There was another thread which I can no longer find.  Specifically, the discussion revolved around some grease additive that should be avoided when used on aluminum.  What I can't remember is if it was graphite, lithium or some other third thing that can cause corrosion on aluminum.

I use what I have in the shop, hell I have seen lard used in the past and it works fine as well.

Graphite is not a major problem.  Think about it - all the places in a AR where steel is in contact with aluminum.  If galvanic corrosion was such a risk you would see corrosion at these places as well.  Yeah, graphite is further away from either steel or aluminum, but how often do you see an aluminum road sign with a steel bolt, and the bolt is just a rusty blob?  Why isn't all the steel in an M16/M4 rusting in a similar manner after a month of two in the hot humid climates of Benning, Parris Island, or McCelland?

The aluminum in a AR is all hard anodized.  The anodized coating is a kind of ceramic, and is an insulator.  In fact, anodizing is as good as glass as an insulator.  If there is no electrical connection between the steel and aluminum, there can be no galvanic corrosion.

What you should avoid lubricants and additives containing chlorine.

Galvanic cells require water, the "grease" part of the graphite grease kinda prevents the whole water thing.

I think the graphite corrosion problem is a theory, with no real application in AR barrel nut assembly.

I saw the graphite comment as well.  I could not find any thing supporting that claim and have used this in the past.  Is the anti-seize a problem because it contains graphite?  Not sure but this says "aluminum."

I am disappointed.  Grease threads typically go full retard, by now.  If it were in AR Discussions, threats would have already been issued.

Not a single mention of Aeroshell, yet?  You guys are slippin'!

Valvoline Ford Moly EP...in before the lock!

Aeroshell 33

Ive got a 14oz tube I bought like 5-6 years ago. I used more of it dropping in on the ground and some splattered out, vs what Ive used building ARs

That stuff has been used in applications where steel, and aluminum have been threaded together for along time.  Steel sparkplugs, or studs in to aluminum cylinder heads, or aluminum engine blocks.  It is also used in high heat applications like exhaust manifold studs, O2 sensors.

I do, too, but that shit STINKS!  I can't stand the stank, while I finish assembling.  The Valvoline is the same stuff, and annoys my wife a lot less.  My new gun room needs ventilation

The real problem with graphite isn't the "galvanic corrosion" bugaboo.  Yes that happens - in other settings.  Loose graphite will draw moisture out of the air, and if it's between dissimilar metals, it forms an electrolyte and facilitates galvanic corrosion. But grease with graphite shouldn't let it happen because the graphite is so coated by the grease that it can't draw moisture into it.

What you really need to be aware of is that graphite is supposed to add to the lubricating quality of a grease, but in a barrel nut application the structure of graphite doesn't really fit.  It can "scrub" either the nut or the upper, while reducing lubricity.  That lubricating quality is what's needed to apply torque evenly.

I have about 14.0 oz left in my 14.5 oz cartridge of Aeroshell 33MS, so I'm pretty much set for barrel nut grease.  But if I didn't have that, knowing what I do now, I'd get a good quality assembly grease like MolyKote G-N (from Dow).  You aren't going to be getting to 45,000 feet altitude, and you're not going to have to pass a military QC inspection, so using a MIL-SPEC (actually MIL-G-21164) grease isn't absolutely critical.  Just use something that isn't cheap crap.