View Full Version : Mobile 1 for lubricant
I have been reading on ARF that a lot of guys use Mobile 1 to lub their ARs. Do any of you? They also said they like to run the AR basically dripping oil. Do you agree. I have 2 AR M4s that I have yet to shoot. one is a Stag the other a Stag lower and Spikes upper. What do you guys think, Is Stag a good rifle and is Spikes a good upper. BTW both are Chrome lined barrels and other wise stock. Before I take them out I would like to hear from you men and/or women on how "wet" are we talking? Thank you. das
Jay Cunningham
03-27-10, 20:03
Mobil 1 should work just fine. Generously lube the bolt and front half of your bolt carrier. Wipe down your charging handle and the rear of your bolt carrier with a lubricated rag.
Good luck!
RogerinTPA
03-27-10, 20:24
Any synthetic motor oil will do. Quite a few folks use Mobil 1 here. I like a more pure synthetic (20W Royal Purple), along with Militec-1, Slip EWL, and oil school LSA. Weapons Shield also gets high praise. The great thing about synthetic motor oil is that it's cheap, way cheaper than any commercial gun lube, and it stays put for quite a high round count.
Any synthetic motor oil will do. Quite a few folks use Mobil 1 here. I like a more pure synthetic (20W Royal Purple), along with Militec-1, Slip EWL, and oil school LSA. Weapons Shield also gets high praise. The great thing about synthetic motor oil is that it's cheap, way cheaper than any commercial gun lube, and it stays put for quite a high round count.
Talk to me about the high round count.
Talk to me about if it would be any good for a gun that sits in the closet for a long time, between shootings. I am thinking dry lube or grease.
I use Mobile1, and I've noticed that, with standard CLP or any of the traditional lighter lubes, by the time I've shot 300 rounds from last lube, it's time to lube up again. With the motor oil, there's often still lube on the bolt that I can smear with a finger and see the trail.
Dunno about storage, none of my guns (grand total of 5) stay stored for more than a week or two at a time, though I've seen guns stored for up to 6 months or more with TW-25 on them, and that stuff was still as wet as the moment it came out of the tube.
i guess tomorrow i got two things to do change oil to my car and my guns :cool:
I mainly use Tetra Gun Lube now, but I have had GREAT results with Royal Purple synthetic 20w50. I wouldn't recommend it for long term storage, but strongly recommend it for a pre-range lubing.
I used it on my 6.8 upper, my 5.56 upper, a .22 conversion kit, and my Glock 21, the latter during Kyle Lamb's Viking Tactics Advanced/Fighting Pistol class. Zero malfunctions or FsTF, absolute reliability. Can't say the same for the 1911s that some used there...
Pat
I guess it would work just fine in a controlled environment, were theres no dust, sand, dirt, and grime. The best lube I have used on my guns is the militec-1. Aply layer, heat part with hair dryer, oil bonds to a microscopic level, wipe ecsess off, and you dont have to worry about all that gunk of oil atracting sand, dirt, and grime.
Jay Cunningham
03-28-10, 02:51
I guess it would work just fine in a controlled environment, were theres no dust, sand, dirt, and grime. The best lube I have used on my guns is the militec-1. Aply layer, heat part with hair dryer, oil bonds to a microscopic level, wipe ecsess off, and you dont have to worry about all that gunk of oil atracting sand, dirt, and grime.
I think you may be operating uder a fallacy. It is a myth that running an AR wet will cause it to choke. The Army *finally* proved to itself that even in extremely dusty/sandy environments the AR is better off run wet.
LockenLoad
03-28-10, 07:26
I think you may be operating uder a fallacy. It is a myth that running an AR wet will cause it to choke. The Army *finally* proved to itself that even in extremely dusty/sandy environments the AR is better off run wet.
I don't think it is the best thing for it though, I mean Apaches run in the Desert to but it's a maintinence nightmare, if the militec-1 works well is it not better, our does it burn off? thank you
The Morrigan
03-28-10, 07:33
Mobil 1 is a pretty god lube, as is any synthetic oil. And a quart goes a loooong way.
I may go a bit overboard, but I like to grease the bolt and bolt carrier, and lube everything else.
I don't use it but know a bunch of guys that do with no issues. I will also add that Hackathorn does and I believe he said he had been using it for 10 years...
John_Wayne777
03-28-10, 10:55
I don't think it is the best thing for it though, I mean Apaches run in the Desert to but it's a maintinence nightmare, if the militec-1 works well is it not better, our does it burn off? thank you
If you are trying to maintain the weapon in mint condition you requirements are different than the person who is using it as a tool. The DI ar system functions best when generously lubricated. Worries about the attraction of dust/grit as the weapon sits for extended periods miss the point if the goal is being able to actually function on demand when the time comes to fire the weapon.
All lubes eventually burn off with enough shooting. Lubes like TW-25B tend to stick around longer than something like CLP.
LockenLoad
03-28-10, 11:07
If you are trying to maintain the weapon in mint condition you requirements are different than the person who is using it as a tool. The DI ar system functions best when generously lubricated. Worries about the attraction of dust/grit as the weapon sits for extended periods miss the point if the goal is being able to actually function on demand when the time comes to fire the weapon.
All lubes eventually burn off with enough shooting. Lubes like TW-25B tend to stick around longer than something like CLP.
Keeping the gun in mint condition is not my goal, and a gun is nothing but a tool to be used for various purposes, my guns are shot weekly, I don't own a DI gun so thx for the knowledge and the tip on the tw-25b, mine are all piston.
I don't think it is the best thing for it though, I mean Apaches run in the Desert to but it's a maintinence nightmare, if the militec-1works well is it not better, our does it burn off? thank you
I crewed OH-58’s during Desert Storm. During the ground war and for a time, operations afterwards, all scheduled routine mtx stopped with the exception of one thing…..scheduled lubrication and engine flushes.
While operating an aircraft is quite a bit different when compared to operating a weapon such as an M16, one thing holds true, wetter is better.
M/R hubs, bearing and seals for example, all needed constant purging with grease to push out the accumulated sand that eventually made it’s way into components and created havoc. The M16 is no different in operation in that a wet bolt and carrier keep contaminants and firing residue in suspension rather than allowing them to accumulate.
Our hydraulic servos saw quite a bit of abuse from sand entering the piston rod seals. Rather than replace a leaking servo, only to have it leak again, Bell’s fix was a simple one: Zip tie a Ziploc bag to the end of each servo. The damage was done, the seals were shot. But at least keeping the seals wet with hydraulic fluid and sealed in a bag, would temporarily keep the damage from accelerating.
Mobil 1 is a pretty god lube, as is any synthetic oil. And a quart goes a loooong way.
I may go a bit overboard, but I like to grease the bolt and bolt carrier, and lube everything else.
Just started doing this as well, using Brian Enos' Slide Glide, which I originally obtained for my pistols. Its a lightweight grease with extreme "stickiness"; more so than other greases.
Only 200 rounds, but bolt, carrier. locking lugs and charging handle still lubed and slick to touch. Do use oil on rings.
Will see how long I can run without malfunction and will evaluate ease of cleaning, especially carbon on bolt tail.
MP
Good things can be said when using Mobil 1 as a lubricant for ARs. Why reinvent the wheel? I'm a big fan unorthodox ways.
That said, I like High Temperature Wheel Bearing Grease.
http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=42975&highlight=Mobile
http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=24105&highlight=Mobile
:cool:
Jay Cunningham
03-28-10, 18:39
Good things can be said when using Mobil 1 as a lubricant for ARs. Why reinvent the wheel? I'm a big fan unorthodox ways.
That said, I like High Temperature Wheel Bearing Grease.
How does that work for you in cold weather?
Talk to me about if it would be any good for a gun that sits in the closet for a long time, between shootings. I am thinking dry lube or grease.
I've noticed that a wet bolt will be dry after my gun sits for over a week or so , muzzle up.
I don't find this to be an issue really.... If I know I'm going to shoot a high round count session, I can give the bolt a fresh lubing.
I look at lubrication in two ways:
- Lubrication for storage/protection.
- Lubrication for operation.
Using oil, I don’t expect my weapon to sit lubed for operation if its been sitting upright in a safe. Gravity will take effect. Oil will drain away. Is that weapon lubed sufficiently that I could use it if necessary? Sure.
Now, if that weapon was put into continued heavy use right from the safe, then yes, it would need to be lubed for operation.
what grad mobil 1 do you recomend
I am not a Petroleum Engineer and don't play one on TV, but I would think a lighter grade of Mobil 1, maybe 0W-30 or 5W-30, would be best, especially in colder climates.
I received some Slide Glide from my friendly neighborhood gun dealer, and it smells and looks exactly like red wheel bearing grease :).
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
Neither a petroleum pro, nor an AR pro by any means, but I carry a little needle oiler of Mobil-1 5w-30 in my squad based upon my reading here.
On the other hand, during yesterday's post range cleaning session, my armorer said that he had used Mobil-1 (possibly 10w-30) on his brand new rifle (no specs sorry) last year and felt that it slowed it down a bit to the point of some failure to ejects. He's a bit leery of the full-syn now.
My post is more to make people think about oil weight more than "Mobil-1 will jam your gun". My 05w-30 glazed rifle ran like my kid on the slip and slide. Just offering another piece of anecdotal evidence to the thread. And to possibly debunk the "weight don't matter" crowd.
Without a ton of experience, I will say that the rifle cleaned up VERY easily in my opinion. Not sure if it was a result of Mobil-1 or not.
If the truck didn't drink 05w-30, then I'd probably opt for 0w-30. Why cant they make an engine that drinks even quarts?
I use Castrol 20w synthetic motor oil....the store I went to didn't have Mobil 1. Oh well.
My AR sat muzzle up in a closet for about 4 months, when I took it apart when I got back...it was still shinny and wet to the touch.
I think most guys run 5w oil, the 20w has REALLY seemed to stay put in my experience.
I've used WeaponShield also...it doesn't last nearly as long as 20w motor oil does.
RogerinTPA
03-29-10, 15:02
Talk to me about the high round count.
Talk to me about if it would be any good for a gun that sits in the closet for a long time, between shootings. I am thinking dry lube or grease.
Sorry about not getting back sooner.
I typically shoot every weekend, typically using 8-10 mags (240-300 rounds). Normally expended in under 30mins. I normally lube heavily once every 2 weeks, sometimes every 3 weeks if I forget., but after 720-900 rounds, the BCG is pretty bone dry.
I rarely clean my ARs, maybe every 3K-4K rounds fired, mostly Wolf and Barnaul (I know it's dirty, buy ater shooting maybe over 20K of the stuff, I haven't had a single failure that can be blamed on the ammo. My ARs (2- 6920s, 1- LMT, 1- Sabre Defense Middy upper/Colt Sporter lower) can handle it ;).
Lube is extremely important for proper function, but if you haven't fired your AR in a while, I'd lube it lightly with Ballistol, and put it away. I stored one for a while, just sprayed down the innards and outer with Ballistol, wrapped in old news paper, in it's case, for 4 months,and it was fine. As always, just remember to lube the BCG generously PRIOR to shooting.
Personally, I"d stay away from grease. It attracts more debris than oil, and it's really not necessary for the AR Platform. We used to use grease on our match grade M1As back in the day, but that was for competition, not tactical shooting.
My firearms rarely get to see cold - Lucas FullSyn 20W50 works well all around. I can run a combat load through my M4 and there's only a couple spots with noticeably less lube. It works terribly for cleaning, and not the greatest for storage, but it works.
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