Categories
General Information

Corrosion Protection: Which Gun Oil Works?

Pick up a copy of the Brownells or Midway USA catalogs, and you can find a wide selection of gun oils and protectants that are supposed to provide corrosion protection for your firearms.  But how can you tell which ones are the best?

Fortunately, several people have done some research to help give you an idea on which oils provide good rust resistance.

Over at 6mmBR.com,  there is an article called “Corrosion Protection Products: How to Keep Your Rifle Rust-Free in Storage.”  In this evaluation, corrosion protectants were tested: Break-Free, Corrosion-X, Eezox, FP10, Rem-Oil, Slip2000, Strike-Hold, and Mobil 1 15W50 (motor oil).  Using a salt water spray in the testing, they found Eezox and Corrosion-X provided the best protection, though I was very impressed by Break-Free’s performance.

I also encourage you to check out the article “GUN CLEANING CLINIC: Knowing The Limits Of Rust Preventives” on the Brownells website.  In this test, the following products were tested:  Birchwood Casey Sheath, Boeshield T-9, Break-Free CLP, Break-Free Weapon Wipes, Brownells Cosmoline, Brownells Rust Preventive No. 2, Hoppe’s Lubricating Oil, Rig Universal Grease, Tetra Gun Lubricant, Valvoline 5W-30 motor oil, and WD-40.  In the Brownells test, the samples were left in an outdoor environment for 72-hours, during which they experienced high temperatures and a rainstorm.

The best performers in the Brownells test were Boeshield T-9, Brownells Cosmoline, and Rig Universal Grease for long term storage, and Brownells RP2, Tetra Gun, and WD-40 for corrosion resistance that is usable on your daily carry guns.

Of course, both tests tend to demonstrate the extremes of hardship on your guns.  I would imagine with just a little care, any of the products would be capable of protecting your firearms.  However, everyone can, on occasion, get caught in a rainstorm or otherwise expose their gun to the elements.  In those cases, picking one of the better protectants may prevent some rust from showing up on your hunting rifle or concealed carry pistol.

Categories
Handguns

SIG SAUER P232 Pistols: Updated for 2009

SIG P232

The SIG SAUER P232 pistol was updated for 2009.  The new P232 features a newly designed slide that reduces “slide bite” on larger hands and removable sights.

For those not familiar with the SIG SAUER P232, the gun is a .380 ACP pistol that is more substantial in size and weight than the recent crop of .380 pocket guns.  The P232 runs between 18.5 – 23.6 ounces, has a 3.6″ barrel, and an overall length of 6.6″.  The action is a DA/SA design and has a capacity of seven plus one.

The SIG P232 is available in three finishes: black Nitron, stainless, and a two-tone stainless slide with a black frame.  All models of P232 are available with standard or SIGLITE Night Sights.

SIG P232 Specifications

  • caliber:  .380 ACP
  • standard magazine capacity:  seven rounds
  • barrel length:  3.6″
  • overall length:  6.6″
  • action:  double-action/single-action (DA/SA)
  • trigger pull weight:  DA: 10 pounds, SA: 4.5 pounds
  • sight radius:  4.7″
  • MSRP:  $649 ($720 with factory night sights) for the Nitron version

While sleek and attractive, some people do not like the P232 pistols due to the lack of slide catch.  This means the shooter will not be able to lock the slide to the rear of the pistol for any reason.  While this does not negatively impact the reliability of the handgun, it does alter how some things are done.  For example, you can’t lock the slide back when handing another person the P232.  If this is important to you, this SIG pistol may not be your best choice.

Sootch00 on YouTube did a review of the updated pistol:

The P232 is easy to shoot, light recoiling pistol due to the size of it. Keep in mind that the trigger is a double-action/single-action design. These tend to be less accurate due to the lack of training most people will invest in learning the system. For the vast majority of people, having a double-action only pistol – like a Glock or Smith & Wesson M&P – is a superior choice.

Categories
General Information

Good Gun Deals Can Still Be Had

Smith & Wesson 64 NYPD

For the past couple of years, gun and ammunition prices have been creeping upward.  Since the 2008 elections, the prices on some firearms have skyrocketed.  If you are in the market for a firearm, don’t be afraid: good deals can still be had.  You just have to be patient, and be ready to deal with cash when you find something you want.

Smith & Wesson 64 NYPD

For example, a friend of mine at work had a nice NYPD Smith and Wesson model 64-1 revolver.  This was one of the last revolver models approved by the NYPD for carrying.  My friend, a retired NYPD cop, was keeping his full-sized duty gun but was trying to get rid of this one, a 2″ barrel K-frame with a bobbed hammer.  He only wanted $100 for it.  I was willing to buy it sight unseen at that price, and cash quickly exchanged hands.  As a Smith and Wesson revolver guy, I can’t resist picking up a pre-lock gun that has some history behind it.

In another example, my father called me just a little while ago.  One of his friends has some pistols he is looking to sell for some extra money.  For $150, my dad picked up an unfired FEG P9R with two magazines, holster, and ammo.  Looking around at some of the auction sites, the same gun starts at $295 and goes up from there.

Recently, a local police academy was liquidating some of their unused inventory.  Back in a corner of their firearms vault were more than a dozen Ruger Mini-14’s.  Most of the rifles were unfired, and none had ever been issued for use on the street.  In fact, most of them had merely sat in the vault for about a decade, completely unmolested.  The price?  $250 each.  I missed out on that deal but would have bought every one of them if I could have.

The point I am trying to make is this: unless you must purchase a specific firearm today, be patient.  Ask around at work, at church, and at other gatherings.  There is always someone who has a gun but would rather have some money.  Once people know you are in the market for something, word of mouth will bring the deals to you.  You just have to know what you want and be willing to pay cash immediately.

Categories
news

Charter Arms Rimless Revolver

Charter Arms Pitbull revolver

The Charter Arms Rimless Revolver (CARR) took a long time to get to market. There were a number of false starts and premature press releases. However, the revolver that takes rimless cartridges without the need for moon clips finally did make the market in 2012 – almost four years after the first announcement.

The final product was the Charter Arms Pitbull. Although we were promised a .45 ACP version also, the gun is only available in 9mm and .40 S&W. Read more about the new guns here.

Continue reading “Charter Arms Rimless Revolver”
Categories
news

Taurus 738 TCP: .380 ACP Pistol Takes Aim at the Ruger LCP

Taurus TCP 380

The Taurus TCP was a micro-sized .380 ACP pistol released by Taurus in 2008. Taurus manufactured the gun until about 2014.

Aimed at the same market that was dominated by the Ruger LCP, Taurus’ attempt to woo buyers to the TCP 380 ultimately failed. Low prices are typically the major selling point for Taurus firearms, but the LCP was also very aggressively priced. Most buyers opted for the better regarded Ruger name.

Continue reading “Taurus 738 TCP: .380 ACP Pistol Takes Aim at the Ruger LCP”