How do you lubricate your AR-15

[Rcher]

I know this guy is doing great reviews of different BCGs, so I kind of trust his expertise. But I was surprised the way he lubricates his rifles. His lube formula looks interesting, BUT... is it just me who think that he OVERLUBRICATES ?

Please share your thoughts how do you lubricate your ARs, HOW MUCH oil or grease you think is enough?
(as for me - I switched to Clenzoil wipes a while ago, looks like it lubricates and protects at the same time).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTpWfjVFfEU&fbclid=IwAR2uwc3WtHUljDrPC8YhBdrCy0yofejVB-gwhv3TL0_e3f_tdONHr6rItBw

[Lock-n-load]

My colt m4 and all 1911”s run wet with CLP
CZ s pistols light wipe down .
M14 ..grease good
Ruger 10/22 light spray wi]pe down
Worked great for 30 yrs!
More than you asked but just my 2 cents

[Crawl]

Considering that a decent AR, bone dry, can average about 2,400 rounds before failure (when properly gassed and buffered)...it really doesn't matter how much you lube your rifle as long as you do SOMETHING, and you clean it sometimes.

But that whole "when properly gassed and buffered" part matters a bit.

[M1A4ME]

For some time now I see the comment on arfcom that AR15's run better wet.  Don't know if that's a change from past beliefs or not.

I over oil.  Not enough = extra wear/tear as it does on any mechanical moving parts.  More than it needs gets flung off as you fire it or rubbed off as you handle it.

After I clean it (which is every time I shoot it and every now and then if it hasn't been shot).  I oil it.  No grease.  ARs are so stinking dirty that grease would just make it harder to clean every time it gets shot.  AR15's are kind of like diesels.  Sure, it needs good lube to stay running but as soon as you start if up after the new lube job the crud pushes past small gaps and makes the lube filthy again.

I put a couple drops on the left/right sides of the upper receiver while holding it bottom up.
I put a couple/three drops of lube in the charging handle channel while holding it bottom up and then go ahead and slide the charging handle into the channel.
I put a drop or two on the forward assist while holding the upper muzzle down and work the forward assist back and forth several times.
I put a drop or two on the back up rear sight to help keep the adjustment mechanism from rusting/seizing up.
The lower gets a drop of oil on both sides of the trigger and hammer springs.  It gets a drop on the safety on both sides (inside) of the shaft.  It gets a drop on the side of the disconnector and one drop where the hammer and sear meet.  It gets on drop on the outside (right side) and inside (left side) of the magazine release and I work it in/out a few times.  It gets one drop on the each of the take down pins.  I put a drop of oil in the hole (right side) where the spring for the forward takedown pin is visible.
Every now and then I'll pull the buffer and spring out and put a few drops of oil on the inside walls of the buffer tube and reinstall the buffer and spring.
The bolt gets a couple drops of oil on the gas rings. It gets a couple drops on the inside of the carrier before the bolt is inserted.  It get a couple drops in the hole where cam pin goes. It gets a drop on the extractor back in the pin/spring area.  It gets a couple drops of oil on the firing pin before it's installed and a drop in the retaining pin hole before the pin is inserted.
I put a drop on oil on each of the parts of the bolt that can make contact with the inside of the upper (small rail looking raised up portions top, bottom, sides of the bolt carrier).  I put a two to three drops on the bolt lugs before installing it in the upper receiver.
I put a drop of oil in the front sight post to help keep it from rusting and/or seizing up over time/use/exposure to the weather.
I put a drop of oil on the spring for the ejection port door. 

Too much?  Maybe.  My oil is from the left overs in the Mobil 1 jugs from my car/truck oil changes and I've got plenty.

Do I take my AR15's to the range, throw them down in the dirt/mud, do mag. dumps, etc?  Nope.  I just shoot them.

Sorry, I find lots of oil spots on something like an AR15.

I even run and oily patch through the barrel after cleaning them and wipe the outside down with the same oil rag I used for the handguns, shot guns, M1A, etc.

As long as they continue to run and not break parts it works for me.

[Slotback]

What M1 says. I prefer running them wet.

[Gunnerdad80]

With oil and the blood of my enemies. I subscribe to his YouTube channel too. Good stuff.

[RSR]

I know this guy is doing great reviews of different BCGs, so I kind of trust his expertise. But I was surprised the way he lubricates his rifles. His lube formula looks interesting, BUT... is it just me who think that he OVERLUBRICATES ?

Please share your thoughts how do you lubricate your ARs, HOW MUCH oil or grease you think is enough?
(as for me - I switched to Clenzoil wipes a while ago, looks like it lubricates and protects at the same time).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTpWfjVFfEU

Just use Slip2000 EWL 30 and save the hassle...  Slips grease is also farily light viscosity if you prefer instead.

[bubbas4570]

One cannot overlubricate an AR, as whatever is extra gets "shed" out of the ejection port within a few rounds.  The rifle was designed to be run wet, will run dry for a while, but not designed to be run overly dry.

Grease works in a pinch, if there is nothing else available.  It will seize up in the cold, I know.

Engine oils work in a pinch also, the only real caveat I see is there is no rust protection from most of the engine oils when stored long term.

Oils designed for firearms lubrication will eventually dry out, and after a number of rounds (depends upon correct gassing of the system) the AR will start to have problems.  I know this from experience.

Having a correctly gassed as set up AR may be much less common than thought, as many of us do regularly lube and maintain our tools and this can make up for a few minor missteps within the setup of the AR concerning the correct gassing and bolt fitment.  The AR design is solid.  Solid enough to allow different parts from different makers of sometimes incorrect specs to be able to be assembled and run.  The time of functionality will vary depending upon the amount of quality, correct fitment, and lubrication of the parts.


The big part here is to remember that there are many oil sales pitches.  Many lubes have came and went in the years I have seen go by.  Some that have been touted as the "greatest EVVVAR!" are no longer being seen on store shelves......   I do trust what he says in his videos.   He should know, as he has enough experience and knowledge to teach gunsmithing classes to others on the AR15.  Just research him.

[Auslander]

I honestly use motor oil. Whatever is left in the bottles after my oil changes gets collected and put in an old bottle.

Ends up being a mix of Mobil 1, Castrol and Kawasaki  4-cycle. 5W30/10W40/10W30.

Does pretty good on cutting carbon too.

Use the same for my pistols.

I’ve worn out barrels before I’ve worn out moving parts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[M1A4ME]

I tell this story sometimes.  I'll make it shorter by leaving out the where's/why's, etc.

M60 machine guns.  7.62X51.  Not as dirty as an M16 but shooting way more rounds between cleaning/lubing.  I ended up getting the new ones to break in and carrying one when we went to the field.

At some point I decided I need something different than the issue lubes.  I started getting a 1 qt. can of PLS (think it was PLS, it was a light machine oil by the description on the can).  When we got out of the trucks I'd step aside, open the feed cover and pour some PLS into the guts of the gun.  Close the feed cover and we'd do whatever we were going to do (train on a range, take a walk through the woods as training, etc.  I shot a lot of blanks and some live ammo.  Lots of blanks with the blank adaptor clamped on the front sight and sticking down in the flash suppressor to trap the right amount of gas to make the gun function.

Every so often during the day/afternoon (no set round count I remember, it was more a feeling of how the gun was functioning) I'd open the feed cover and pour more PLS into it and then load it for what was next.  Shoot it, pour lube in it, shoot it, etc.

It did not get cleaned till we went back to the barracks a couple days or a week later.  The gun ran fine, regardless of the weather for however long we were out and how ever many rounds/blanks it fired (after that initial aggravating 200 rounds of break in).

When we went back to the barracks I'd pull the sling off it, carry it to the latrine/showers, turn the water on full hot, watch it till the beads of water seemed to hit the tile and bounce across the floor.  Then I'd open the feed cover, open up the bipod legs and push that sucker back into the shower water so that the water was going into the guts of the gun.  I'd stand there and watch the steam rise off the floor and the black crud run out of the gun.  After the black crud stopped washing out of the gun I'd turn the water off, grab the carry handle and head to my room.  The gun would be dry by the time I broke it down.  I'd grab my old oily rag and wipe it down good inside and out.  I'd wipe with dry bore patches to get the excess oil off.  Then I'd put it together and carry it downstairs to the company armorer.  Hetzel would jump my backside for bringing a dirty gun to the armory.  No way I got that M60 clean that fast.  He'd start tearing it apart to show me how dirty it was and he'd finally accuse me on not shooting the gun all week.  I'd remind him of the times he'd been there when I did fire it (not as often as it was fired but often enough he'd remember and stop  the accusations.  He couldn't believe the gun was clean so quickly after coming back from the field.  I'd have about a 1/2 qt. of PLS left after a week of training/firing.  It is my belief that two things happened with all that light oil in/on the gun parts.  One is a lot of the crud was washed out with the excess oil.  The other is that the oil bath softened the carbon build up and helped the very hot water spray blow it out of the receiver and off the internal parts.  The only thing I had to patch/scrub was the barrel.

I know, when I come home from the range these days there's some nasty looking lube on the inside of my AR15 but it wipes right off.

From the range.



After a few minutes of wiping off with a dry patch.



If I kept shooting I'd guess, at some point, the oil would be drying up and the crud would start burning itself to the parts. 

[crosstimbers]

How? just like they taught me in basic. bore cleaner bath, scalding water, light oiling with a good lubricant.

It's really not rocket science. It's a design that excretes where it eats and thus must be kept as clean as possible. Does the job well enough when cared for. I'd take an M14 any day. I have more experience with it though the M16 was very much the standard issue in my time. Just my two cents, kindly dont dog pile.

[RSR]

I tell this story sometimes.  I'll make it shorter by leaving out the where's/why's, etc.

M60 machine guns.  7.62X51.  Not as dirty as an M16 but shooting way more rounds between cleaning/lubing.  I ended up getting the new ones to break in and carrying one when we went to the field.

At some point I decided I need something different than the issue lubes.  I started getting a 1 qt. can of PLS (think it was PLS, it was a light machine oil by the description on the can).  When we got out of the trucks I'd step aside, open the feed cover and pour some PLS into the guts of the gun.  Close the feed cover and we'd do whatever we were going to do (train on a range, take a walk through the woods as training, etc.  I shot a lot of blanks and some live ammo.  Lots of blanks with the blank adaptor clamped on the front sight and sticking down in the flash suppressor to trap the right amount of gas to make the gun function.

Every so often during the day/afternoon (no set round count I remember, it was more a feeling of how the gun was functioning) I'd open the feed cover and pour more PLS into it and then load it for what was next.  Shoot it, pour lube in it, shoot it, etc.

It did not get cleaned till we went back to the barracks a couple days or a week later.  The gun ran fine, regardless of the weather for however long we were out and how ever many rounds/blanks it fired (after that initial aggravating 200 rounds of break in).

When we went back to the barracks I'd pull the sling off it, carry it to the latrine/showers, turn the water on full hot, watch it till the beads of water seemed to hit the tile and bounce across the floor.  Then I'd open the feed cover, open up the bipod legs and push that sucker back into the shower water so that the water was going into the guts of the gun.  I'd stand there and watch the steam rise off the floor and the black crud run out of the gun.  After the black crud stopped washing out of the gun I'd turn the water off, grab the carry handle and head to my room.  The gun would be dry by the time I broke it down.  I'd grab my old oily rag and wipe it down good inside and out.  I'd wipe with dry bore patches to get the excess oil off.  Then I'd put it together and carry it downstairs to the company armorer.  Hetzel would jump my backside for bringing a dirty gun to the armory.  No way I got that M60 clean that fast.  He'd start tearing it apart to show me how dirty it was and he'd finally accuse me on not shooting the gun all week.  I'd remind him of the times he'd been there when I did fire it (not as often as it was fired but often enough he'd remember and stop  the accusations.  He couldn't believe the gun was clean so quickly after coming back from the field.  I'd have about a 1/2 qt. of PLS left after a week of training/firing.  It is my belief that two things happened with all that light oil in/on the gun parts.  One is a lot of the crud was washed out with the excess oil.  The other is that the oil bath softened the carbon build up and helped the very hot water spray blow it out of the receiver and off the internal parts.  The only thing I had to patch/scrub was the barrel.

I know, when I come home from the range these days there's some nasty looking lube on the inside of my AR15 but it wipes right off.

From the range.



After a few minutes of wiping off with a dry patch.



If I kept shooting I'd guess, at some point, the oil would be drying up and the crud would start burning itself to the parts.

Oils bond to the metals providing a protective layer, and enough oil suspends contaminants. 

Carbon in particular is water-soluble, and the hot water washes away much of the excess oil -- adding soap would wash away all of it including removing oil from pores of metal.  Slip2000s carbon cleaner is water based as are most other nontoxic carbon cleaners.

I like to run my ARs wet, so that I can just wipe them down after shooting.  I do run grease on bearing surfaces like hammer and bolt carrier and cam pin and detent channels.  And I find chromed, Nickel Boron, and Nitride coatings all help to wipe things down easier than just phosphate -- all things being equal, I think I'd prefer either a Nitride or NP3 coating for the exterior of the carrier w/ chromed inner, and nickel boron for the bolt (bolt coating primarily b/c most of the nicer barrel extensions are coated in the same material, so equal wear -- and I want my extractor w/o this coating on it).

[RSR]

I honestly use motor oil. Whatever is left in the bottles after my oil changes gets collected and put in an old bottle.

Grease works in a pinch, if there is nothing else available.  It will seize up in the cold, I know.

Engine oils work in a pinch also, the only real caveat I see is there is no rust protection from most of the engine oils when stored long term.

Modern gun greases only have issues in extremely cold temps, and actually the issue seems to be more moisture freezing than issues w/ gun lubes solidifying (w/ some notable exceptions such as snake oils like FrogLube) -- so if you don't live in Alaska or the Artic Circle, then you're generally good with grease.

Additionally, engine oils are designed for optimal performance around 200*F, which isn't the temp at which guns operate on most surfaces that need lube and also have a bunch of additives that provide no benefit and may cause harm.
And while the base oils in motor oil might be nontoxic so long as it's not used oil -- many of the additive packages may not be safe and ARs tend to aerosolize at least some of lube used on them, so even if you wear gloves, etc. precautions, you can't eliminate all exposure...  So that's why I tend to stick to Slip2000's legit nontoxic lubes as my first line.

YMMV.

[bubbas4570]

I honestly use motor oil. Whatever is left in the bottles after my oil changes gets collected and put in an old bottle.

Grease works in a pinch, if there is nothing else available.  It will seize up in the cold, I know.

Engine oils work in a pinch also, the only real caveat I see is there is no rust protection from most of the engine oils when stored long term.

Modern gun greases only have issues in extremely cold temps, and actually the issue seems to be more moisture freezing than issues w/ gun lubes solidifying (w/ some notable exceptions such as snake oils like FrogLube) -- so if you don't live in Alaska or the Artic Circle, then you're generally good with grease.

Additionally, engine oils are designed for optimal performance around 200*F, which isn't the temp at which guns operate on most surfaces that need lube and also have a bunch of additives that provide no benefit and may cause harm.
And while the base oils in motor oil might be nontoxic so long as it's not used oil -- many of the additive packages may not be safe and ARs tend to aerosolize at least some of lube used on them, so even if you wear gloves, etc. precautions, you can't eliminate all exposure...  So that's why I tend to stick to Slip2000's legit nontoxic lubes as my first line.

YMMV.

I was not meaning gun grease, I meant greases....as in automotive greases; my use was actual wheel bearing grease.

Most oils can/may contain toxic additives, and if that is an issue for anyone I do suggest finding non-toxic lubrication materials....just as you have.  I did mean to use motor oils as a "last" resort if needed in my post.  I have found that for whatever reason when I tried them, there tended to be more "used up/dried" from my use in an AR during firing.  Not scientific, just my experiences. 

I went through a fairly long period of trying out different lubes to see what could/would/does work in varying conditions to get an idea of what I could use if needed.  That being said, I have went back to good old CLP for my lubing needs.  That seems to be the best average of what I need in the situations I encounter in my life for AR lube.

[M1A4ME]

I use marine grade bearing grease as appropriate for the M1 and M1A rifles and on the SIG 556R bolt/rails (gas piston and stays very clean in the receivers vs. the DI AR15/M16.)

As addicted as I am to the idea that a few minutes spent cleaning/lubing increase the likelihood of less issues later I hate to use grease on an AR15.  Just makes it harder to wipe clean every time it gets shot and harder to keep clean fingers.  If I had a gas piston AR15 (almost bought a SIG516 a couple times) I'd probably try grease on the bolt lugs and the high spots on the bolt that ride against the inside of the upper receiver.