Quoted: grease does work. but that's an older school of thought.  it's a "machine" so you grease it.  and you grease the rollers.  it sticks to the gun and is less likley to wash off like the "oil" of that time. i know FP-10 or CLP is much better than WWII grease.  a tiny GI "oiler" or bottle of oil in the butt stock is a good investment with any "gas gun".

The M1/M1A mechanisms, by their nature, work best with grease on most sliding surfaces, and oil, like CLP, on the rest.

Grease doesn't tend to migrate as much as oil, and will withstand higher pressures before the lubricating effect is lost and premature wear begins.  Running machines without lubricant is an extreme measure, and should be done only in extreme circumstances, lest the machine be damaged.

Yes, the M1A can be run dry, and has been, under adverse environmental conditions, and in battle.  Unless you are forced into this position, those of us without armorers and an unlimited supply of spare parts will probably choose to use a different gun.  One whose lubrication requirements are not so great.

You don't need to use a whole lot of grease, nor oil, either.  Get Scott Duff's M1A Owner's Guide, and a tub of Valvoline Durablend Synthetic Grease.

Lubriplate (tm) was the "miracle" grease of the 1930s and was prescribed for the M1 Rifle (only a couple of points, see your TM).  The M14 rifle is a product improved M1 and the same lubrication order was carried over to it.  Little container of Lubriplate goes in the butt plate storage hole.

Been a long time since the 1930s and there are newer "miracle" greases on the market much better than Lubriplate.  Tetra for one is a common grease for firearms.

All that about the grease requirements aside, I carried the M14 Rifle every day for two years and was not aware of the requirement until years afterwards!  The units I was in did not use grease.  Not ever.  Our "brown shoe Army" NCOs were anal about weapons maintenance.  We used LSA exclusively and never had function problems in hundreds of M14s rifles.

LSA or CLP are sufficient.  Touch of Tetra grease on the bolt lugs and top aft section of the bolt if you insist.

-- Chuck