Low budget "Mythbusters" today

[Superhouse 15]

Based on a friendly discussion at the gunshop where I work, we did some testing today that I thought I would share. As always, your comments are welcome. And yes, I do recognize that it was not entirely "scientific".
Today we tested some ammunition for contamination. We soaked premium JHP's, range FMJ, and some assorted reloads in WD40, salt water, and a mix of Hoppe's #9 and X1-R oil. The rounds were .45 SXT and Gold Saber, CCI 230gr ball, and unknown 230gr LRN. in .40 were Gold Saber 180gr, SXT 180gr, Gold Dot 180gr, 165gr PMC FMJ, and 180gr reloaded FMJ. In 9mm were 115gr Gold Dot and 115gr CCI Blazer Brass FMJ. Samples of each were placed in 3 different plastic bowls containing the solutions. After an hour, they were wiped clean and dry and fired in (range rental) Para-Ord pistols. Why Para? They're our least favorite rentals, actually. All rounds fired fine, no squibs, misfires, nothing. I would not have bet on that, especially with the WD40 horror stories I've heard. Don't know yet about the long term effects, and we'll test that probably later in the week. It seems to me that I wouldn't worry if I accidently got something on my ammo while cleaning my gun, and I still don't like WD40 on guns. Comments are welcome as always.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

Yep - WD40 - - IMO not for guns!!

Well I guess an hour is quite an immersion period. I think tho with good crimps (even taper type) and snug primer cups etc - the average round would probably need a good week or even month's immersion to give time for capillary action and creep - maybe knocking out primer first if not laquered.

However - knowing Murphy as well as I do - any ammo that got a good soaking of any sort, sure would be taken off carry duty! Just to play safe!

[Lew]

I think working in a gunshop has some benifits....

"Shooting stuff is fun..."

[JaredMcLaughlin]

WD-40 is not for guns?! Arg. And here I used it on my machine guns for so many years.

[P95Carry]

Jared - WD40 - ergo ''Water Displacement''40 - was produced primarily as just that - a means of spraying something that had been wetted and needed dried - eg auto ignition cables. I believe it contains some kero, among the other ingredients. I forget now but the ''40'' is the 40th attempt at the formulation IIRC.

Lube characteristics are as far as I know and was told by a tribilogist - are close to zero - and not so sure there is even much corrosion protection long term.

When the volatile content evaporates off and dissipates, the residue can be a gummy, even sticky stuff - and not too conducive to good gun functioning.

This anyways is what I have gleaned over time.

[Lew]

I will agree with you. WD isn't for guns. With all the products out there, there is no need. I have seen the residue it leaves behind and I don't want that on my gun. As for it not getting into the ammo, I am surprised it did not get in after an hour. I would rather let my gun sit dirty than clean it with the wrong stuff. But then I always have a full cleaning kit....

[retsupt99]

It's not good for guns...but...
After living in Florida for six years I was told how to deal with the "love bug" problem. After spending a great deal of time getting them off...scrub, scrub...wipe down the front end and bumper with WD40 on a rag. Doesn't hurt the paint, and you can't see it...but the love bugs come off much easier the next time...it works...just not on guns!

ret

[SoftPoint]

I have been using WD-40 on all my hunting rifles and my carry pistol for about 20 years. No rust on guns, all function fine, no problems with accuracy(It seems to be better then when I use Hoppes), and no finish problems. I'll continue using it.

[Colin]

I use it all the time for cleaning my guns, cheap and under pressure so I can flush the crud out of them, very useful with .22cal pistols, also I find easier on the metal than many of the cleaners (not to mention plastics, lungs, skin) After giving them a scrub, I wipe it down and then apply gun oil and a tiny bit of moly grease to certain parts.

[RSSZ]

WD-40 is used by me every time I clean my weapons. And this is practically every time I touch them. I have ACTUALLY been known to whipe down the external part of a firearm after I have taken it out of my safe,just to show it to a friend of mine. This with WD-40.

Six of my rifles that have a deeply moly coated bbl,and only moly coated bullets are fired thru,are never,and have never been,cleaned with anything but WD-40. As per an artical in Precission Shooter magazine 12 years ago,4-6 patches with WD-40 are run thru the bore using the proper jag,followed by as many dry patches as needed til you start seeing the dark gray streaks of moly on the patches.

The bbl of my 24" flat top has been cleaned in this manner for the last 12 years. Also several larger bore weapons includeing my .30-378 Wtby mag.

I use WD-40 more so for a cleaner than a lube. I also use Break Free,Rem Clean,GM Top Engine and several others,but have never been afraid to subject any of my weapons to good ol' WD. --------

[nn]

Jared - WD40 - ergo ''Water Displacement''40 - was produced primarily as just that - a means of spraying something that had been wetted and needed dried - eg auto ignition cables. I believe it contains some kero, among the other ingredients. I forget now but the ''40'' is the 40th attempt at the formulation IIRC.

Lube characteristics are as far as I know and was told by a tribilogist - are close to zero - and not so sure there is even much corrosion protection long term.

When the volatile content evaporates off and dissipates, the residue can be a gummy, even sticky stuff - and not too conducive to good gun functioning.

This anyways is what I have gleaned over time.

corrosion protection seems fine on applications that gummy is not an issue, ie trailer wiring hook ups and protecting hand tools kept in humid conditions

[Agencyman]

Fish oil and perfume! True story.

A Post by:

SurferJoe46
23-06-2006, 09:48 AM
Just in case you thought you knew it all...well, you didn't.

WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their Atlas missile parts.

The workers were so pleased with the product, they began smuggling (also known as "shrinkage" or "stealing") it out to use at home. The executives decided there might be a consumer market for it and put it in aerosol cans.

The rest, as they say, is history.

It is a carefully guarded recipe known only to four people. Only one of them is the "brew master." There are about 2.5 million gallons of the stuff manufactured each year. It gets its distinctive smell! from a fragrance that is added to the brew.

Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you. You can use it on foodstuff handling surfaces.



Then try it on your stovetop... Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

Here are some of the uses:

-Protects silver from tarnishing.
-Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.
-Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.
-Keeps flies off cows.
-It kills spiders and ant almost instantly.
-Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.
-Restores and cleans chalkboards.
-Removes lipstick stains.
-Loosens stubborn zippers.
-Untangles jewelry chains.
-Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.
-Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.
-Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.
-Removes tomato stains from clothing.
-Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass.
-Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.
-Keeps scissors working smoothly.
-Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.
-Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.
-Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.
-Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.
-Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.
-Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.
-Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.
-Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.
-Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.
-Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.
-Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.
-Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.
-Removes splattered grease on stove.
-Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.
-Lubricates prosthetic limbs.
-Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).
-Removes all traces of duct tape.
-Florida's favorite use is, "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."
-The favorite use in the state of New York - WD-40 protects The Statue of Liberty from the elements.
-WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and you will be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.
-WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.
-Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with D-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!
-If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.
-It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor!
-Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off.
-Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly! Use WD-40!

P. S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL

[Devone6]

WD 40 to remove love bugs off your car, wish someone had told me that while I was in the gulf region. I HATE love bugs! Back on topic, WD 40- not for my guns.

[Superhouse 15]

Shooting stuff is fun, and working in a gun shop does have it's moments. The whole thing started with a discussion about gun cleaning. All of us there seem to have their favorite chemicals, lubes, etc. Stay tuned, tomorrow I'll be doing a similar test with WD40, Breakfree, and probably more salt water or a mix of a bunch of different stuff. I plan on leaving it in for a week, and including some .22 rimfires too. We use WD40 by the gallon to lube the strike face of the range.

We're also saving up newspaper for another wet newspaper ballistic gelatin test, and we have a bunch of shoot-don't-shoot targets for our next "employee qualification shoot". Also going to test my new reactive target tomorrow. A target that falls when hit in the COM. Life is good.

And as for the lovebugs. Try driving a 12 foot tall white fire engine in Florida