Best Gun Oil for AR 15 [2024 Review]

Maintaining guns is a regular job for anyone interested in collecting guns. The AR 15, like most rifles, requires a lot of proper maintenance and thorough cleaning to keep it in good condition. Cleaning a AR 15 isn’t complete without properly lubricating it. That’s why you need the best gun oil for AR 15.

I’ve reviewed several products to help you sort thru the options. I’ve also included some valuable information about features and considerations at the end of this buying guide. Gun oil is an essential part of cleaning your AR 15 that’s why you should have the best ones the market has to offer.

If you have a different gun, then you’ll want to read my review on the best gun oil.

My Top Gun Oil for AR 15 Reviews

For the AR 15, the gun oil you choose should be simple but effective. It should be easy to apply and doesn’t give you too much hassle. Here are my choices for the top gun oils for the AR 15 rifle.

Prom Hoppe’s M-Pro 7 LPX Gun Oil, 4 Ounce Bottle

Prom Hoppe’s M-Pro 7 Gun oil is a widely popular gun oil for AR 15. Most consumers appreciate its easy application and it does a great job of protecting the AR 15 from dust, dirt, and debris. Professional and military personnel use it the most.

The M-Pro 7 Gun oil is able to withstand extreme weather conditions. It can also withstand temperatures ranging from -85 to 462 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most gun oils have problems such as evaporation, stickiness, separation, and strong odor but the M-Pro 7 doesn’t have any of those. It can also withstand humidity and moisture a lot better.

The M-Pro 7 is a decent sized bottle so it can last you for a good amount of time. So if you’re looking for a long term investment then this fits your bill perfectly.

The reason for its excellent quality is because of its materials. The M-Pro 7 is made of high-quality oils and LPX additives that provide great maintenance.

The LPX additives help in the effectiveness of the M-Pro 7. You’d only need a smaller amount of gun oil compared to other models for an effective application. LPX can get deep into the metal pores of an AR 15 and gives it a long-lasting lubricant and protection against rust.

If you’re looking for a long-lasting gun oil that’s affordable but has high-quality features then the M-Pro 7 is what you’re looking for. This is why Prom Hoppe’s M-Pro 7 is the best gun oil for AR 15.

Product Highlights

• Affordable
• Long-lasting lubricant
• Easy application
• Able to withstand extreme temperatures
• Leaves a film that repels dust & dirt and does not evaporate

M-PRO 7 – GUN OIL LPX

Grizzly Grease Non-Toxic CLP 

The Grizzly Grease Non-Toxic CLP comes in a 4-ounce pack. It works in cleaning and as a lubricant for rifles such as the AR 15. It can do a great job of protecting a AR 15 for a long time after a maintenance session.

You wouldn’t have to worry about frequenting maintenance sessions since the Grizzly Grease can give your AR 15 a long-lasting protection from dust, debris, dirt, and gunk buildup.

Though it can efficiently clean a AR 15, you might find it a bit difficult to apply the gun oil because of its wide opening. On the other hand, it works really well even on colder or hotter temperatures. 

The gun oil is made up of bio-ingredients which makes it non-toxic and environmentally friendly. The ingredients are USDA Certified Bio-Based. You won’t have to worry about any chemicals that can be dangerous to your health. If you’re the health-conscious type then the Grizzly Grease is a great pick for you.

Grizzly Grease is a multi-purpose gun oil that can meet your needs. It can give your AR 15 a thick layer of protection. It’s also easy to apply and the gun oil can last for a long time.

The gun oil captures carbon before it can even touch the weapon and traps it in making it easier to clean the AR 15. It also protects your AR 15 from copper, brass, and lead buildup.

Finally, the Grizzly Grease meets the standards of the United States Military. When it comes to preventing gunk buildup, the Grizzly Grease features bio-based ingredients that are safe for your health and the environment. That’s why it’s one of the best gun oil for AR 15.

Product Highlights

• Non-toxic
• Effective in eliminating rust, copper, corrosion, and lead
• Minimal friction for proper lubrication
• Works in extreme weather conditions
• Safe to use

HOPPE’S No. 9 Synthetic Blend Lubricating Oil

The Hoppes Precision Lubricating Oil is a classic gun cleaner that is great for AR 15. The smell it gives is one of the most to be enjoyable and many people even use it as an air freshener.

The Hoppe’s No.9 is a cleaner, protectant, and lubricant in one package. It keeps the AR 15 in good condition. The factory and many hunters, range shooters and military personnel have used and tested it satisfactorily numerous times for a number of years.

Most consumers report it gets rid of a lot of gunk and debris and does a pretty good job at cleaning and protecting the AR 15’s barrels. It protects firearms from corrosion, moisture, and rust regardless of tough conditions and the environment.

Hoppe’s No. 9 is one of the most recognizable gun oils around. Most gun owners everywhere are familiar with its orange bottle. It’s one of the most trusted brands when it comes to cleaning solutions and lubricants. You can consider them one of the most reliable and quality brand of gun oil for AR 15 around the market.

The gun oil is a classic, no-frills, reliable lubricant that is relatively practical compared to other brands out there. It doesn’t contain any detergents or special additives like other gun oils but it gets the job done.

Hoppe’s No. 9 is petroleum-based, which most people usually avoid because petroleum can sometimes become gummy and foul up moving parts. However, Hoppe’s No. 9 has perfected a blend that prevents this from happening and creates a reliable, protective layer for your AR 15.

You can use the gun oil in a small squeeze bottle or as an adhesive spray which is definitely convenient for consumers. It’s one of the best inexpensive gun oil for AR 15 that you can find in the market. The long quality history of Hoppe’s among gun owners is a testament to how good it is.

Product Highlights

• Extremely affordable
• Excellent protection from moisture, corrosion, and rust
• Prevents fouling and friction
• High viscosity gun oil that’s highly refined
• Extra-long lasting and does not harden, gum, or expire

Hoppe’s Precision Lubricating Oil

Frog Lube CLP Liquid

The Frog Lube CLP Liquid features non-toxic ingredients, making it safe for any consumer. There is no petroleum, wax, oil, or water contained in the Frog Lube and all materials are natural. If you have allergic reactions, then this gun oil can help you get one from common chemicals in gun oil that triggers them.

In fact, the ingredients in the Frog Lube are considered food grade and hence completely safe to ingest. This is a great feature when you’re a soldier or a marine. They sometimes don’t have the means to clean up after a maintenance session with weapons and having a gun oil that’s safe to ingest reduces the risk of eating harmful substances.

Frog Lube gun oil can dissolve carbon on contact and reduces its mass for an easy wipe. It can also suspend fouling particles like copper, sand, dirt, lead, and prevents any buildup inside the weapon.

It’s safe to use on most types of surfaces like metal, polymer, and even wood. It also produces a mint smell that isn’t irritating to the nose.

The gun oil has a heavy gravity property that is the result of its high-level absorption. This allows this gun oil to eliminate friction and fouling.

It’s especially more effective in cold temperatures as the Frog Lub gun oil gets consistently firm when cold. This helps prevent gun oil from attracting sand and dust from accumulating in your AR 15.

When firing the AR 15, the gun oil loosens up and becomes a slick liquid that helps maintain the weapon for firing even as it gets hot. Don’t worry as it doesn’t melt away the gun oil. After firing and cooling down, the gun oil will harden up making it easy to wipe clean.

Unlike most gun oils, applying Frog Lube can be a bit tedious. Under the instructions, you need to use the Frog Lube solvent to completely clean and degrease any factory gun oil. You then apply thin coats of Frog Lube to the heated metal and allow it to cure. This makes even carbon powder easily brushed off.

If you don’t do it right, it can result in gumming up your AR 15. However, if you get it right then this works completely from the inside and out of your AR 15.

Product Highlights

• Pleasant smell
• Safe to use on a lot of surfaces
• Works well in cold weather
• The non-toxic substance that dissolves carbon on contact
• Eliminates fouling and destroys rust with a durable dry slick wax-like surface
• Safe for plastic, urethane, nylon, and wood

Frog Lube CLP Liquid

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Aerosol Can Lubricant Cleaner Protectant

The Ballistol Aerosol Can Lubricant is safe to use and does a good job keeping the AR 15 in good condition for long term use. A few drops of this gun oil can do a good job cleaning all types of residue and dirt.

This is another gun oil that contains biodegradable materials. It’s one of the best options for gun oil that is safe for the environment and your health. The materials used are similar to that of the Grizzly Grease.

The Ballistol was originally developed for the military. It’s a fancier version of the Hoppe’s No.9, having the same multiple features of the gun oil. It comes in an aerosol spray type for an easy application to your AR 15.

Its cleaning properties are unlike any gun oils because the detergents used in the Ballistol are a bit stronger than many gun oils available in the market. However, when it comes to lubrication, the Ballistol Aerosol Can isn’t up to par as the gun oils above. You can enhance it by adding a little amount of Hoppe’s or LPX. This is a bit problematic if you only want one kind of gun oil on your shelf.

You can apply this gun oil to various types of surfaces like metal, wood, leather, and even plastic. Aside from its protective layering, it can also counter the effects of sweat and skin oil on your AR 15. It also neutralizes the effects of acid on your AR 15 because of its alkaline properties.

This gun oil is the best for overall cleaning and protection. Because of its excellent cleaning, regular maintenance sessions may become longer in intervals since it does its job of protecting an AR 15 from all kinds of dust buildup. It also keeps every part in good condition and prevents rusting and corrosion.

Product Highlights

• Great cleaning properties
• Neutralizes effect of moisture and natural oil on the rifle
• Environmentally friendly and biodegradable; doesn’t pollute air or water
• Skin-safe; slightly alkaline property
• CLP (Cleans, Lubricates, Protects)

Ballistol Multi-Purpose Aerosol Can Lubricant Cleaner Protectant

Lubricating With Gun Oil

Different firearms have different preferences. Most guns can either run wet or dry (lubed or unlubed). The AR 15 functions best when it’s well-lubricated. Most parts of the AR 15 need to be free of friction to function well. Its semi-open construction makes it prone to fouling particles digging inside some of the AR 15’s sensitive areas.

Lubrication most commonly happens after the cleaning of the AR 15. This means it works 3 areas during this process.

• It lubricates the moving parts within the AR 15.
• It performs a sweep and cleaning to remove any leftover particles.
• It leaves a nice clean seal and protective layering that keeps out problems like rusting and corrosion.

You need to consistently lubricate your AR 15 to keep it from working in good condition. While everyone has different ways to keep a AR 15 working, the general rule for all is that the wetter it is, the better it will perform.

If you’re worried that too much lubrication from gun oil can make more fouling particles and gum up the gun, then you shouldn’t be to some extent. Where you applied the gun oil also matters and most people argue that AR 15 would fire just fine even with too much lubrication.

Making Your Own Gun Oil

Certainly, you can make your own DIY gun oil. However, you should know this is a make or miss thing. If you’re knowledgeable enough and have done extensive research, then you might make an effective DIY gun oil but if not, you may end up with malfunctioning AR 15. Gun oils bought from the store are far more convenient and safe than DIY gun oils.

Some people have found a homemade gun oil to effective and practical but that really depends on the method used and the materials. Most DIY gun oil works really well and that’s why many often use them. The most common ingredients used in DIY gun oil are motor oil and automatic transmission fluid. When you combine both, you get “red juice” that works surprisingly well.

If you’re considering making one now then you should know that making DIY gun oil can be time-consuming and tedious as making a DIY gun cabinet. It will take you a lot of time tinkering and mixing just to make the perfect combination to make it an effective gun oil. Make the wrong mix and you can damage the sensitive parts of your AR 15.

Choosing the Best Gun Oil for AR 15

Choosing the best gun oil for AR 15, especially now that the market is flooding with a lot of brands and each having unique marketing features. You need to get the best one that’s really effective and isn’t just gimmick. The best gun oils have great cleaning properties and preserve your AR 15 in good condition.

Some of these features you should consider when choosing the best gun oil for your AR 15 are:

Grease

Grease goes in the parts of the AR 15 that require protection from rust and corrosion such as the barrel. The best gun oils for AR 15 should have anti-corrosion or anti-rust properties that help make your AR 15 last longer.

Depending on the mix of the grease it can have different effects on a AR 15. The base usually has a metallic soap feel of a substance. Some other effects grease mixing provides that are important to note:

• Reduces oxidation
• The enhanced base for improve water-resistance
• Protection from extremely cold weather and water

Depending on the mix of the grease it can have different effects on a AR 15. The base usually has a metallic soap feel of a substance. Some other effects grease mixing provides that are important to note:

The base of the grease is categorized in terms of grades denoted by NLGI number. The higher the number, the thicker the grease will be and the smaller the number, the thinner the grease is. It’s up to you how you want your grease thick or thin, as it all depends on your preference.

AW / EP

High-quality gun oil usually contains additives that help guns operate smoothly.

You’d mostly be looking for additives such as AW and EP which stands for anti-wear and extreme pressure.

They consist mostly of tiny solids mixed with straight oil to boost the thickness and for extra features to the mixture.

The most common compounds used for this mixture are:

• Pour point depressant
• Detergents
• Tackifiers
• Zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate
• Polytetrafluoroethylene
• Phosphors
• Zinc
• Boron
• Sulfur compounds
• Antimony dialkyl dithiocarbamate

Price

Quality gun oils are rarely inexpensive and if you buy inexpensive ones the most likely compromise would be its effectiveness.

If you’re willing to take the risk, then making your own DIY gun oil would be a practical alternative but only if you succeed the first time. Otherwise, you’d be wasting resources trying to get the perfect mix of gun oil.

Your best bet would be to invest in a decent priced one even if you’d have to go over your funds. It would be worth it in the long run since quality gun oil can last for a long time and needs only a little amount of application.

Ingredients

The ingredients used in making gun oil are essential to know. It can predict how effective the gun oil would be and the harmful side effects it may bring.

Some ingredients provide long-lasting protection while others help preserve the metal in the barrel of the AR 15. Good ingredients make the metal harder and more durable making it last longer.

Some ingredients are non-toxic or are biodegradable. They are guaranteed not harmful to your health and are environmentally friendly. If you care about your health and the environment, then choosing gun oil with these types of ingredients is your way. Some are even safe to ingest so it can prevent trouble if one of your children accidentally drinks it.

Spray or Liquid

Both spray and liquid can penetrate most of the inner parts of a AR 15, especially the barrel. However, liquid has less viscosity and it might get messy upon application. If you don’t like having a messy maintenance session then go with spray.

Oil Color

While it may sound unimportant, oil color can be important for choosing the best gun oil for you. Applying the oil evenly on your gun is extremely important and you need to do it in an area that has good lighting. Buying gun oil that contrasts with the color of your AR 15 can help with that.

It allows you to easily identify the areas where oil is not applied or isn’t even out properly. This is extremely helpful if it’s your first time applying gun oil to your AR 15.

Considering Other Things Before Buying a Gun Oil

The characteristics and features of gun oil are valuable aspects to know before you buy for your AR 15 maintenance. There are also other things to consider before you make the purchase. There are external factors that can affect your choice of the best gun oil. Ignoring these external factors can result in wasted gun oil and having to buy another one.

How Often Do You Maintain Your AR 15?

The frequency at which you do maintenance sessions can affect what gun oil you should use. If you use your gun on a regular basis and maintain it once or twice a week, then getting a gun oil that’s easy to apply is a lot convenient. It’s also an added bonus if you only need a small amount to apply in order for it to be effective.

What Other Cleaning Tools Do You Need?

You can’t just buy a gun oil and not have the tools to apply it properly on your AR 15. Consider buying proper AR-15 cleaning materials and kits so as to make the maintenance session a lot easier and smoother. Some cleaning materials you can use are:

• Bore brushes
• Cleaning pads
• Double-ended brush
• Cleaning swab
• Cleaning patches
• Cotton swabs
• Luster cloth
• Cleaning jag
• Bore snake
• Cleaning rods
• Cleaning solvent
• Slotted patch holder
• Muzzle guards

If you have some of these cleaning tools then you should be able to have an easier maintenance session.

How Large of a Bottle Do You Need?

Gun oils come in different sizes of containers. Depending on how much you’re willing to make the trip to the shop can affect the size you’ll get. Although you can do online shopping now for convenience. Larger bottles can last you a lot longer so keep in mind how frequent you do maintenance in order to get the most convenient bottle size for you.

FAQ

There are some things that first-timers are still confused about and some of these are the most asked ones. I hope it becomes useful for you.

Conclusion

Maintaining your AR 15 is an important part of owning a firearm. There are plenty of tools that can assist you with it and gun oil is a must for every cleaning session. AR 15 works better the wetter the application is so getting a good grasp of the application of gun oil and you’ll have a AR 15 working excellent every time.