Solvents and Lubrication
R: Required
r: Recommended
O: Optional
Solvents
Solvents help to dissolve the crud that builds up in our guns. There are different types of solvents that are good for different things.
General Purpose Solvent (R)
For a general purpose solvent, we use CLP. Specifically, we recommend Clenzoil Field and Range CLP.
CLP is typically comprised of a mixture of solvents, oils, lubricants, and/or waxes.
While CLP is a multi-purpose chemical, the “C” part of it is what we interested in here. The solvents in the formula help to break down dirt and grime. The other components of CLP are great, considering there will be some residue left behind after cleaning with it.
Bore Cleaner (R)
For the chamber and bore, we recommend something a little stronger than CLP to deal with copper fouling and burnt powder residues.
The iconic Hoppe’s #9 is our recommendation for a bore cleaner.
There are plenty of other options out there. Our only recommendation is to use extreme caution with any ammonia-based cleaner (e.g. Sweet 762, Butch’s Bore Shine), as the ammonia is corrosive and will cause the bore to rust. ALWAYS run a patch with a lubricant down the bore after using an ammonia-containing solvent.
Wet Lubricant
Wet lubricant is used for all moving parts. In general, lubricants should balance the viscosity between thin enough to stay fluid in cold weather and thick enough to stay put. We primarily use two types of lubricant, but a third can be used as well.
Light Wet Lube: Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil (R)
We use synthetic motor oil as our standard lubricant. It is engineered for some of the toughest environmental conditions and does very well as a general gun lube.
We use a lighter weight formulation (0W20 or 0W30) for compatibility with colder-weather environments.
Heavy Wet Lube: Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil/Grease Blend (r)
We use a custom blend of light synthetic motor oil and synthetic grease (1 part grease to 5 parts oil, by weight) in high wear locations (e.g. the bolt and cam pin shaft). We mix this using a dedicated immersion blender to achieve homogeneity.
CLP: Clenzoil Field and Range CLP (O)
We don’t generally use CLP because it doesn’t stay put and requires frequent reapplication. For this reason, it is also not a good long term storage lubricant. However, if you use your gun frequently and can reapply as needed, CLP is a great option as a general lubricant. CLP is very effective at preventing friction/wear and has the added benefit of making cleanup a breeze. We recommend Clenzoil Field and Range CLP (refer to THIS VIDEO for objective performance testing).
Application Tools
There are a couple of tools that we use for applying solvents and lubricants.
Needle Bottle (R)
A needle bottle is the ideal tool for applying your general wet lubricant. You can apply lubricant precisely where you need it, including in detent cavities and in tight, hard-to-reach locations. A needle bottle will also help avoid over-lubrication.
Dropper Bottle (r)
We use a dropper bottle for applying larger amounts of general wet lube, for our custom oil-grease blend, and for solvents.
Solvent Pump Bottle (O)
We apply oil with our fingers all the time. We use a solvent/alcohol pump bottle to make wetting our fingers with oil fast and easy.
These also are great for saturating patches with solvent or oil.
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