Skill Set: AR Lubrication
The AR is like an internal combustion engine. There’s a lot of friction – and associated heat and wear – that occurs during a shot. Even more so when firing multiple rounds. The key to having a smooth running, reliable AR is lubrication.
Compared to most rifles and carbines the AR doesn’t have a lot of friction surfaces, but what there are must be lubricated well. There’s aluminum on aluminum contact – a recipe for disaster if not well lubed. Aluminum parts are moving against steel, and there’s steel on steel contact. Without lubrication any of these combinations will start galling, creating more friction and wear, and eventually lock up tight, probably never functioning again.
Most people think the AR is a finicky weapon. “Oh,†they say, “it won’t run when it gets dirty.†So they focus on constantly cleaning the AR, with very little thought given to lubrication. The truth is the AR will run, and run reliably even when it’s filthy. Shootrite Katana #1, built by MHT Defense, has well over twenty thousand rounds through it without ever having been cleaned, or any parts replaced. It has been well lubed the whole time. With ARs lubrication is more of a concern than cleaning. I’m not saying you should run thousands of rounds through it without a cleaning, but I have to admit I clean mine when I think it needs it vs. every time it’s fielded and fired.
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