Slick bolt lube

[Dusty Stevens]

Don't use it on your trigger! LOL what happened to your bore guide??

Your bore guide doesnt do any good when you slick up your bolt with ballistol and shoot it

 

[Mark W]

Maybe I’m a little conservative, but I’m not using enough of any bolt lube for it to drip into my triggers. No matter the product I rub it on with a fingertip and wipe off the excess with a cotton cloth leaving behind only a very thin film.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Maybe I’m a little conservative, but I’m not using enough of any bolt lube for it to drip into my triggers. No matter the product I rub it on with a fingertip and wipe off the excess with a cotton cloth leaving behind only a very thin film.

I was actually using a patch to put it on there so probably less than with a finger. It migrates everywhere

 

[Mark W]

I was actually using a patch to put it on there so probably less than with a finger. It migrates everywhere

Wow, I never had that problem! After I wipe off ballistol it leaves behind a super then but slick film. It actually kinda reminds be of hobo oil.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Wow, I never had that problem.

I think its due to putting it on there between every group when cleaning the rifle. Close fitting bolts probably rub it off on the edge of the trigger not helping

 

[Mark W]

I think its due to putting it on there between every group when cleaning the rifle. Close fitting bolts probably rub it off on the edge of the trigger not helping

You’re probably right. I usually do bolt lube at home when doing a thorough cleaning. I’m also dealing with the more sloppy fit of factory actions.

 

[fyrewall]

MSDS for Ballistol

www.ballistol.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/MSDS_TECH_BIO.pdf

Of interest, Ballistol is not a water blocker, is a lubricant, basic (ph 8.5-9.5), dissolves traces of lead, coppler, zinc, contains medical grade petroleum (white), and the MSDS mentioned something about rotten apples under a tree. It apparently smells sort of like licorice. It apparently reacts with insulating materials. Good bore cleaner, low surface tension - ("it migrates everywhere"), able to creep into tiny cracks & whatever, protects against acidic corrosion.

For my rifle bolts, I will continue slicking them up after every cleaning session with Turtle Wax polished with a paper towel.

 

[antelopedundee]

Ballistol will gunk up a trigger almost as bad as eliminator. Both of those are head and shoulders above the rest

Don't use anything near the trigger area that runs. I'd try resizing wax or get some of that more solid form called IIRC parawax.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Don't use anything near the trigger area that runs. I'd try resizing wax or get some of that more solid form called IIRC parawax.

I just report what comes in for me to fix

 

[Nature Boy]

It apparently smells sort of like licorice.

Yeah, licorice,....inside a baboon’s ass.....but it’s good stuff

 

[Brians356]

Somewhere I read that a good trigger flush with Ronson lighter fluid was a good way to clean oil and debris from a trigger. As the lighter fluid evaporates, it leave a slight lubricating film. Charcoal lighter fluid is a good substitute for the Ronson. I wipe dry my bolt after each round of shooting and flush the trigger with Ronson and have had no issues.

Lighter fluid doesn't leave a residue, or if it does it's not a lubricant.

I ran an experiment: I cleaned an inch-square portion a plate of glass lying on my bench squeaky clean using Gun Scrubber and paper towel. Then I poured a small puddle of lighter fluid on that spot and let it evaporate for a few hours. With a desk lamp reflecting off the glass, I could not see any residue or film remaining. Then I took a fresh strip of Scotch Magic Tape and stuck it firmly where the lighter fluid had evaporated, rubbing it down and letting it "seat" for a minute. I then grasped one end of the tape strip and peeled it off. It took the same force to peel from the glass as when I subsequently ran the same tape test on glass cleaned only with Gun Scrubber. If there was the faintest "film" of lubricant on that glass, the tape simply would not stick nearly as well if at all. Looking at it another way: Any film of lubricant slight enough not to affect the tape would also be too slight to provide any lubricating effect on a trigger.
-

 

[dave7mm]

Years ago PS magazine did a test on lubes that actually reduced the cocking force required to cock a bolt on opening.Pretty involved test with pound meters and quite a few different lubes tested.
The idea was to be able to cock the bolt,with as little force as possible, while not disturbing the rifles position in the rest.
The winner or lube that reduced the amount of force required to lift a uncocked bolt was a moly grease.
I never found fault or questioned there findings.
That being said.
I hate just about anything moly.
One little dab of that stuff on your finger and 2 hours later your going to end up looking like little black sambo...
It gets on and sticks to just about everything.And its black/gray color will forever show your finger prints on everything you touch.
I passed along time ago.
The number two lube, in those series of test from Precision Shooting, for reducing the force required to cock a bolt is a product called TSI-301.
https://tsi301.com/main.htm
It has a slight citrus smell that wears off in about a day.
So it doesn't smell like azz.
TSI will slick up a sticky M700 like no other lube I have used.It will change the "feel" of how you work the handle.
Its that different.
I like to use a pump spray bottle and just put a very light film on the bolt.
It tends to run everywhere.But I've never gummed up a trigger with it yet.
Add a dab of STP to the back of the locking lugs.And the primary extraction point on the back of the action.
And your good to go.

Enjoy.

dave

 

[Brians356]

Years ago PS magazine did a test on lubes that actually reduced the cocking force required to cock a bolt on opening.Pretty involved test with pound meters and quite a few different lubes tested.
The idea was to be able to cock the bolt,with as little force as possible, while not disturbing the rifles position in the rest.
The winner or lube that reduced the amount of force required to lift a uncocked bolt was a moly grease.
I never found fault or questioned there findings.
That being said.
I hate just about anything moly.
One little dab of that stuff on your finger and 2 hours later your going to end up looking like little black sambo...
It gets on and sticks to just about everything.And its black/gray color will forever show your finger prints on everything you touch.
I passed along time ago.
The number two lube, in those series of test from Precision Shooting, for reducing the force required to cock a bolt is a product called TSI-301.
https://tsi301.com/main.htm
It has a slight citrus smell that wears off in about a day.
So it doesn't smell like azz.
TSI will slick up a sticky M700 like no other lube I have used.It will change the "feel" of how you work the handle.
Its that different.
I like to use a pump spray bottle and just put a very light film on the bolt.
It tends to run everywhere.But I've never gummed up a trigger with it yet.
Add a dab of STP to the back of the locking lugs.And the primary extraction point on the back of the action.
And your good to go.

Enjoy.

dave

Thanks for the tip on that lube.

Your comment on moly grease reminded me of a fraternity prank a friend told me about. They mixed about a match head size pinch of gentian violet powder with a dollop of vaseline, then deposited it on the back side of a busy campus doorknob. As if by magic, within a few hours seemingly everyone and everything on campus sported purple stains.
-

 

[David101]

i think a lot of how the bolt slides is an old wifes tale. The part behind the lugs and what it runs on often just a couple of thin rails is irrelevant to how the gun shoots. What is important is how the locking lugs line up and engage to hold the base of the cartridge nice and straight and be a nice well fitting unit not lots of slack often found in factory rifles so they can accept and old or new bullets from all manufactures.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

i think a lot of how the bolt slides is an old wifes tale. The part behind the lugs and what it runs on often just a couple of thin rails is irrelevant to how the gun shoots. What is important is how the locking lugs line up and engage to hold the base of the cartridge nice and straight and be a nice well fitting unit not lots of slack often found in factory rifles so they can accept and old or new bullets from all manufactures.

A smooth action shoots better. You dont have to grease your lugs or slick your bolt up for sure. Galled lugs are not a wives tale.

 

[David101]

Totally agree about the lugs. But the lugs and the closing of the lugs has nothing to do with how the bolt travels from the rear picking a bullet and then, This is where the real precision of bolt design and lubrication should be considered.

I know a lot of guys that again use the Silicon spay on the bolt bodys. There is no friction or wrok being done on this part. However they use a real grease on the lugs not an oil.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Totally agree about the lugs. But the lugs and the closing of the lugs has nothing to do with how the bolt travels from the rear picking a bullet and then, This is where the real precision of bolt design and lubrication should be considered.

I know a lot of guys that again use the Silicon spay on the bolt bodys. There is no friction or wrok being done on this part. However they use a real grease on the lugs not an oil.

We are not advocating using oil on the lugs- still use high pressure grease there. Use hobo oil on the bolt body itself

 

[mauser284]

If you can stand the smell and are not allergic to man made sulfur compounds Redline Shock Proof Gear Oil is pretty darn good. I am allergic to the sulfur compounds in cheap cutting fluids, cosmoline and gear lube. That said Redline oil has a great additive package that is as beefy as they come and their use of Group-5 and Group-4 synthetic base stocks make them pretty kick butt especialy in semi-auto lubrication like say an AR or a semi-auto handgun. They make some kick but greases and assembly lubes. I use a variety of boutique oils, manual transmission fluids, gear lubes, suspension/shock/fork fluids from a lot of different US and European suppliers plus refiners and packagers that make products for mining and other specialty industry's. That said a bottle of Mobil-1 0W40 or Toyota 0W16 will outperform most "Gun Lubes" on things like AR's and semi auto handguns for function and wear reduction. Are they the best things on the market? No but will outperform at least 90% if not more of what is on the market. M1 0W40 can be had at Walmart. Neither need to be reduced or cut with any solvent have no idea how they "feel" on a manual operated bolt action rifle since most of the feel of a bolt action is the result of the design, materials, machining and surface finish not the lube. The trick to not over oiling is to apply oil to a cotton patch and then use that patch to oil all your parts over oiling just attracts dust. A small natural fiber paint brush works great to apply grease. If you use the right additive package you do not need insane viscosity to carry the load and hydraulically separate the parts instead counting on the AW/EP package and friction modifiers to do the heavy lifting.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

If you can stand the smell and are not allergic to man made sulfur compounds Redline Shock Proof Gear Oil is pretty darn good. I am allergic to the sulfur compounds in cheap cutting fluids, cosmoline and gear lube. That said Redline oil has a great additive package that is as beefy as they come and their use of Group-5 and Group-4 synthetic base stocks make them pretty kick butt especialy in semi-auto lubrication like say an AR or a semi-auto handgun. They make some kick but greases and assembly lubes. I use a variety of boutique oils, manual transmission fluids, gear lubes, suspension/shock/fork fluids from a lot of different US and European suppliers plus refiners and packagers that make products for mining and other specialty industry's. That said a bottle of Mobil-1 0W40 or Toyota 0W16 will outperform most "Gun Lubes" on things like AR's and semi auto handguns for function and wear reduction. Are they the best things on the market? No but will outperform at least 90% if not more of what is on the market. M1 0W40 can be had at Walmart. Neither need to be reduced or cut with any solvent have no idea how they "feel" on a manual operated bolt action rifle since most of the feel of a bolt action is the result of the design, materials, machining and surface finish not the lube. The trick to not over oiling is to apply oil to a cotton patch and then use that patch to oil all your parts over oiling just attracts dust. A small natural fiber paint brush works great to apply grease. If you use the right additive package you do not need insane viscosity to carry the load and hydraulically separate the parts instead counting on the AW/EP package and friction modifiers to do the heavy lifting.

I use everything redline makes in my harleys. That gear oil is the stickiest and stinkiest substance ive ever had in my shop

 

[dave7mm]

Im not a big fan of grease for lubing bolt lugs.
One close of the bolt and it wipes to the side.
Ends up in a nice ball on the side of the lug instead of doing you any good.
STP will not do that.
dave