What grease for barrel nut? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What grease for barrel nut?

Posted: 10/28/2014 3:59:16 AM EDT

Is there a automotive grease that doesn't contain graphite? I recently learned about the corrosive affects of graphite. In the past I think I used marine grease (boat trailer wheel bearing grease).

Posted: 10/28/2014 4:53:58 AM EDT

[#1]

Auto manufactures and mechanics use Anti seize to prevent / protect aluminum / steel threading surface since cars have been running aluminum cylinder heads with steel spark plugs. Anti seize is also used in high heat (up to 1600 deg F) areas such as O2 sensor fittings in the exhaust system.

The number one step to cure the massive Galvanic Plague of 2014 is hard anodizing.

Posted: 10/28/2014 5:26:59 AM EDT

[#2]

I've used Lubriplate 630 lithium grease, Dow Corning G-N high moly and the assembly grease that came with an Edelbrock cam kit. Never any problems.

I suppose it would be proper to use Parker Thread Lube though.

Posted: 10/28/2014 5:42:12 AM EDT

[#3]

I am using Royal Purple Synthetic High Temp grease. Good to 600°
I haven't had any probs. It doesn't take much on the threads. I have 1 tube. After building 6 rifles I have a teaspoon less than 1 tube. Ha ha.

I also use it on the BCG when I 1st build a rifle. After 100 rounds I clean up the grease and just run oil. I use Royal Purple 10W-40 oil on one of my rifles as an experience. I get bot at work.

So far been super happy with Royal Purple products as gun lube!

Posted: 10/28/2014 11:23:09 AM EDT

[#4]

There are 100s of grease threads here, and they typically devolve into a pissing match over the merits of Aeroshell.

Nothing wrong with that marine wheel bearing grease you mentioned, in my opinion. I put together 5 or 6 with the Lucas blue marine wheel bearing grease. They didn't burst into flames, or have the barrel rot off.

I bought the coveted Aeroshell 33MS, and some Valvoline Ford/Mercury moly grease, which is readily available at the local O'Reilly's Auto Parts. They are both moly fortified, and look exactly alike. Big difference is; the Valvoline doesn't smell like rotten ass. That Aeroshell will stink up everything it gets near

The barrel nut Nazis will be along shortly to tell me that my barrel nut is now not properly torqued on those rifles that I chose to not use Aeroshell on.

I can assure them that they are. I still may use some Aeroshell, simply because I might pack wheel bearings on one of my trailers with the Valvoline, who knows?

I have some pretty nice uppers, and it doesn't bother me a damn bit to consciously go right past the Aeroshell, and pick the others so that I don't have to listen to my old lady bitching about bringing an AR into the house that is reeking like an old tierod.

Flame on!

Posted: 10/28/2014 11:37:09 AM EDT

[#5]

Thank you for the Smell-O-Vision!!

I never knew what the "stink" was about Aeroshell (pun intended!). I don't try not to use it, it's just that I have the Royal Purple products by the drawer full of tubes and oil by the 5 gallon buckets.

I figure if this grease is good to be used on a gas turbine and my industrial air compressors love the oil, then it's good enough for my AR15!

Posted: 10/28/2014 11:56:51 AM EDT

[#6]

White Lithium grease, $4 at home depot and it will last you a lifetime of builds.

Posted: 10/28/2014 2:00:49 PM EDT

[#7]

Aeroshell 33MS.

Posted: 10/28/2014 2:14:34 PM EDT

[#8]

I use a $1.99 pack of gray wheel bearing grease from AutoZone. Probably a lifetime supply for most people.

Posted: 10/28/2014 2:44:42 PM EDT

[#9]

If you don't want to use what the TM says, use bacon grease.

Posted: 10/28/2014 3:54:02 PM EDT

[#10]

I use Aeroshell 33MS. It's one of several MIL-G 21164 greases that are available. I do not use automotive grease, and I don't use bacon grease either.

It's your gun, but why would you want to spend a good amount of money on a new upper and a new barrel, and then put them together with the cheapest grease you could find? As an old boss of mine would say, "when you say it out loud like that, you think about it differently." With shipping, a 14oz tube of Aeroshell 33MS runs around $22-$25, and it will last you a VERY long time, so it's not even a huge cost.

Posted: 10/28/2014 4:24:58 PM EDT

[#11]

So another question: has anyone ever actually seen a receiver corrode from wrong grease?

Posted: 10/28/2014 4:43:52 PM EDT

[#12]

I used synthetic brake and caliper grease that I have at work. I didn't know about the graphite problem at the time of assembly. The container clearly says that it contains "nature graphite". So......when the barrel falls off of the upper receiver in 47.65 years from now, I'll just buy another one.

Posted: 10/28/2014 4:53:46 PM EDT

[#13]

This works well and has been working well on my bolts, and slides on my 1911s, etc.

Lucus Red & Tacky

Posted: 10/28/2014 7:10:19 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
So another question: has anyone ever actually seen a receiver corrode from wrong grease?

View Quote

Nobody has posted evidence of that here. I HAVE seen aluminum/steel galvanic corrosion in action, and it's fast. But preventing galvanic corrosion is only a tiny, incidental part of the purpose of using the specified grease. It is a time-tested medium for allowing high temperature and high pressure assemblies of steel and aluminum parts, it has a well established, very stable viscosity that is important when torquing the barrel nut, and it's pretty easy to find commercially. Anybody that says it's ONLY for corrosion prevention doesn't pay enough attention; it's really hard to get through hardcoat anodizing with corrosion, since the anodizing is already an aluminum oxide compound - and aluminum oxide is not electrochemically active.

To me, using "the right grease" means paying attention to specs and following well established and proven instructions to get an AR built.

Posted: 10/28/2014 9:38:51 PM EDT

[#15]

It seems like I am an outlier. I use permatex copper antiseize.

Permatex site

Posted: 10/28/2014 10:07:00 PM EDT

[#16]

Unfortunately I don't believe anything our Government says. So i like to go against the grain with the grease. I have the tech data sheet of the Aeroshell and I'm comparing it to the Royal Purple High Temp Sythetic. I will let report back what I find out as to which one has better "specs"

Posted: 10/29/2014 3:02:09 AM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted: it's really hard to get through hardcoat anodizing with corrosion, since the anodizing is already an aluminum oxide compound - and aluminum oxide is not electrochemically active.

View Quote

Doesn't that kind of make graphite in lube a moot point then? Graphite is suppose to promote conductivity of ions between aluminium and other dissimilar metals. So if the hard anodizing isn't conductive then there is no issue with graphite.

Posted: 10/29/2014 4:23:38 AM EDT

[#18]

Interesting point. I will have to ponder that one. Seems resonable

Posted: 10/29/2014 7:42:48 AM EDT

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

Doesn't that kind of make graphite in lube a moot point then? Graphite is suppose to promote conductivity of ions between aluminium and other dissimilar metals. So if the hard anodizing isn't conductive then there is no issue with graphite.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted: it's really hard to get through hardcoat anodizing with corrosion, since the anodizing is already an aluminum oxide compound - and aluminum oxide is not electrochemically active.

Doesn't that kind of make graphite in lube a moot point then? Graphite is suppose to promote conductivity of ions between aluminium and other dissimilar metals. So if the hard anodizing isn't conductive then there is no issue with graphite.

Graphite provides lubricity in a couple of ways. It forms "plates" of molecules that slide across each other, but it also draws water to it from the atmosphere, which allows its "plates" to slide even better. It also holds that water quite well, which makes it a great electrolyte. But here's another thing it does: it's mildly abrasive on a microscopic level, so it can dig into the hardcoat and break through it because of the tight fit between the upper and the barrel nut. Typical hard coat anodizing is around 0.0005" thick, and it's not so hard that graphite can't scrape through it. So while it's not the enormous bugaboo some people make it out to be, it's not a good idea to use graphite with anything aluminum, anodized or not.

Posted: 10/29/2014 9:44:40 PM EDT

[#20]

So, what if nothing is used? Just harder or impossible to take back apart?

Posted: 10/29/2014 9:59:11 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
So, what if nothing is used? Just harder or impossible to take back apart?

View Quote

The main purpose for the grease on the threads is to get a proper torque, and to protect the aluminum receiver threads from the much harder steel threads of the barrel nut.

Posted: 10/30/2014 11:11:38 AM EDT

[#22]

Right, it keeps it from slipping or chattering making it possible to tighten it smoothly and accurately. Also if you tighten without grease you have to use a different torque value.

Posted: 11/1/2014 2:58:25 AM EDT

[#23]

ARP Assembly Lube
Works great on my engines and AR's

Posted: 11/1/2014 3:36:34 AM EDT

[#24]

Any quality grease that doesn't contain graphite. Beyond that, It doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. I use white lithium grease, or ARP assembly lube simply because it is on my shelf.

Posted: 11/1/2014 1:17:20 PM EDT

[#25]

BACON GREASE.....

Posted: 11/1/2014 6:25:24 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
There are 100s of grease threads here, and they typically devolve into a pissing match over the merits of Aeroshell.

Nothing wrong with that marine wheel bearing grease you mentioned, in my opinion. I put together 5 or 6 with the Lucas blue marine wheel bearing grease. They didn't burst into flames, or have the barrel rot off.

I bought the coveted Aeroshell 33MS, and some Valvoline Ford/Mercury moly grease, which is readily available at the local O'Reilly's Auto Parts. They are both moly fortified, and look exactly alike. Big difference is; the Valvoline doesn't smell like rotten ass. That Aeroshell will stink up everything it gets near

The barrel nut Nazis will be along shortly to tell me that my barrel nut is now not properly torqued on those rifles that I chose to not use Aeroshell on.

I can assure them that they are. I still may use some Aeroshell, simply because I might pack wheel bearings on one of my trailers with the Valvoline, who knows?

I have some pretty nice uppers, and it doesn't bother me a damn bit to consciously go right past the Aeroshell, and pick the others so that I don't have to listen to my old lady bitching about bringing an AR into the house that is reeking like an old tierod.

Flame on! +1

View Quote

Posted: 11/1/2014 7:55:55 PM EDT

[#27]

honda moly paste 60.

its $9 for a huge tube of it at your local honda dealership.

made for steel > aluminum mating.

Posted: 11/1/2014 9:05:45 PM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
honda moly paste 60.

its $9 for a huge tube of it at your local honda dealership.

made for steel > aluminum mating.

View Quote

Honda's Moly 60 has a lot more molybdenum disulfide than MIL G 21164 greases do. That's not a "bad thing," but it's something to note. If I didn't have my AeroShell 33MS, I'd use Moly 60.

Posted: 11/1/2014 10:42:47 PM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:
It seems like I am an outlier. I use permatex copper antiseize.

Permatex site

View Quote

Me too.

Posted: 11/2/2014 1:49:39 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

It seems like I am an outlier. I use permatex copper antiseize.

Permatex site

View Quote

I use Loctite C5A Copper Anti seize

Posted: 11/2/2014 6:31:50 PM EDT

[#31]

I used CLP on my last one but that was with an aluminum nut.

Posted: 11/2/2014 6:53:06 PM EDT

[#32]

Any moly EP from the parts store will work fine.

Aeroshell 33MS is what's called out, that doesn't mean that's the only grease that'll get the job done, it's the only one that can be used by a government contractor during assembly on military M16's.

Posted: 11/2/2014 7:00:56 PM EDT

[#33]

i had a tube of anti seize from autozone from the last engine i rebuilt, so i threw some of that on it. havent taken it apart to know if it's working or not though. lol. should be fine.