Heavy lubrication shown to improve M16, M4 effectiveness

[montana]

https://web.archive.org/web/200803060236...on_070716/

I have known this for a long time..Many AR owners tend to under lube their rifles..

[CJW]

Interesting article Montana……I always keep mine wet.

[GREYBUFF]

Mines always wet. If it slides grease it and everything else gets Mobil 1. Cleans up a lot easier when wet.

[Old Bob]

I ran 3 gun for many years. Almost everyone I knew ran wet guns. Mobil 1 was a favorite but several shooters had their "secret sauce" lube recipes. Lots of them had mixtures of motor oil, transmission fluid & who knows what else. After experimenting with various lubes, I settled on straight Rem Oil in my 3 gun AR.

[grayfox]

I think it should be pointed out that these tests were done in a hot desert condition, similar to Iraq/Afghanistan. I'm not sure it should be extrapolated to all temps, all conditions. The few times I've had stoppages has been when I used some oil lube on the bcg, generally cool damp or cold and get gunky buildups on the bcg parts, eventually slowing and stopping it from moving. I've banned that oil too, and back to light lube conditions.
Now some of it could have been a particular brand of oil and some due to the temp/humidity conditions, but just reading the article, they were only doing this in hot desert-like conditions.
I even had such an issue with a bolt action back in 2012, on a hunt when it got cold 30* and some dampness... got several light strikes of the firing pin. Rem oil back then, now banned (from back then) in my shop. It was clean so must have been a cold-temp thickening, same thing however could happen to other lubes...
Anyway with some light oil mine run great. Rarely, if ever, start out bone-dry.

[montana]

Common sense dictates the use of cold weather lubricants in cold weather for any mechanical devise..Best to try and test any gun lube being used in cold weather, before relying on it.. Any firearm that is gunked up with gun lube that has the consistency of syrupy molasses in cold weather temperatures will result in a big fail..

My favorite lubricant for the AR rifle and handgun is the Vietnam era LSA without exception..It last the longest and doesn't burn off as quick as other oils I have used.. Chads SOTAR or so called Sriracha mix of synthetic Mobile 1 and grease is a cheap alternative and works OK as do others gun oils..Everyone has their own opinion on their favorite gun lube, but the point is the AR runs best when well lubed..

[LRRPF52]

ARs in particular like thick oil that lasts long and doesn’t burn off quickly, or granulate in cold weather.

I personally like Slip 2000. Works amazingly-well on my electric clippers too, as in lasts for years.

Light, thin oil tends to cook-off fast due to the hot gas that is introduced back into the carrier with the unique Stoner Internal Expansion operating system.

[montana]

ARs in particular like thick oil that lasts long and doesn’t burn off quickly, or granulate in cold weather.

I personally like Slip 2000. Works amazingly-well on my electric clippers too, as in lasts for years.

Light, thin oil tends to cook-off fast due to the hot gas that is introduced back into the carrier with the unique Stoner Internal Expansion operating system.

I stopped using Slip 2000 as the LSA lasted a lot longer in my experience and didn't burn off as fast..

I have not had any problems using LSA in my AR or other type rifles in cold weather either..

[montana]

ARs in particular like thick oil that lasts long and doesn’t burn off quickly, or granulate in cold weather.

I personally like Slip 2000. Works amazingly-well on my electric clippers too, as in lasts for years.

Light, thin oil tends to cook-off fast due to the hot gas that is introduced back into the carrier with the unique Stoner Internal Expansion operating system.

I stopped using Slip 2000 as the LSA lasted a lot longer in my experience and didn't burn off as fast..

I have not had any problems using LSA in my AR or other type rifles in cold weather either..

I think it should be pointed out that these tests were done in a hot desert condition, similar to Iraq/Afghanistan. I'm not sure it should be extrapolated to all temps, all conditions. The few times I've had stoppages has been when I used some oil lube on the bcg, generally cool damp or cold and get gunky buildups on the bcg parts, eventually slowing and stopping it from moving. I've banned that oil too, and back to light lube conditions.
Now some of it could have been a particular brand of oil and some due to the temp/humidity conditions, but just reading the article, they were only doing this in hot desert-like conditions.
I even had such an issue with a bolt action back in 2012, on a hunt when it got cold 30* and some dampness... got several light strikes of the firing pin. Rem oil back then, now banned (from back then) in my shop. It was clean so must have been a cold-temp thickening, same thing however could happen to other lubes...
Anyway with some light oil mine run great. Rarely, if ever, start out bone-dry.

Here was a test conducted by the US in 1968 concluding a lubed rifle performed better than a dry one in cold weather..
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/trecms/pdf/AD0831612.pdf

[65Carcano]

I use BreakFree CLP generously in my ARs. It always blows my mind when people buy an AR and then shoot it out of the box and get lots of malfunctions, it's like driving a car without any oil in it.

[LRRPF52]

I stopped using Slip 2000 as the LSA lasted a lot longer in my experience and didn't burn off as fast..

I have not had any problems using LSA in my AR or other type rifles in cold weather either..

I think I was using Slip2000 EWL in arctic high-volume, multi-day courses in Finland without issue. LSA is great though and rated down to -54 degrees to +127 degrees C (-65 degrees to +260 F degrees ). The people who did the Mil-Std work for the AR-15/M16 actually did it right with LSA.

Motor oils rated for the temp range you’ll be shooting in work well in the AR since they are thick.

You really see what works and what doesn’t when you shoot high-volume in extreme cold.

In one of my DM courses, a buddy of mine started having all kinds of malfunctions with his Noveske AR-15.

I checked it out and it felt like he had poured fine sand into the action.

I said, “I told you to have this lubed man.”

Him, “I did! I did!”

“What did you use?”

“That Frog Lube stuff.”

Frog Lube turns into a fine granule-like material below certain temps. It was Utah mountains in the winter, but not as cold as Finland. I avoid that lube like the plague.

[tashley680]

We have an annual "Frozen Chosin" legacy shoot here in SE Idaho on New Year's Day. It is shot with period weapons (primarily M1 Garand and 1911). Having shot it in sub-zero temperatures on several occasions, although I think WD40 is a great solvent for cleaning but a crappy lubricant, for shooting in arctic conditions I flush my weapons thoroughly with it to not only clear heavier lubrication but to provide light lubrication and have experienced no malfunctions or issues.

[grayfox]

What I do put on my AR innerds, is slip 2000, that has worked for me. So I'm not into experimenting much beyond that. For some reason I bought some kind of clp online, that was the latest to gum up, and AR grendel and an M5 in creed.
If slip 2000 ever runs out for me, I might ask y'all about that LSA, don't think I've met it before...
So yeah, not trying to contradict anyone, but those were the things happening to me.
Doubt if I will ever get back into sub- or close-to zero like Idaho or Utah, the rest of my human "pieces n parts" don't get along that well in that weather any more.
First deer I got was Idaho, outside of Soda Springs, 1974-ish. 30-06, springfield, little buck. Cold, but then I was under 30 and ok in that stuff.....

[LR1955]

What I do put on my AR innerds, is slip 2000, that has worked for me. So I'm not into experimenting much beyond that. For some reason I bought some kind of clp online, that was the latest to gum up, and AR grendel and an M5 in creed.
If slip 2000 ever runs out for me, I might ask y'all about that LSA, don't think I've met it before...
So yeah, not trying to contradict anyone, but those were the things happening to me.
Doubt if I will ever get back into sub- or close-to zero like Idaho or Utah, the rest of my human "pieces n parts" don't get along that well in that weather any more.
First deer I got was Idaho, outside of Soda Springs, 1974-ish. 30-06, springfield, little buck. Cold, but then I was under 30 and ok in that stuff.....

GF

Happen to have a quart of the real LSA. OD can with yellow markings. Will look for a date tomorrow.

I do not think it has been produced for several decades.

Decent chain lube for bicycles too.

I use CLP. Have regular and cold weather CLP. LSA is thicker and was what we used when I went into the Army. The thing was, LSA doesn't clean well. Had to use RBC which is some nasty stuff. Yes, I have quite a lot of RBC too but CLP cleans a lot better than RBC.

My opinion of the two? CLP works a lot better on carbon but I think LSA may last longer when super hot.

LR-55

[montana]

GF

Happen to have a quart of the real LSA. OD can with yellow markings. Will look for a date tomorrow.

I do not think it has been produced for several decades.

Decent chain lube for bicycles too.

I use CLP. Have regular and cold weather CLP. LSA is thicker and was what we used when I went into the Army. The thing was, LSA doesn't clean well. Had to use RBC which is some nasty stuff. Yes, I have quite a lot of RBC too but CLP cleans a lot better than RBC.

My opinion of the two? CLP works a lot better on carbon but I think LSA may last longer when super hot.

LR-55

It is still being used and in the Department of Defense supply chain according to this 2012 article..https://st-magazine.com/lsa-still-a-great-gun-oil/

https://www.steelfoxfirearms.com/u-s-mil...one-quart/

[603Country]

I run mine wet. The other day I had some folks visiting from England and they were hot to shoot guns. I bought a couple hundred rounds of factory 55 gr FMJ, and they had a grand old time. The 20-something daughters especially enjoyed doing what is forbidden at home. They ran through 100 rounds or so and then we started to get some function failure. I stripped it quickly, lubed it good with that Slip2000 and off we went again. I suppose there had been 100 or more rounds through it prior to that, and it was pretty dry when I opened it up. And dirty, which reminds me to clean it, and the bore.

The Brit gals shot very well very quickly. They loved it. I have those small orange plastic self sealing target balls, and the gals were rolling them 75 yards.

[Clintster]

Just checked their website, looks like LSA can still be had from Sportsman's Guide if interested. I got a 3 pack of bottles here a couple of years ago. Now it's 2 pack.
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/...?a=1947297

[rickt300]

Well I have always used ATF, used to like the type F the best but any good trans fluid will work. Very easy cleanup. Never had any function issues.