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oil on top round

geeguygeeguy Member Posts: 1,047
During a .22 Bullseye pistol match the discussion of a drop of oil on the top round (at the junction of the bullet and case)became a topic of accuracy. I have always used a drop on all my guns during competition and never had a feeding problem, and shooting the .22 at 50 yds from a ransom never noticed a difference in accuracy. (so I will continue no matter what, and I like my guns a little "wet")

It was stated that a drop can take you from the 10 ring to the 6 ring and about 9 shots to come back to the 10 ring. I know a drop of oil in a rifle barrel can create an issue, but on the top of the first round? With a competition chamber?

Not sure there is a right or wrong on this issue, but interested in what other pistol and bench rest rifle shooters think, or have experienced.

Comments

  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oil is not good in a chamber, it holds dirt, if it goes into the bore all it can do is cause problems, burned oil makes carbon, carbon is dirt in a bore.

    The only wear I ever saw on a match grade 22 pistol was from dry firing or the peening of the barrel from the slide. The 20,000 rounds or so I shot in competition never started to wear the gun out.

    The risk of using oil on the ammo far exceeds any possible benefit in my way of thinking.
  • Riomouse911Riomouse911 Member Posts: 3,492 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've heard that too, but I won't do it. I'm thinking that'll just make attracting dust, lint, and unburned powder into the tight-tolerance match chamber even worse than the lube on the bullet alone... and that'll make more of a negative difference than anything the oil can help.

    Besides, I know you're well aware a .22 pistol should last just about forever without it, as Bpost pointed out. I have no idea why anyone would need to do that to a .22 unless the gun just won't feed reliably and it was tried out as a cure. I have also read somewhere of warriors putting a drop of oil on the first round in a clip of steel-cased pistol ammo in .45's in combat to improve feeding. (Jeff Cooper said that regarding wartime steel case ammo in a Guns & Ammo magazine I think?? I might be wrong on the author.)

    As for .22's my Ruger MkI is older than my wife and was left in the damp when it was stored by the first owner, so it was a pitted mess (with a shiny bore/chamber) when I bought it last year on GB for 100 bucks. Now with a cerakote finish, 2 new mags and new springs I think it'll go another 40 years, and shoots to point of aim all day with budget ammo. The same goes for my Dad's Colt Huntsman, never needed any help to feed. (Not match target pistols, but .22's shooting mostly budget .22 ammo nonetheless)
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This is an often discussed subject with the Bulls-Eye pistol shooters. When Temps get below about 50 degrees many brands of pistols and 22 rimfire because of waxed bullets start to have function problems . When using CCI standard velocity I have to use oil to soften this HEAVY wax. However with SK JADA no problems "it has a slick black thin film lube"I don't need oil. Be aware The cartridge case is designed to GRIP the chamber wall until pressure drops . With oil this can cause dangerous pressures to start the slide back too early and I have seen blown case heads Be careful. In extensive Ransom rest testing with OIL on the first round group size does not seem to go up .
  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I shot 22 bullseye for years with a H-S Trophy and S&W 41. Used Rem. standard vel. and never had to use oil on the ammo.
  • geeguygeeguy Member Posts: 1,047
    edited November -1
    Very interesting comments from you all. My reason for starting had nothing to do with the gun wear, but the feeding. I started with a 41 and on cold days (box sitting in the car at 20F or less for all day, then shooting the match at night)The first few rounds didn't eject well, so I had used in the past a drop on the .45's and tried that method, always seemed to work. Then with two marvel units when they had crummy metal mags (Karl will remember that time)I changed to the Kimber plastic mags which worked well but had a few feed issues, added the oil, feed issues went away completely.

    I totally agree that the use of the oil draws dirt. I clean the chamber area and the action area after each match, but I had not considered the pressure for ejection being effected due to the oil. I'll try some dry ammo on a Walther that I am having issues with on ejection and see if that helps.

    As always, I appreciate the input.
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