How to Lubricate an AR

Lubrication is critical to proper function and longevity of the components of an AR. You should lubricate an AR at least every time you clean it (and then some).

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AR Lubrication Myths

MYTH: I can use WD-40, grease, Astroglide, etc. to lubricate an AR.

No. Use a fit-for-purpose lubricant. Period.

We cover lubrication in Clean and Inspect.

WD-40 is not a lubricant (it is a water displacing [“WD”] penetrating oil).

Straight grease belongs in bearings and on heavy machinery; it is way to thick for your AR. It will only get thicker as the temperature drops (leading to cycling issues) and it will attract and hold grit, which will cause abnormal wear.

MYTH: My BCG has a [fill in the blank] coating, so I don’t need to lubricate it.

While that may technically be true and even stated by the manufacturer for certain coatings (e.g. DLC), lubrication is still strongly advised and it certainly won’t hurt. It is also likely that some associated parts are not coated by the coating in question (e.g. the extractor), and these should still be lubricated.

MYTH: I can overlubricate an AR.

While the definition of “overlubricate” is subjective, there are certainly best practices.

First and foremost, you should avoid getting a significant amount of lubricant in the path of hot gas (barrel > gas port > gas block > gas tube > gas key > bolt/bolt barrier) at all costs. Lubricant of any type will burn and carbonize under the extreme temperatures experienced along this path, which will do just the opposite of lubrication.

Excessive lubricant can be an attractant for dust, dirt, and grit. While better than under-lubricating, overlubricating an AR will lead to more frequent cleaning.

That said, we have run ARs “dripping wet” with CLP (because it doesn’t stay put) and the only issue was lube spatter on our shooting mat and lube oozing out of the gun.

Lubrication Tools and Materials

What It Is	Why You Need It	Part Number	PB Pick
Wet Lubricant	Lubrication of high wear areas (e.g. BCG).	CustomLube	Custom Blend Lubricant
Wet Lubricant	Lubrication of everything else.	Mobil1	#N/A
Dropper Bottle	For applying our custom lube blend.	DropperBottle	Dropper Bottle
Needle Bottle	For applying your wet lube in tight spaces. Without one of these, you are very likely to overlubricate.	Needle-Bottle	Needle Bottle
Cleaning Mat	A dirty AR is dirty. A stripped AR breaks down into a bunch of pieces parts that range from itty bitty to large. A good cleaning mat will contain the fouled oil and make it easy to keep track of all of the parts of a disassembled AR.	AVULGSM	Real Avid Universal Smart Mat
Cleaning Rags/Wipes, Disposable	You will need to wipe the grime, solvent, and cleaner from your gun. You could use paper towels, but a tougher wipe is much more effective and will be less prone to depositing little hunks of paper in weird places.	34790	Wypall X60 1bx
Cleaning Cable	Some like cleaning rods. We prefer cleaning cables (especially in the range bag). This tool will let you pull bore brushes and patch holders through your barrel for cleaning.	BT-SCBT-SET	Breakthrough 8" and 33" Nylon Coated Cleaning Cable Set
Cleaning Cable Handle	While you could, theoretically, wrap the cleaning cable around your hand to pull it through your bore, a purpose-built handle is much more comfortable.	BT-H-8-32	Breakthrough T-Handle
Patch Holder	You will need to run dry and wet patches down the bore. A patch holder makes this easy. We prefer patch holders over cleaning jags, especially since we prefer cleaning cables over cleaning rods.	PHB	Pro-Shot .22-.45 Caliber Patch Holder
Cleaning Patches, Small	If you want to get lubricant down the bore, or if you want to wipe it clean and dry, you need cleaning patches. Lots of them. This size will cover .22LR, .223, 5.56mm, .243, and 6.5mm.	11/8-1000	Pro-Shot .22-.270 Square Patch
Cleaning Patches, Medium	If you want to get lubricant down the bore, or if you want to wipe it clean and dry, you need cleaning patches. Lots of them. This size will cover .300, .308, 7.62mm, 9mm.	2-1000	Pro-Shot .270-.38 Round Patch
Cleaning Patches, Large	If you want to get lubricant down the bore, or if you want to wipe it clean and dry, you need cleaning patches. Lots of them. This size will cover 9mm, .40	PHO21/4	Pro-Shot .38-.45 Square Patch
Cleaning Patches, Extra Large	If you want to get lubricant down the bore, or if you want to wipe it clean and dry, you need cleaning patches. Lots of them. This size will cover .458	PHO21/2	Pro-Shot .45-.58 Round Patch
Chamber Tool Handle, 5.56 NATO	The chamber is a particularly important part of the AR. A chamber tool handle along with chamber pads is a useful way to lubricate an AR chamber.	AVAR15CB	Real Avid AR-15 Chamber Boss
Chamber Tool Handle, 7.62 NATO	The chamber is a particularly important part of the AR. A chamber tool handle along with chamber pads is a useful way to lubricate an AR chamber.	FG-2717	Otis Star Chamber Tool, AR-10
Chamber Pads, 5.56 NATO	A complement to the chamber tool handle, the chamber pad makes application of lubricant to the lugs a breeze.	AVAR15CP	Real Avid Star Chamber Pads, AR-15
Chamber Pads, 7.62 NATO	A complement to the chamber tool handle, the chamber pad makes application of lubricant to the lugs a breeze.	308CMS	Pro-Shot Chamber Swabs

Lubrication Points

Lower Receiver Lubrication

Part	Lube	Application Method	Store	Maintain
Pivot/Takedown Pins (Shaft)	Oil	Finger	X	X
Pivot/Takedown Pins (Detent Channel)	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Bolt Catch	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Trigger Group¹⁺²	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Buffer Spring³	Oil	Wipe	X	X

1: Only applicable for 2-piece triggers. Do not lubricate drop-in/cassette style triggers unless required by manufacturer.

2: Lubrication points per diagram below.

3: Only applicable for non-captive buffer springs. Do not lubricate captured springs unless required by manufacturer.

Upper Receiver Lubrication

Part	Lube	Application Method	Store	Maintain
Upper Receiver (Interior)	Oil	Wipe/Finger	X	X
Barrel Star Chamber	Oil	Chamber Pad	X	X
Barrel Bore¹	Oil	Patch	X
Barrel Exterior¹	Oil	Wipe/Finger	X
Ejection Port Dust Cover (Detent)	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Charging Handle (Inside Shaft)	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Charging Handle (Outside Shaft)	Oil	Finger	X	X
Charging Handle (Pins)	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Bolt Carrier Exterior	Oil	Finger	X	X
Bolt Body	Blend	Dropper	X	X
Bolt Lugs	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Firing Pin	Blend	Finger	X	X
Cam Pin	Blend	Dropper	X	X
Ejector	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X
Extractor Pin	Oil	Needle Dropper	X	X

1: If you will be storing your gun (i.e. not firing it immediately), we recommend that you run a patch saturated with oil down the bore. This will prevent corrosion of the bore. Before you fire the gun, run a dry patch down the bore to remove the oil. We also recommend oiling the outside of any phosphate finished barrels to prevent surface rust.

Return to Maintain Home

Continue to Reassembly

How to Lubricate an AR

Lubrication Tools and Materials

Lubrication Points

Lower Receiver Lubrication

Upper Receiver Lubrication

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