Can I use WD40 to clean my Glock?

After a day of hunting or time spent at the gun range, it’s important to clean your firearm before storing it inside one of our concealed gun cabinets or on a wooden display rack. Improper care of your rifle, shotgun, pistol, or other firearms may result in it malfunctioning and/or rusting.

While cleaning the outside of a gun is routine knowledge among gun owners, you’re not alone in asking, “Should I oil the inside of my gun barrel?” The answer is, yes, but make sure you’re doing it correctly.

How to Oil the Inside of a Gun

You don’t want to leave a significant amount of oil residue on your gun barrel. Excessive oil could impede its ability to fire.

Instead, run a lightly oiled patch through the barrel. Use an oil specifically made for firearms. Afterward, follow up by pushing a completely new, dry patch through the bore a couple of times. This will not only help protect it from rust. Running those patches through may dislodge grime and small insects that made their way into the barrel of your gun.

A very thin layer of oil in the barrel of a gun is especially helpful if you plan to store your firearms for a long period of time. Also, it can help neutralize any solvents left in the barrel after cleaning.

How Often Should I Oil My Gun?

After every cleaning, your gun with solvents, you should oil your gun. Again, you only need a very thin layer of oil. Always follow up any lubrication by running a dry patch through the barrel twice. If your firearm has been in long-term storage, be sure to wipe it out again before you fire that first shot.

Can I Use WD-40 On My Gun?

WD-40 is a water displacement product and not made for lubricating guns. It’s best to choose a product made specifically for gun lubrication. Check out the safety data sheet for WD-40 and you’ll see that WD-40 contains less than 35% oil.

How Should I Store My Gun After It’s Clean?

Once your gun is thoroughly cleaned and its barrel slightly oiled, you can store it in any gun cabinet or safe located in a moisture-controlled environment. Our handmade wooden gun cabinets provide secure gun storage for collections of varied sizes, even up to 20 guns. USA Gun Cabinets also builds custom hidden storage cabinets for firearms.

Everything is done by hand at our woodshop in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Contact us today to learn more.

Many years ago I had a gunsmith 40 years ago, that LOVED WD 40. He said that people would put their shotguns away at the end of hunting season and pull them out the next year and suddenly they wouldn't work. Pump shotguns were sticky, auto's wouldn't work and they would bring them in to have him work on them. All he had to do was clean them up(getting the WD 40 out of them) and they would work perfectly. He told me that WD turns into a gummy substance after a few days and he was making a lot of money every year just because these people didn't have the sense to NOT use WD 40. So, with that in mind....don't use the stuff. You want something that WILL work?? Break free or my personal favorite...Tri-Flow. That stuff reallly works well, even in subzero temperatures. I'm in maintanence at work.....won't allow any WD 40 in the shop at all.

For many people, WD-40 is a household essential that fixes everything from creaky doors to rusted bolts. If you’re dealing with gun issues, there’s a chance you might be looking at your WD-40 can and wondering if you can clean your gun with it. However, spraying WD-40 on a gun isn’t a foolproof solution. If you’re new to gun ownership, the ideal first step is to take a gun safety class to learn how to handle your firearm safely, including the proper ways to clean it. Here are some things to know about how WD-40 will affect your gun.

The Difference between WD-40 & Gun Oil

At a glance, WD-40 might seem like it has a similar texture and purpose as gun oil. However, on a chemical level, these two items are very different. Therefore, they have vastly different effects on a gun. Gun oil cleans, lubricates, and protects your gun. While WD-40 is often confused with lubricants and cleaners, it isn’t actually a cleaner. WD-40 is made of a mixture of mineral oil, water repellents, and solvents that aren’t directly harmful to a gun. However, WD-40 evaporates quickly, so it doesn’t lubricate moving parts or prevent your gun from accumulating more grime.

The Problem with Regularly Using WD-40

As you can see, WD-40 is useless if you want to lubricate your gun or protect it from more dirt. It does have some very limited uses as a cleaner, but in most cases, cleaning your gun with WD-40 isn’t recommended because of the way the WD-40 solvent works. When applied to a gun, it will briefly dissolve gunk, but the aerosol applicator will blow all the grime inside the gun’s crevices. 

When WD-40 Is Helpful

Did you know the “WD” in WD-40 stands for “water displacement”? This substance quickly removes water and dries up moisture. Therefore, WD-40 can be useful in emergencies when your gun gets wet. For example, if you accidentally drop your gun in a lake while hunting, a quick spray of WD-40 can dry it off quickly before more damage can be done. Likewise, it can displace water if you’re doing a deep cleaning of a gun that contains some extra moisture.

How to Use WD-40 on a Gun Correctly

Ultimately, WD-40 is fine to use on guns as long as you don’t make a habit out of it. When you need to get rid of some moisture or are out of your favorite cleaner, WD-40 can remove grime and dry out your gun. However, it’s important to use an actual gun cleaner to clean away the coating left behind by WD-40 as soon as you can. Furthermore, make sure you’re not trying to use WD-40 as a gun oil. For the best results, apply a manufacturer-recommended lubricant and protectant to your gun on a regular basis. 

If you own a firearm, it’s essential to make sure you learn how to clean it correctly, and a high-quality gun safety class can teach you how to do that and much more. Gun Safety Training Pros is committed to providing the finest gun safety course online. If you want to learn more about the crucial aspects of safe firearms ownership and gun handling, contact us today at [email protected].