Lube for a rarely fired/maintained 1911?

[rvb]

IMO, don't be so lazy and reliant on the lube. take it out every couple weeks, lube, inspect.
Otherwise, the time to "test" whether the lube held up over months of harsh conditions will be the time you actually need it. Adding some oil can take 60 seconds; you don't even have to take the gun apart to get fresh lube to most of the important parts.

-rvb

 

[rhino]

IMO, don't be so lazy and reliant on the lube. take it out every couple weeks, lube, inspect.
Otherwise, the time to "test" whether the lube held up over months of harsh conditions will be the time you actually need it. Adding some oil can take 60 seconds; you don't even have to take the gun apart to get fresh lube to most of the important parts.

-rvb

That's a very good point, but realistically, for some of us it's not going to happen.

I address this issue by leaving a small bottle of lube with some things I have stashed for long term that I won't be able to access on a regular basis. If I need to retrieve it for use, hopefully I'll have enough time to add a little lube before I load it.

 

[rvb]

That's a very good point, but realistically, for some of us it's not going to happen.

I address this issue by leaving a small bottle of lube with some things I have stashed for long term that I won't be able to access on a regular basis. If I need to retrieve it for use, hopefully I'll have enough time to add a little lube before I load it.

May be true for the guns you have buried under the turnips out in the garden. But I think the OP was talking about the trunk of a family car... not so hard to access (unless his wife has lots of junk in her trunk... ok don't go there... haha)

-rvb

 

[jb1911]

Keeping a firearm in your trunk is not a good idea.
As far as a long term lube and rust preventer goes:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...m7Z1c8fvx33Wo9uRCG-Q0xvQ&ust=1496239047454372

 

[mammynun]

I am going to try to be more attentive to maintaining the 1911 since that is obviously the best course of action. We'll see how that goes. Our EDC's are fired and cleaned on a monthly basis, usually more frequently than that. I'm also kicking around the idea of replacing the 1911 with more mags for her Solo. She's better with the 1911 by every measure, but it's just too big for her to EDC (carrying at her work is vorboten) so the Kimber was her pick/compromise. Then again, she doesn't carry 100% of the time (probably 80-85%), so a 1911 in the trunk puts a weapon in her general vicinity 100% of the time. Spare mags weigh less in a GHB, but aren't much good if she doesn't have the Solo.

As far as the lube suggestions, I have TW-25B on hand as well as Slip 2000 EWL. I'm going to completely disassemble the 1911 today, thoroughly clean off the residual goo and lube it with TW-25B for the warmer months ahead. In the fall I plan to switch over to Slip 2k for the winter months.

 

[Fordtough25]

I am going to try to be more attentive to maintaining the 1911 since that is obviously the best course of action. We'll see how that goes. Our EDC's are fired and cleaned on a monthly basis, usually more frequently than that. I'm also kicking around the idea of replacing the 1911 with more mags for her Solo. She's better with the 1911 by every measure, but it's just too big for her to EDC (carrying at her work is vorboten) so the Kimber was her pick/compromise. Then again, she doesn't carry 100% of the time (probably 80-85%), so a 1911 in the trunk puts a weapon in her general vicinity 100% of the time. Spare mags weigh less in a GHB, but aren't much good if she doesn't have the Solo.

As far as the lube suggestions, I have TW-25B on hand as well as Slip 2000 EWL. I'm going to completely disassemble the 1911 today, thoroughly clean off the residual goo and lube it with TW-25B for the warmer months ahead. In the fall I plan to switch over to Slip 2k for the winter months.

Maybe an odd question, but did you try to fire it the way you found it? Would be a good reliability test to see if it functioned in that condition. Just an idea.

 

[mammynun]

Maybe an odd question, but did you try to fire it the way you found it? Would be a good reliability test to see if it functioned in that condition. Just an idea.

I did not, but kinda wish I had. I could tell it was definitely fighting the goo when I pulled the slide to the rear, but it went into battery when I released the slide (with no mag inserted). If I had of pulled it out in the middle of July, I might not have even noticed. It probably would have run, but "probably" doesn't cut it for a BUG.

 

[halfmileharry]

I did not, but kinda wish I had. I could tell it was definitely fighting the goo when I pulled the slide to the rear, but it went into battery when I released the slide (with no mag inserted). If I had of pulled it out in the middle of July, I might not have even noticed. It probably would have run, but "probably" doesn't cut it for a BUG.

Don't underestimate the reliability of a good 1911. They'll run when others won't. It doesn't matter what some bearded or bald headed wonder says or thinks. They've been around for a hellova long time for a reason.

 

[churchmouse]

Don't underestimate the reliability of a good 1911. They'll run when others won't. It doesn't matter what some bearded or bald headed wonder says or thinks. They've been around for a hellova long time for a reason.

Yup and that is why us old farts love-em

 

[rhino]

Yup and that is why us old farts love-em

But you have to lube them with your dearly departed friends!

 

[mammynun]

Don't underestimate the reliability of a good 1911. They'll run when others won't. It doesn't matter what some bearded or bald headed wonder says or thinks. They've been around for a hellova long time for a reason.

No argument from me. When Uncle Sam took my 1911 and replaced it with an M9 my dislike of Beretta began to set in.

That said, I EDC a CZ or M&P.

 

[JAL]

Don't underestimate the reliability of a good 1911. They'll run when others won't. It doesn't matter what some bearded or bald headed wonder says or thinks. They've been around for a hellova long time for a reason.

In general I concur completely. There's a reason Uncle Sam has been using them continuously for 106 years now (Google M45A1) and that's probably at the top of the list. The 30+ year old M1911A1s I and the other officers in my command used all worked, although some weren't match grade any more and probably hadn't been for a year or two. These had seen Korea, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, and who knows how many other tiny Banana Republic or Central African operations nobody hears much about. Had my armorer work on them in between higher priorities (like keeping the bang sticks in top condition). After a while most of the half-dozen or so were in respectable shape. Someone who could handle a pistol well could qualify expert with any of them. They would easily pass the mud, dusty mud, sandy dusty mud, and frozen sandy dusty mud tests.

That said, with that much congealed goo you could get a stoppage if the firing pin bogs down in its tunnel and doesn't keep the firing pin stop in place after it clears the hammer during recoil. If the firing pin stop slides easily (most do) it could drop and the slide won't go back into battery. The temporary fix is pushing the firing pin stop back into place. It may fire a few more rounds before another stoppage, and so on. Cleaning the firing pin, spring and tunnel out thoroughly using a pipe cleaner and some bore cleaner solves the problem if it's due to Crudmium buildup. It and the extractor (and its tunnel) should be cleaned occasionally. I recommend cleaning those and their tunnels if you've got congealed lube in the pistol. Resilience to a stoppage from a sluggish firing pin allowing a firing pin stop to drop out of position can be improved with an extra power firing pin spring that's a little stiffer than the stock one.

I use Hoppe's #9 lube and occasionally Rem Oil, both very sparingly leaving no more than an extremely thin film on sliding parts (rails, barrel bushing, etc.), and another extremely thin film in the barrel and on the ramp.

John

 

[churchmouse]

In general I concur completely. There's a reason Uncle Sam has been using them continuously for 106 years now (Google M45A1) and that's probably at the top of the list. The 30+ year old M1911A1s I and the other officers in my command used all worked, although some weren't match grade any more and probably hadn't been for a year or two. These had seen Korea, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, and who knows how many other tiny Banana Republic or Central African operations nobody hears much about. Had my armorer work on them in between higher priorities (like keeping the bang sticks in top condition). After a while most of the half-dozen or so were in respectable shape. Someone who could handle a pistol well could qualify expert with any of them. They would easily pass the mud, dusty mud, sandy dusty mud, and frozen sandy dusty mud tests.

That said, with that much congealed goo you could get a stoppage if the firing pin bogs down in its tunnel and doesn't keep the firing pin stop in place after it clears the hammer during recoil. If the firing pin stop slides easily (most do) it could drop and the slide won't go back into battery. The temporary fix is pushing the firing pin stop back into place. It may fire a few more rounds before another stoppage, and so on. Cleaning the firing pin, spring and tunnel out thoroughly using a pipe cleaner and some bore cleaner solves the problem if it's due to Crudmium buildup. It and the extractor (and its tunnel) should be cleaned occasionally. I recommend cleaning those and their tunnels if you've got congealed lube in the pistol. Resilience to a stoppage from a sluggish firing pin allowing a firing pin stop to drop out of position can be improved with an extra power firing pin spring that's a little stiffer than the stock one.

John

Good points.

I set my stops up to where they have to be coerced to come out. Not stupid tight by any standard but enough resistance that they will not fall out.