# Oil before shooting?



## Jeff25 (Aug 10, 2013)

When buying a brand new gun should you oil it before shooting it for the first time. And what all should you oil or lube?


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Revolver or semi-auto pistol?

Most owner's manuals specify the parts / locations to be lubed. And, most new handguns tend to come well lubed from the factory. Sometimes, excessively so. So much so at times, that many prefer to clean a new gun before even firing it. 

And then, there are those that do an inspection of a new gun, insure that it is free of metal shavings, debris or obstructions, and then shoot the hell out of it. :mrgreen:

But, if you're talking about a new semi-auto pistol, conduct a complete inspection as noted above, remove the slide, inspect the slide rails / frame grooves for dryness, and use a spot of oil here and there. A little oil tends to go a long ways. I like to drop a drop of oil on each side of the hammer at the point that it disappears into the frame.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

I recommend checking the instruction/owner manual by reading it cover-to-cover, familiarizing yourself with cleaning/lubricating requirements along with any other differences between your new handgun and other guns you've owned/used in the past.

And don't assume that just because a pistol is smeared with a faintly-petroleum-smelling liquid, that it is lubricated and ready to shoot. Most guns leave the factory with a chemical coating that is designed to prevent rust while in storage and transit, not necessarily to ready it for firing. Glock instruction/owner manuals, for instance, specify that their new pistols should be cleaned and lubricated before the first time they are fired, and the lubrication quantities and points are indicated.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

remove ammo magazine , then submerge your gun into an oil pan or similar, until all the little bubbles disappear.
your gun is now well oiled


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

pic said:


> remove ammo magazine , then submerge your gun into an oil pan or similar, until all the little bubbles disappear.
> your gun is now well oiled


Oh God, you left off putting it in the dishwasher.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Jeff25 said:


> When buying a brand new gun should you oil it before shooting it for the first time. And what all should you oil or lube?


As others have suggested, do what your owner's manual instructs. I suggest a light amount of some quality lubricating agent on key parts. Do not put oil in the barrel if you are going to shoot the gun. Go easy with the lube you use. If the gun is a polymer product, such as Glock or M&P, consider either a quality dry lube (Hornady's One Shot) or a quality silicone spray on the requisite parts. These products attract the lease amount of dirt, lint, and debris.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

Jeff25 said:


> When buying a brand new gun should you oil it before shooting it for the first time. And what all should you oil or lube?


Anytime I buy a new gun of any kind, I take it down and clean and oil it. Personal preference.


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

I always take my weapons to Jiffy Lube..... Every 5th time is free... :mrgreen:


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## Vodoun da Vinci (Apr 6, 2007)

I'm with Berettatoter. When I acquire a new piece, NIB or used, it gets field stripped, cleaned, and re lubed before being fired. With something brand new I always read the manual and try and get her cleaned and adhere to the manufacturers specs for lube and ammo.

I have several pistols and revolvers that have been shot a bit and are 40+ years old and the initial cleanings were pretty shocking - I doubt some of them had ever had so much as a drop of oil or had ever been cleaned judging by the amount of crud that flushed out. That said, I think a lot of guns are over cleaned and if we are using good quality modern lubricants and jacketed ammo the bore probably only needs swabbed and the nooks and crannies cleaned with an oiled patch and the exterior wiped down.

I like cleaning. It makes me familiar with all the features and give me an excuse to coddle them and play with them...which is half the fun of having them. 

VooDoo


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Haha,I hope you realize some of these guys are funnin' ya Jeff.The others are correct.

Always read the manual,very few arms makers will tell you to shoot the gun as is.It will tell you how to clean it and where to oil it.When posting though,try to include as much info as possible,like is a revolver or pistol and what brand,model,yada yada,it helps narrow things down for more definitive answers.

Basically anything that slides and rotates needs a film of oil to prevent wear,just like your car's drivetrain.All metal parts should have a thin film of oil to prevent rust,even stainless will rust.Some prefer grease on parts that slide but that comes down to preference and the conditions the gun is run in.For example a gun in the cold Arctic isn't going to like grease because it thickens in the cold.

I've used Breakfree CLP or LP for years and see no need to change.There are all kinds of high tech lubes around but finding them can be difficult locally at times.Some take an economical approach and make a solution called Ed's Red or use plain old Mobil One synthetic,it's all personal preference.The important thing is just use a quality oil and clean it out when it gets filthy,just like your car.I've done tests running a gun until the lube was close to paste and kept going until the gun worked sluggishly,but it was just a test to see how much the gun could take before it couldn't be trusted to be reliable.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

SouthernBoy said:


> Oh God, you left off putting it in the dishwasher.


dish washer would be very bad.
drip dry with the guns sitting at the proper angles, and then wipe off any access oil. or use high pressure air hose like I do

btw this is step two , step one would be a submergence in cleaning solvent. waiting for the little bubble to disappear .
I use a high pressure air hose with special attachments to blow out solvent before oiling .
I usually remove grips depending on material n access


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

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## Hurryin' Hoosier (Jan 8, 2011)

berettatoter said:


> Anytime I buy a new gun of any kind, I take it down and clean and oil it. Personal preference.


We agree once again! My first step with any "new to me" gun (be it new or used) is to field-strip it, blast everything with non-chlorinated aerosol brake parts cleaner, give it a light but thorough lube with Rem-Oil, and put just a small dab of Tetra gun grease on the rails. (What I think is great fun is boiling Cosmolene out of old military surplus guns. Of course, I have to wait until my wife is gone!)


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