Does oil on a carry gun actually "dry up" or does it get so loaded with dust, pollen, lint, etc. that stick to the lube and appear to dry it out more than it really is?
I can't forget, several years ago I pulled my old rifles out of the attic. 03A3, M1917, 03 Mk1, 03A4, etc. which had been lying in a pile in one corner inside zipped up soft rifle cases. They'd been there for about 8 years. 110 F and humid some summer days. Just above freezing most of the time in the winter with dips below freezing a few nights of the winter. The oil I used to use to lube/wipe down guns for rust prevention was 3n1 oil (grew up using it). Some places on the rifles the oil was still wet. Eight years and the oil had not dried out.
My dad used 3n1 oil as well, as his dad did. One trip home my dad said his little pocket pistol had started jamming and he wanted me to look at it. I got it out of the desk drawer and it had funny sort of yellow/brown stains on the outside finish (nickel plated). I took it apart and it was kind of cruddy inside. Not like a powder residue build up, but something hard/thick. I got out the Hoppes#9 and bore patches and started wiping the outside down first. With solvent and elbow grease the yellow/brown stains started coming off the outside surfaces. I got an old tooth brush and started scrubbing the rails, inside of the frame, etc. and wiping with bore patches and that stuff inside was the same color on the patch as the stuff the solvent removed from the outside.
Once I'd gotten it all good and clean I lubed it up, took it out back and it functioned fine.
I came to the conclusion that, over time and handling, the lube had gotten thick/gooey/hard/built up on the surfaces of the pistol inside and outside. I've never seen that happen before. I got his revolver out of the closet and it had the same build up on the outside and the Hoppes#9 removed that as well. A half can of carb cleaner cleaned some crud out of the inside of the revolver (I didn't remove the side plate on his S&W, just the grips). I let it dry, sprayed some lube inside as well as I could, a few drops of 3n1 oil on the parts I usually oil on S&W revolvers and then wiped it down with an oily rag to protect the surfaces from rust/corrosion.
Never seen that happen before but that was 3n1 oil, had to be, that's what dad used on his guns. So, sometimes, some oils, under some conditions can (in my experience/opinion) get thick/gooey/appear to dry out. I think it's a how you use it, how often you clean it/how well you clean it, how you carry it, etc. issue.
As they say, your mileage may vary.
