I have lived in North Dakota for 20 years. I have used Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil since my Dad a mechanical engineer turned me on to it 30+ years ago. It flows at -40. What you need is quality machine oil. Gun specific oils are machine oil. Four degrees F is not cold.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnagT6wKfmY

 

 

Break-Free CLP works fine down to the coldest temp any of us is ever likely to use a pistol (-65F).

I've also been using Mobil-1 synthetic on various rifles and handguns with no problems.

Glocks don't need much lube so if there's anything on the lube points at all, you should be good.

A far more common problem at extreme cold temps is condensation. You go out, the gun gets cold. You go back inside a warm/moist house/vehicle/tent with the gun, the moisture in the air condenses onto the gun as frost/ice. As the gun warms up a bit, the ice begins to melt, and that water runs down into the gun's mechanism. If you take the gun back out into the cold, the water freezes, and then the gun may not function properly or safely if it's needed.

If you must go in and out in a cold environment, either leave the gun(s) outside (with a chaperon, preferably, or locked-up somehow) so it won't gather ice/frost; or go inside and warm it up completely, clear it, disassemble it, dry-off any water, then re-lube and reassemble, function check, and reload.

(30+ years in ND, and 3 years in Fairbanks, AK)

Here's a pic of a Glock after it spent a sub-zero ND night in my car, then was brought in to warm up:

 

Break-Free CLP works fine down to the coldest temp any of us is ever likely to use a pistol (-65F).

I've also been using Mobil-1 synthetic on various rifles and handguns with no problems.

Glocks don't need much lube so if there's anything on the lube points at all, you should be good.

A far more common problem at extreme cold temps is condensation. You go out, the gun gets cold. You go back inside a warm/moist house/vehicle/tent with the gun, the moisture in the air condenses onto the gun as frost/ice. As the gun warms up a bit, the ice begins to melt, and that water runs down into the gun's mechanism. If you take the gun back out into the cold, the water freezes, and then the gun may not function properly or safely if it's needed.

If you must go in and out in a cold environment, either leave the gun(s) outside (with a chaperon, preferably, or locked-up somehow) so it won't gather ice/frost; or go inside and warm it up completely, clear it, disassemble it, dry-off any water, then re-lube and reassemble, function check, and reload.

(30+ years in ND, and 3 years in Fairbanks, AK)

Here's a pic of a Glock after it spent a sub-zero ND night in my car, then was brought in to warm up:

View attachment 376786

Sounds like a PITA


~GlockLivesMattr

 

At some of the temps we get in Interior AK it's not the gun you have to worry about....it's your fingers! Seriously though, most all synthetics will work here at temps I'm willing to go out in.

 

My pop had a story of being assigned a collateral duty in Alaska in the 50's, of being the OIC of a security platoon (remember how close those darn Russkies were to Alaska back in the cold war days). Well, he remembers they were issued M2 Carbines, but given the wrong oil. On a live fire exercise, they had to pee on them to get them to thaw enough to function.

Please, do not confuse this with a KelTec rifle ad...

 

I use Mobil 1 fully synthetic 10w30 for both hot and cold temps here in NH. It never gets much hotter than 80 degrees here, but for fully automatic firearms with back-to-back-to-back-to-back mag dumps surfaces that see friction can get VERY hot and traditional gun oil simply burns off whereas the aforementioned won't. It can get quite cold here though - we had a spell of about a week straight with night temps in the -5 to -10 degree range so synthetic oil serves this purpose well too.

 

I live in montana, we hunt literally all the time hot or cold. Or extreme cold. Clients guns are frozen all the time. There are some lubes that we have made that solve these problems with 100% zero failures. Cant tell ya what the full recipe is but it smells like coyot piss and the main ingredient is marvels mystery oil...

 

Have seen a few guns "freeze up" due to gummy oil at the annual "Frozen Mosins" shoot.

http://prfgca.org/?page_id=808

Lot of fun if you're into borscht, black bread and corrosive primer smoke.

 

As an Armorer who took a good look at a friends Mosin, one thing became quite apparent. That's the strength and heaviness of the Firing Pin Spring. Probably to overcome the Russian winters during World War 2.

 

CLP works fine here in AK

 

Just FYI, ... but here's a related thread on lubricating 'Below Zero' (winter) rifles:

https://www.glocktalk.com/threads/below-zero-winter-rifles.1690408/

 

Rotella has worked for me for a long time. Yes, I live in Texas, but hunted elk in Colorado for many years. At times -20F when saddling up for the ride into the hunting area we used. About 1500-2000 ft elevation increase, so the temp probably decreased.

 

That "pee" story has been circulated from Korea, to now Alaska-- interesting that pee is mostly water, and it freezes pretty quick after a few minutes, just like when you spray windshield wiper fluid (alcohol solution) on your car when it is still too cold and it STILL makes the windshield worse... so I'd like to throw some handfuls of salt into that pee story, and suggest that we move forward into the 2018.

Use some logic here:

I'm glad things have changed since 1950's, but if you don't worry about cranking your cold engine or motor in the climate you live in, then you should not worry about your little handgun.

Alternatively, use the same lube that you use on your engine/motor that has been sitting outside in the ambient temps, but you don't worry about. That seems logical.

 

Benelli Olio

 

My .02 for what it's worth.....
I've been a firearms instructor with my agency for 29 years, and a life long firearms enthusiast.
Receiving my first real gun at age 7.
As most I developed some favorite recipes. For years and years it was Hoppes, Break Free CLP and RIG Stainless +P Grease ( frame rails bearing surfaces ) I've never had an issue. A friend who's in SOF, said I should try RAND Bore and Bolt, CLP and HAWG grease.... All are synthetic polyalphaoliphens... I am very impressed thus far! On a new Glock 19, NO visible wear after 500 rounds of Federal 9BPLE! None! Not even barrel "smiles", or wear at the barrel locking areas....
Since they products are all synthetic based, I suspect that they will do very well in cold weather!
Respectfully
j

 

I've used HOS and CLP for years and not one temperature related issue.

 

Ed's Red. Works in every temperature you will find naturally occurring on planet Earth. And a few you won't.

Jeff

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

Regarding the 4F temp as "not being cold enough".
Do consider that RIG +P Grease totally failed in cold, rendering the guns action frozen solid, and totally useless.
However 4F is cold enough, in relative terms, to get a fairly good indication of just how any given lubricant will function in cold weather.

 

If

Regarding the 4F temp as "not being cold enough".
Do consider that RIG +P Grease totally failed in cold, rendering the guns action frozen solid, and totally useless.
However 4F is cold enough, in relative terms, to get a fairly good indication of just how any given lubricant will function in cold weather.

If you have never experienced bone numbing cold it is hard to relate. There is a world of difference between 4 above and sub zero temps in that range. Oil will behave drastically different at those colder temps. It is important as sometimes guns are stored in a vehicle lock box in those temps and must function when called upon. Our IDPA season starts in Feb, so cold weather performance can actually be tested, the cold affects everything.

 

Mil-Comm 25B grease.

-90f to 450f

 

Be careful of the numbers that the firm provides. That's because the Base Oil can easily claim higher performance and not take into effect the full mixture. Therefore, do look at the complete mix for actual low temp numbers.

 

So cold that you would not start the car is the time to worry about the gun -- hydraulics include motor, tranny oils, power steering fluids, brake fluid, grease in the bearings.

If you are willing to start the car and not worry about pieces of metal breaking inside the drivetrain or engine, then don't worry about the gun lube.

 

I remember an article by Chuck Taylor back in the nineties. He took a number of different handguns, both pistols and revolvers up to Alaska. He buried them in the snow for hours using different lubricants. Can’t remember all of the results but I do remember that the lube that worked best was Remoil.

I have used that in the winter ever since.

 

Yes Chuck

I remember an article by Chuck Taylor back in the nineties. He took a number of differences handguns, both pistols and revolvers up to Alaska. He buried them in the snow for hours using different lines. Can’t remem all of the results but I do remember that the lube that worked best was Remoil

I have used that in the winter ever since.

Yes Chuck Taylor did a lot of Artic Testing in Alaska to see cold induced failure. While I have no doubts about Rem Oil. Many of the CLP (Rand comes to mind) do quite well and will not disappoint. I like the Otis Bio CLP and have faith in Rand (think they make Otis products also).

 

Now your talking DJ Niner. Real world conditions with real consequences. A coworker just got back from the Carribean and begged me to look at his H&K which spent time in Ocean Patrol. The Holsters Quick Tilt Hood was gritty and needed G96 Gun Treatment to smooth out. He quickly needed new Magazines, as these too rusted badly. Outside of Ocean Air exposure, the next best trial is deep Arctic Cold.
The Condensation is truly a killer and very difficult to deal with.

 

What’s this cold weather you speak of?

 

 

View: https://youtu.be/ne-AgWDbVns

View: https://youtu.be/dcgdhQsBzB0

 

I live in montana, we hunt literally all the time hot or cold. Or extreme cold. Clients guns are frozen all the time. There are some lubes that we have made that solve these problems with 100% zero failures. Cant tell ya what the full recipe is but it smells like coyot piss and the main ingredient is marvels mystery oil...

Scientific Wild A$$ Guess would be 2 parts MMO and 1 part ATF, synthetic ATF if they get fancy. Lots of folks use oil and ATF. There may be other secret ingredients.
I don't use the stuff because the ATF smells to high heaven to me. It works though, and very well.