Pellet lube?

[Walnut92]

Firstly, just joined up so 'hello'.

I've been, until very recently, only a 'plinker', but have (a) achieved quite reasonable accuracy with my fettled Umarex 92FS, and (b) been lent a Walther LP300 which I am really enjoying! To the point where I might consider buying it, or one, or similar...

However, my question is: do you use pellet lube?

I have always done so with my other air pistols, and keep the bores clean with either felt pellets and/or the non-brass brush Boresnake. I generally put hree small drops on the lid of a new tin, shut it and gently tumble the tin.

However, you guys are 'proper' shooters so will know better than me!

thanks!

[Ramon OP]

No, and I have yet to meet somebody that does. The Steyr Evo 10 manual even says not to:

CLEANING AND CARE
In standard use the weapon operates maintenance-free and no oi-
ling is required.
The only maintenance required is to slightly grease the O-ring in the
loading port and the O-ring at the threaded adapter socket for the
compressed-air cylinder with a special lubricant (acid-free silicone
grease) every 1000 shots. This will increase the service life of the
O-rings.
To clean the barrel shoot some dry (not greased) felt pellets or
cleaning strings through the barrel (available at your dealer).

[Rover]

You may have seen pipe smokers rub their pipe alongside their nose. They do that to imbue the warm wood with their natural facial oil or grease.

If you watch carefully, you may see air pistol shooters do the same with their pellets. Unfortunately, it seems that the naturally greasiest of them wins.

[Walnut92]

No, and I have yet to meet somebody that does. The Steyr Evo 10 manual even says not to:

CLEANING AND CARE
In standard use the weapon operates maintenance-free and no oi-
ling is required.
The only maintenance required is to slightly grease the O-ring in the
loading port and the O-ring at the threaded adapter socket for the
compressed-air cylinder with a special lubricant (acid-free silicone
grease) every 1000 shots. This will increase the service life of the
O-rings.
To clean the barrel shoot some dry (not greased) felt pellets or
cleaning strings through the barrel (available at your dealer).

Yes I understand fully about not oiling/greasing the gun itself - the Walther manual mirrors that guidance. I maintain clocks and watches and the types of oil are formulated specially for different parts of the movements in order not to encourage dirt capture or impeded motion due to inappropriate viscosity.

I've just stripped my 92FS and removed most oil and grease.

However, I will continue to listen out as I am yet to be convinced whether the pellets should, or should not, receive tiny films of lubrication.

As an aside certain manufacturer's CO2 cylinders come with very small quantities of oil in them (and yes, some others are heavily oiled for limited periodic maintenance use only).

[Walnut92]

You may have seen pipe smokers rub their pipe alongside their nose. They do that to imbue the warm wood with their natural facial oil or grease.

If you watch carefully, you may see air pistol shooters do the same with their pellets. Unfortunately, it seems that the naturally greasiest of them wins.

A vote in favour then... ;)

[jckstrthmghty]

If you were shooting extreme benchrest at 100 yards and scoring extremely well then I would say worth investigating if you have the time. Extracting that theoretical minute amount of mechanical accuracy for a pistol shooting 10m or whatever distance isn't worth the effort. Spending the time working on yourself will yield far more real accuracy.

[william]

You may have seen pipe smokers rub their pipe alongside their nose. They do that to imbue the warm wood with their natural facial oil or grease.

If you watch carefully, you may see air pistol shooters do the same with their pellets. Unfortunately, it seems that the naturally greasiest of them wins.

The top shooters will often conceal a small blob of bacon fat somewhere on their persons. It also makes them very popular with neighborhood dogs.

[thirdwheel]

Everybody has to learn somewhere and learn by their mistakes and it is always best to ask if you are not sure.

So here goes, do not put any lube anywhere near a proper target pistol or on the pellets but there is one exception, a tiny bit of silicone every 1000 pellets on the cylinder seal and that my be even too much, if you think the quill seal is suspect put a new one on and not oil it. If you feel so inclined to clean the bore (many do not) just shoot dry felt pellets until they shoot through until you get clean pellets, don't use felt pellets in the pardini k12 as bits of fluff can clog the recoil absorber.
A pal of mine has just rebuilt a target rifle for a pupil and had to put everything in the degreaser as it was dieseling and was a mess of oil inside a very expensive top of the range rifle but had gone through the hands of shall we say a "enthusiast" rather than a competitor.

Enjoy your shooting it's addictive

[Gwhite]

I suspect the approach described would make accuracy worse, because of the variation in lube on the pellets. You could probably see the difference between a fully lubed pellet and a dry one using a chronograph. The difference is likely to be small enough that you'll never see it on the target.

[Walnut92]

Everybody has to learn somewhere and learn by their mistakes and it is always best to ask if you are not sure.

So here goes, do not put any lube anywhere near a proper target pistol or on the pellets but there is one exception, a tiny bit of silicone every 1000 pellets on the cylinder seal and that my be even too much, if you think the quill seal is suspect put a new one on and not oil it. If you feel so inclined to clean the bore (many do not) just shoot dry felt pellets until they shoot through until you get clean pellets, don't use felt pellets in the pardini k12 as bits of fluff can clog the recoil absorber.
A pal of mine has just rebuilt a target rifle for a pupil and had to put everything in the degreaser as it was dieseling and was a mess of oil inside a very expensive top of the range rifle but had gone through the hands of shall we say a "enthusiast" rather than a competitor.

Enjoy your shooting it's addictive

Interesting that you say that! A friend lent me his brand new DW CO2 plinker (sorry to bring this to an Olympic forum...!) which was grouping quite definitely to one side. I cleaned the barrel and out came a splodge of hard grease! So I understand the downsides of wrong things in wrong places. See the same with clocks etc.

And, yes, it is addictive! Never saw myself fancying a single shot pistol, but it is such a piece of engineering it appeals, and needless to say the joy of mastering the potential accuracy also.

[Walnut92]

I suspect the approach described would make accuracy worse, because of the variation in lube on the pellets. You could probably see the difference between a fully lubed pellet and a dry one using a chronograph. The difference is likely to be small enough that you'll never see it on the target.

Just acquired a chrono - so that's a good idea.

[Rover]

I suspect the approach described would make accuracy worse, because of the variation in lube on the pellets. You could probably see the difference between a fully lubed pellet and a dry one using a chronograph. The difference is likely to be small enough that you'll never see it on the target.

Just acquired a chrono - so that's a good idea.

Well, considering that there is a spread of two f.p.s. when using a SSP, you might be hard-pressed to note any changes.

[Ricardo]

I've heard say that pellets are lubricated in the tin with graphite powder, which would explain why my fingers end up blackened after a shooting session. Graphite doesn't goop up, bind particulates or diesel in an AP. I choose to believe it's graphite and consider lubrication not to be a concern.