doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Penetrating oil-Can I use WD40?

Just picked up a 35 year old gun that may not have been shot, cleaned or lubed in as many years. I want to take the trigger group out but it is stuck. Note, I did remove the pin that holds the trigger group in place. Someone recommended that I try some "penetrating oil" and recommended Kroil, a product not in my cabinet.

I do however have some WD40. Will this qualify as a penetrating oil? Will it hurt a blued steel receiver?

What is the next step if the trigger group will not come out. Give it a light tap with a wooden dowel and a hammer?
Heat the receiver with a heating pad?

Thanks

Lou

I suppose WD 40 would qualify as a penetrating oil, if that's all you have. It won't hurt a blued receiver. If I had some plain ol' Liquid Wrench, I'd use that before the WD.

Be advised that WD40 is a poor lubricant that turns into a hard varnish like substance after a few years. It may be why your parts are stuck together.(maybe-not knowing the firearm involved we cant know whether some mechanics have been overlooked re disassembly-go slow!) It may work as the solvent you need-just dont leave it in place after you reassemble.

WD gums up too much. Go the the autoparts store & get a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil. It's cheap, smell nice, & doesn't gum. I use it to clean shotgun bores & have not had a rust problem since I started. We call it "cherry juice".

Also reading the MMO can is cheap entertainment. Good for everything!
Regards, Ron

Years ago while attending S&W Armours School, was told that WD-40 was fine for guns that were going to be stored and not used for a long period. To remove it use WD-40 and then wipe everything dry when the old WD-40 loosens up. I usually wipe down the firearm with Gun Scrubber and then oil it sparingly. When I do use WD-40 on firearms I never spray it on, I apply it with a soft cloth where I want it. Marvel Mystry Oil is great stuff.

WD is a great cleaner and rust stopper ( that nasty build up is rust proof)but it is not much of a lube. I believe that it was on this site that I read that ATF and acetone is the best penatreating oil tested. Give it a try but keep it away from the wood
bill

I would use Kroil as a penetrating oil. WD(=Water Displacement), as said, is a rust inhibitor and does dry like varnish. I have tried the ATF and acetone, some nasty stuff, but does work.

Jim

I soak gummed up and rusted gun parts in a sealed glass jar with lid ( an empty Vlasic Pickles jar is a good choice)with a 50-50 Mixture of Acetone and Kroil but same ratio and marvel Mystery Oil is just as good- logner you soak the cruddy parts, the better- BUT- do NOT get this in contact with the wood of any gun stock--

Kroil would be my choice as well. I believe you can order it from the company online.
Jim

The Marvel stuff is fast. I'm not certain you need the acetone in the "Ed's Red" update of the Hatcher formula. I had good success last week breaking the tang bolts in a Manufrance Ideal with my Ed's Red mix and I did not add acetone the last time I mixed the stuff. To boil this down, a quart of ATF, a quart of mineral spirits, and a gallon of odorless kerosene are easily available almost everywhere these days but not quite as cheap or convenient as just buying a can of penetrating oil. The ATF is nasty stuff, as already pointed out, and will do a job on your hands if you take a bath in it.

jack