AR Sponsor
Posted: 5/31/2009 1:14:06 PM EDT
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I went shooting last winter and my AR was frozen solid. The lube in it locked up the trigger.
What is the best lube for conditions at freezing or lower? |
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Doesn't it get sluggish in cold weather causing light primer strikes?
Nope, never. How cold have you used it? i wonder because my gun doesn't generate heat like an internal combustion engine. Coldest that I've run it was -35 F (an AR and a Glock 17), no problems and "slick as snot". Your gun never gets hot?? 
TK |
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Quoted:
Doesn't it get sluggish in cold weather causing light primer strikes? Quoted:
Nope, never. The round and primers getting very cold may make them a little harder to set-off, and it would probably have to be low quality ammo, that combined with a rifle that is already striking lightly (bad FP, people messing with the trigger/hammer springs for trigger jobs or other things) may cause something like that, even then its I'd think its highly unlikely. A proper working AR, is going to fire in cold weather, I'm going to guess you have to have a combination of things wrong that the cold weather just exacerbates to cause a misfire. As well, the report that a trigger froze up solid? What lube did you use and what were the temps? I can see a trigger offering greater resistance, but unable to pull it because it froze solid? You sure you didn't get water in the FCG? |
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Way to go, once again QUIB.
I've had scopes freeze up to the point I've unscrewed the bell from the tube. We never got to go indoors to let them thaw out and sweat. Never had a problem with a M16 in cold weather. No experience with an AR. Parts are similar. Logic would say use. LAW. |
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Quoted:
Never had a problem with a M16 in cold weather. No experience with an AR. Parts are similar. I’ve never had a problem with operation in cold weather, but I have seen weapons sweat when brought in from the cold. This happened quite often in Germany while out in the field during the winter. I remember once in Graf’ on a winter gunnery, coming in from the cold, having been out all morning at the FAARP. I laid my weapon down on my bunk, and it started to sweat. Top walked by to see how things were going, mentioned the weapon sweating, and recommended I wipe it down. |
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I'd forgotten about testing, spray on Dri-Slide when tha ARMY thought it was the end all lubricate. Stop leak in a can.
Now that I could use it on a facing tool. I can't find it in aerosol. We thought it worked ok, but we only saw it for a short time. It couln't freeze, as it was a film after drying. 458 |
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QUIB makes a good point how you can get MOISTURE built up in the weapon, because of the environment, that would then freeze and jam the weapon or FCG.
Unless you are in the -35°F pointed out in the TM, I can't see how CLP or most common used lubricants would "freeze" parts solid, yes, they could thicken up and create increased resistance. I asked if water had gotten in the FCG of the OP, more appropriate would have been to ask if he checked to see if moisture or ice had built up in the FCG to actually block movement. I imagine the -35°F figure in the TM comes from Army testing or specs on the CLP where they found the CLP would actually thickened to a point it started to interfere with the function of the weapon/the cycling of the BCG. Remember, when you car's manual recommend going to a thinner oil in winter, its because the oil thickens up and resists being pumped through the engine at the very high rate the engine needs to pump it through. Its NOT because the oil freezes or thickens so bad it won't let things move. Most car manuals have temperature ranges like the one QUIB posted for the CLP/LAW, to help you decide when its time to switch to a thinner oil, its usually a much higher temp than -35°F because of what I just said. Try leaving a quart of 10W30 outside overnight in winter, unless your up by the arctic circle, you'll see it thickens up but is still very liquid and NOT nearly solid enough that it would hold a part frozen in place. The idea that switching oils based off the temperature range does transfer between firearms and cars, provided you use the right chart for the application; the idea that its winter, therefore use a thinner oil, does NOT. The oils are different, the way they are used is different, the temp ranges for when its appropriate to shift is different. |
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