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To Grease or Not To Grease Your M1A

S

SP155

Alpha
Almost everything you read these days talks about applying grease to almost every sliding part of the rifle. To protect the parts from rust etc when being stored for long periods is sound practice, especially in humid salt air climates. No problem.......yet. During my service years we never greased an M14, ever. In service, grease collects grime and debris which can affect operation. SOP was to run an oiled patch through the barrel, followed by dry and then carefully wipe down every other moving part with a lightly oiled patch followed by dry. Never had a problem of any kind and shot lights out. Plus, if you presented a greasy (dirty) weapon at inspection you were in deep excrement.
So when I received my new M1A it was covered in grease and the first thing I did was wipe it all off. What has changed? Is this grease business a recent invention?
 
I have the same dilemma. Everything I have read says to grease. A friend of mine who was is an old war vet and in a previous life was a firearms instructor said he never greased his. Same as you, oil the barrel, dry, and the wipe down everything else.
 
SP155 said:
Almost everything you read these days talks about applying grease to almost every sliding part of the rifle. To protect the parts from rust etc when being stored for long periods is sound practice, especially in humid salt air climates. No problem.......yet. During my service years we never greased an M14, ever. In service, grease collects grime and debris which can affect operation. SOP was to run an oiled patch through the barrel, followed by dry and then carefully wipe down every other moving part with a lightly oiled patch followed by dry. Never had a problem of any kind and shot lights out. Plus, if you presented a greasy (dirty) weapon at inspection you were in deep excrement.
So when I received my new M1A it was covered in grease and the first thing I did was wipe it all off. What has changed? Is this grease business a recent invention?
Click to expand...
"Is this grease business a recent invention?"

New?
No, not by any means. - Usually used for indefinite and definite long term storage.
Helps stop degradation from corrosion/moisture/rust for possible long term inaction or usage. See "cosmoline."
Used for long term metal parts storage too. Grease is usually easier to clean up and off than rust and oxidation.
 
Remember guys, the rifle you had in the service was issued to you. If it broke the gov't paid to fix it, and if it was not repairable they gave you another one at no charge. Now when you shell out big bucks for a M1A today it is your's to have and hold until a better deal comes along. It makes sense to properly lub your rifle and protect your investment.
 
To answer your question it comes from the factory greased or heavily lubed because it is an unknown how long it will be to get to the end user who by all means clean and lube their way before shooting it.
 
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