Montey Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 I've used WD40 to clean my shot guns for years how ever some one recently warned me it will degrade the solder used to join the rib to the barrels. Is there any one on here that can confirm this or is it just a load of old bull? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Well , it's not the best cleaner, it's not a lubricant and it's not a rust inhibitor. While it will clean, it's best used as a water displacer, hence the initials WD. It will evaporate and leave a sticky residue. I've no idea about dissolving solder, but it is apparently made from fish oil You can use it, but there's better stuff out there If you want to continue using something like that, try GT85. That is a lube and also has Teflon in it What's more, it's cheaper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 I avoid WD40 on rifles at all costs, if you prefer a spray product the Browning Legia Spray works well and is plastic and wood safe as well as perfect;y safe to use on all metal parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Lots of crap said about WD40, it won't eat guns or pull in water etc. Of course it is a lubricant as it reduces friction but there are better lubricants available. As a metal cleaner for guns there might be better but WD40 works fine. Nothing wrong with it just many that are envious of it's success on the market. Is GT 85 not also a WD40 product? I use GT85 mostly because it is cheaper. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 My dislike of WD40 is purely based on experience. Many years ago I put away a set of very old carbon steel wood carving chisels for the winter period, they were liberally sprayed in WD40 to protect them as was the cotton pouch they were stored in, the following March I pulled them out for a job and was horrified to see they were covered in rust. Obviously a draw in an out building was not he right place however I have never forgiven myself nor used WD40 for any serious application despite still having a 5 litre container near full sitting under a bench here in the workshop. These days I use a good quality oil for such applications and have a workshop that is always heated in the colder months. WD40 undoubtedly has its place however it did not work for me when I most needed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Lots of crap said about WD40, it won't eat guns or pull in water etc. Of course it is a lubricant as it reduces friction but there are better lubricants available. As a metal cleaner for guns there might be better but WD40 works fine. Nothing wrong with it just many that are envious of it's success on the market. Is GT 85 not also a WD40 product? I use GT85 mostly because it is cheaper. edi Water can be a lubricant too, if it reduces friction Having spent 20+ years in plant maintenance and used WD40 and GT85, I have a pretty good view of both WD doesn't stay on for long, the other stuff does They are both a poor mans gun cleaner though, the only gun cleaners you should use are the ones called "Gun Cleaner" and "Specially Formulated" with Milspec this and XYZ Din that and the more expensive and fancier the label the better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overspray Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 brunox is handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryh Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Monkey, to answer your question ignoring ther 'gun' bit - 'yes' WD40 can be used as a cleaner to remove surface 'gunge' from parts as it has quite an effective spirit based solvent as the carrier for the other components. It is not a good gun cleaner, there are specific products to do this, as pointed out the 'WD' is water dispersing. The same spirits that are good for cleaning will 'mess up' big time certain plastic groups e.g. Eurethane, so i would not let it near anything of mine that is 'plastic' just in case. Once these spirits evaporate you are left with a residue which I've never been a great fan of, certainly would not use it on any moving parts, and has caused problems in the past in the systems we use in my business. As a firearm is both a tool you want to work and can cost quite a bit why 'bodge it' by buying a general purpose product when there are specific items available to do the job? But this is your call. Brgds Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybrock Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Seems it was originally used to protect missiles from rust and corrosion, but back in the 50's it was probably a totally different chemical than it is today! https://wd40.com/cool-stuff/history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 For those who understand a bit of German. http://www.christian-merten.de/DAF/Rostschutztest/Rostschutzmitteltest.htm WD40 did quite well compared to "real" corrosion protection products. Interesting was that wax will crack and leave unprotected areas. If someone thinks a layer of whatever oil will protect steel long term is just plain wrong. Short term and in good storage conditions oils will protect, certainly better than nothing. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuggy Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 WD40 is nothing more than white spirit mixed with a light mineral oil (not fish oil!). Whilst it is unlikely to do any harm to most firearms and will clean gunk out fairly well, it has no preservative capability; and as it evaporates quickly, any lubrication is quickly lost. Keep it for rusty locks and such: there are much better products out there for guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 For those who understand a bit of German. http://www.christian-merten.de/DAF/Rostschutztest/Rostschutzmitteltest.htm WD40 did quite well compared to "real" corrosion protection products. Interesting was that wax will crack and leave unprotected areas. If someone thinks a layer of whatever oil will protect steel long term is just plain wrong. Short term and in good storage conditions oils will protect, certainly better than nothing. edi Thanks for this decent bit of proper research,edi. Some of the oher opinions have had a somewhat 'fishy' whiff....not that first gland experience to be completely sniffed at! :-) It's clearly not so good as Ballistol,or Gunnox 2000,specialist products,ahead specially as time passes-gut genuch! gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 I used the word 'apparently" which means that it may have, not did or does contain fish oil, which turns out to be a myth But it is better to be proved wrong than always assume you're right, George? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonl Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 No, it won't degrade the solder It's much better than leaving fingerprints on the gun Keep it off the wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 I used the word 'apparently" which means that it may have, not did or does contain fish oil, which turns out to be a myth But it is better to be proved wrong than always assume you're right, George? I used the word 'apparently" which means that it may have, not did or does contain fish oil, which turns out to be a myth But it is better to be proved wrong than always assume you're right, George? Bradders,,I said ' some opinions have a somewhat 'fishy' whiff'-that really isn't much of an assertion ,right or wrong...isn't it better to make light of a somwhat implausible idea,in a mild joke? I didn't assume much: there is a fundamentsl differnece between "you" being wrong (which I didn't actually say) and me being right--which I didn't say either (since I asserted almost nothing other than a mild smile at the idea of fish. A myth,as you concede,ie a somewhat 'fishy' idea....No big deal. I have to say I'd not be surprised if the fish oil suggestion turned out to be a load of codswallop...... :-) Proper research beats myth. I was not responsible for either,but happy to assert this as a reasonable guidline. g ps How is the new chuck? I know nothing about those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapua Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Spray wd40 onto lures to attract cod. It works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Spray wd40 onto lures to attract cod. It works.[/quo Sometimes a fly fisherman becomes a sly fisherman. Does the WD disperse the water,and the trout 'flounder'?....:-) How about 'roe' deer,in the breeding season? great stuff g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 I wouldn't know what is in WD40 but why should fish oil not be in it? I have heard of the fish being attracted by WD40 on baits and my reels/lines are often drenched in wd40 without any negative effect. Fish oils were/are very important in some manufacturing steps including the ceramic manufacturing. A research doc from BASF once told me that they were not able to find out why fish oils were that special in certain applications and they could not make a synthetic alternative, this was in the mid nineties. WD40 is a lot older. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montey Posted February 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Many thanks one and all for your sound advise I will certainly be taking it on board and replacing the WD40 with a proper gun cleaning product in futer. I'm going stop using as a wipe down on my rifles as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbal Posted February 5, 2017 Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 Monty,thanks-this has been a lulu in places-by all means 'take it on board' -and if you are big game fishing,who knows...? Meanwhile rather than the 'dream reel' world,in the real world -it's 'Vorsprung durch technik"-and I repeat my thankd to edi for his post quoting the German research,showing rather well that WD40 isn't the best,but by no mens a poor rust preventive (not though tested on rifles). and for his comment "lot's of crap said about WD40'-maybe adding to i _but not to carp,but who really knows-angling is a complex hobby with unpredictable results.... Shuggy seems about spot on ,though;WD 40 is a light petroleum based oil (petroleum distilates)... Well,what does it say on the tin..... hmmmm not much,but the here is the WD 40 Company's COD vice president (Chief Operatios Director): "While WD40 can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion,the WD 40 Company does not recommend using WD 40 to attract fish" Lot's of other 'uses' are likewise discredited. And the US materials Safety Data reveall what shoud be on the tin:in +/- % composition: 51 Stoddart solvent (essentially hexane/kerosene related) 25 Liquified petroleum gas (as prolellant,now replaced by C02) 15+mineral oil 10- inert ingredients Nothing like a good squirt of facts...and I've put that ambiguously so we can all do our own thing with the product.....:-) :-) Tight lines! Nearly time for Sunday roast-with one of the last bottles of classic Redex... gbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 Bruno's or double tt spray oil works well for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikka4Sika Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 I've used WD40 to clean my shot guns for years how ever some one recently warned me it will degrade the solder used to join the rib to the barrels. Is there any one on here that can confirm this or is it just a load of old bull? Why not just use a recognised gun oil / cleaner? it costs about the same as WD40 . I mean why take a chance? , to save less than the price of a pint?, and risk having issues with your pride and joy? unbelievable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Very simple. People use wd40 because it works. Better than some gun oils. Just have to learn how to use it, like anything. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuggy Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Let's put it this way: if you are happy with the idea of pouring paint thinners all over your favourite firearm, then go right ahead and use WD40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikka4Sika Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 Very simple. People use wd40 because it works. Better than some gun oils. Just have to learn how to use it, like anything. edi I learnt long ago not to use unsuitable chemicals on expensive firearms , as I said before , why would you ? Theres hardly a world shortage of appropriate good quality gun cleaner and oil. What next ? cleaning barrels with battery acid? just because you have some in the shed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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