I actually use Castrol synthetic gun lube (got it free) and it works great. I think it is 10W-40 in an expensive can. Worked great Saturday at 14 degrees with a -22 wind chill. What were we thinking Kurt?

[wsimpso1]

For the AR pattern rifles and shotguns, moly grease in the summer, and CLP in winter. Works fine. The synthetic motor oils may be better.

The pistol gets Slide Glide until the temps go below 0C, then I go to CLP there too.

Billski

[cking]

For extreme cold like like -20 -50 degrees. The rule is dry, or dry lube applied during a disassemble. Seems actions like to freeze in that kind of cold weather. Also never bring your gun inside, leave in the cold.

[tpe187]

Here is a good link for Cold weather operations Coldn Weather weapons maintenance

Bottom line, NEVER run it dry, lube with LAW (Artic Weapons lube) if in the military and available; for everyone else, use synthetic motor oil in 0w or 5w weight. Worst case, a very light coat of CLP.

The info about the weapon getting condensation on it is worth noting. I don't recommend leaving your weapon outside in the cold, but insure you wipe it down after it reaches the inside temp, probably about 30minutes to an hour.

[richardschennberg]

For extreme cold like like -20 -50 degrees. The rule is dry, or dry lube applied during a disassemble. Seems actions like to freeze in that kind of cold weather. Also never bring your gun inside, leave in the cold.

IMO it would be better for your gun to use a multi-viscosity motor oil such as 0W30 or 5W30 for cold weather. 0W30 should allow your gun to function in any weather you can tolerate.