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An update on lubrication: an authoritative reason to use food-grade lubricants on your guns.

An update on lubrication: an authoritative reason to use food-grade lubricants on your guns.

Last week I got a great email from a fellow who works for one of the major oil companies as a lubricant specialist. He complimented me on my article on lubrication, and said it was “the best and clearest explanation I have ever read.” That’s nice to hear from someone who does that sort of stuff for a living!

He related the tale of searching for lubricants for his shotguns, and found that none of the many oils or greases his company makes (a huge oil company whose name you would instantly recognize) were suitable for the job. He spent “several months” talking to his company’s scientists and came to the conclusion that he, too, needed to go to a speciality lubricant company that makes food-service oils and greases.

What was most interesting to me, however, was through that speciality company I managed to get a copy of the certification letters for their food-grade lubricants. I did not know this, but one of the criteria for getting certification is that the product must be able to do its job (lubrication, wear and corrosion protection) after being wiped clean from the surface being lubricated. I’ve mentioned before that the “miracle” lubes which claim to work even after being wiped off aren’t doing anything that a food grade lube couldn’t do, and now I have solid proof of my assertion!

This only reinforces my recommendation: if you want the best lubrication for your guns, use oils and greases made for food processing machinery. Their needs are the closest to ours, and they have the additional advantage of being non-toxic and non-staining. They’re also a screaming bargain compared to the products sold to an often credulous shooting public.

-=[ Grant ]=-

  • Posted by Grant Cunningham
  • On July 16, 2012

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