Fort Riley soldier's idea keeps weapons working

The Witicha Eagle ^ | Apr. 05, 2003 | TIM POTTER

[B4Ranch]

	Posted on Sat, Apr. 05, 2003
	Fort Riley soldier's idea keeps weapons working An oil-based lubricant for guns is like a magnet for dust and sand in the desert. One soldier found a synthetic substitute. BY TIM POTTER The Wichita Eagle FORT RILEY - As they head to war in Iraq, the soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 13th Armor, carry 1-ounce bottles of orange liquid that could save their lives. They contain a synthetic lubricant that keeps pistols, rifles and machine guns working in the desert sand and dust, which can coat, clog and wear any mechanism. The tank battalion, part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, kept hearing reports of weapons malfunctioning in desert training. The problem, said battalion commander Lt. Col. Frank Sherman, is that the oil-based lubricant the Army usually uses seems to attract dust and sand in desert conditions. Sherman credited Staff Sgt. Julian Tobin for taking the initiative to solve the problem for their battalion. Tobin tried to downplay his involvement, saying he was only following up on officers' good ideas. He searched the Internet and found a product called Militec-1, advertised as a "synthetic-based metal conditioner." Some other units already in Iraq have started using it, he said. Although the synthetic lubricant is moist when applied, it dries as it bonds with metal, which prevents it from drawing as much dust and sand as the oil-based lubricant. The change, Tobin said, could determine whether a bullet casing fully ejects or a round properly engages in a firing mechanism. More than half the approximately 500 soldiers in Sherman's tank unit work in support of the tanks. They are logistics experts, mechanics and clerks, working without armored plating to shield them. Their lives, Sherman said, could depend on whether their M-16s fire dependably.

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© 2003 The Wichita Eagle and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
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[sd-joe]

When I was in the Navy, a similar thing happened.

A deck sentry was being relieved, he took his .45, cycled the slide, dropped the magazine, and pulled the trigger firing a round past the head of his relief and near one of the missles on the deck.

The sailor was taken off the ship the same day.

[farmfriend]

I generally post two to four articles a week.

Really? I'm going to have to do a search on your name or get you to ping me to them.

I don't try to keep up with you and do 14 or more a day.

LMAO! I don't post that many, do I?

[B4Ranch]

That's the obvious dangers of handling someone elses weapons. You never know the condition.... loaded or unloaded.

That's the angle these 'weapons safety standards' guys are coming from. Some of them just start to tick me off when they keep posting the rules that all experienced shooters follow without failure. How do they think we survived combat and made it all the way into old age? By acting like idiots?

[sd-joe]

Yeah, I didn't see the sarcasm tag.

Gore is still and always will be an idiot.

[LibKill]

That's the angle these 'weapons safety standards' guys are coming from. Some of them just start to tick me off when they keep posting the rules that all experienced shooters follow without failure. How do they think we survived combat and made it all the way into old age? By acting like idiots?

Oh well. The repetition of the rules may save some newbie from his own ignorance. Not everyone had the benefit of early and thorough training.

[Mr_Magoo]

Miltech-1 is one of a number of high tech lubes that have come out in the last few years. My question is: Is there one that really protects the barrel from excessive wear and metal fouling? I don't want to waste a bunch of bucks on crap that don't hold up to the claims.

[dmcnash]

Loading your own ammo with Molybedum Disulfide (MoS2) coated bullets will significantly reduce fouling.

There is not much you can do about barrel erosion that occurs at the chamber and muzzle areas due to the heat and velocity of the powder gasses other that careful powder selection.

[B4Ranch]

Miltech-1, MIL TEC, MILTEC, Mil Tec nor MilSpec , are NOT in any way related to MILITEC-1

MILITEC-1 makes a lubricant for weapons. The other companies make everything from gun cases, video programs, clothes and knapsacks to whatever. I haven't researched them all.

If your question is about MILITEC-1, then I can help because I have used their product for over four years.

Which company are you referring to?

[Servant of the Nine]

I have seen that clip also and wondered what the situation was. Sand grains mixed into the belt?

Brownings do not like to operate dry. They also don't like grit in the mechanism, so they really need a dry lube in those conditions. Grit in the belt is not much of a problem. The metal links are dry and won't hold it. Mud is another story.

On the other hand, the soldier may have misadjusted the headspace when he installed the barrel, or the weapon could have damaged feed pawls.

So9

[MainFrame65]

"Al Gore invented synthetic lubricants in his spare time, but he's too modest to take credit."

What, furniture polish?

[Mr_Magoo]

Ok,

A short search finds:

Militec-1

Ballistol

FP-10

Borecote

M-Pro 7

TW-25 B

MolyFusion-Slick

Well, that gives an idea of what I am asking. I see a number of claims that so and so bonds to the metal, makes it slicker than whale sh**, etc. so that nothing sticks, no copper buildup, no fouling, etc. Makes me want to wear hip waders to just read the ads.

I understand throat erosion is caused from combustion gasses and partially burned powder wearing away the metal in the throat. I am just looking for something that will really help reduce friction, increase velocity, and attract purty babes. LOL!

[SBprone]

Dry-film lubricants such as this are widely used and available from many sources. The only surprising thing about this story is that the DOD hasn't kept up with the state of the art in lubricants for small arms.

It seems like a lot of procurement is getting done at the grass-roots level, often by soldiers and grunts using their own funds.

[Nebr FAL owner]

You think anybody would be stupid enough to give Algore a magazine of live ammo? I don't either.

[blam]

"I've been using a similar "dry" lubricant on my mountain bike for years."

What was your bike attracting in the mountains?

[blam]

"The wise-ass answer is every root, loose rock, low branch, deep rut, and puncturing thorn. "

Sorry, that was my attempt at humor.

I have something like that, that I put on my hinges on the car/truck doors.

[MHGinTN]

Actually, Al carried a mockup drill model from a College ROTC colorguard unit ... his daddy wouldn't let him be armed, that's how much he worried about his empty headed boy. Such love.

[TC Rider]

I noticed this morning on the FNC footage driving into Bahgdad, that the 50cal gunner was having to work his bolt after every 3-4 rounds.

[blam]

"I caught your humor and dealt it back in spades... ;¬Þ"

Okay, carry on.