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Posted: 2/14/2020 12:18:54 AM EDT
I tried to peel away from work today to go shoot. Of course as soon as I get setup I get a work call and have to bail. Shot 30 rounds through my SR-15. 10 rds of Black Hills and 20 Independence 193.
Just finished cleaning it since it’s my go to HD carbine. It was absolutely filthy! I’ve run 800 rds in a day through that rifle and it wasn’t anymore dirty than 30 rds. Maybe after 1000s of rounds you’ll get some serious buildup that’s more noticeable but I had plenty of carbon on the bolt tail that I scraped off. I’m kind of a fanatic about cleaning but I think I’m going to start letting them go closer to 1000 rounds before cleaning. |
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[#1]
If it’s not a life and death gun there’s no need to clean as much. If it’s a SD gun you want that thing clean and lubed at all times.
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[#2]
I want a life a death gun that will run filthy and all mine do. If they don’t they’re not on the line
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[#3]
If I shoot it I clean it. I field strip it, I clean it, I look it over, I lube it and I put it back together.
If it will go 1,000 rounds without cleaning that's great. But I want to start out with it cleaned and lubed and ready to go that 1,000 rounds. Not be at the 800 round mark and then get into the worst situation in the world (for me and mine) and have to shoot the shit out of it when it's already dirty as hell and the lube situation is iffy. |
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[#4]
It's an SR-15 Mod 2 so I'm pretty confident it will run clean or dirty. But I have always taken extra special care when it comes to weapons that I may trust my life with. I had just never only put 30 rounds through one of my ARs. Thought it was an interesting observation how dirty it was.
I'll continue cleaning after each use. My trainer / loaner carbine is an old BCM BFH with thousands of rounds through it. It doesn't get cleaned after every trip and continues to run and hold MOA. |
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[#5]
Balance in all things.
Over cleaning and over lubrication are not good. Neglect is not good. There is a happy medium. |
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[#6]
They don't care if they're clean. They just want lube.
Can not over lube it. It'll sling off the excess in a few shots. |
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[#7]
Quoted:
They don't care if they're clean. They just want lube. Can not over lube it. It'll sling off the excess in a few shots. View Quote Now the question is would the bad guy wait for you to lube up your dirty rifle? |
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[#8]
Quoted:
It's an SR-15 Mod 2 so I'm pretty confident it will run clean or dirty. But I have always taken extra special care when it comes to weapons that I may trust my life with. I had just never only put 30 rounds through one of my ARs. Thought it was an interesting observation how dirty it was. I'll continue cleaning after each use. My trainer / loaner carbine is an old BCM BFH with thousands of rounds through it. It doesn't get cleaned after every trip and continues to run and hold MOA. View Quote Lube the right points and keep everything else dry tend to get less dirty. |
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[#9]
Quoted: Most likely it’s the lubrication that is dirty. Think about it for a second. If you hand sand and you threw it against a dry wall, it doesn’t stick and falls down. Maybe a little dirty and easy. Now you take that same wall and make it wet and threw sand on it, you see a totally different surface. Lube the right points and keep everything else dry tend to get less dirty. View Quote Heavy lubrication shown to improve M16, M4 effectiveness By Matthew Cox - Staff writer Posted : Monday Jul 16, 2007 17:34:05 EDT Army weapons officials might have found a way to improve the M16 family’s performance in the desert. “Dust chamber” tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., last year show that M16 rifles and M4 carbines perform dramatically better when the weapon’s bolt assembly is heavily lubricated. During each phase of the two-part “system assessment” at Army Test and Evaluation Command, testers fired 60,000 rounds through 10 weapon samples of each model. Treated with light lubrication, new M16A4s and M4s, performed poorly in the extreme dust and sand conditions of the test, according to a January report from ATEC. But when testers applied a heavy coat of lubrication to the weapons, the test results showed a “significant improvement.” Out of the 60,000 rounds fired in each phase, the M4 stoppage-rate dropped from 9,836 with light lubrication to 678 with heavy lubrication. The M16A4 stoppage-rate dropped from 2,124 with light lubrication to 507 with heavy lubrication, results show. For years, Army weapons officials have preached to soldiers to virtues of applying a light coat of lubrication during weapons maintenance. But the test results reinforce a recent change in weapons maintenance guidance Army units are practicing in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Col. Carl Lipsit, project manager for Soldier Weapons. At the request of Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., the Army will conduct a similar dust-chamber test in August, pitting the M4 against the Heckler and Koch 416, the H&K XM8 and FNH USA’s Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle. All of the participating weapons will be treated with a heavy coat of lubrication during the test, Lipsit said. |
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[#10]
Quoted: Most likely it’s the lubrication that is dirty. Think about it for a second. If you hand sand and you threw it against a dry wall, it doesn’t stick and falls down. Maybe a little dirty and easy. Now you take that same wall and make it wet and threw sand on it, you see a totally different surface. Lube the right points and keep everything else dry tend to get less dirty. View Quote it's like ruining a hose on the wall while throwing sand at it. |
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[#11]
Yeah it’s not because I’m using too much lube. I don’t even use lube. I hit the contact points with Cherrybalmz.
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[#12]
Quoted:
Big Army found the opposite in 2007, a quote posted on Military Times: Heavy lubrication shown to improve M16, M4 effectiveness By Matthew Cox - Staff writer Posted : Monday Jul 16, 2007 17:34:05 EDT Army weapons officials might have found a way to improve the M16 family’s performance in the desert. “Dust chamber” tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., last year show that M16 rifles and M4 carbines perform dramatically better when the weapon’s bolt assembly is heavily lubricated. During each phase of the two-part “system assessment” at Army Test and Evaluation Command, testers fired 60,000 rounds through 10 weapon samples of each model. Treated with light lubrication, new M16A4s and M4s, performed poorly in the extreme dust and sand conditions of the test, according to a January report from ATEC. But when testers applied a heavy coat of lubrication to the weapons, the test results showed a “significant improvement.” Out of the 60,000 rounds fired in each phase, the M4 stoppage-rate dropped from 9,836 with light lubrication to 678 with heavy lubrication. The M16A4 stoppage-rate dropped from 2,124 with light lubrication to 507 with heavy lubrication, results show. For years, Army weapons officials have preached to soldiers to virtues of applying a light coat of lubrication during weapons maintenance. But the test results reinforce a recent change in weapons maintenance guidance Army units are practicing in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Col. Carl Lipsit, project manager for Soldier Weapons. At the request of Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., the Army will conduct a similar dust-chamber test in August, pitting the M4 against the Heckler and Koch 416, the H&K XM8 and FNH USA’s Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle. All of the participating weapons will be treated with a heavy coat of lubrication during the test, Lipsit said. View Quote Personally I use grease, and yes, when I clean it, no matter how little I shoot, it's black as anything. It's because I'm cleaning out the grease that was on it and once done, it's spotlessly clean. The good news is the more oil you got in it, the easier to is to clean afterwards. If you keep it dry, it will actually be harder to clean in the long run. |
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[#13]
Quoted: I didn't say oily was bad. You're right that dirty + oily = good. Dirty + dry = bad. What I'm trying to say is with a lot of oil in the bcg, the carbon is going to stick to it and you're going to clean out dirty oil. Not that it's a bad thing or anything. Personally I use grease View Quote CLP is a better all around lube, IME. |
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[#14]
Quoted: I pretty much stopped using grease when I found out how fast -20 degree Midwest temps killed AR cycling. I do run it in the warmer months with discretion. Mainly bolt lugs/cam pin and track/carrier rails, but light. CLP is a better all around lube, IME. View Quote |
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[#15]
Quoted: -20F? Are you effing kidding me? I have no utility for an AR that runs in that temp because I would not be alive in that weather to shoot View Quote ![]() "Cycles all ammo in all conditions" is a must for a gun thst could possibly be used in a defensive role. FWIW, I don't make it a habit to hit the range at those temps, my Lazyboy and television are much more appealing. ![]() |
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[#16]
I've never used grease on an AR. Don't know anyone who knows the weapon that does.
Oil, lots of it. Motor oil, gun oil, CLP. Never WD40 or remlube. Overlube the bolt and carrier contact points. Too much?.....just right. If in any doubt, lube again. Clean it off your shooting glasses. This has worked for me for decades with 20k+ rounds in several AR's YMCV |
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[#17]
Quoted:
I've never used grease on an AR. Don't know anyone who knows the weapon that does. Oil, lots of it. Motor oil, gun oil, CLP. Never WD40 or remlube. Overlube the bolt and carrier contact points. Too much?.....just right. If in any doubt, lube again. Clean it off your shooting glasses. This has worked for me for decades with 20k+ rounds in several AR's YMCV View Quote Lots of folks post on ARFCOM about their success with it all the time. Heck, the CherryBalmz that everyone is talking so highly of, and which the OP is using, is a light grease! |
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[#18]
The only place I would put grease on an AR is hammer / trigger and disconnector, and the cam pin.
Not necessary though. The BCG and upper receiver do well to be slathered with oil and the more the merrier. Lightly lubing to try to keep the gun clean is the wrong way. The more lube you have, the more filth you can suspend and keep the gun running. |
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[#19]
Quoted:
They don't care if they're clean. They just want lube. Can not over lube it. It'll sling off the excess in a few shots. View Quote |
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[#20]
Standing in line at Rural King, I notice a case of tubes of grease. It's thick and green, but has pictures of a tractor and dump truck on it. Says it's for high temperatures, extreme pressures, and works for heavy duty bearings.
I think, "Sounds like the BCG in an AR." Been using Lucas X-treme Duty Grease on my BCG, and pistol slides ever since. Clean less often and just add a little Heavy Duty Gun Oil to the other parts now and then. No problems. |
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[#21]
Quoted:
I've never used grease on an AR. Don't know anyone who knows the weapon that does. Oil, lots of it. Motor oil, gun oil, CLP. Never WD40 or remlube. Overlube the bolt and carrier contact points. Too much?.....just right. If in any doubt, lube again. Clean it off your shooting glasses. This has worked for me for decades with 20k+ rounds in several AR's YMCV View Quote I prefer to oil my bolt but your statement is silly. |
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[#22]
I apply CLP after shooting and before it goes back in the safe. 4 or 5 drops in the bolt carrier vent holes, a couple drops on the bolt lugs and a drop on the cam pin. The next time it gets fired carbon and oil get blown out the vent holes the first few rounds.
I also use Black Swan plumbers grease on my bolt lugs after they get a wipe down. It has a temperature range from -20° to 250°. I only put it on the bolt lugs. |
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[#23]
Quoted:
Standing in line at Rural King, I notice a case of tubes of grease. It's thick and green, but has pictures of a tractor and dump truck on it. Says it's for high temperatures, extreme pressures, and works for heavy duty bearings. I think, "Sounds like the BCG in an AR." Been using Lucas X-treme Duty Grease on my BCG, and pistol slides ever since. Clean less often and just add a little Heavy Duty Gun Oil to the other parts now and then. No problems. View Quote The BCG sliding back and forth in the upper is more like a piston in a cylinder and does better with oil. |
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[#24]
?? Oh. You were serious.
So....in your mind, a piston with more surface area experiencing friction needs less lubrication than a bearing? Assuming you're picturing an internal combustion engine, in which a piston is constantly bathed in motor oil....and you're translating that to the BCG of an AR-15 which has no oil reservoir, much less a system to constantly bathe the BCG... Wait, how does this all work inside your head again? |
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[#26]
Quoted: Plenty of people who "know the weapon" like to use grease on their BCG. In fact, look at virtually any mechanical device that is unsealed and exposed to the elements and they all use grease not oil. I prefer to oil my bolt but your statement is silly. View Quote Grease all the things! |
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[#27]
Search for the BCM rifle with 14K plus without cleaning .. filthy 14 I think
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[#28]
Quoted:
Search for the BCM rifle with 14K plus without cleaning .. filthy 14 I think View Quote Points of interest: "We have never used a bore brush in the barrel of this gun. " "If you are carrying a gun for real, you need to be looking at it every 5,000 rounds or so. But if your cleaning takes more than 10 to 15 minutes, you are wasting your time on nonsense." |
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[#29]
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[#30]
I usually use 5w30, but lately I've been using cam assembly lube. Its grease, but on the runny side.
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[#31]
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[#32]
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[#34]
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[#35]
Here's another....IIRC, this one belongs to @krdt.
![]() They'll run longer than most think dirty....just keep adding lube. |
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[#36]
Quoted: @MisterPX I thought that was yours man! (Just wasn't sure). I've never nade it past 1k....my OCD gets the best of me. ![]() View Quote ![]() Oddly enough, that pic made it as a PSA meme, as well as a USMC meme.... talk about pride! ![]() |
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[#37]
Quoted: If you old school guys want to see more, there are a couple more pics on hunt101. ![]() Oddly enough, that pic made it as a PSA meme, as well as a USMC meme.... talk about pride! ![]() View Quote ![]() |
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[#38]
Quoted:
I've seen your pics no less than 5 different locations. I dig those dirty AR pics.....not sure why? ![]() View Quote |
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[#39]
Quoted:
Quoting Tig because he's been the most helpful to me on the forum. My question is as a semi new guy to the AR world (just now taking it super serial) what parts of the BCG do I actually lube up? How does one actually excessively lube to the point of decreasing failure. I ask as I'm taking a few classes this spring and fall and plan to run my guns hard. And I'd love to over lube than under lube. Do I want to use grease instead of oil? So many questions. Up until now I've gotten away with some motor oil. View Quote ![]() ![]() Oil vs grease or mixture of both, everybody has their personal preference. Then there is LV's perspective.... ![]() LINK |
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[#40]
Quoted:
Here's another....IIRC, this one belongs to @krdt. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/416992/Screenshot_20200311-192151_Gallery_jpg-1311720.JPG They'll run longer than most think dirty....just keep adding lube. View Quote Since we're talking dirty, here is 3,200rds suppressed... :D. ![]() ![]() Also, lubed with 100% grease (my own mix of Super Lube grease cut with oil). |
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[#41]
Quoted: Lol. Yep, that's one of mine. I think the round count on that one was around 2,600 all suppressed... not all that bad, really. Since we're talking dirty, here is 3,200rds suppressed... :D. http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-06.jpg http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-09.jpg Also, lubed with 100% grease (my own mix of Super Lube grease cut with oil). View Quote Love it. Thanks for responding man. 3200 suppressed, I'd say its reliable. ![]() |
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[#42]
Quoted:
Quoting Tig because he's been the most helpful to me on the forum. My question is as a semi new guy to the AR world (just now taking it super serial) what parts of the BCG do I actually lube up? How does one actually excessively lube to the point of decreasing failure. I ask as I'm taking a few classes this spring and fall and plan to run my guns hard. And I'd love to over lube than under lube. Do I want to use grease instead of oil? So many questions. Up until now I've gotten away with some motor oil. View Quote |
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[#43]
Quoted: Lol. Yep, that's one of mine. I think the round count on that one was around 2,600 all suppressed... not all that bad, really. Since we're talking dirty, here is 3,200rds suppressed... :D. http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-06.jpg http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-09.jpg Also, lubed with 100% grease (my own mix of Super Lube grease cut with oil). View Quote |
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[#45]
Quoted:
Lol. Yep, that's one of mine. I think the round count on that one was around 2,600 all suppressed... not all that bad, really. Since we're talking dirty, here is 3,200rds suppressed... :D. http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-06.jpg http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-09.jpg Also, lubed with 100% grease (my own mix of Super Lube grease cut with oil). View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Here's another....IIRC, this one belongs to @krdt. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/416992/Screenshot_20200311-192151_Gallery_jpg-1311720.JPG They'll run longer than most think dirty....just keep adding lube. Since we're talking dirty, here is 3,200rds suppressed... :D. http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-06.jpg http://wkd.site.nfoservers.com/CQBR/CQBR.121419.Carbon.Bukkake-URG-RS-09.jpg Also, lubed with 100% grease (my own mix of Super Lube grease cut with oil). Beautiful though. 3200 suppressed is wild, I've never done more than 400 or 500. Doing a carbine class next weekend where we're supposed to shoot 1200+, and I'll see how long I can hold out. CLP for me, I'll just keep dousing it. |
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[#46]
Quoted:
Maaaaaaan it'd be such a relief for me when I finally cleaned that gun. Beautiful though. 3200 suppressed is wild, I've never done more than 400 or 500. Doing a carbine class next weekend where we're supposed to shoot 1200+, and I'll see how long I can hold out. CLP for me, I'll just keep dousing it. View Quote ![]() |
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[#47]
Quoted:
31k+ Points of interest: "We have never used a bore brush in the barrel of this gun. " "If you are carrying a gun for real, you need to be looking at it every 5,000 rounds or so. But if your cleaning takes more than 10 to 15 minutes, you are wasting your time on nonsense." View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Search for the BCM rifle with 14K plus without cleaning .. filthy 14 I think Points of interest: "We have never used a bore brush in the barrel of this gun. " "If you are carrying a gun for real, you need to be looking at it every 5,000 rounds or so. But if your cleaning takes more than 10 to 15 minutes, you are wasting your time on nonsense." |
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[#49]
Quoted:
It almost physically pains me to let my guns get that filthy, but I'm gonna try ![]() All I've ever used is this safariland clp, probably because this is what I got at Cabelas when I got my first AR a few years back. Is that G96 stuff much different? https://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/840/840573.jpg View Quote I grease my cam pins/bolt lugs/extension also. Everybody has their pet method. Key is keeping it lubed. |
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[#50]
Quoted:
Never tried that, I like G96. I doubt that there is that much difference in CLP formulas, at least not enough that 1 works/ another doesn't. I grease my cam pins/bolt lugs/extension also. Everybody has their pet method. Key is keeping it lubed. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
It almost physically pains me to let my guns get that filthy, but I'm gonna try ![]() All I've ever used is this safariland clp, probably because this is what I got at Cabelas when I got my first AR a few years back. Is that G96 stuff much different? https://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/840/840573.jpg I grease my cam pins/bolt lugs/extension also. Everybody has their pet method. Key is keeping it lubed. I dab grease periodically on my fcg and buffer springs anyway, might do a little touch in those spots you mentioned too. Gonna try to run a couple hundred rds this weekend again, and check it all out afterwards. My class is actually the following w/e so I've got one more chance to pressure test my stuff. I do generally keep it pretty well drowned in oil though, yep. Squirt in the ejection port and work the CH a few times, then blast away again. |
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