Figured I'd ask the duck hunters...what gun oil has held up on your guns over the years ???

Dub

Senior Member
I know there's a pile of "what gun oil is best" discussions......but I'd prefer to hear from duck hunters....especially those who hunt in brackish & salt water.


Planning some Outer Banks hunts with my brother-in-law and figured I'd ask those who've been there & done that....and whose guns are holding up nicely.


My gut reaction was to keep using the "Benelli oil" that came with my guns on internals and then hit 'em with some Ballistol.


That "Benelli oil" is running low...guessing it's some type of CLP ???
 

bluemarlin

Senior Member
Wow! Thanks for posting that link JustUs4All
I've been using Frog Lube for a while but WD40 Specialist seems legit. I'm gonna pick some up.
 
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Mars

Senior Member
I don't hunt ducks nearly as much as I used to but I always used Rem Oil. Its inexpensive and easy to find. Worked fine for me.
 

chase870

Possum Sox
I shoot a 870 and it has endured Years of abuse and thousands of rounds of ammo through it. That said I clean it with what ever is available. I have used pretty much all the stuff mentioned and watched a 870 rust in my hands when in a salt water environment. The guys with the auto loaders seemed to have a easier time as far as surface rust due to the exterior finish on their guns, but function was a issue for them in that environment.
 

Duckbuster82

Senior Member
I shoot a 870 and it has endured Years of abuse and thousands of rounds of ammo through it. That said I clean it with what ever is available. I have used pretty much all the stuff mentioned and watched a 870 rust in my hands when in a salt water environment. The guys with the auto loaders seemed to have a easier time as far as surface rust due to the exterior finish on their guns, but function was a issue for them in that environment.

It’s an 870. People buy them so they don’t have to clean them. I have friends that leave them in their boats year round, just for emergency use.
As far as cleaners and lube, it doesn’t matter as long as you do it often. The only issue is when it’s cold certain ones will thicken up and slow your gun down not allowing it to cycle right.
 

C.Killmaster

Georgia Deer Biologist
I started using Hornady One Shot after reading this article maybe 5 years ago and never looked back. That stuff is amazing. Hunted doves this year in the rain with my 1920 Stevens 20 gauge side by side, I just left it out of the case to dry and never got a speck of rust.

https://dayattherange.com/?page_id=3667
 
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DRBugman85

Senior Member
After 40+ year's my Remington Wingmaster 870 SP has been hunted in salt water and the finish is gone,so I spray painted it camo and keep Remington oil on the internal parts,It a duck gun not a show gun,Its never fails to shoot anything I run through it, It ain't pretty but it still shoots them dead.I do clean it after every duck season to make sure it's ready for Turkey season,then clean it again so it's ready for duck season.
 

kingfish

Senior Member
Hoppes, Rem Oil, I Nox, Corrosion X, WD 40 have all been through mine and all work just fine. Black powder rifle bore cleaner and boiling water in the auto loader every season end. Take em apart and take em into the hot shower gives them a great fresh water cleaning too.
 

Robust Redhorse

Senior Member
I'm a Brakefree CLP guy.




Although, if I used the shotgun around saltwater I've had good luck with Salt X soon after use to stop corrosion, then Corrosion X as protection against future salt spray.
 
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chase870

Possum Sox
It’s an 870. People buy them so they don’t have to clean them. I have friends that leave them in their boats year round, just for emergency use.
As far as cleaners and lube, it doesn’t matter as long as you do it often. The only issue is when it’s cold certain ones will thicken up and slow your gun down not allowing it to cycle right.

It's not that you don't have to clean them it's that they will function almost every time with out fail clean or dirty. I have a boat/truck 870 or two and I have a pair that look ruff but have a bit of custom work done to them to enhance performance and tame recoil. The biggest issue with failure I have experienced is chamber rust or rust on the shell base. Most times enough force will open the action and eject the shell on the occasions the extractor rips the base and wont eject the shell you have to go old school and knock it out with a rod
 
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Rich M

Senior Member
I primarily hunt salt and brackish. Not a bigger.

The salt air doesn’t seem to get inside the trigger assembly.

Best thing is to not get yer gun wet. Get a good waterproof and floating case.

wipe it down w oil of choice when you get home. I use rem oil, hoppes, synthetic stuff, and even mystery oil at times. They all work fine.

If you get it wet, wd-40 is your go to for displacing the water and salt.

A browning citori will last 1/2 day without rusting where I hunt. Flitz polish will clean it up, remove the rust and keep it pretty. BTDT. Gun looks as new and has killed 100s or more ducks.

Mostly, I hunt ducks with an old 870. Don’t care if it rusts but my dad keeps it oiled and such cause he likes to hunt with an 1187 - cleans em both in his free time. You’d never think his gun ever left the case.

Have fun on your trip. Regular care will be fine.
 
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GTMODawg

BANNED
I primarily hunt salt and brackish. Not a bigger.

The salt air doesn’t seem to get inside the trigger assembly.

Best thing is to not get yer gun wet. Get a good waterproof and floating case.

wipe it down w oil of choice when you get home. I use rem oil, hoppes, synthetic stuff, and even mystery oil at times. They all work fine.

If you get it wet, wd-40 is your go to for displacing the water and salt.

A browning citori will last 1/2 day without rusting where I hunt. Flitz polish will clean it up, remove the rust and keep it pretty. BTDT. Gun looks as new and has killed 100s or more ducks.

Mostly, I hunt ducks with an old 870. Don’t care if it rusts but my dad keeps it oiled and such cause he likes to hunt with an 1187 - cleans em both in his free time. You’d never think his gun ever left the case.

Have fun on your trip. Regular care will be fine.

I have hunted ducks and geese with a Japanese Citori from Poland to British Columbia, in salt marshes, grain fields and typical fresh water haunts, for the last 31 years and I usually wipe that gun down once a year with some WD-40 and thats it. Its been submerged many times and there ain't no telling how many rounds have been through it. The choke tubes won't back out of it but luckily both barrels have a modified tube in them so it shoots the same no matter what. I also shoot dove with it. I have several pump guns and semis that I take as a back up if I am on a trip more than a few hours from the house but that Citori takes a licking and keeps on ticking....I suspect I will wear out before it does. It kicks like a mule and shoots like a dream and I have up pass shooting years ago as I no longer hate waterfowl like I once did....Wd40 my not be the right lube but its kept that gun functioning for years....
 

Rich M

Senior Member
I have hunted ducks and geese with a Japanese Citori from Poland to British Columbia, in salt marshes, grain fields and typical fresh water haunts, for the last 31 years and I usually wipe that gun down once a year with some WD-40 and thats it. Its been submerged many times and there ain't no telling how many rounds have been through it. The choke tubes won't back out of it but luckily both barrels have a modified tube in them so it shoots the same no matter what. I also shoot dove with it. I have several pump guns and semis that I take as a back up if I am on a trip more than a few hours from the house but that Citori takes a licking and keeps on ticking....I suspect I will wear out before it does. It kicks like a mule and shoots like a dream and I have up pass shooting years ago as I no longer hate waterfowl like I once did....Wd40 my not be the right lube but its kept that gun functioning for years....

Nothing wrong with WD-40.

I hunted once w 2 guys who showed up w new citoris in 1999 and we hunted a salt marsh (MINWR). Their guns had an orange sheen on them by the 1 pm end time. Cleaned em up and good as new.

Mine (1995 model) would show orange once we got home. Flitz took care of that.

GREAT gun. Hard to miss with it. Took a newbie to a charity sporting clays shoot and he shot 60% with my Citori.
 
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