Slick Stuff (Lubrication)
Check out the Lock and Lube page for details about how to use lubricants.
R: Required
r: Recommended
O: Optional
Grease
There are a few places on the AR that should get straight grease, and we only use it during assembly. Grease is used for two primary purposes in building an AR: 1) to lubricate threads (this ensures that all applied torque transfers to thread mating, rather than to overcoming friction and prevents galling), and 2) to avoid galvanic corrosion where two dissimilar metals are otherwise in contact. We use two types of grease.
High Temp Grease: AeroShell 64 (R)
AeroShell 64 is a superb all around high temperature grease that can be used in most places on the AR platform. We use AeroShell to lubricate the following:
- Barrel Extension
- Barrel Nut/Upper Receiver Threads
- Receiver Extension Threads
In a pinch, AeroShell can be used to lubricate the muzzle threads (for muzzle devices that require grease). However, AeroShell is not the best option due to the extreme temperatures experienced at this location.
Ultra-High Temp Grease: Molykote G-Rapid Plus Paste (r)
Molykote G-Rapid Plus Paste is an ultra-high temp anti-seize grease. The upper operating temperature limit is substantially higher than AeroShell 64. For comparison, the upper limit for AeroShell 64 is 121°C (250°F); the upper limit for Molykote is 450°C (842°F). As such, Molykote is a more appropriate choice for the environment of the muzzle device threads.
Molykote can technically be used anywhere on the AR platform, but is overkill in most places. We only use Molykote for lubricating the muzzle threads (which is a very high heat location) when installing a muzzle device that uses either a crush washer or a lock nut.
Wet Lubricant
Wet lubricant is used for all moving parts, during assembly and for routine lubrication. In general, lubricants should balance the viscosity between thin enough to stay fluid in cold weather and thick enough to stay put. We primarily use two types of lubricant, but a third can be used as well. A word of caution: do not mix incompatible lubricants (i.e. don’t switch back and forth between lubricants).
Light Wet Lube: Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil (R)
We use synthetic motor oil as our standard lubricant. It is engineered for some of the toughest environmental conditions and does very well as a general gun lube.
We use a lighter weight formulation (0W20 or 0W30) for compatibility with colder-weather environments.
Heavy Wet Lube: Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil/Grease Blend (r)
We use a custom blend of light synthetic motor oil and synthetic grease (1 part grease to 5 parts oil, by weight) in high wear locations (e.g. the bolt and cam pin shaft). We mix this using a dedicated immersion blender to achieve homogeneity.
CLP: Clenzoil Field and Range CLP (O)
We don’t generally use CLP as a lubricant because it doesn’t stay put and requires frequent reapplication. For this reason, it is also not a good long term storage lubricant. However, if you use your gun frequently and can reapply as needed, CLP is a great option as a general lubricant. CLP is very effective at preventing friction/wear and has the added benefit of making cleanup a breeze. We recommend Clenzoil Field and Range CLP (refer to THIS VIDEO for objective performance testing).
Note that we do use CLP for cleaning our guns.
Lube Application
There are a couple of tools that we use for applying lubricants.
Needle Bottle (R)
A needle bottle is the ideal tool for applying your general wet lubricant. You can apply lubricant precisely where you need it, including in detent cavities and in tight, hard-to-reach locations. A needle bottle will also help avoid over-lubrication.
Dropper Bottle (r)
We use a dropper bottle for applying larger amounts of general wet lube, and for our custom oil-grease blend.
Solvent Pump Bottle (O)
We apply oil with our fingers all the time. We use a solvent/alcohol pump bottle to make wetting our fingers with oil fast and easy.
Finger Cots (O)
We apply grease very frequently. We use finger cots to make cleanup fast and easy.
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