I have been meaning to post this for a long time, but it is a boring subject - not the high speed sexy gun stuff you all like.

Anyway, I have become aggravated with many items marketed to GunGeeks that are common items repackaged as a gun product and at triple the price. A good example is common brake cleaner sold in aerosol cans and gun cleaner that is the same thing.

Most of you know I am far from the forum tightwad. I spend way too much on guns, ammo and gear. But criminy, chemicals for cleaning and lubricating selling for 9 or 10 dollars a can?  They are ripping us off.

Long ago I started buying the common chemicals for gun use rather than "gun" cleaners and lubes. For instance, we use glass cleaner at work that is bought cheaply in bulk for cleaning firearms. We still buy gun products too, but as an example, Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil is much higher tech than Break Free, and costs much less when compared apples to apples. FWIW, S&W recommends Mobil 1! 

My agency likes FP-10 gun lubricant. We use it in auto rifles and shotguns. I like it for my tight 1911s. Not all gun products are a rip-off.

Since I work the motor squad and I am a GunGeek, I am aware that my pistol literally hangs out in the weather every day, subjecting it to environmental abuse. Rain, oils, grime and road salt blow over it every day. We decided to put a small gun maintenance table in our office so that motor cops could regularly clean their pistols at work. Most cops are not likely to clean their guns often, so to make it fast and simple, we looked for gun wipes in a bulk pop-up tub (like wet ones or baby wipes).

The subject of this message is what we ended up getting, and I am really sold on this product:

Hilco lube is an industrial lubricant that has many applications and is ideal for gun uses. It is available in spray or the tub of pop-up wipes that we got. I have tried the Break-Free gun wipes, and the Hilco product is superior. The wipes are napkin sized and the oil is light and almost odorless. The wipe is durable, lint free and does not snag. The chemicals will clean from your hands with normal hand washing. The tub contains 70 wipes, and usually I only use one wipe for a pistol or long gun.

Hilco lube is a high tech chemical, and according to their website:

- Lubricates
- Cleans
- Displaces water
- Prevents Rust, Corrosion and Build-up
- Non-conductive (up to 18KV AC)
- Fire resistant
- USDA Authorized

Hilco wipes may be a little more difficult to find. A quick web search found that only SRT Supply indicates that they sell individual tubs. Since Hilco is industry and goverment oriented, they sell products by the case and pallet. You could always buy a six pack of tubs by purchasing with friends.

Industrial chemicals that are sold in bulk are usually better because they are required to perform without flash and dazzle... or advertising. The bulk stuff may cost more at purchase, but of course it is cheaper by volume.

Glock has long used an anti-seize compound as a factory lube on it's pistols. The gold colored lube is what Glock uses on it's manufacturing machinery, so it was cheap and easy for them to use the same thing on guns. It turns out that chemicals used in industry are often superior to gun products, so keep your eyes open and you may end up with a better product... sometimes for less money!

I will never be thrifty, but if I am spending good money on something, I want a GOOD product. If it turns out to be a real bargain, all the better.