Without a single doubt, WD40 is a famed multi-purpose product for different kinds of applications. But when it comes to the airgunning world, can you use WD40 on air rifles?
Generally, you can use WD-40 on the exterior of your air rifle to remove rust and moisture that accumulates on the metal surface. WD-40 must not be used to clean or lubricate internal components or the barrel. This is because it may lead to dieseling.
Some folks have taken WD-40 as a true lubricant. However, that’s not true – WD-40 is just a cleaning agent. It’s a spray that displaces moisture from surfaces. So, don’t use it exclusively to lubricate your gun.
This is definitely one of the most argued about topics for airgunners. Probably you don’t have a cohort to side as of now and are looking to bolster your understanding of the WD-40. Stick around and you will not be disappointed.
Can You Use WD40 On Air Rifles?
While everybody has their own personal opinion about the use of WD-40, one thing remains in common; it’s not an out-and-out lubricant. Instead, WD-40 is a cleaning agent with the ability to displace water molecules from a surface.
It finds common use in fixing domestic applications. You can pretty much do everything with the WD-40 spray. It will fix the creakiest door, rusty bike chains, tangled jewelry, jammed cups, and many more other things you can think about.
Because of its water displacement capability, it will loosen up all these conjoined stuff that are corroded and rusted. It’s important to note that WD-40 is a petroleum-based product.
Now, the cleaning agent has slowly made inroads in the airgunning industry. So and so that there is a growing association of this chemical with airguns.
But in all fairness, WD-40 can only be used to clean or remove elements of rust, dust, and especially moisture from the outer metallic surface of an air rifle. However, using the product to clean the inside of the barrel or the internal mechanism of an airgun is a dangerous move.
By using the WD-40 which is a petroleum product, you risk damaging the seals of low-quality airguns. It can also combust in the compression chamber in a process referred to as dieseling which can lead to supersonic pellet speeds and smoking.
Is WD-40 a Lubricant?
Fair to say so many people have at least taken WD-40 to be a lubricant. It happens most often than not and you will definitely be part of such a narrative if you are just new to airguns.
So, is WD-40 a lubricant? WD-40 is a solvent that follows a blend of different lubricants mixed together. It’s not a lubricant in its purest form.
What this means is that it cannot be used for lubing airguns. However, since it dissolves rust well, you can have it of use as far as cleaning the outside of the air rifle is concerned.
Can You Use WD40 to Clean an Air Rifle?
When it comes to the removal of rust and stickers, WD-40 has received a lot of plaudits from millions and millions of people around the world for its wonderful work. It’s a unique solvent that boasts a blend of different lubricants into one cleaning formula.
Can you use WD-40 to clean an air rifle given the array of applications it can do? the answer is you don’t need to use WD-40 to clean your air rifle, especially the barrel and internal parts. But if it’s just the exterior surface, that’s fine to use it to remove elements.
If used on the internal components, WD-40 will dry out the parts leaving them patched and the metal-to-metal contact will in no time ruin your gun. Then how about the impending danger of dieseling in spring guns – this is a petroleum-based product.
There are lots of other gun sprays you can use to clean your airgun but if you stick with WD-40 for the exterior, make sure to spray it on a piece of cloth. Then wipe gently on the metallic areas to eradicate any elements before giving it a good lubricant.
As for cleaning air rifles, it’s a good way of maintaining your airguns. But, it’s not always required that you clean the barrel and the internal parts for the sake of the inevitable reasons.
In case you want to clean the barrel, there are cleaning pellets you can always turn your attention to.
What Oil Do You Use to Clean an Air Rifle Barrel?
Regular maintenance of an airgun is key to its proper functioning. Oiling the barrel is just but one way of keeping the perfect working condition of an airgun.
There are tons of oils out there but the big question is what oil do you use to clean an air rifle barrel? You can use whatever oil your manufacturer recommends will work best for the airgun. But, a good rust protection spray or silicone gun oil will do well on the external.
You can definitely check for Crosman 241 Pellgunoil Air Gun Lubricating Oil
(View on Amazon) that’s sold in a .25-ounce tube. It is a very cheap option but delivers some desirable results.
With a light coat of oil after every use, the barrel is protected from rust and corrosion. It will also look great and keep up the high standards of performance.
You will need to wipe off any moisture or water droplets with a cloth on the barrel before you apply the oil.
With that being said, never ever apply oil inside the barrel. Even though it will get dirty with lead deposit build-up over time, regular cleaning is not recommended except when extremely necessary.
The biggest caveat to oiling the barrel is dieseling in case the oil finds its way into the internal components of the spring air rifle via a transfer port. It will burn there thanks to the high temperature and increased pressure leading to combustion.
If this persists for a considerable period, you are going to damage the seals, and eventually, the entire gun will get destroyed. For the record, the internal parts of the barrel must not be oiled.
How Should I Clean My Airgun Barrel?
As you shoot the air rifle, there are lots of lead deposits accumulating in the bore of the barrel. This is particularly good for the speed and proper propulsion of pellets for some time.
On the flip side, too much deposit can be counterproductive for the airgun. As a general rule, the bore of the airgun barrels must not be cleaned unless it’s burning necessary in which case you may need to remove dirt and grease and the deposits.
If that happens, then you can run a clean patch in the barrel a number of times to remove the dirt. You just need to be cautious so you don’t mess up your airgun in the end.
Experienced enthusiasts intimate cleaning from the breech rather than through the muzzle. This helps to protect the rifling and hence the effectiveness of the air rifle.
Can you use WD40 on your air rifle at this point? Importantly, you want to avoid using solvents like WD40 to clean the inside of the barrel. If possible, get a high-grade lube to use for lubrication with just a small amount of it. Do not overdo to avoid any problems such as dieseling.
Finally, you’ve got to dry the bore of the barrel especially if you will need to use it very soon. But in case it is in for long storage, you must remember to lube it with a thin gun oil layer for assured protection.
If the excess lead build-up is impairing the gun’s accuracy, you may also choose to use a brass or bronze brush to scrub off the deposits in a back and forth action. Note that scrubbing the bore can imminently damage especially if you don’t have the experience of doing it.
How Often Should You Clean an Airgun?
It’s important to keep your air rifle well maintained for longevity. But how often should you clean an airgun to increase its lifespan?
Well, it depends on how regularly you use it. The cleaning regime for a regular shooter is understandably different from that of a patchy shooter.
But in general, it all comes down to the environment in which you are shooting the gun. Humid locations may dictate that you always wipe off the moisture with a dry cloth before storage.
And also after finishing your tin of pellets, you can clean it. The bottom line is to stick to regular cleaning as far as the surrounding factors determine.
With that said, the barrel is not supposed to be cleaned at all except for the exterior metallic part. Then wipe and apply a thin layer of gun oil.
Final Thoughts: Can You Use WD-40 On Air Rifles?
Generally, you may use the WD-40 to clean the exterior of the air rifle by spraying the solvent on a piece of cloth and wiping it. This product cannot be used as a lubricant as many people think.
As far as the internal parts of the airgun can go, WD-40 must not be used because it can damage the seals of your airgun. Keep in mind it’s a petroleum product that can burn under intense pressure.
