WD-40 for cleaning pistols?

[RTFM]

Open question.. Yes or No?
I always thought NO... and have never done so
(Reason being I believe it is a vegetable oil based lubricant and over time will thicken in viscosity - IE - gum up)

[Timothy]

WD-40 was design as a penetrating oil to displace water or moisture.  It's primarily mineral spirits and a propellant that's designed to evaporate and leave behind the lubricant.  There is a solvent but it's a trade secret as to what that might be!

I don't use in guns but I'll leave the answer to those that might.

[tombogan03884]

No, for the reason RTFM mentioned, it gums up.
Tim, try your wifes nail polish remover (acetone) on it.
DO NOT USE THE NAIL POLISH REMOVER ON PLASTIC PARTS !

[fatbaldguy]

PUT THE CAN DOWN, AND SLOWLY BACK AWAY!


Never use WD-40 to 'clean' a firearm.  The residue becomes gummy and attracts every bit of crud in 4 counties.  It does not become a protective film.  40 and 50 year old guns with a brown patina, have more often than not, been 'cleaned' with WD-40. It can almost be as bad as cosmoline when it comes to getting all the nasty gunk out.

Use Ballistol, Hoppe's, or even soap and water with a good coat of light machine oil afterwards.

[Timothy]

No, for the reason RTFM mentioned, it gums up.
Tim, try your wifes nail polish remover (acetone) on it.
DO NOT USE THE NAIL POLISH REMOVER ON PLASTIC PARTS !

I don't use WD-40 for anything other than to loosen rusted fasteners.  My guns get the normal from Hoppes and not much else but lubricant.  My 42 year old 870 has never seen anything but Hoppes and a good quality gun oil.  She performs flawlessly!  My 109 year old Savage gets a similar though less frequent treatment!  I did run some lead removal crap some years back but it's only been fired about 20 times in the last fifty years.

Nail polish remover (acetone) should be outlawed without proper OSHA training!   

[Sponsor]

[alfsauve]

Just commented on Ed Head's revolver shooting article about the same thing. Use WD-40 on your garden rake or your wrenches if they get wet.

Use a good gun product or if you need a general lubricant use auto transmission fluid.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[tombogan03884]

Only things I use are Hoppe's or BreakFree which was formulated specifically for AR's.
Got to be careful though, it separates, then you need to heat it to about 90 degrees and shake it up to remix it.

[billt]

My solvent of choice for cleaning, i.e. washing guns is Kerosene. The problem is that it really stinks up wherever you use it. I've used WD-40 in place of it and it works fine as a solvent. But it's important that you use compressed air to blow as much of it off the weapon as possible. Then lubricate with the oil or grease of your choice. A lot of people say WD-40 is no good as a rust preventer, but that is not true. It actually works quite well. In a test Brownell's conducted it scored very near the top of all the oils and rust preventers they tested. It was after all designed to displace water and moisture.

http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=13326.0

[MikeBjerum]

WD-40 was developed for one purpose and one purpose alone - A Water Dispersant.  People have used it for many things, but it is not a penetrating oil - it will only penetrate areas large enough for it to run into, and it will not break loose corrosion; it is not a lubricant - it stops squeaks temporarily, but so will water.  Work the joint a little and the noise returns; and it is not a solvent of any sort - it does not cut grease and grime any better than any other liquid.  It only appears to because we rub it harder and harder thinking it is working.

However, you have got to admire the marketing department for how they have buffaloed us for decades.

[RTFM]

OK kids... this was a trick question
In a way.
I thought the WD-40 as a NO-NO..... and now the reason I posted it.

Please see the article from Ed Head on the main Down Range TV web site.

http://www.downrange.tv/blog/revolver-tips-and-tricks/18975/

Notice the picture.....


Now notice where the red "squirt tube" is pointing.

and now read the following quote from Ed Head.

One other caution: don’t squirt oil or solvent down into the action thinking this will help clean it or smooth the internal parts. It won’t, and will cause crud to stick to the oil and build up quickly.

Just wanted to bring to light a WHAT?    moment - seeing the picture and reading the words - not jiving.