Dear Technoid:

I’ve been shooting a Browning Ultra for about the last 10K rounds or so. For the first 6K or 7K rounds I’ve used BreakFree-CLP to lube all friction points. For the last 3K to 4K I’ve used a grease lube (Stos) for this purpose. I’m rather “fussy” about cleaning the gun….I thoroughly clean with almost every outing and I’m especially particular about cleaning of the wear points.

Here’s the quandary: While I find that the grease will stay on the wear points longer than the oil, It appears to me that the wear points are showing more sign of wear! The pivot area and the inside / outside wear area of the receiver (for lack of “real” terminology) seem to have taken on a polished or more worn appearance. I realize too that it’s a natural progression to observe more wear as the gun is used more, however it seems to me that the wear is more prevalent since switching lubes.

The only reason I quit using the CLP was that when I would shoot 150 to 200 rounds in a day the wear areas would sometimes get a slight bit dry and I’d stop and relube. I learned the hard way on my first Citori about hot, dry, dusty days and the importance of lubrication. That puppy locked up so tight one day that I caused permanent scare damage.

I’m quite certain the Almighty Technoid has an opinion or suggestion regarding this subject AND is willing to pass it on to his faithful followers. Speak to us “Lord ‘Lube”. If grease is the answer….Then what is a recommended type? (Incidentally, I always carry a “squirt” bottle of CLP in my shooting bag and you would be surprised at all the times I’ve bailed out autoloader shooters with this magic stuff!)

Boots ON; Ears open,
Terry

Dear Terry,

While I am a big advocate of BreakFree CLP on the gas pistons of the autoloaders, I use common automotive lithium grease on my O/Us. The type of grease you use is far less important that the fact that the grease is always clean and fresh. Clean is good. Dirty, gritty grease is very bad. On my Brownings (FNs, but close enough to the Citoris) after shooting I CAREFULLY CLEAN all bearing surfaces CLEAN AND DRY with a little Hoppes or CLP. Then I wipe a little fresh grease on the hinge pin, receiver shoulders (the curved parts that mate with the forend curve) and then I wipe a bit of the rest on the inside of the sides of the receiver. It doesn’t take all that much. I don’t put any grease on the monobloc of the barrel as greasing the corresponding mating parts on the receiver does the job.

When I clean the gun I make sure to CAREFULLY CLEAN off all the old grease. The problem is seldom lack of lube. It is usually grit that is attracted to old grease that does the damage.

If you are fussy, one single drop of BreakFree CLP on the ejectors isn’t a bad idea, but I think that enough slops in there when I clean the barrels with CLP so I don’t usually bother with it.

Hope that helps grease the slides.

Best regards,

Bruce Buck
Shotgun Report’s Technoid