Thread: Gun oil - ATF suitable.?

Been using ATF, Automatic Transmission Fluid for oiling moving parts on my rifles, what do you guys use?

For cleaning I use Breakfree.

ive been using it for ages as well works well i usually use brake clean for cleaning metal parts

Originally Posted by northdude

ive been using it for ages as well works well i usually use brake clean for cleaning metal parts

Much the same here, Brakeclean here to clean/degrease moving parts, Breakfree for bore cleaning.

i use a combination for bore cleaning usually hoppes which seems to work pretty well on my rifles ive got boretech and some kind of outers solvent as well and some g96 copper solvent they seem to work ok the g96 works well but i think its ammonia based so need to be extra careful and get it all out to prevent it attracting moisture

breakfree is good
atf (like brake fluid) will absorb water

Originally Posted by gonetropo

breakfree is good
atf (like brake fluid) will absorb water

Never heard that about ATF, I assumed it was oil-based hence wouldn’t absorbe moisture.

You will need to dissolve some lanolin into the atf to make a good gun oil, lube and anti rust mix. wont need much.

is breakfree just a cleaner , or is it an oil also ?

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

Never heard that about ATF, I assumed it was oil-based hence wouldn’t absorbe moisture.

some things like brake fluid will absorb water, another is methanol which is sometimes added to petrol to increase the octane level. now all good if you are burning thru a tank in a week or 4 etc but let it stand the ethanol will accumulate water into it and thats a big issue when you try to start your car.
remember things like glycerol which is an oil will absorb water too.
other oils will mix with water and result in emulsions, thats how mayonnaise is made after all.
atf and brake fluid are pretty volatile substances for mixing with other chemicals (enough said about that one)
anyways by all ways use it as a cleaner but as a final protectant i advise you shouldnt

Originally Posted by gonetropo

some things like brake fluid will absorb water, another is methanol which is sometimes added to petrol to increase the octane level. now all good if you are burning thru a tank in a week or 4 etc but let it stand the ethanol will accumulate water into it and thats a big issue when you try to start your car.
remember things like glycerol which is an oil will absorb water too.
other oils will mix with water and result in emulsions, thats how mayonnaise is made after all.
atf and brake fluid are pretty volatile substances for mixing with other chemicals (enough said about that one)
anyways by all ways use it as a cleaner but as a final protectant i advise you shouldnt

Only Gull sell fuel with alcohol added in NZ but it is ethanol not methanol.

i use atf as a lube on bolt etc i use lanacote or something like that as a rust protectant

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Only Gull sell fuel with alcohol added in NZ but it is ethanol not methanol.

both will absorb water.

I use ballistol I find it great stuff, use carb cleaner to clean the bore of carbon build up and boretech for when the bores are grubby as. Really approve of ballistol as it's alkaline and reverses any acidity created by powder residue etc.

got some of that to

Use Breakfree for storage, not as a cleaner. Another great storage protector is Inox. Used if as protectant on a 4 wheeler on a west coast property for 10 years. Never went near it over winter, bike left there no worse than it arrived.