Slipstream and Slipstream STYX Weapons Lubricants

We try lots of stuff here and a small fraction makes it to our Buyers Guide – which highlights the gear we use on a regular basis and recommend to our readers.

One of the newest things to cross our desk was a set of lubricants from Crusader Weaponry.

Slipstream, Slipstream, and Slipstream STYX are all made from a space age nano-lubricant material that is carried and suspended in a synthetic oil. The result is a highly slippy substance that does a truly amazing job of reducing friction between moving parts on your gun. While the three products all share the same nano-lubricant technology, they differ as follows:

Slipstream: The standard lubricant and protectant for general purpose use and metal parts protection.

Slipstream Grease: The nano-lubricant is blended with the carrier oil in a much higher concentration. This yields a material of significantly higher viscosity. In the Peasant’s English, this means it’s really gooey and stays where you put it – for a long, long time.

Slipstream STYX: The standard Slipstream product with additional protectant ingredients that make it suitable for maritime or high-humidity applications. If you live in a swamp, like we do, use this.

Our Testing

Recently we received a brand-spanking new Springfield Armory TRP 1911 Armory Kote for review. It had never been fired, except for the factory test. On receipt, we completely cleaned and degreased the pistol. Don’t tell the folks from Springfield by the way – let’s just keep this between us. Using a grease application tool (Johnson & Johnson Q-Tip) we lightly coated the rails of the slide with Slipstream Grease. Using a lubricant application apparatus (torn piece of Hanes t-shirt, circa 1962) we then applied a small dose of Slipstream STYX lubricant to the barrel and other gun-part-like surfaces. At this point, we shot the be-jeepers out of this gun. Dirty handloads, factory cheap stuff, former soviet block imports, and premium self-defense ammo.

The slip-icity of the slide was immediately noticeable. The Springfield TRP comes out of the box tightly fitted with a hefty recoil and hammer spring. Racking the slide on a new one is not for the faint of heart. Or Justin Bieber. After a handful of highly accurate shots, thanks to the TRP, the slide action was smooth. And continued to get smoother over time.

We repeated this process for several outings with the exception of not removing the Slipstream Grease from the slide rails. We wanted to see how long it would stay in place. Many rounds and a dozen outings later, it’s still there. We found the slide rails to be a great application for the Slipstream Grease. We’re going to use it on our 1945 M1 Garand  as that’s another gun that just screams for proper gun greasing.

Tips for success

• Use these products sparingly. A little goes a long way, especially with the grease.
• Make sure the exterior of your gun is wiped clean. Perfectly clean. The lubricants and grease are both dark grey / black in color and will get on your clothes if you carry concealed with a non-wiped gun. Not a big deal as long as you’re aware. We’ll make that tradeoff for a great gun lube. Clothes can be washed after all.
• Get creative with the grease product. Think about places where you want the lube to stay put – and use the grease there.
• We used the Slipstream standard product on a different gun – a Beretta PX4 – to see if there was any detectable difference in protection here in the swamps of South Cackalackee. Over the past couple of months, we’ve had no problem with the standard product here. If you play in wet environments, get the Slipstream STYX. If not, the standard Slipstream product is fine.