i didn't bother reading all the replies, but i'll give my opinion on WD-40.

i used it a few times as lubricant in my action (auto) and found that after a short 25 rounds my action would be gin to gum up. major problem on the trap field with people waiting for me to fire shells.

I can say from my own experience. If you leave a gun set for a year with wd-40 in the action it will be very gummy and will need cleaned out.

WD-40.......Garbage for storage protection. What protection it can give deteriorates quickly. You are much better off using something like Breakfree for extended protection.

I know Breakfree was used as a protectant on the Nunnemacher gun collection.

Hey Dave,

Merry Christmas back at ya! My reason for posting the link to the MSDS was to show among other things the solubility of WD-40 in water. To insinuate the <10% non-hazardous constituents are in fact water is not a very responsible thing to do for such a learned person as yourself. You could lead wayward thinkers into believing all the wives tales are true just because of some personal injustice you think you have suffered at the hands of WD-40. Did your gun rust because you put too much reliance in WD-40?

A colloidal suspension is the only way for oil and water to mix. This can happen two ways;
The first, a way we all know, is an "oil in water" suspension where the oil is surrounded by water. This happens everyday when we wash our hands with soap. The surfactants in soap break the oil into small pieces and surround it. In a microscope it looks like a tiny egg, the oil looking like the yoke. This is how our hands get clean. It is a very stable suspension and will last for quite a while depending on the type of surfanctant/s used. This is not how you might find water in WD-40.
The second is a "water in oil" suspension. This can happen for example when you take a small jug of diesel put a little water in it and shake the jug vigorously. In a clear aliphatic distillate solution the water would indeed appear as a white cloud but, as you stated it would quickly settle out because the "water in oil" suspension is not at all stable. The oil particles have an affinity for each other leaving the water all alone to precipitate out and down with gravity to the bottom of the container. You might, as I alluded earlier, find water in this manner in WD-40.

If I may, a gallon container of WD-40, as they have been sold in for years to refill the cute little spray bottle, once opened will begin to get water in it just as the gas tank of you car does. The humidity in the air.....but I digress, you being a Metrological Measurer of things must already know of what I'm speaking...sorry. My point is, the containers in your example may have already been opened and in use for some time...no?

Rather than have you attempt to make me believe they were new cans or that you are indeed not fibbing, I'll concede your point, to a point, in that the same thing (condensation of atmospheric water) may indeed happen during packaging, although extensive precautions to prevent it are most surely in place. And that the severe instability of the suspension would lead any water formed in this manner to be easily disposed of during packaging or in the highly unlikely event to be quickly expelled with the first use of the can, be it pump or CO2 driven. And also that the constituents listed are derived from crude oil at very high temperatures and pressures where water finds it extremely hard to exist I'd say your point is a small one. Almost as small as your point to my ignorance.

If you do indeed have any empirical data you'd like to share concerning water in WD-40 as packaged by the manufacturer, I, dare I say we and they, would love to see it.

People who have no knowledge in such fields are easily duped by others who put forth convincing sounding strings of words that otherwise have no merit. I'm not one of these....in this area anyway......My ignorance abounds in others though.

Best Regards,
Bob

Bonasa,

I just took the time to visit the Brownells link you posted. I'm very suprised at the results and will now have to reconsider my stance on WD-40. It appears to be the best product in the lineup! I do like my Tri-Flow though, even if for only the smell!

Thanks for the research!
Bob

Personally, I'll use WD-40 as a bore solvent on my O/Us ... but I finish the bores first with a gun oil or with a CLP product, usually G96, and then with a dry patch to pick up any excess. I also blow a little compressed air on the ejectors to knock out any excess of either. I don't use WD-40 on the receivers.

Re the "myth" WD-40 leaving a buildup on guns, I take my advice on this from Michael McIntosh's "More Shotguns and Shooting," which devotes a page in the chapter called "Odds & Ends" to the WD-40 question. McIntosh writes that he asked two of the best gunsmiths he knows, Abe Chambers and David Trevallion. Both mention buildup and say they do not recommend it for fine guns. Trevallion even is quoted as saying, "The bloody stuff can even gunk up V-springs till they won't compress."

Personally, I think I'll take the word of the Purdey's-trained gunsmith on this one.

Re Rig's grease, I actually do use it on the exterior metal of my shotguns between cleanings and for storage in the safe. Before I case one for a trip to the club or the field, I just pop off the forearm and give the barrels and receiver a good firm wiping with an oil cloth. Just started doing that in the past year after seeing the Brownell's report. So far, no problem picking up crud.

Put your faith where you will.

That is why we have freedom of religion in America, but as for me, I would be a little suspicious of a statement such as the one above about WD40 fouling V springs until they won't compress. This is obviously nonsense and that alone relegates the rest of what the man has to say to the BS catagory.

The man may be a good gunsmith, but that alone does not make his judgement on lubricants the final word.

I am reminded of the blind man who's sight was restored by Jesus who, when asked if Jesus was a prophet replied, "I don't know if he is or he isn't, all I know is that I was blind, and now I can see."

I am in the same boat with him--All I know is that I have used WD40 for at least 40 years and it has served me well. Have I been lucky? I don't know, all I know is that it works for me.....

A few years back, after another lengthy debate on the WD-40 question, some poster averred that he had put WD-40 on a dime, and the next day it had turned into a nickel. Man, that settled it for me!

I looked at the brownells test posted above and did a search for other tests and found 2 others. WD 40 ranks near the top in all of them. I use it and have always used it and have not had any problems.

FWIW, I carry a can of WD-40 in my pack. If Im in the field and need to get dust, dirt or other gunk out of my gun, I have a pressurized cleaning system with me. If my gun takes a dunk in water, I can get the water out and some form of oil in.
When I get back to the truck or home, Its Break Free CLP and wiped down with Hoppe's 9. I dont use WD-40 as a long term storage, just a short term fix.

Seems like many of us have had the same experiences and are saying the same thing in different ways. The term "build up"... I don't think anyone is saying if you spray some WD on, then spray more, then spray more... you will get a build up. Seems what people are saying is what was described by Bob.

“ Hydrocarbons (oil based products) are volatile (Meaning they will turn gaseous)(evaporate). Some faster than others. WD-40 has a small percentage of oil, so when the thinning, penetrating, carrying distillate evaporates there is not much protectant (oil) left. This too will evaporate albeit at a slower rate. ++Leaving behind an ever increasingly thickening oil. Because this oil is of natural base it tends to oxidize faster turning yellow then brown..."++

I recently had to clean a shotgun that hadn't been shot in many, many years... probably 30+ There was a "build up" of yellow gunk, undoubtely some for of organic hydrocarbons... OIL...Some was very sticky, some hard depending on wether it was inside of the gun, or on the outside... Was it WD...Don’t know but it was hard to clean off which matches with another posters experience...

"I can say from my own experience. If you leave a gun set for a year with wd-40 in the action it will be very gummy and will need cleaned out."


The tests showing WD to be a great anti rust agent.... boy oh boy, not by my experience. I suspect tests like statistics, can be made to show anything you want... My experience was the opposite rust with WD, no rust with Tri Flow... straight and simple. The only rust problems I have ever had with a gun were when I was using WD.

I believe WD is a VERY GOOD product when used for cleaning, degreasing, removing h2o it's the best. For long term gun storage, or even for a lube on moving parts... Not for me, been there, had problems, won't go back because some test is opposite to my extensive experience with WD, if I can't believe my own experience...eyes...

Well said, Redhawk. You've got your WD-40, I've got my G96 and we're both happy. America ... it's grand.

Well folks

Is WD40 anygood on Hornets Nest's ? I only ask because i seemed to have stirred one up by asking this question .. lol

Thanks for all the advice , i will take it all on board

Jim

Jim, not sure about hornets, I've used spray bleach for that before, but folks have suggested it was good for arthritis, direct topical application

Just as long as you leave wd-40's exact opposite out of the arguement, we will be fine.

Ok guys, the thread has strayed a bit (at least for me).
Would like to see the thread sway back to the "wood"
aspect of it all. Personally, and it also seems to be
the consensus here, everyone agrees WD-40 is great
for bore cleaning, "dirt flush" agent, water remover,
and limited long term rust prevention, we get all of that.

But lets get back to the "wood" end of it. i.e. different
types, finishes (in terms of sealing out the WD-40), etc.

ergo, can I use WD-40 to hose out the receiver of my
new BT-99 receiver without jepordizing the super glossy
stock ? Using that 'brake clraner', er, ah "Gun Scrubber"
is great suff (go thru lots of it), but used on some plastics,
it will dissolve it, and probably attack the finish.

I know WD-40 won't do this, but what I wonder about if
it gets to the stock from the "inside" where its not all
glossy etc. My guess is it appears that even on the inside,
the wood pieces have a dusting of unpolished varnish
which should "seal" the wood from WD-40 (or anything).

Thoughts, comments (on WD-40 and walnut)

as far as wd-40 and wood.
I would say it depends on how the wood is treated. The WD-40 may interact with some of these. Such as re-liquify oiled woods, or thin a lacquer or "wash" a contaminate into the finish.

Keep any petroleum-based oils or solvents off of your gunstocks. The only oils that belong on wood are linseed, tung, or any other vegetable-based finishing oils. If you're reasonably careful in applying your exterior protective coat of oil with a rag or a patch, it's pretty easy to keep the oil on the metal and off the wood.

And yes, sealing the inletting on your stocks with a polyurethane or varnish is also a good way to keep any oil (or water, for that matter, if you get caught in a downpour) from penetrating into the wood via the action. Again, if you're reasonably careful in applying the least possible amount of oil to the action, and only to the moving surfaces, you'll avoid any problems. Excessive oil just attracts dirt. Some people even store their guns muzzle down to avoid any potential for lubricating oil working its way down into a buttstock. Oil soaking into the tang and wrist or grip behind the trigger guard has ruined many a buttstock--especially on older sidelocks, where the wood in these areas is very thin to begin with. The oil it absorbs renders it spongy, and cracks usually develop soon thereafter.

Went to see an armourer today. X British forces REME 9 Years.

Told me to throw my WD40 away and use Napier gun oil.

Jim

I use Birchwood-Casey on the inside, 10W-30 motor oil on the outside. If you want to oil near wood, I suggest a pure vegetable oil (no water or cooking additives).