Like the rest of the writing staff here at TTAG, I’m not just a writer, I’m a reader, too. And I’ve been reading, with interest, about the trials and tribulations of RF and several others regarding lubrication issues. (And no, I’m not talking about drinking and shooting. Get your mind out of the tavern. I’m talking about gun lubrication.) As luck would have it, I found a solution that works for me, first time, every time. And believe it or not, it involves butter…
When I began shooting several years ago, I did what I usually do. A lot of research. As I was researching my choice of firearm (1911) I spent a lot of time asking questions. Lots of questions. In reading the boards, I found that the issue of lubrication came up, again and again as mission-critical, determining if the gun would run or foul up, gunk up, jam up, or just fail to run. Pretty scary stuff. As you’d expect, opinions were all over the map as to what to use, how much to use, and how often to use it. Seems there are a LOT of moving parts in my cherished 1911. Lube the wrong parts, use too much – or too little lube, and you can be screwed, blued (or Parkerized), and tattooed. Even worse, there was a huge disagreement on the right lubricant to use. What was a newbie to do?
The one thing I discovered was that if you asked ten experts, you should expect ten answers. But the more research I did, the more I realized that temperature played a big part in lubrication. You know all these TV commercials about how your engine gets gunked up with the wrong (or old) oil? Well, think about the temperatures that the moving parts of your gun is exposed to (well, the slide and linkage, anyway) when you shoot a lot. Dust, dirt, and gunpowder residue is a big deal, too. And if you live in colder climes, that can be another problem, especially going from the cold outside to warmth within.
Soon enough, my research turned up something, a product oddly enough called Gun Butter. Gun Butter is a synthetic lubricant. It’s to RemOil what Mobil One is to QuakerState. Generally, I gravitate towards the old, tried and true. (Hey – I shoot a 1911, remember?) But in this case, the case for science and the logic of the thing won me over. Which was a good thing, because one tiny bottle of Gun Butter ain’t cheap.
They say (“they” being the Van Patten family) that “good things come in small packages.” In this case, they’re right. Gun Butter comes in a small bottle with a very long, steel, needle-like applicator, perfect for running a tiny bead of Gun Butter down your slide rails. Even better, a lil’ dab’l do ya – you don’t need much Gun Butter to do the job. In fact, it’s almost to the point where the less you use, the better off you are. Almost.
I found that (as advertised) there’s no need to lube my gun every time I clean it. Gun Butter was formulated by a gun-friendly team of Aerospace Engineers (Yes, Virginia… It IS rocket science!) From their website:
Gun Butter is for all types of metal-to-metal, metal-to-plastic, and plastic-to-plastic mechanisms’. Our lubrication reduces galling and wear, provides two-year rust protection that extends the service life of your favorite recreational mechanical device. Gun Butter Oil is not grease; its oil will resists change and perform consistently below -20 degrees to over 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Our complete all-weather lubricant will not burn up or evaporate in summer’s heat; it functions normally in freezing weather, stays intact during pouring rain, and repels debris.
In operational use Gun Butter’s unsurpassed smoothness and consistency is unparalleled due to its longevity and ease of function. Your mechanism has continued performance assured because Gun Butter’s adhesion exceeds the film-strength of molybdenum grease.
I don’t know what they put in this stuff. But I can tell you it works. And it works in all kinds of weather. It’s easy to apply, and one bottle isn’t even close to needing a refill after four years of use on every gun I own.
Is Gun Butter the be-all, end-all solution to your gun lubrication woes, and more importantly, will it solve the failure-to-run problems that plague some of our writer’s guns? I dunno. All I can say is that it works for me, and it’s quickly become the only lubrication I’ll use on my guns.
