What do you use on your Mauser or Model 70, how much, and where do you put it?

There's no movement in a bolt action rifle. Greasing up the bolt just helps it gather crud and fouling.

So, minimal grease on the lugs and in the channels the lugs run in. But MINIMAL! There's no real reason to lubricate the action at all.

I ALWAYS lightly lube the bolt and action. Use Milsurp "weapons oil, medium" as they refer to it. All you have to do is look for the wear spots on the metal sufaces and apply a THIN coat where needed.

I learned the hard way one frosty frosty sunrise that WD40 will gel inside the bolt, causing a very audible thunk but no ignition on my 7MM RM. Three rounds later, the goo had cleared enough for me to bag my whitetail, but he was in third headed for fourth by then, not my favorite type of shot. I still use it for cleaning and a light thin coat for rust inhibit, but very carefully. This may not count, as this was on a Rem 700. Never had it happen again, simply used care and not too much lube. It never gave any indication of this prior, either, with several years use prior to this incident. The rounds that did not ignite I used for testing later that day, they were fine. Tapered firing pin fitting into a tapered socket.

I use Brownell's Action Lube Plus, on a thin wooden stick, and lightly grease the back of the lugs and the camming surfaces on my M700 bolts. Like someone above said, look for the shiny rubbed spots, and touch a small dab on them.

The first step I follow in lubing the bolt is to make sure that the interior of the action and the bolt itself is spotlessly clean. Rule Number One of proper lubrication is to get rid of all dirt and crud before you do anything else - never leave dirt in place.

I use (sparingly) regular old Hoppe's #9 on fresh cleaning patches for this job, plus a special locking lug cleaning tool from Sinclair. This tool is very important, because you need to get the grit and gunk out from beind the locking lug recesses, and you can't do it by hand. Don't forget the magazine box and follower, and also the striker assembly.

After the Hoppe's, I wipe all surfaces down with a fresh shop rag. I then use Shooter's Choice FP-10 lubricant on a fresh cleaning patch to apply a thin coat to the interior of the action, the bolt body, and the striker assembly. I apply a drop of FP-10 to the extractor collar, and (on the Model 70) to the bolt guide cut on the right locking lug. I then apply a dab of Shooter's Choice grease to the threads of the striker assembly, plus behind the locking lugs and the cams. I don't apply any lubricant to the magazine box & follower - these I wipe down with Birchwood-Casey's Sheath rust preventive - the same stuff I wipe the exterior of the metal down with.

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Only place to lube a bolt is the lugs. I use moly grease and only a light dab of that. Particularly hunting in cold country, one of the last things I do in prepping a gun before going hunting, is to degrease the bolt completely. The dab of grease on the lug is the only lubricant of any kind.

A particularly effective lube for those who feel they have to have one, is automatic transmission fluid. It's very high grade, thin, and doesn't freeze or gum up. A light wipe with a bit of that in races and on the bolt I suppose wouldn't hurt, but it's unnecessary.

Actually ATF, like every other oil in existance, will freeze. The differance is at what temperature it freezes. I go along with the de-grease before hunting in cold weather, then a tiny amount of synthetic lube on the lugs. This is usually good to -40 to -45. After that I stay home. - Dan

atf and kerosene, mixed 50/50, will match almost any lube in existence.For non smg's.

Synthetic oils will not freeze before I will! Most common viscoities will pour at -60F!

Check out Sinclair Int. They have a great syringe with a curved tip full of very good bolt grease, They also have Shooters Choice Hi-Tech lube, Moly slide paste and Pro-Tec gun grease. If that doesn't flip your lid, nothing will. I bought 3 tubes of Shooters Choice lube when I first found it way long time ago and have used it on eveything that even looks like it needs a little shot. Autos, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, fishing reels, camera internals, tools, loading gear, you name it. I got some Sinclair lube last year and the little curvy schnoze works great at putting it just where you need it.

When it gets cold just degrease and forget it. No way will you ever wear out a degreased rifle shooting a few shots each winter. Degrease your striker spring and your trigger then apply a tiny amount of synthetic grease to your fingers, rub it between thumb and fingers then onto the outside of the spring. A tiny amount of ATF on the trigger sliding surfaces and that's all you need. If that doesn't make you feel good, hose it down with silicone spray and let it dry. Then go shoot something.

Check out Sinclair Int. They have a great syringe with a curved tip full of very good bolt grease, They also have Shooters Choice Hi-Tech lube, Moly slide paste and Pro-Tec gun grease. If that doesn't flip your lid, nothing will. I bought 3 tubes of Shooters Choice lube when I first found it way long time ago and have used it on eveything that even looks like it needs a little shot. Autos, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, fishing reels, camera internals, tools, loading gear, you name it. I got some Sinclair lube last year and the little curvy schnoze works great at putting it just where you need it.

When it gets cold just degrease and forget it. No way will you ever wear out a degreased rifle shooting a few shots each winter. Degrease your striker spring and your trigger then apply a tiny amount of synthetic grease to your fingers, rub it between thumb and fingers then onto the outside of the spring. A tiny amount of ATF on the trigger sliding surfaces and that's all you need. If that doesn't make you feel good, hose it down with silicone spray and let it dry. Then go shoot something. Don't get all crazy over something that small.

Dab a touch of 3in1 with my digit on the rear of the bolt, the cocking cam and wipe the rear of the lugs with whatever remains.

If I ever hunt in temperatures that freeze oil I will head for the nearest pub

There is a fair old groove in the bolt metal of one of my Argy 09s where the rear of the extractor rotates around the bolt body, I don't think metal to metal contact unlubricated is a good idea unless absolutely necessary and in my case it isn't.

[ 05-29-2002, 17:30: Message edited by: 1894 ]

Well, except for caribou, we've never actually planned severe weather hunts. They just kind of happen when you're out there. A few years back, in October, in the afternoon it was tee shirt weather, and by dark when we were trying to get back to the truck, it was -43 with winds gusting to 60 mph, and we already had a foot of snow with more coming. I've also been up in elk country when the temperature dropped 60 degrees overnight. Degrease your bolt, lube the lugs with something that has a very low pour point, and leave the rifle exposed to temperature when you come in at night. Of course, depending on where you hunt, your milage may vary (I like that phrase). - Dan