Iron maintenance

[g-man]

I was disabused of the notion that the AR platform is too finicky in sandy conditions when we were on the small-arms range in Kuwait on our way into Iraq, during a sandstorm. M4 kept running until there was literally too much sand in the chamber to cycle the action, and it was plenty ‘wet’. Dry would have made no difference given the volume of stuff blowing in the air. It wasn’t about ‘lubricant retained particulate’, but wind-blown debris…

The Rifle Balm stuff goes on a bit thicker than other stuff I’ve used, but that’s apparently supposed to be the idea. If it seals up the gaps enough so I’m not worried about the first mag(+/-), and makes the gun cycle faster and more reliably then, it’s exactly where I want it to be for an ‘in case shit…’ tool.

[blackeagle603]

I make Ed's Red by the gallon and have it in splooge cans all over my work space

[Weetabix]

An article similar to this convinced me that food safe grease was great. I bought some Lubriplate in a small tub years ago, and I've hardly made a dent in it. Can't find the original article, but it tested a variety of greases. The "lubricates when wiped off" feature seems good to me.

[D5CAV]

I make Ed's Red by the gallon and have it in splooge cans all over my work space

I mixed up a batch of that once. I think I still have some around. IIRC it was mostly ATF, some mineral spirits and a little lanolin. Honestly, I couldn't tell much difference from that and just using ATF, which is why I went to ATF.

[D5CAV]

An article similar to this convinced me that food safe grease was great. I bought some Lubriplate in a small tub years ago, and I've hardly made a dent in it. Can't find the original article, but it tested a variety of greases. The "lubricates when wiped off" feature seems good to me.

Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that before. He says the same thing as HTRN about motor oil and lubriplate.

Another endorsement of lubriplate. I need to score some of that.

Like, I said, one of my training buddies is a Frog Lube evangelist. From what I can tell, it is basically food-safe grease.

What I like about the "Project Farm" video is he actually sets up a test rig to test wear protection. The Frog Lube did OK, but not as well as Clenzoil. Maybe we can convince "Project Farm" to do the test with ATF and lubriplate.

[HTRN]

Thanks for the link. I hadn't seen that before. He says the same thing as HTRN about motor oil and lubriplate.

That's the same website I linked to years ago.

[D5CAV]

That's the same website I linked to years ago.

Maybe that's a reason to resurrect that zombie thread

IIRC that old thread was where I got the recipe for "Eds Red".

[Combat Controller]

I use Zeds Red which is my version of Ed's Red. ATF for the win!

[Vonz90]

I am boring and use Remington oil and Hopps #9, maybe som CLP on occasion. Also some foaming Hornaday solvent is useful at times.