AR-15 Wear And Failure Points To Check
BY Herschel Smith
5 years, 7 months ago
From Shooting Illustrated.
So if, like me, you believe in Genesis Chapter 2, you believe in the second law of thermodynamics. If you don’t but still believe in the second law of thermodynamics, your belief if spurious and baseless but still useful.
Either way, entropy increases. That means parts rust, corrode, fatigue, wear, fracture and fail. Always inspect your guns.
On September 9, 2018 at 10:40 pm, Matt Fulford said:
Being new to the AR forum, I need all the help I can get. There are so many correct was of lubing an AR that I’m not totally sure which one is correct. Stuff like that. Any help is appreciated on any care of the AR.
On September 10, 2018 at 1:42 am, DAN III said:
Matt Fulford @ 2240,
Here is a suggestion:
Internet search for FILTHY 14.
Read it.
On September 10, 2018 at 9:44 am, Fred said:
@Matt Fulford,
First, don’t over lube it or any weapon. This only fouls the weapon all the more. Lube is first to prevent metal on metal friction and only second to protect from rust (YMMV). A weapon with too much lube will stop running long before a weapon with a couple of rust spots that need to be cleaned up. Check the manufacturers recommendations in the Manual. If no manual, ask a combat vet who has operated in your type of weather and atmosphere conditions. When storing a weapon, PacNW is much different than Arizona.
@Herschel, You post here brought to mind a funny (non) argument I had with another Christian here some time back. He insisted that guns are inherently evil, where I insisted that they are inherently rusty, heh. I maintain my position.
On September 10, 2018 at 12:34 pm, DAN III said:
Fred @ 0944,
“….don’t over lube it or any weapon.”
Fallacy. FILTHY 14 dispels the over lube myth.
Internet search for FILTHY 14.
Read it.
On September 10, 2018 at 9:14 pm, Fred said:
@DanIII, I read an 2012 article at SWAT mag called Filthy 14, about a Bravo Company AR with Slip 2000 ewl/clp as the lube. Is this what you were talking about? To point this test at somebody who says: “Being new to the AR forum..” is ridiculous. The guy is new. He’s got a gun and wants to learn. You send him to a test of single weapon lovingly hand crafted, guaranteed mil spec, tested by professional operators as the place to start? This is irresponsible and why gun owners get a bad name while trying to attract new shooters. This test is N/A to him. Don’t get mad, I still love you. And if I’m still wrong then perhaps a better example please.
@Matt Mulford, Even after reading the article, which is not applicable to you, I stand by my statement; “First, don’t over lube it or any weapon. This only fouls the weapon all the more. Lube is first to prevent metal on metal friction and only second to protect from rust (YMMV). A weapon with too much lube will stop running long before a weapon with a couple of rust spots that need to be cleaned up.” However, from the article, Slip 2000 EWL/CLP looks like a fine choice of lubricant/cleaner for a stock commercial AR. Welcome to the party, Matt. Half of it is just as retarded as this conversation here, the other half is really fun tho :-)
(The Slip 2000 web page states that the EWL:
“Will not attract dust, dirt or sand like petroleum products
Will not harden or become tacky”
Isn’t this the same thing (net result) as not over lubricating? That is what I said right? They didn’t ‘over lube’ it and the use of EWL, a non petroleum product, is equal to a light lube. Also the article states as much that lube is first to prevent metal on metal friction, which is what I said also. The article also states ‘I don’t suggest that you try this at home’ which seems to be a reasonable thing to say to @Matt Mulford making the article mute for the purposes of our conversation here.)
Now, if somebody wants to tell Matt the first few things he needs to know and where to go from there that would be handy since I know almost nothing.
On September 11, 2018 at 12:30 am, TheAlaskan said:
The only true enemy of the AR platform is the politician. Then…there’s rust.
On September 11, 2018 at 3:06 am, DAN III said:
Fred @ 2114,
Of course your cited reference to FILTHY 14 is what I am referencing.
“To point this test….is ridiculous.” WHY ?
“….single weapon lovingly hand crafted….” HOW IS A PRODUCTION LINE, MANUFACTURED FIREARM “lovingly hand crafted” ?
“….tested by professional operators” SO WHAT ? WHAT IF THOSE SAME “OPERATORS” WERE DARK-SKINNED AND WENT BY NAMES LIKE TYRONE AND JAMAL ? WOULD FILTHY 14 TESTING BE MORE VIABLE FOR YOU ?
The point of my reference to the FILTHY 14 testing was a counter to YOUR mythical statement that lubricating firearms YOU consider to be excessive lubrication….only fouls the weapon even more”. It does not.
At the conclusion of the FILTHY 14 lubrication testing more than 45,000 rounds of 5.56mm had been put through the “….lovingly hand crafted” AR-malite. It had NEVER been cleaned. It was only lubricated. Lubricated to the point where the weapon was DRIPPING gunk consisting of ammunition residue and “over lubricating”. It still functioned. It still stripped a round from the inserted magazine. It still fired. It still recoiled. It still stripped a second round upon recoil and readied the weapon for firing the next round.
“They didn’t over lube and the use of EWL….is equal to a light lube.” Amazing how you justify your inane argument that FILTHY 14, dripping lubricant, was not lubricated overly or otherwise. You take your arguments right out of Alinsky.
So Freddie allow me to reiriterate your loving ridicule of my original response and reference to FILTHY 14:
“To point this test at somebody….is RIDICULOUS.”
“You send him to a test of a single weapon…”. “This is IRRESPONSIBLE.”
“Half of it is as RETARDED as the conversation here.”
“….making the article MUTE….”
“Don’t get mad, I STILL LOVE YOU.”
Gee Fred, you consider yourself a Christian ? Your mockery and ridicule in reply to my reference to a factual test (FILTHY 14) is far from Christ-like. To support your point of view you resorted to distorting the English language along with mockery and ridicule. For me it is amazing how the Left resorts to Alinsky (Rule #5) to attempt to substantiate themselves. No facts. Just ridicule and mockery.
Unfortunately Fred, you managed to totally distract Mulford from receiving any reasonable information.
“….since I know almost nothing.”
Well, we certainly agree on your closing remark. You certainly are limited on your knowledge of firearms maintenance IMO. However, in your Leftist usage of Saul Alinsky you are well-versed. Rather than an intelligent discourse you relied on the weapon of mockery and ridicule. Thanks for supporting firearm owners.
Here’s the bottom line to FILTHY 14:
Lube the crap outta your AR-malite platform (or any firearm). You cannot hurt it and it will function fine.
On September 11, 2018 at 7:08 am, Fred said:
The test is not quantifiable.