upper grease

[redtail]

How crucial is the aeroshell (33 I think ) stuff ?
I just put an upper together using the brown garand grease (plastilube?) I had sitting around on the reciever threads & barrel extension / nut.
I don't think it is an issue on a range toy , but I have been wrong before. Once.
What says the hive?

 

[kev74]

Unless you have to take it apart again, the grease isn't necessary. Aluminum likes to gall - stick to its self - under high load, so without something to prevent that, the nut could kind of weld its self to the receiver. I think I used anti-seize the last time I built one, but its been a while.

With lubricants, usually anything is better than nothing. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

If we are talking about AR's I just use run of the mill anti-seize on the outside of the barrel extension and on the receiver threads. Some people get real technical and want a specific type of anti-seize for reasons.

 

[meketrefe]

How crucial is the aeroshell (33 I think ) stuff ?
I just put an upper together using the brown garand grease (plastilube?) I had sitting around on the reciever threads & barrel extension / nut.
I don't think it is an issue on a range toy , but I have been wrong before. Once.
What says the hive?

Any average grease/lube will do.
The best is an actual anti-seize lube but the radius of the threads is so large and torque so low that any grease will do.
This is not like car rotors that are going to be driven in the winter weather/salt.
And don't over torque, people do it all the time. With bolt rifles too.

 

[meketrefe]

If we are talking about AR's I just use run of the mill anti-seize on the outside of the barrel extension and on the receiver threads. Some people get real technical and want a specific type of anti-seize for reasons.

All a bunch of baloney.
When someone cannot explain precisely WHY you know they are following some sort of fashion or trying to sell something.
Grease for the threads and some general shop or engine oil for the group and very lightly so. The firearm is made of metal-alloys
but it is not an engine transmission. I like synthetic oil for almost every vehicle, gun and machinery other than the lathe and mill
gears that call for regular detergent free oil.

 

[1075tech]

Some of it has to do with dissimilar metal corrosion. Steel barrel nut on aluminum receiver. In theory, the grease will act as an insulator of sorts to keep the two metals separate.

That being said, I've used both anti-sieze and regular red grease

 

[meketrefe]

Some of it has to do with dissimilar metal corrosion. Steel barrel nut on aluminum receiver. In theory, the grease will act as an insulator of sorts to keep the two metals separate.

That being said, I've used both anti-sieze and regular red grease

The main concern is metal galling so some sort of lube that at the same time comes with inhibitors will take care of that.
Because they are threads grease or ideally anti-seize is more than plenty.
A $5 bottle will last for many years to use in car, motorcycle, guns, yard equipment and other projects.

 

[Cooolone]

Two dissimilar metals touching creates a galvanic reaction... Anti-Seize grease will prevent the reaction by providing an insulation layer, even if micro thin, between the two. You just want to use a grease that will "stay" on the metal in the environment in which it will be subject to.

As noted, typical anti seize (silver stuff) from autoparts store will work, or a pipe joint type, like copper shield will work for this purpose as well. Again, maybe a little overboard, but the autoparts store grease isn't expensive. If you have joint grease (auto) like for zerk fittings, that'll work too, lol.

The galvanic reaction can fuse the metals together over time... So you want something there, unless as noted, you don't plan on ever taking it apart, then this entire conversation is moot, hahahaha.

Good luck!

 

[Twogunwilly]

I did mine with beeswax, then I threw it in the lake.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

All a bunch of baloney.

I guess some people want to feel special. I forget what product was discussed on that forum (I want to say it was AR15.com) but it sounded super expensive and overkill.
I've had no problems with the auto store ant-seize.
As for the BGC, I've tried a few different products. Breakfree CLP, Hoppies, FrogLube and now Ballistal. I've heard of people using motor oil. I've thought about trying it.

 

[meketrefe]

I guess some people want to feel special. I forget what product was discussed on that forum (I want to say it was AR15.com) but it sounded super expensive and overkill.
I've had no problems with the auto store ant-seize.
As for the BGC, I've tried a few different products. Breakfree CLP, Hoppies, FrogLube and now Ballistal. I've heard of people using motor oil. I've thought about trying it.

AR15com still around? lol the same people who spend $400 in painting a tacticool skull on a reciever or super dooper handguard but then buy a PSA or model1 POS kit barrel and then complain it doesn't shoot. Or never took a proper lesson from anyone ever on shooting, hunting or any other skills.

 

[BDinPutnam]

I use the aeroshell. It was cheap enough and I dont build a lot.

 

[togmaster]

The main concern is metal galling so some sort of lube that at the same time comes with inhibitors will take care of that.
Because they are threads grease or ideally anti-seize is more than plenty.
A $5 bottle will last for many years to use in car, motorcycle, guns, yard equipment and other projects.

View attachment 71095

I dare you to not get that stuff all over everything.

 

[Deplorable Me]

The main concern is metal galling so some sort of lube that at the same time comes with inhibitors will take care of that.
Because they are threads grease or ideally anti-seize is more than plenty.
A $5 bottle will last for many years to use in car, motorcycle, guns, yard equipment and other projects.

View attachment 71095

In a nutshell this . Even the lawnmower muffler doesn't seize up. Good on sparkplugs too, handles heat well. Fixed parts only, not a lubricant for moving parts. If you use regular grease on fixed parts it may bake out and glue components together.

 

[FrankenCub]

I guess some people want to feel special. I forget what product was discussed on that forum (I want to say it was AR15.com) but it sounded super expensive and overkill.
I've had no problems with the auto store ant-seize.
As for the BGC, I've tried a few different products. Breakfree CLP, Hoppies, FrogLube and now Ballistal. I've heard of people using motor oil. I've thought about trying it.

Some guys there want nothing more than to rub each other's balls. I've been using Mobile 1 synthetic grease and same motor oil for years. You'd never build and own enough AR's to run out of a tube and bottle and they're cheaper than the fancy grease.

 

[meketrefe]

I dare you to not get that stuff all over everything.

for my toast I prefer peanut butter.

 

[meketrefe]

Some guys there want nothing more than to rub each other's balls. I've been using Mobile 1 synthetic grease and same motor oil for years. You'd never build and own enough AR's to run out of a tube and bottle and they're cheaper than the fancy grease.

Exactly! I see all this collateral business of tacticool magic formulas like a modern version of the old snake oil salesman.
Perhaps we should put a list of what people think they need and what they really need. The shopping list will be much
shorter and cheaper to buy.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Some guys there want nothing more than to rub each other's balls. I've been using Mobile 1 synthetic grease and same motor oil for years. You'd never build and own enough AR's to run out of a tube and bottle and they're cheaper than the fancy grease.

I think there is confusion about what the op was asking about. I understood the question to be about grease for use between non moving parts (receiver and barrel/barrel nut), not lubricant for the BCG.

 

[Exonautic]

I've used moly in the past. If I remember right it's not that great for long term stuff, but it served the purpose of if I changed my mind in a week and gives it a layer so that it won't react poorly over time.

On a side note. The first time I built an AR I very clearly had no clue what I was doing being I used blue threadlocker on the barrel nut threads. Man was taking that off a bitch and a half.

 

[meketrefe]

I think there is confusion about what the op was asking about. I understood the question to be about grease for use between non moving parts (receiver and barrel/barrel nut), not lubricant for the BCG.

In summary...
A) To prevent Galling.... General purpose antiseize form ACE ($5 lifetime supply)
B) Carrier group and other moving parts... Mobil1, rotella, Valvoline engine oil for BCG (very lightly) $5 lifetime supply too.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

In summary...
A) To prevent Galling.... General purpose antiseize form ACE ($5 lifetime supply)
B) Carrier group and other moving parts... Mobil1, rotella, Valvoline engine oil for BCG (very lightly) $5 lifetime supply too.

Yes.

 

[kev74]

AR15com still around? lol the same people who spend $400 in painting a tacticool skull on a reciever or super dooper handguard but then buy a PSA or model1 POS kit barrel and then complain it doesn't shoot. Or never took a proper lesson from anyone ever on shooting, hunting or any other skills.

 

[FrankenCub]

I think there is confusion about what the op was asking about. I understood the question to be about grease for use between non moving parts (receiver and barrel/barrel nut), not lubricant for the BCG.

That's what I used Mobile 1 synthetic grease for. But really, I bet their engine oil is all that's really needed. The synthetic oil wont dry up like dyno oil and provides more than enough friction reducing and wont allow corrosion. That one quart of oil could lubricate a whole production line of AR's for assembly.

 

[meketrefe]

I've used moly in the past. If I remember right it's not that great for long term stuff, but it served the purpose of if I changed my mind in a week and gives it a layer so that it won't react poorly over time.

On a side note. The first time I built an AR I very clearly had no clue what I was doing being I used blue threadlocker on the barrel nut threads. Man was taking that off a bitch and a half.

The automotive stuff is so good for the guns because the requirements are so much lower. A gun is served more often and protected from water with salt, exposure and agents that are otherwise brutal on equipment.
If one is building a rifle for amphibian operations to be shot partially submerged and that might be in salt water a lot that is a complete different animal and you are not talking about a direct impingement system in the first place.
For example at some point Lilja cut specially profiled stainless steel carbine barrels for Navy Seals for this very same purpose.
Also guns do not have a battery or a charge that is a huge factor on having metal reactions. They also sleep dry on a safe or rack vs. outside on the elements.

If someone is interested in building a gun that will not just pass but exceed all the over-the-beach requirements we can talk about that too.
There are simple considerations that are far superior to military standards and not that much more costly but, obviusly the choices of gun and ammo for that are different.
btw in the last 15 years or so I wax seal all my hunting loads and weather proof the rifles.

 

[redtail]

Thanks all.
Any grease is good enough on the barrel receiver is my take away.
I have anti-seize in the garage for wheel lugs etc. , but the Garand grease is closer so..there's that.

And unrelated, but I also use Mobil one on the moving parts.

Pic for the lolz.