3-in-1 Oil

[Acmemfg]

Long story short.
Doing a quick once over on my Citori as a pheasant shoot is coming up very soon. All looked good but a tad of lubrication was needed. It was late and didn't feel like dragging all my cleaning gear out. Up on the kitchen shelf was a can of 3-in-1 oil. Few drops and all was well.
Got to wondering. Does anyone use this for routine firearms maintenance? Why or why not? I have been in arms reach of this elixir since I was in grade school. Why has it not found a spot in my cleaning kit?

 

[FarmerTan]

Long story short.
Doing a quick once over on my Citori as a pheasant shoot is coming up very soon. All looked good but a tad of lubrication was needed. It was late and didn't feel like dragging all my cleaning gear out. Up on the kitchen shelf was a can of 3-in-1 oil. Few drops and all was well.
Got to wondering. Does anyone use this for routine firearms maintenance? Why or why not? I have been in arms reach of this elixir since I was in grade school. Why has it not found a spot in my cleaning kit?

Man...it's been a long time, but ain't that the stuff our Dad's used?

 

[simon1]

Don't see why it wouldn't work. When we were quail hunting and went back to the truck for lunch Dad would pull the dipstick out of the engine, wipe a bit of motor oil off on his finger, then rub it on the action of his Browning Sweet Sixteen.

Just try it for awhile. If it starts to gum up after sitting for a long period just clean with some Hoppe's #9 and lube with what you know works well.

 

[B B]

I keep hearing that 3 in 1 oil isn't the best. It doesn't stick around and doesn't protect against rust all that well. I'd probably use CLP or a dab of clean motor oil (or transmission fluid) for lubrication, and a Tufcloth for long term storage.

 

[nortac]

Prolly won't hurt nuttin, but won't do as good as other choices.

 

[Chandu]

I’d use Remoil or on specifically formulated for firearms.

Though 3 in 1 is probably better than WD40 which many use to gunk you their guns.

My father was a gunsmith and remarked more than once the amount of work that WD40 had given him over the years.

 

[Ad Astra]

Ballistol. 3-in-1 is for 1960s workbenches!


AA

 

[Acmemfg]

Ballistol, Break Free, and Rem Oil are my go to lubricants. I avoid WD40 like the plague. Knox County (TN) Sheriff's Office was using Mobil 1 exclusively on all their weapons last I heard ...and those guys know what they're doing.

 

[FarmerTan]

I’d use Remoil or on specifically formulated for firearms.

Though 3 in 1 is probably better than WD40 which many use to gunk you their guns.

My father was a gunsmith and remarked more than once the amount of work that WD40 had given him over the years.

Advice of the week right there!

I once polished my '71 Chevelle with used motor oil. It done good, actually. My Dad's advice. Said he did it in the 30's and 40's. He could have been pulling my leg though, he did like to do that!

 

[OkieStubble]

My wife used to use 3-1 on her sewing machine. She tried some RemOil I had a few years back and immediately made the switch.

 

[martym]

I use Marvel Mystery Oil on all my weapons.
I do have a can of 3 in 1 oil in my closet next to my safe.
You just never know.

 

[miguel]

I have always used Hoppe's gun oil. On break-open action guns, I use gun grease on the pivot pins and barrel lugs.

 

[ShaverAZ]

My shooting routine:
Pull gun(s) from the safe(s)
Run dry patches down all bores to remove residual oils
Go shoot
Clean all firearms before midnite the same day
Lubricate anything that will be used again soon with 3 in 1, Rem Oil, LSA, or whatever's on the bench. Grease gets used where grease is specc'ed.
Lubricate anything for storage with Barricade (used to be called Sheath)
Use RIG for anything going into deep storage

I don't live in the bush or where routine cleaning isn't done same day or next day, so I don't need that spiffy, spendy wünderlube that stays put in all temps, terrains and forever & ever. All my lubes (and likely yours, too) gets applied, used over a weekend, then all that lube that's supposed to be long lasting, gets wiped off - often before it's even dirty.

I do a fair amount of muzzleloader shooting. 3 in 1 oil is preferred over other "better" oils for rifle & musket locks, especially flintlocks.

Ballistol has a near cult following, so there's no use in reminding that it's primarily mineral oil (just like 3 in 1 oil).

 

[jj_sharp]

//Rant on:
If 3-in-1 is primarily mineral oil (I believe Rem-Oil is primarily mineral oil),
then I wonder why people hate on it?

For what it is worth, I think *most* oils are about as good as other oils for firearms.
I do not want anything that will strip off the bluing.
I use oil *MOSTLY* for wiping off the outer surfaces to ensure the guns, so they do not rust from salty-sweat finger prints. My list of oils that I typically use are :

• Ed's red compatible gun oil (I have a lot of various Trans-fluid lying around the garage, so I always have it on hand).
• otters, cutting board oil (mineral oil)
• rem-oil
• singer sewing machine oil
• 3-in-1
• basically any machine oil

People that really pump out the bullets may have a more critical lubrication requirements than I.
My guns live in a climate controlled environment, I have seen no rust.
//Rant off:

Yours truly, Jody

 

[Raissermesser]

I use Marvel Mystery Oil on all my weapons.
I do have a can of 3 in 1 oil in my closet next to my safe.
You just never know.

Umm...despite the name, Marvel Mystery Oil is a solvent.

 

[Raissermesser]

I have always used Hoppe's gun oil. On break-open action guns, I use gun grease on the pivot pins and barrel lugs.

I use Hoppes for the simple reason it came with the cleaning kit.

 

[Raissermesser]

Man...it's been a long time, but ain't that the stuff our Dad's used?

Not on firearms. Don't know if it's a good idea or not. I use 3-in-1 for things like door hinges.

 

[Alacrity59]

3 in 1 is a little light. 10W30 is good for so many general applications.

When you are selling your 30+ year old diesel tractor a bit of a wipe down with diesel oil will perk it up a bit. Easy. If you are doing it for yourself . . . wax.

 

[Whiterook]

For lubrication of guns I use Mobile 1. I got tired of buying those tiny little bottles of oil at my LGS. I use Hoppe's for bore solvent and RIG for rust prevention. I also use Militech on my ARs.

 

[nortac]

I use what ever is in reach. CLP, Ballistol , ED's Red/USMC Red (Mobil 1 synthetic + STP + Hoppes No. 9 + ATF), Ez-Ox and various others. My Robinson Arms XTR like to run wet, so the ED's RED gets the call on the BCG.