SM50 --what do you use it for?

[MDriskill]

According to its government Safety Data Sheet, SM 50 is oxidised castor oil and molybdenum disulfide powder - no silicone involved. Odd perhaps, but castor oil was the main lubricant for rotary aircraft engines back in the day (to the predictable detriment of aircrew sitting behind them).

https://farmcottagebrands.com/wp-con...nLube-SM50.pdf

A knowledgeable friend told me Beeman's "Ultra Lube" (my personal favorite for leather seals; jealously hoarded as it's extinct) was simply re-packaged SM 50 (which is impossible to find in the US). I would love to get some in hand!

[Hsing-ee]

According to its government Safety Data Sheet, SM 50 is oxidised castor oil and molybdenum disulfide powder - no silicone involved.

https://farmcottagebrands.com/wp-con...nLube-SM50.pdf

I never knew that, it makes a lot more sense now. Abbey used to sell a liquid silicone lube so ‘Silicone Gun Oil 35’ I thought it was a molybdenumised version of that.

[Josie & John]

I never knew that, it makes a lot more sense now. Abbey used to sell a liquid silicone lube so ‘Silicone Gun Oil 35’ I thought it was a molybdenumised version of that.

So did I Hsing-ee!

Thanks Mike - that is a fascinating snippet of information.

John

[TonyL]

According to its government Safety Data Sheet, SM 50 is oxidised castor oil and molybdenum disulfide powder - no silicone involved. Odd perhaps, but castor oil was the main lubricant for rotary aircraft engines back in the day (to the predictable detriment of aircrew sitting behind them).

https://farmcottagebrands.com/wp-con...nLube-SM50.pdf

A knowledgeable friend told me Beeman's "Ultra Lube" (my personal favorite for leather seals; jealously hoarded as it's extinct) was simply re-packaged SM 50 (which is impossible to find in the US). I would love to get some in hand!

I never knew that, it makes a lot more sense now. Abbey used to sell a liquid silicone lube so ‘Silicone Gun Oil 35’ I thought it was a molybdenumised version of that.

So did I Hsing-ee!

Thanks Mike - that is a fascinating snippet of information.

John

I never knew that, either. Thank you for sharing.

By the way, the SM50 and Silicone Gun Oil 35 are available from our sponsor, as well as so many other useful products.

[MDriskill]

I never knew that, it makes a lot more sense now. Abbey used to sell a liquid silicone lube so ‘Silicone Gun Oil 35’ I thought it was a molybdenumised version of that.

That is interesting too! Beeman's "Chamber Oil" was straight silicone, and I would not be surprised if it were this Abbey stuff re-labeled.

[Hsing-ee]

That is interesting too! Beeman's "Chamber Oil" was straight silicone, and I would not be surprised if it were this Abbey stuff re-labeled.

Silicone oil was supposed to be a high flash point oil that would prevent the inconsistency caused by the dreaded dieselling. Maybe it works with leather but for metal to metal it’s not good. I siezed a loading tap with silicone grease one time, I think you can score the metal with it.

[MDriskill]

Silicone oil was supposed to be a high flash point oil that would prevent the inconsistency caused by the dreaded dieselling. Maybe it works with leather but for metal to metal it’s not good. I siezed a loading tap with silicone grease one time, I think you can score the metal with it.

Yes - silicone oil is an excellent metal-to-leather lubricant...but a TERRIBLE metal-to-metai one. I use it to re-condition leather piston seals, but carefully absorb all the excess before re-installing them. You don't want it sloshing around inside the action.

[WILBA]

[QUOTE=MDriskill;8288986]That is interesting too! Beeman's "Chamber Oil" was straight silicone, and I would not be surprised if it were this Abbey stuff re-labeled.[/QUOTE

Abbey lube was molyibdanised silicon oil. Why use silicon oil to mix with moly,can't the moly compound be mixed with a standard oil then?

[TonyL]

Moly can, indeed, be mixed with "normal " oil. Charlie da Tuna often made references to a special mix. Something along the lines of "Gene's mystery oil". Reportedly a mix of 30w non -detergent oil mixed with moly paste. I believe Bonnie and Clyde used to include a similar lube in their kits. And V-Mach used to include moly oil with the kit.

[Hsing-ee]

Moly can, indeed, be mixed with "normal " oil. Charlie da Tuna often made references to a special mix. Something along the lines of "Gene's mystery oil". Reportedly a mix of 30w non -detergent oil mixed with moly paste. I believe Bonnie and Clyde used to include a similar lube in their kits. And V-Mach used to include moly oil with the kit.

I don’t have the issue but there was a copy of AGW that had a dry-lubed Feinwerkbau Sport. The tolerances on this rifle are such that just dry moly powder could be used to lubricate the piston and seal, and it worked well, consistent and powerful.

[Hsing-ee]

Moly can, indeed, be mixed with "normal " oil. Charlie da Tuna often made references to a special mix. Something along the lines of "Gene's mystery oil". Reportedly a mix of 30w non -detergent oil mixed with moly paste. I believe Bonnie and Clyde used to include a similar lube in their kits. And V-Mach used to include moly oil with the kit.

I don’t have the issue but there was a copy of AGW that had a dry-lubed Feinwerkbau Sport. The tolerances on this rifle are such that just dry moly powder could be used to lubricate the piston and seal, and it worked well, consistent and powerful.

So I’m thinking that one could make a lube from dry moly powder pus the very least amount of oil or grease, just enough for it to make a kind of paste but nearly dry. This might be good stuff.

Reminds me of the different ways of making curry; dry powder, paste and viscous liquid in a jar.

[TonyL]

I don’t have the issue but there was a copy of AGW that had a dry-lubed Feinwerkbau Sport. The tolerances on this rifle are such that just dry moly powder could be used to lubricate the piston and seal, and it worked well, consistent and powerful.

So I’m thinking that one could make a lube from dry moly powder pus the very least amount of oil or grease, just enough for it to make a kind of paste but nearly dry. This might be good stuff.

.

I think the stuff you have in mind probably already exists......the very high moly content pastes, like Monsieur Tinbum's Bumslide and the Rocol paste. Plus, even if going as "dry" as possible, I'd always prefer a very sparing amount of very tacky stuff on the spring.

Many , many moons ago, in our young teens, a friend and I were playing with different stuff. We had "dry-lubed" my Meteor and a few belonging to other friends with Dri-Slide. And my friend's dad had obtained some graphite powder which we duly buffed into the cylinder and piston of his Diana G80. They worked. Actions felt "quick". But they didn't feel ever so civilised on the cycles due to the wider tolerances you mention on lesser rifles. A little dampening grease (the Abbey LT2 was the stuff to have then and still viable today) calmed them down.