Gun oil, and gun lubricants in general, were a needed commodity with the advent of the firearm. Since these newest weapons were primarily made of iron, oil was needed to keep them working and firing properly. As a secondary concern, guns also needed protection from rusting, so oils and grease were liberally rubbed and/or poured over the iron surfaces as a protectant as well as a lubricant.

Top Rated Gun Oils

CLP by Sage and Braker

This is a military grade gun oil, and as the initials stand for Clean, Lube, Protect, it does all 3 in an exceptional way.

It is made to first clean a firearm by removing carbon deposits, copper and lead particles. It lubricates the bore and firing mechanism and stays put for long lasting lubrication, it is biodegradable so it never pollutes the environment, and it is made to resist sand and dust to keep your firearm shooting in even the harshest conditions.

This is the most expensive gun oil available, but it is one of the finest performers.

Pro Shot Zero Friction Oiler

If you like needle oilers, and want to get the oil exactly where it needs to go, the Pro Shot Needle Oiler is just the ticket. This smaller 1 ounce bottle is easy to hold and easy to squeeze, letting you get the oil into the most intricate moving parts on your firearm. That type of precision is unmatched, it features superior anti-wear formula and it won’t lose its lubricating properties even in low temperature settings.

Ballistol Lubricant Cleaner Protectant

If convenience is first on your priorities list, Ballistol Spray Lubricant must be considered. Just spray over all the metal components, into the bore and the firing mechanism, wipe away the excess, and you are done. It is slightly alkaline so that it counteracts body oils and sweat, it is biodegradable, and it is the easiest to use of all the lubricants here. Requested by the German Military to keep their firearms clean and lubricated, if it works for them, it will work for you.

Royal Purple Synthetic Gun Oil

If the “new age” in gun oils is what you are after, Royal Purple will give you a gun oil like no other. This is technically the slipperiest gun oil available, and because it is a synthetic, it is not bothered by cold, wet, dust or other harsh conditions.

Royal Purple is known for their championship winning synthetic motorcycle and car oil, and they have taken that technology and applied it to a superior gun oil. It comes in a spray can, so it is easy to apply, it is an excellent oil when putting your firearms into storage, and it will even resist salt water contamination. For synthetic protection like no other petroleum based oil can give, Royal Purple is the one.

Hoppe’s Elite Gun Oil

If you know gun oil, than you know Hoppe’s. This is considered the “old reliable” gun oil that has been used for decades, and it works as good now as it did way back when. It fully repels dirt, carbon and copper particles, and has the recommendations of both military and law enforcement agencies. It’s popular because it works, and you can’t ask better of a gun oil than that.

Lucas Oil Gun Oil

If you are interested in the new kid on the block, check out Lucas Oil Gun Oil. This oil was actually formulated for the high firing rate of machines guns, so it is made to stay in place round after round after round. It is incredibly heat tolerant, and it also does well in the cold too. This is one of the best storage oils available, with the oil sticking almost like glue, while not allowing moisture penetration with superior corrosion resistance.

Rem Oil Wipes

Rem Oil Wipes are perfect for wiping down your firearm while giving it long lasting corrosion protection. This is the same basic 1913 formula of Remington Gun Oil, with Teflon added for an even slipperier version. You can keep these wipes handy and use them after every time you’ve been in the field. The oil will stay fluid even at 20 degrees below zero, and the wipes mean you’ll never have to bother with a rag again. A classic, to be sure, but still going strong after all of these years.

Wolf All In One Gun Oil

Although no one will argue about its lubricating qualities, where Wolf Oil stands apart is in its cleaning capabilities. Law Enforcement endorsed, this synthetic gun oil will get your gun squeaky clean. It will keep your gun firing in the dust and dirt, while repelling moisture with the best of them. It is also good for cold weather shooting and the formula is made to keep your barrel cooler when firing multiple rounds in rapid succession.

Of course, because there are so many brands of gun oil available, all of them could not possibly be included here. That just would not be very practical. But this list is representative of the most popular oils available, and given this information as a whole, you should be able to decide what is right for you and your gun.

History of Gun Oil

In the age of the original smooth bore muzzle loaders, pork fat and beef tallow were adequate ways to keep the firing mechanism well lubricated, while also being rubbed on the barrel to keep it from rusting. In fact for rust protection, pork fat was preferred because it was stickier and tended to stay on the barrel longer. Nothing changed much for hundreds of years.

The Civil War

The American Civil War was revolutionary not only for generalship and tactics, but also for the type of gun oil used. Although pork fat remained the “go to” rust preventative on the long barreled rifles, the firing mechanisms had become more complex. Regular animal fats became too time consuming and difficult to get into all of the little bits and pieces where lubricant was needed most, so a substitute was found in olive oil. Known as “sweet oil” by the troops, olive oil became as much in demand as food and water. Without it, the mini-ball muzzle loaders would soon lock up, foul or jam, and when you depended on a weapon which stood before life or death, it needed to function. Olive oil kept both the North and the South’s weapons lubricated throughout the entire war.

The Wild West

As technology advanced after the Civil War, handguns began to appear in ever increasing numbers. These technological marvels for their day, relied on modern cartridges with the primer built in. There were far more moving parts in a revolver than there were in a muzzle loader, and olive oil could not stand up to constant firing. A new oil was needed, and it was found that sperm oil, harvested from the spermaceti organ on the head of a sperm whale, was the answer. The oil was originally used for oiling sewing machines, but proved equally effective as a gun oil.

Sperm whale oil is more of a wax than an oil, so it stuck to the parts that needed lubrication and performed well even in deserts and dusty environments. In all of those old west shootouts, from Wyatt Earp at the O.K. Corral to Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County Regulators, their guns kept firing because of sperm oil.

Petroleum Gun Oil

By the late 1800’s, as the oil wells began to pump crude from the ground, refineries discovered that they could make oil as thick or as thin as desired, for virtually any application. It was at this junction in time that petroleum-based lubricants became commonplace. They were cheaper to produce, easier to use and highly effective. Petroleum-based lubricants took over the lubrication industry, essentially making all other lubricants obsolete. Whether it for protecting the bluing on a gun barrel or keeping the firing mechanism working smoothly with each pull of the trigger, there is a petroleum-based gun oil that will work for that purpose.

Synthetics

The newest of the new, synthetic gun oils are beginning to make their presence felt. They are generally stickier, which means they offer better storage protection, and when shooting, they lubricate for a longer period of time before needing to be reapplied. And because they are synthetics, they can be manufactured to have superior temperature performance, both hot and cold, and they are also slipperier, meaning that you gun will have less wear and tear during use. Traditionalists may scoff at them, but truly, no petroleum based oil is better than a synthetic.

 

Shopping for a new reloading press can be as frustrating as shopping for a new computer. After days, or even weeks, of researching options and pondering your choices you may not feel like you are any closer to making a decision than you were when you started.

Like computers, reloading presses come in a range of options from the simple to sophisticated, with each press having its own strengths and weaknesses. Buying a reloading press can be a major commitment, as the more money you invest the more you will be “married” to your reloading system. This is why it is important to understand and consider all the factors when buying a new press.

Best Single-Stage Reloading Press: RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme

One of the most reliable reloading presses on the market, the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme is the best choice when it comes to a single-stage reloading presses. The Rock Chucker Supreme has is a sturdy O-frame design that provides support around its entire body. The large frame offers plenty of clearance, so it can handle cartridges up to four inches in length, making it a great choice for most types of rifle ammo.

Additionally, the Rock Chucker Supreme has an ambidextrous handle that works just as well for the left-handed reloader as it does for a right-handed person, allowing both to switch hands as needed during the reloading process. This is an important feature that many single-stage reloading presses don’t offer. The Rock Chucker Supreme is small enough that it doesn’t require much space, making it a great choice if you need a press to take along on trips.

Both the press handle and the lever are made of high-strength steel to deal with the constant pressure caused by working the handle, providing years of dependable service. The ball-shaped handle provides a comfortable grip, an important feature on a single-stage press, as you have to work the lever multiple times for each case as you go through the reloading process.

Most single-stage reloading presses do not offer a priming option, requiring the primer to be inserted in the case by hand or with a separate tool. However, the Rock Chucker Supreme provides the ability to prime both large and small cases with an included priming arm, making you less dependent on other tools. The primer arm is easy to attached and detach and a primer catcher is also included, eliminating the hassle of having to pick up spent primers off the floor.

As far as dependability, RCBS has been producing quality reloading presses for over 50 years and their products have all been tried and tested. The company is renowned for having top-quality products and great customer service, making the brand popular with reloaders for many years.

Best Turret Reloading Press: Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret Press

The Lee Classic Four-Hole turret press is considered an outstanding buy for reloaders who need to produce more ammo than what the single-stage press design can manage. The Lee Classic Four-Hole is the perfect press for most reloaders, as it can produce much more ammo in an hour than any single-stage press and won’t put as big a crimp in the budget as a progressive press would.

As turret presses are, in general, a great compromise between the single-stage and progressive presses, the Lee Classic Four-Hole press can complete all of the stages in the reloading process. As with most turret presses, the Lee Four-Hole Classic offers auto indexing, meaning you won’t need to manually rotate the turret plate, so the dies move to the next stage in the reloading process automatically when you pull the handle.

The Lee Classic Four-Hole press offers more than ample room to accommodate different length cases, so reloading different calibers is easy while giving you plenty of space to easily get your hands in and out of the press to change dies quickly. This makes the Lee Classic Four-Hole more versatile than most other turret-style presses, allowing you to reload practically any rifle or handgun caliber.

Other important features of the Lee Classic Four-Hole press are the priming system and a spent-primer catcher that keeps your workstation neat and tidy. The Lee’s long stroke makes it breeze to apply enough force through all its functions to complete all reloading tasks with ease, including crimping the cases.

The Lee Classic Four-Hole press is built with strong and reliable materials designed to last a lifetime, while still being one of the most competitively-priced turret presses on the market. The turret itself is made from cast iron, resulting in maintained accuracy and a long life.

Best Progressive Reloading Press: Hornady Lock N Load AP Reloading Press

Progressive presses are simply the fastest way to produce 500 plus reloads in an hour, and the Hornady Lock N Load AP reloading press offers perhaps the most impressive host of features in the progressive reloading-press class.

AP stands for “Auto Progressive,” with the Lock N Load having an automatic-indexing feature that automatically rotates the die holder throughout every stage of the reloading process as you pull on the lever. This translates into a lot less hand work for reloading cases and a faster overall operation. The Hornady Lock N Load provides a quick-change die system that allows you to swap out dies with a simple twist. The Lock N Load also maintains specific adjustments in each die set, so that once you have the dies set up the settings stay fixed, so no further adjustments are needed.

The Lock N Load can hold more cases than most other progressive presses, saving you from constantly having to empty the tray, allowing you to focus on the reloading process. The Lock N Load also has an EZject system, cycling all of your reloaded casing into a hopper, so the cases don’t end up scattered across the floor or your work area.

The press has a case-activated powder drop feature designed to not release powder if there isn’t a case waiting to be filled. Aside from safety purposes, the powder-drop feature removes virtually any possibility of wasted gun powder.

Overall, the Hornady Lock N Load AP reloading press provides all of the necessary features and accessories that are needed to begin reloading your cases. Lee provides stellar customer service and one of the best product guarantees in the industry. Not that you will most like need either, as Lee products are almost indestructible.

There are three types of reloading presses: single stage, turret and progressive. To help you make the best possible decision, that will work best for you, here is what you need to know when buying a reloading press and the best choices in each category:

Single-Stage Reloading Press

The single-stage is the simplest of the three types of presses, operating with a “single” die and case at a time. While the single-stage press is the least expensive, least complicated and has the highest precision of the three types of presses, it is also the slowest. This means reloading with the single-stage press requires the greatest investment of your time. You must change dies for every stage in the reloading process and can only work on one case at a time. Typically, shooters who chose a single-stage press are just learning reloading or only reload a few rounds a year. Typically, you should chose a single-stage press if you:

● Primarily load small amounts of ammunition.
● Are on tight budget.
● Place accuracy ahead of time.

Turret Reloading Press

As the name implies, this press includes a turret plate that can hold all the dies required for reloading one specific caliber. This means the press can work through the complete process of reloading one round without having to change dies at every step, as with the single-stage press. This obviously makes the turret press faster, and some models have an “auto-indexing” feature where the turret rotates to proceed to the next function. Many reloaders think the turret press is the best all-around reloading press, offering the best compromise between the single-stage presses and the more complicated progressive presses. Typically, you should chose a turret press if you:

● Load both rifle and handgun ammo.
● Place accuracy and attention to detail above speed.
● Have a little more money to spend and want more speed than a single stage.

Progressive Reloading Press

If you regularly need to load hundreds or rounds of ammo in a short time you will want to spring for a progressive-style reloading press. A progressive press can hold all of the dies needed to reload a particular caliber, like the turret press, but can also work on multiple casing simultaneously, with each pull of the lever. However, this kind of sophistication comes at a price, with progressive presses being the most expensive. Also, if you decide to buy a progressive press, you will have to spend a good amount of money every time you add a new caliber to your reloading system. Typically, you should chose a progressive press if you:

● Shoot large quantities of ammo.
● Load both rifle and handgun ammo.
● Have more money than time.