How much lube for this environment?

**QuadBomb** · 05-24-10, 10:24

So I'm out here in the sandbox. Today I picked up a Corporal's M16A4 and checked the chamber. Darn thing was bone dry. Racking the charging handle felt like nails scraping on concrete. Hurt me emotionally to see it parched like that. I say to him, "This thing is kinda dry."

He says to me, "But sir, it runs better that way."

"Nothing runs better without lubrication," I tell him.

"If I put CLP on it the sand will stick and it will jam," he tells me.

When I clean my M4, I make sure the bolt is well-lubed and I put some Slip2000 on the shiny surfaces of the carrier, plus on the hammer face and the bolt catch. When I don't have a mag inserted, I stuff a cloth in the magazine well to keep dust out.

I want to make sure I have this right before I go making all the Marines in my platoon go and do it the same way I do. We've all been trained to apply minimal lube in a dry, dusty environment, but somehow this gets across as no lube at all. I'm adjusting by lubing the bolt and the surfaces that receive friction, instead of oiling up the whole darn thing like when I am back home.

Am I on the right track here?

**JSantoro** · 05-24-10, 10:35

Tell your boys to put their guns in the same condition they enjoy their women: dirty and wet. You have the right of it. No such thing as too much lube, from a functional standpoint.

They are the victims of institutional inertia.

If they argue, play a game of "Rock, Paper, Rank" (you automatically win). Then, "inspect what you expect," since you may get some push-back in the form of Marines being stubborn and want to try to game your game by thinking you won't look for it in your PCCs/PCIs.

**bkb0000** · 05-24-10, 10:43

the talc/sand is going to get into the weapon, no matter how much or how little you loob it- i'm not sure where this theory that somehow the sand is going to be magically shielded from the weapon by running it dry came from. makes absolutely no sense. the sand is GOING to get in there, and it's gonna need to be lubricated to not hang up the gun.

dry sand is friction. sopping wet oily sand is not as much friction.

**rifleman2000** · 05-24-10, 11:03

Just be careful where you lube it. I lube the bolt and cam pin only.

**Littlelebowski** · 05-24-10, 11:34

Not to mention that the lube will help bleed off encrusted carbon. Now make sure that your NCOs are NOT allowing troops to scrape off carbon with metal.

**bkb0000** · 05-24-10, 11:43

Originally Posted by rifleman2000

Just be careful where you lube it. I lube the bolt and cam pin only.

Originally Posted by Littlelebowski

Now make sure that your NCOs are NOT allowing troops to scrape off carbon with metal.

.why?

**sinister** · 05-24-10, 12:16

"If it's dry you'll die."

Everything in moderation -- no lube at all is bad -- very bad.

Clean and dust it every day. What the heck is so hard about that?

**Iraqgunz** · 05-24-10, 12:18

I see this all too often even here in the Stan. It's like pulling teeth trying to convince people that using lube will be more of a benefit than a detriment in this environment. I personally lube the inside of the upper and hit the bolt good as well inside the carrier.