Posted on 09/05/2012 4:09:22 PM PDT by Kartographer
We discovered that the regular issue Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant (CLP) [which is a Mil-Spec lubricant, sold commercially under the trade name "Break Free CLP".] CLP was contributing to the problem more than fixing it. It is true that we cleaned our weapons daily sometimes two or three times depending on conditions and enemy activity. Our M16/ M4s would function properly as long as they were cleaned routinely. Problems would occur when troops were engaged for prolonged times and couldn't risk breaking down their weapons to clean out all the dirt. We would simply pour in more CLP. An AR-15 type rifle will fire and function dirty as long as it is liberally lubricated. The problem is the more oil you pore down the bolt and into the chamber the more dirt it collects. What we discovered is that using Mobil1 synthetic motor oil usually in a 0w30 or 5w30 works much better than the CLP. At $10 per quart it is on the expensive side as motor oils go. But when compared to CLP or Rem Oil that are usually sold in 6 ounce containers at $5 to $6 it is much more cost effective. We also experimented with it on out crew served weapon systems. We found it to out perform the (Lubricant, Small Arms (LSA) used on the M2 (.50 Cal Browning machinegun) and MK-19 (40mm grenade launcher).
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I have an American Rifleman article someplace that cites the acid neutralizing basic wash as responsible for mineralization troops experienced in VN. Perhaps Winchester used a different powder due to DOD pricing guidelines?
For a while CDNN was giving away free tiny bottles of MiliTech-1 oil with each purchase. I have used it long enough to know it is good stuff.
I have no idea what is best but it is certainly good. I read somewhere that it’s magic ingredient is just plain old Zinc.
That is what I recall
I couldn’t say, but I have read that the powder the Pentagon specified caused more fouling than the one Stoner specified. The hangover from this may explain the current craze for piston-driven ARs.
Soviet motor oil in the 1940s would have been much heavier yhan a modern 0W-30 or 5W-30. Check the oil now before TSHTF... It probably won’t need thinning.
Whadya think?
Look up “Ed’s Red” ... It’s a homebrew cleaner and lubricant. Works very well for me.
Honestly,,,i have never seen an AK gunk up to the point that it cannot fire,,,ever.
The Navy Seals use Froglube, its the best lube it even prevents bore fouling, its so easy to clean the bore you don’t really need anything more than some patches. You don’t have to use a bore brush since deposits don’t stick.
If you can’t break your weapon down you can still run cloth down your bore and wipe your chamber with rags. Then clean the rags best you but, in any case, you can reuses them to clean whatever junk off and out as best you can.
I recently started using synthetic micro fiber towels on my second or third pass. Cleaning is way faster and I might start using them for all my cleaning except my finish pass. I like to see the white pad come out clean and blanco.
Oh, and Break Free is best used on piston rifles. Spring rifles like a typical AR doesn’t have the power to stay as clean as piston operated rifles.
Not a knock on springers. I like them too. But, my “go to”is always going to be my piston operated rifles as they are indisputably more reliable over spring operated rifles if you are in the dirt for extended periods and can’t perform a proper and full clean.
My dos centavos....
Dry lube is probably fine in a city environment or if you won’t pass very many rounds before cleaning again.
However, dry lube can cake up or turn into glue .....
Humble advice to shooters is “Try It”! Don’t think you’ll be disappointed...
Tried Mobil 1 a few years back as a lube for my semi-auto pistols, and was so impressed switched all my firearms to Mobil 1...Plus a bit of white lithium grease here and there...
I run my vehicles on Mobil 1 exclusively, and do my own changes...So have begun inverting the “empty” bottles overnight to catch the dregs...More or less “free” gun lube, since it would normally just be discarded with the containers...
And a quart would probably last most guys a lifetime anyway...Using 5W30 on everything and very happy with the results...Regularly run my Rock River ARs for four-day training sessions, shooting 800-1000 rounds in often very dusty conditions (keep that dust cover closed, boys!), and have had zero lube related issues with any of them...
As for corrosion porotection, living in Colorado where it’s dry this is less of an issue, but have used it as a protective film coating and so far no corrosion issues...Again, try it on some other clean scrap metal and see how it performs in a corrosive atmosphere...
Ran across this information awhile back and saved it, but cannot attribute it to the source...Apologies to the author...
According to this data, Mobil 1 apparently exceeds the minimum standard for which gun oils are evaluated, and that includes Militec and Rem Oil:
“Since Mobil 1 is subjected to such extreme conditions (in terms of thermal stress, oxidation and pressure) inside of an internal combustion engine, it appears that it should possess both adequate film and barrier strength to serve as a small arms lubricant.”
The criteria that these lubricants were evaluated by are:
1. Pour Point (P/P): The lowest temperature (in degrees F) at which the lubricant will flow within a specified timeframe.
Minimum requirement: -50 F
2. Flash Point (F/P): The lowest temperature (in degrees F) at which the lubricant will produce vapors that, if subjected to an ignition source, will ignite and combust.
Minimum requirement: +450 F
3. Viscosity at 100 F (V/100): The viscosity (in centistokes) of the lubricant at 100 F.
Minimum requirement: 40.00 cSt
4. Viscosity at 212 F (V/212): The viscosity of the lubricant (in centistokes) at 212 F.
Minimum requirement: 8.00 cSt
As a point of reference, the kinematic viscosity of pure water at:
68 F (room temperature) is 1.004 cSt
100 F is 0.658 cSt
212 F is 0.294 cSt
5. Transient Operating Range (TOR): The sum of the absolute values of the Pour Point (P/P) and the Flash Point (F/P).
Minimum requirement: 500 F
6. Viscosity Index (VI): An arbitrary numerical value assigned to a lubricant indicating its ability to retain its viscosity across a specified temperature range.
Minimum requirement: 110 (Very High)
Low VI: 35 or lower
Medium VI: 35-80
High VI: 80-110
Very High VI: 110 or higher
Data for Mobil 1 Synthetic Lubricants:
0W20
P/P: -70.6 F
F/P: +449.6 F
V/100: 43.0 cSt
V/212: 8.4 cSt
TOR: 520.2 F
VI: 176
0W30
P/P: -65.2 F
F/P: +456.8 F
V/100: 63.1 cSt
V/212: 11.0 cSt
TOR: 522.0 F
VI: 169
0W40
P/P: -65.2 F
F/P: +456.8 F
V/100: 80.0 cSt
V/212: 14.3 cSt
TOR: 522.0 F
VI:188
5W20
P/P: -52.6 F
F/P: +442.4 F
V/100: 48.3 cSt
V/212: 8.8 cSt
TOR: 495.0 F
VI: 164
5W30
P/P: -65.2 F
F/P: +446.0 F
V/100: 64.8 cSt
V/212: 11.3 cSt
TOR: 511.2 F
VI: 171
5W40
P/P: -49.0 F
F/P: +438.8 F
V/100: 102.0 cSt
V/212: 14.8 cSt
TOR: 487.8 F
VI: 152
5W50
P/P: -65.2 F
F/P: +456.8 F
V/100: 104.9 cSt
V/212: 17.5 cSt
TOR: 522.0 F
VI: 184
10W30
P/P: -49.0 F
F/P: +453.2 F
V/100: 62.0 cSt
V/212: 10.0 cSt
TOR: 484.2 F
VI: 148
10W40 (MX4T)
P/P: -65.2 F
F/P: +487.4 F
V/100: 86.0 cSt
V/212: 13.8 cSt
TOR: 552.6 F
VI: 166
15W50
P/P: -49.0 F
F/P: +446.0 F
V/100: 125.0 cSt
V/212: 17.4 cSt
TOR: 495.0 F
VI: 153
20W50 (VTWIN)
P/P: -59.8 F
F/P: +518.0 F
V/100: 130.0 cSt
V/212: 17.7 cSt
TOR: 577.8 F
VI: 151
75W90
P/P: -50.8 F
F/P: +347.0 F
V/100: 106.0 cSt
V/212: 15.2 cSt
TOR: 397.8 F
VI: 151
75W140
P/P: -59.8 F
F/P: +429.8 F
V/100: 179.0 cSt
V/212: 25.3 cSt
TOR: 489.6 F
VI: 175
SYNTHETIC ATF
P/P: -65.2 F
F/P: +456.8 F
V/100: 34.0 cSt
V/212: 7.6 cSt
TOR: 522.0 F
VI: 203
JET OIL II
P/P: -74.2 F
F/P: +518.0 F
V/100: 27.6 cSt
V/212: 5.1 cSt
TOR: 592.2 F
VI: 113
JET OIL 254
P/P: -79.6 F
F/P: +489.0 F
V/100: 26.4 cSt
V/212: 5.3 cSt
TOR: 568.6 F
VI: 137
JET OIL 284
P/P: -70.6 F
F/P: +442.4 F
V/100: 17.6 cSt
V/212: 4.0 cSt
TOR: 513.0 F
VI: 128
MILITEC-1 (for comparison purposes only)
P/P: -45.0 F
F/P: +455.0 F
V/100: 43.41 cSt
V/212: 5.63 cSt
TOR: 500.0 F
VI: 63
Top 5 Criteria Compliant Grades:
1. 20W50 (VTWIN)
2. 10W40 (MX4T)
3. 5W50
4. 0W40
5. 0w30
Personally I would think Tufoil “tough oil” would do well. Good for your engine and I’d think good for the gun too.
On the machine guns (M249, 240G, and M2), I would put 10W30 or 10W40 in a bottle labeled "CLP" (at least give the appearance you're following the regs) and use that.
In WWII, when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, they encountered many miles of mature sunflowers in bloom. However, then they encountered fine dust five foot deep that was a mechanical nightmare.
They resolved the situation in the short term by inventing the first dry lube, made from ground sunflower seeds. This worked on the way in. However, on the way out, that five foot deep dust had turned to near impassable mud.
Ive switched to FrogLube. My weapons work well and my hands dont smell. It reminds me of wintergreen Lifesavers.
Marvel Mystery oil.
Amsoil MP (metal protector) which is the synthetic version of WD-40 is one of the best things to clean a gun with. My hubby has been a dealer for 30 + years and is a gun nut also.
The smallest can of hi temp bearing grease is better than motor oil. Wipe a bit on, then wipe the excess off. For gas impingement systems, like the M4/M16 varieties, having some oil to spuirt into the bolt carrier means cutting motor oil with a dab of something to endure hi temps, and a dab of olive oil does the trick nicely.
I remember my Daisy Powerline airguns say to use 30 weight non-detergent motor oil for both lubrication and protection.
You need a USFT :-)
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