Firearm Care
Lubrication
Proper lubrication will insure that your pistol functions correctly when called upon, for years to come. There are many brands of lubricants, and someone will claim that each is THE best. While some are better than others, it is much less important which brands you use, than how often, and where you use them.
Firearms should be cleaned and relubricated after every time they are fired. Even when they have not been fired, they should be cleaned and lubricated on a regular basis. Carry pistols, should be cleaned once a month since they are exposed to dust, lint and other contaminants. Guns that sit in a safe can be cleaned less often if not used, but you should clean them a couple times a year.
There are 3 basic types of lubricants. Oil, grease, and cleaner / lubricators that can be used in place of oil. Below are examples of each type of lubricant.
oils grease cleaner / lubricators
Lubrication of a typical pistol requires use of both grease and oil or cleaner / lubricant. Below are illustrated the basics of where to lubricate a pistol. The pistol pictured is a Kel-Tec P32, but the principles can be transferred to most any other pistol. Places to use grease are lettered and shown in white, places to use oil are numbered and shown in red. Don't get carried away applying lubricants, you just want enough to lightly coat the parts. Not enough so that it runs off or is thrown off during use.
A coat the face of the hammer
B coat the entire length of both frame rails1 between the trigger bar and frame
2 on the hammer axis
3 on the trigger axiswork the trigger a few times to help distribute the oil
B coat entire length of both slide rails
C coat the hammer interface
D coat the inside of the barrel under lug 4 run an oiled patch through the barrel, followed by a dry patch to remove any excess
5 coat the belled area of the outside of the barrel
6 coat the guide rod
Reassemble as normal, and very lightly coat all exposed metal with oil to protect from corrosion. That's all there is to it.
