Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Use of automotive bearing grease for AR-15?

Is automotive bearing grease too heavy to use for AR-15s in regards to the bolt and receiver assembly? I have been using commercial gun grease with my Smith and Wesson M&P-15, but have a surplus of bearing grease since I bought a newer car with sealed front end parts.

Most of my shooting is done in warm/hot weather.

Thanks.

Just use a little on the lugs and cam pin.

Too heavy. 30wt Mobil One is as heavy as I would consider, and I think that is too much. We used to use ATF (which is about 10W IIRC) in M60 machineguns, worked great

I like Ballistol about as well as anything I've tried on an AR.

Funny, I'm a huge Ballistol fan. For everything I own except ARs. I use 30wt Mobil One for that.

Works great.







I stopped counting at 3,000 rounds. Went almost 6k if memory serves before a shot it with break cleaner. I lube them with High Temp Wheel Bearing Grease and then just squirt any type of liquid lube that is handy when they start getting "gummy" around every 1K to 1,500 rounds.

Have used all the gun oils as well as just about every other type of lube (even vagisil ) and use wheel bearing grease pretty much exclusively unless the temperature is significantly below freezing, at which point I switch to light weight motor oil.


I do not know what this cleaning thing is that everyone keeps talking about..... so I just lube them until it is time to replace the barrel. They always come back nice and shiny for some reason...... grin

I have started to use the auto bearing grease on my bolt action rifles and revolvers.

Years ago I bought a Russian Mosin Nagant Model 44 carbine, the rifle had lots of red storage grease on/in it, I did not clean out the bolt body. Took it to the range in Minnesota in December, temp was around 20 degrees, the rifle kept misfiring, the pin could not get enough umph to set off the primer, so had to tear down and clean out the bolt assembly. I thought it was interesting that a Russian rifle would not shoot in the cold! But, the grease caused the issues. These days I shoot in warm weather in Texas.

Only grease I've ever put on an AR has been on the buffer spring.

Beyond that its oil type lubes. Never had an issue, or need to go to grease. Never felt safe using grease on the BCG parts.

And I'd feel safe to say that I"ve fired a few more rounds than the average AR owner.

OTOH I'd be really willing to say as long as its lube, give it a try. You'll find that it either works for you or doesnt. Pretty simple.

A thin coat of grease might just be the ticket for those new Fail Zero BCG's. I've been told by a guy who trained some clients overseas that had those and they or so slick they won't hold any oil for very long. It just heats up and evaporated.

Dad used to tell of how when they were issuing new rifles they always had a barrel of boiling water they dipped them in.

Grease for me. This is the way I do it, but have no experience otherwise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXIsKEHo-4g