Semi Auto lube in cold temps

[BRITTMAN]

Gun has to be super clean too. If you hunt across most of the Dakotas and western MN your gun is exposed to a very, very fine dust. It is in the air from wind blowing over all the open fields. This dust coupled with any liquid based lubricant will most likely slow your semi-auto action down.

My observations have been that Beretta and Benelli are least likely to foul or slow ... Brownings and Remington semi-autos are more prone to quit working when it gets cold unless they are recently cleaned.

I prefer a pump gun when hunting waterfowl in worked ag fields just to keep my auto's clean for upland hunts.

 

[John Singer]

What about a fine coat of multi-weight automotive oil, such as 5W-30. It is, by design, intended to be a lighter, less viscous oil at cold temperatures.

 

[birdshooter]

Probably would be fine.

I've done some reading and the consensus from some of the so-called "experts" is that if you must use your firearm in sub zero temps the best thing you can do is clean all lube off your action and shoot it without anything. Any lube regardless of what the manufacturers claims are will thicken (viscosity change) as temps plumet. Different than comparing to a cars engine as the engine continues to generate heat, gun metal does not.

 

[John Singer]

Realize that multi-viscosity engine oils are intended to have a low viscosity at low temperatures. This allows engines to turn over on starting in cold environments.

Multi-weight oils contain polymers which change conformation (shape) in order to maintain viscosity as engine temperatures increase.

I have a shotgun, (Model 59 Winchester) which is real clunky and noncycling at low temps unless it is lightly lubricated.

 

[mgorvi]

Lube

10-4 on Breakfree clp. I'm out here hunting now, thank God not last week, and it keeps my auto smooth in cold weather. Good stuff. Never even heard of it until someone on the forum mentioned it. 10-4 on a clean gun too.