[Laufer]

If not so good, what are a few good alternatives for so many friction areas? The Springfield could arrive Monday.

On my multiple imported AKMs, the different VZ-58 ("Non-AK"), the PTR-91 and recently-acquired FAL (SAR-4800), this Mobil One seems to do ok.

Just now I watched the Brownell's M1A Maintenance video where the man rubs Gobs of Lubri-Plate on every possible metal-metal surface. Almost spoonfuls of it.

Fwiw, some guys mention that they buy small green tubes of Australian (L1A1) grease for their FALs.
Is this "Ozmate Grease" effective and economical for an M1A? A few people here might know.

 

[whistlepig]

I haven't owned a M1A long enough to be an expert on M1A lubes but when I was researching lubes both online and in manuals this lube seemed to be mentioned the most. I have been using it and have no complaints.

 

[Laufer]

whistlepig:

Maybe I will gradually convert from Mobil One to Lubriplate for my rifles. For the Category (not a brand) known as "CLP" I use Ballistol.

Hopefully some Ballistol and Lubriplate can easily combine--on slides, lugs etc-- for normal functions?

As for the gobs used by the gent in the Brownell's video, I asked a former coworker buddy who retired (long ago) from the Navy Rifle Team how much grease he has used in his M1A and Garands.
Awaiting his response in a few days. He sometimes competed at Camp Perry or such with M1As or M-14s {?} .

 

[KurtC]

The M14 needs so little grease that just about anything will do, but the rifle was issued with a small vial of Lubriplate 130-A that fits in the buttstock.

FM 23-8 U.S. Rifle 7.62-MM, M14 : United States. Department of the Army : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

FM 23-8 U.S. Rifle 7.62-MM, M14 1965-05-07 This manual is a guide for commanders and instructors in presenting instruction in the mechanical operation of the...

archive.org

 

[dogboysdad]

A can of wheel bearing grease if relatively cheap and will last you a lifetime.

 

[brianns]

Someone around here mentioned that you put the grease in areas that slide and oils in the others areas that rotate or on pins and to protect surfaces in general.

Gobs of grease doesn’t sound right. Excess will just push off and make a mess somewhere so I advocate applying it and taking off the excess and discarding.

look up Tonyben’s videos. He’s on Rumble now but probably still on YouTube. He probably has a cleaning/maintenance video in his collection.

 

[oneshy1]

I believe #2 is the magic no.. I use super tech red #2 for economy and apply with a cotton swab.

 

[partsmissing]

I've Lucas products for the past 45yrs, in various things including firearms. The next choice would be,
Tetra grease or EWL (extreme weapon lube).

 

[boomerpusher]

Use KurtC's link to FM23-8 and study the maintenance section. You'll see that a very little grease is needed for the M14/M1A and while Lubriplate 130-A is specified progress has been made in lubricants and just about any good grease will work fine. Lucas' Red and Sticky (use only enough to get a redish tint), Mobil One grease, Superlube, simple wheel bearing grease (white) also works. Some places just need a dab of oil and if ytou have really cold weather, I've heard that none is needed (don't make a habit of this !). What ever you use don't go slathering it on.

 

[speerchucker]

LONG TRUE STORY

Many, many, many yrs back, a buddy of mine shows up where me and some others were blasting away at nothing in particular. ( ( You remember the days when surplus was .07 to .10 cts a rd )
Anyhow, he pulls out a Blue Sky Garand import that was as dry as could ever be and starts trying to shoot ,and could only get a single rd off at a time, even had a hard time stripping the first rd trying to chamber. He was ready to throw it in the swamp we were shooting at.
I went to his truck pulled the trigger group.. and ...his dip stick from the engine multiple times till I had some nasty black, well used motor oil on his trigger group,bolt rails and operating rod ,and anything else that moved.
Problem solved
We spent the rest of the afternoon blasting away. I bought that Garand from him a year later with many 100's of rds thru it and never re-lubed it.
My ..ex-spurt .. opinion on lubes was forever ingrained in my thoughts.

Any oil is better than no oil....Any grease, if any, is better than no grease

 

[Jackofalltrades03]

whistlepig:

Maybe I will gradually convert from Mobil One to Lubriplate for my rifles. For the Category (not a brand) known as "CLP" I use Ballistol.

Hopefully some Ballistol and Lubriplate can easily combine--on slides, lugs etc-- for normal functions?

As for the gobs used by the gent in the Brownell's video, I asked a former coworker buddy who retired (long ago) from the Navy Rifle Team how much grease he has used in his M1A and Garands.
Awaiting his response in a few days. He sometimes competed at Camp Perry or such with M1As or M-14s {?} .

So you want to go from a new synthetic to a 1920's to 1930's lubricant.........

 

[Capona]

So you want to go from a new synthetic to a 1920's to 1930's lubricant.........

toss out that big flat screen tv and get the 12” black and white with the rabbit ears down from the attic.

 

[rickgman]

OK, synthetic lubricants are superior to old conventional lubricants. That is fact - not opinion. Synthetic lubricants have a much better temperature vs. viscosity relationship. That is a big deal when temps are either high or low.

My dislike of Mobil synthetic grease is the red color. It stains everything and it is virtually impossible to remove from most materials.

 

[E pluribus unum]

toss out that big flat screen tv and get the 12” black and white with the rabbit ears down from the attic.

Or that rifle that dates back to black and white TV days……

 

[M14SAGuy]

Or that rifle that dates back to black and white TV days……

Which would be almost everything, to some extent?

 

[E pluribus unum]

Which would be almost everything, to some extent?

The point is that there is a certain irony in the conversation about using the most advanced lubricant on an old rifle.

I expect it isn’t near the issue folks make of it.
I can say with confidence Lubriplate will work fine.
I can say with confidence modern synthetic grease will work fine.
I can say with confidence most won’t test either in a full auto application.

 

[OMCHamlin]

A can of wheel bearing grease if relatively cheap and will last you a lifetime.

Yep, that's what I use, but it has no "flair" or "panache", so I doubt anyone is jumping up from their keyboard and hauling butt to the NAPA store for a can of that! Put it in a 10cc syringe, quadruple the price and you'll not keep it on the shelf...

Someone will be along shortly to explain calmly to both of us about how are rifles are "plumb, slap wore out" 'cause we used plain old Grease, Ball & Roller Bearing...

 

[RichFool]

If not so good, what are a few good alternatives for so many friction areas? The Springfield could arrive Monday.

On my multiple imported AKMs, the different VZ-58 ("Non-AK"), the PTR-91 and recently-acquired FAL (SAR-4800), this Mobil One seems to do ok.

Just now I watched the Brownell's M1A Maintenance video where the man rubs Gobs of Lubri-Plate on every possible metal-metal surface. Almost spoonfuls of it.

Fwiw, some guys mention that they buy small green tubes of Australian (L1A1) grease for their FALs.
Is this "Ozmate Grease" effective and economical for an M1A? A few people here might know.

In the main M14 forum, there are posts pinned at the top which contain links to several maintenance videos by tonyben. He is an admin here.

There is a video about lubrication. It will show you everything you want to know. One tip in the lube video is to use small brushes to apply grease. As others said, grease should be used sparingly on the M14. That also goes for any firearm. Gobs of grease is nuts.

I hope you enjoy your M1A. There are many people here who are glad to help with questions and problems.

 

[M14SAGuy]

The point is that there is a certain irony in the conversation about using the most advanced lubricant on an old rifle.

I expect it isn’t near the issue folks make of it.
I can say with confidence Lubriplate will work fine.
I can say with confidence modern synthetic grease will work fine.
I can say with confidence most won’t test either in a full auto application.

Completely agree. I'm just kidding around. I made a similar point in another thread. I stick with Mobile 1, not only because at this point it amounts to a life's supply, but also because it is more advanced than lubriplate 130.

 

[Capona]

The point is that there is a certain irony in the conversation about using the most advanced lubricant on an old rifle.

I expect it isn’t near the issue folks make of it.
I can say with confidence Lubriplate will work fine.
I can say with confidence modern synthetic grease will work fine.
I can say with confidence most won’t test either in a full auto application.

Metal on metal knows no age. It’s just metal on metal. Your point is well taken though.

My point really was he already has the Mobil 1 and there’s no need to buy something else unless he just want to spend some bucks regardless.

But this is a consumer driven economy and we need people to continue to spend their money to keep this titanic afloat. When people stop spending, the fat lady sings and it’s over.