TSI 301 Gun Lubricant

TSI 301 Gun Lubricant
By Tony Lesce

    This synthetic lubricant comes in a convenient 6-ounce aerosol can. Each can has a red plastic tube attached with a rubber band. The tube enables reaching into almost inaccessible spots to deposit lubricant without spraying indiscriminately. One common application for gun owners is inside the barrel and cylinder of a revolver.
    The label claims that it's a lubricant, anti-sieze, penetrant, and cleaner. It's also non-flammable, according to the label.
    This product is an ester synthetic, which means that it's not refined directly from petroleum, but goes through a proprietary process. Restructuring the molecules gives some advantages over natural oil:
    1. Higher flash point.
    2. Higher boiling point.
    3. Lower volatility.
    4. More temperature stability.
    This last point is valuable. It's another term for a multi-weight oil, which retains the same viscosity over a wide range of temperatures. In this case, TSI 301 will stay liquid well below the freezing point of water, and lubricate well above the boiling point of water.
    Field testing was simple: Members of the test panel cleaned their guns with it after an intensive firing session. It worked well, when used with the conventional brush and patch. TSI 301, being both a cleaner and lubricant, eliminated the need to clean first with a solvent, then lubricate with an oil. Although it's hard to be sure without a standardized laboratory test method, the impression was that it cleaned the powder residue off faster than the usual solvent. Despite using hard-cast bullets, there's always a minimal lead residue, and the TSI 301 eliminated this too, with a slight amount of elbow grease. In practical use, it worked well. The only claim not immediately verifiable was that it dissolves rust. All members of the test panel kept their guns in impeccable condition, and a speck of rust would be a mark of shame. This resulted in no rusted guns being available, and therefore it was impossible to confirm this claim.
    Testing for the accuracy of the claim regarding flammability was simple. Spraying a jet of TSI 301 through the flame of a butane lighter failed to produce ignition. This product delivers what the advertisement promises.

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