Lubriplate vs. my Mobil One "syn. grease"? For the first M1A.

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Ignition Override

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Curious because my first of the type arrives (nib) in 2-3 days., and the M-14/M1A is known to have plenty of metal-on-metal contact. I've watched a couple of "grease" videos, such as the Brownell's "Maintenance" video where the gent puts --Gobs-- of Lubriplate on an M1A's recommended areas.

Either the Springfield website or another M1A "association" (possibly a rifle team) seems to have mentioned Lubriplate. Whatever....

The question of whether L. is a better lube than Mobil One could apply to my PTR-91 and 'new' Imbel FAL (SAR-4800).

The "CLP" which I use for just Cleaning and (temporary) Preservation is Ballistol.;)
 
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Mobile One? That's for automotive engines running at 3,000 to 7,000 rpm at high temperatures. That's not even remotely similar to the environment in a gun.
Automotive lubricants are for cars. Use what was intended for guns.
 
Ignition Override said:
I've watched a couple of "grease" videos, such as the Brownell's "Maintenance" video where the gent puts --Gobs-- of Lubriplate on an M1A's recommended areas.

The question of whether L. is a better lube than Mobil One ... "CLP" which I use for just Cleaning and (temporary) Preservation is Ballistol.;)
Click to expand...
Project Farm did a comprehensive comparison test of various CLP including Ballistol

 
My primary weapon for the first few years in the Corps was an M1 then later it was replaces with an M14. Thousands of Marines used Lubriplate. It did what it was intended to do. Our rifles worked through all kinds of bad conditions and environments. I don’t see any advantage to using synthetic motor oil or any other motor oil on any firearm.
 
When it comes to CLP products, you need to decide if lubricity or rust prevention is more important as demonstrated in Project Farm's video. I have seen similar result with other people's tests too.

I will personally go with the better lubricity. Most people will clean their firearms right away if they get wet such as getting caught in the rain or snow or if a firearm falls into water.

As far as motor oils go, I will use them in engines only and not on firearms.

Now onto Lubriplate. Lubriplate is commonly used on metal stamping dies to lube the guide pins that keep the top and bottom lined up. What Lubriplate does well is stay put when the stamping dies are flooded with stamping lubricant oils and or coolants. Stamping dies are under a lot of pressure during the stamping process and the Lubriplate stays in place and does its job. I still have some in my tool box from when I retired as a tool and die maker.

I don't know how well it works on firearms since I have never used it for that.

As far a CLP's go, I will stick with the tried and true Break Free CLP. Countless GI's have used Break Free CLP for decades including myself. I used it without issues in just about every type of environment from the Arctic to deserts and tropical jungles. It works as intended.
 
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Folks, my original question said nothing about “oil”.

It was about “Mobil One “Synthetic Grease”
versus Lubriplate “Grease”.

Anyway, the responses have been informative, having used M. One Grease already for several years.

A photo of the late Olivia Newton-John, when Young, might have helped.
 
Lubriplate does make more than one type of grease.
I go through pounds of the #105 at work, used it on my guns for a bit.

I now use Lubriplate SFL Gun Grease, food grade white grease that has all the properties that guns need.
For oil I use Lubriplate FMO Gun Oil, food grade mineral oil.
You used to have to buy it by the 5 gallon pail but now you can get it in a bit more reasonable size as gun lube.
I think I got mine from Brownells, maybe Midway. A tube of grease and oil.
I use it on my AR BCG's and pistol slides.

This is a good article on gun lube and Lubriplate, I read it a few years ago when I was using the #105 but didn't want to buy a 5 gallon pail of white grease and 4 one gallon jugs of oil, I seen they had repackaged it in smaller quantity's and picked some up.
https://www.grantcunningham.com/2006/05/lubrication-101/
 
Ignition Override said:
It was about “Mobil One “Synthetic Grease”
versus Lubriplate “Grease”.
Click to expand...
As I've said elsewhere:
Lubrication requirements in firearms are so minimal versus the requirements in machinery, bearings, transmissions, etc, than almost anything you can buy will exceed what you can benefit from in a firearm.

LubriPlate was hi tech in 1940; you can't buy grease that poor on the shelf today.

Pick a lube that's inexpensive, and doesn't drain, stink, or stain.
Click to expand...
 
JeffG (and to whomever else..):

Thanks for a reminder about the

Bolt Roller Thinga-Ma Jig. These are also suggested on “ M14Forums”.


My nib gun had previously remained in its box in a gun store (Abilene TX) Before I bought it days ago. Even after sitting for months in the Abilene gun shop, maybe enough internal "lube" remains for just a little bit of shooting.
 
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Ignition Override said:
JeffG (and to whomever else..):

Thanks for a reminder about the

Bolt Roller Thinga-Ma Jig. These are also suggested on “ M14Forums”.

::::A) —will order one this afternoon.:)

My nib gun had previously remained in its box in a gun store (Abilene TX) Before I bought it days ago.

::::B) Did Springfield apply enough internal “lube” to allow just 40 rounds of ammo to be enjoyed in their:cool: nib gun, even months Later—:confused: Without— First applying more grease or (some Ballistol) …before Chooting it ?

To clarify: get the gun -tomorrow- at my FFL, then drive directly to the gun club and just Shoot at clay pigeons on a berm?
Click to expand...
You’ll be fine. If you’re worried take a can of CLP or rem oil and spritz the roller, op rod track, and bolt lugs before you shoot.

And I’m in the “use pretty much any grease you want” camp.
 
Lubriplate 130AA was chosen during the WW2 period for its ability to stay on in the operating rod cam recess in hot wet conditions. The picture I saw was of a man in fisherman's wet weather rain gear under a big shower nozzle. He had a Garand. I assume the water was warm, duplicating tropical rains. The poor bugger had to shoot the Garand under drenching water until the operating rod cam seized. Then another grease was rain tested, probably on another Garand. Sure sounds like a crap job, especially if the outside weather is cold! Lubriplate 130AA was a grease with good adhesion under the hot/wet conditions.

A product specification was written around the properties of lubriplate 130AA and used for procurement of Rifle Grease. I do not have the early, Garand period Rifle Grease Specification, I have a 1976 era spec, which the rifle under test is a M14 I really doubt any of the grease requirements changed from M1 Garand to M14, and I used MIL Spec Rifle Grease on both my M1 Garands and M1a's.

MILITARY SPECIFICATION GREASE, RIFLE

MIL G 46003A 31 Dec 1976

3.0 . REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Qualification. Grease furnished under this specification shall for listing on the applicable Qualified Products- List at the time set for opening of bids (see 4.5.;1 and 6.3). Any change in the formulation of a qualified product will necessitate its re qualification.

3.2 Material The grease shall be a mixture of mineral oil or synthetic oil and jelling agent, with or without other added material , suitably stabilized to ensure that the finished product..will meet the requirements of this specification.

3.3 Work Penetration. The worked penetration of the grease shall be not less than 220 nor more than 270 when determined as specified in 4.6

3.4 Dropping point. The dropping point of the grease shall be not less than 87.8 °C (190 °F) when determined as specified in 4.6

3.5 Mineral oil viscosity The viscosity of the mineral oil contained in the grease shall not be less than 108 CS. Nor more than 172.6 cs at 37.8 °C (100°F) when determined as specified in 4.6

3.6 Water resistance. When tested at 37.8 ± 2.8°C (100± 5°F) as specified in 4.6, not more than four percent by weight of the grease shall be washed from the bearing.

3.7 Rust prevention. When tested as specified in 4.6, the outer cup raceway and each roller shall not exceed a corrosion rating of 2.

3.8 Corrosion resistance. When tested in accordance with 4.6, the copper strip shall show no evidence of green color, pitting, or etching, nor shall any brown or black stain remain on the strip after washing with normal hexane as specified.

3.9 Storage stability. After testing as specified in 4.6.1 , the grease shall meet all the requirements of this specification.

3.10 Performance. When tested as specified in 4.6.2, five rifles, 7.62MMe, automatic, M14 lubricated with grease which has been subjected to the six months storage stability test (see 4.6.1), shall be wet fired using no less than 500 rounds of ammunition for each rifle. Freezing of one rifle bolt, or the occurrence of more than six malfunctions in the five rifles due to operation of the bolt shall be cause for rejection of the grease.

3.11 Workmanship. The grease shall be homogeneous, smooth in texture, free of abrasives, lumps, granular particles, entrapped air, and any odor or rancidity, perfume. or free alcohol

6. NOTES

6.1 Intended use. -the grease covered by this specification is intended for use in the lubrication of rifles and other small arms only when such weapons are used under conditions of sustained rain. The temperature range under which this grease will be used is 2° C (35° F) to 38° C (100° F) . This grease is not intended as a replacement for conventional oils under conditions other than sustained rain.

After studying this specification, and trying to match the viscosity with what I could find on the web, I came to the conclusion that any of those outdoor motor greases in a tube, which are on the shelf at Walmart, would probably pass the rifle grease specification. The primary concern of the specification is grease wash out in hot rain. The actual lubrication of a Garand is not that stressing, particularly if you compare to automotive applications. In cool weather I used lubriplate 105 In cold weather, maybe LSA, or a wipe with a oil saturated patch. If I fired in snowy weather, and I did, the rifle was wiped dry of all lubrication. One match, loading single shot, the muzzle dipped into the piled snow in front of my position. When shooting prone with a sling, you try to keep the rifle in the shoulder, so the muzzle dips as you reach over to push a round in the magazine. The shot went wild on target. That was weird.

I do think the statement that the grease is not intended as a replacement for conventional oils under conditions other than sustained rain, is the fall out of some Organizational internal hissy fit over lubrication ideology. I used grease in hot weather and it worked great. Most shooters used a grease in hot weather, the conventional wisdom was Plastilube in the summer and LSA in the winter. (I thought the Plastilube I used was white) After looking at the spec, and my own experience was, pretty much any light grease will do just fine. I do not believe it is wise to apply a stiff "hard grease". There are wheel bearing greases that are water proof, fairly thin, and work just great in this application. And, I only shot in the rain during leg matches at Camp Perry. Otherwise, I kept myself and my gear dry. Hard core is fun, but drying sopping wet equipment with mud and wet grass over everything loses its fun quickly. I learned to pack a blow dryer to Camp Perry so I had heat to dry the rifle and my gear. Had the shooting jackets and sweat shirts dripping in the hut, along with wet rifle cases, boots, shooting stool. Joy, joy, joy.

I over lubricated and often had grease blobs on my shooting glasses. Don't worry too much about any particular grease technology, just pick the grease blob color you like to look through on your glasses. They are all good. This is what the kids are using now:

6FBDTkU.jpg
 
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In today's world, the most an M1 or M14 will be exercised is at Camp Perry Nationals. Yes, it is known to rain there...a lot. No one has to slog thru
Indian territory to get there, so I bet most any stiff grease from those enumerated above will work.
 
Slamfire said:
Lubriplate 130AA was chosen during the WW2 period for its ability to stay on in the operating rod cam recess in hot wet conditions. The picture I saw was of a man in fisherman's wet weather rain gear under a big shower nozzle. He had a Garand. I assume the water was warm, duplicating tropical rains. The poor bugger had to shoot the Garand under drenching water until the operating rod cam seized. Then another grease was rain tested, probably on another Garand. Sure sounds like a crap job, especially if the outside weather is cold! Lubriplate 130AA was a grease with good adhesion under the hot/wet conditions.
Click to expand...

That is one of the things that LubriPlate is good at no matter which type of LubriPlate grease you use.
 
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