1911, cleaning, maintenance, lubricationWhen I started shooting, I used Tetra Gun Grease on everything (mostly Beretta Neos and Mosin Nagant bolt). When I bought my first 1911, a Kimber, the manual specifically said to use CLP oil. I do the same with my current 1911 (an STI) and my AR-15. With the rest of my guns, I use grease on sliding parts and oil on rotating parts.
I imagine lubrication methods should vary from gun to gun. Does anyone have any guidance for the 1911, or in general?
The following section is a direct quote from Kimber’s 1911 Full Size .45 ACP Manual. It’s what I’ve been going by for my Kimber and haven’t had any issues yet.
LUBRICATION
Use a High Tech Gun Oil such as Shooters Choice FP-10 or similar quality oil (grease is not recommended). If oil contains Teflon be sure to shake well before using as the Teflon settles when left overnight.
Lubricate the following internal parts of the pistol:
Source: http://www.kimberamerica.com/uploads/manual-download/1911Fullsize45.pdf
You’re safe following your general principle of “grease on sliding parts and oil on rotating parts”. You probably want to use a lighter lube on trigger components (light oil) but that will all work. The 1911 is a pretty tolerant design and for the most part any lube is adequate as long as there’s some lube. I lube more liberally than the previous answer indicates and things work well. My Kimber sees ~1000 rounds per week.
For lubrication of 1911s, as well as any other firearms, I follow these guidelines:
Use a proper lubricant. I don’t agree with grease as a proper lubricant for firearms. When grease is used in varied applications, it is in a “closed” system where the migration of the lubricant is limited to the confines of the closed system. This closed system prevents the contamination from outside sources (dirt, dust, residue of combustion, etc) as these contaminants suspended inside the grease act as a very effective abrasive compound. As an armorer, I have seen the effects of this abrasive effect on rifles, LMGs and handguns.
I don’t agree with CLP or Break Free as “proper” lubricants. Suspending teflon or the idea of being a ‘cleaner’ or ‘protectant’ in the same bottle as a lubricant does not make a proper lube. Solvents are cleaners, protectants are varnishes and neither belong in the same bottle as a lubricant, no matter the label.
I have not found anything as effective, cost-effective or ubiquitous as using synthetic motor oil as a firearm lubricant. I can spill more than I use and still have plenty of lubed guns with a $7.00 quart of Mobil 1 from Target. Most “gun lubes” are nothing more than a synth base with inert additives. Even the ever-popular Miltec 25 is simply a synth gear oil for heavy equipment, packaged and sold (with a significant margin) for the shooting public.
The most important part of the lubrication process is where you lube, not what you lube with. While the owner’s manual is a good start, asking what lubricants actually do will give you an idea of where to place your lubricant. “Where do I have metal on metal contact, where do I want to reduce friction, protect against wear due to the reciprocation of parts and where do I want to prevent galling?” Answering those questions will give you the precise locations of where you should apply your liquid lubricants. Putting KY Jelly on the corrects parts > putting oil on the wrong parts.
Yes, liquid lubricants do migrate and evaporate. It is up to the user to ensure their firearm is properly maintained and serviceable. That may mean reapplying lubricant at regular intervals even if the gun isn’t fired/used. Grease is a lazy method to decrease that inspection frequency and can significantly decrease the service life of the firearm due to accelerated wear.
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