AR-15 Buffer Spring: Lube or Not Lube?

[WhyteP38]

I'm building an AR, and Kuleck and McKee recommend lubing the buffer spring in their book, The AR-15 Complete Assembly Guide. However, they are the only ones I know who recommend lubing the buffer spring. Also, I have never seen an AR from the factory that has had a lubed buffer spring.

I'm thinking that lubing the spring won't hurt anything and may actually help prolong the life of the spring and the buffer tube. But before I lube it, I wanted to check to see if there is a good reason NOT to lube it. Does anyone here know which way, lube or not lube, is better?

Thanks!

 

[armedtotheteeth]

Lubing the spring will probably increase the amount of dirt that will stick to the spring, It will sneak in from the vent at the bottom of the stock. The dirt sticking to the spring will act as sandpaper and wear out the tube faster. A spring is not necessarily a "moving part" as there is not really any rubbing going on. I wouldnt, just clean it on occasion.

 

[WhyteP38]

Good points, thanks. I wonder if a dry lube, such as Mag Slick, would help. A dry lube shouldn't attract dirt but should reduce whatever wear there might be.

 

[armedtotheteeth]

I have used spray moly lube by birchwood casey for areas such as these, All my automatic pistols get it instead of oil. ( specially my goto 45)

 

[BUSTER51]

Over the years I have lubed the buffer and spring and than around 1979 I stoped ,and never saw any change. I do clean the spring and buffer tube but don't lube it any more .some folks use a light greese to deaden the twang sound the spring makes,but to me that's part of the AR personality and I'm used to it .

 

[cheygriz]

I clean, thoroughly, and then lube with graphite powder. But only when It's brand new. After that, I don't disassemble it.

 

[Jimro]

Leave the spring and buffer dry, no lube. To clean just wipe them with a cloth.

Jimro

 

[Gewehr98]

How much "Sproing" do you want from shot-to-shot?

My Colt was aggravating as hell, I thought I was shooting a spring-air pellet rifle as the "Sproing" reverberated for a while inside the buttstock after each shot. Asking my CATM armorer about it, he suggested a very light coat of Lubriplate on the buffer spring. I did just that, and no more "Sproing"!

 

[WhyteP38]

Sproing or no sproing, makes no difference to me. I don't like sproing; I don't dislike sproing. But I do want to get as much life out of the components as possible. After what armedtotheteeth posted, I now see the buffer spring as more like a magazine spring than as a regular recoil spring, so I'm thinking a coat of dry lube is probably worth doing.

 

[Donaldo]

When I was in the Army I would take a patch and put a drop or two of CLP on it, then twist the spring through it (twist spring with one hand, hold patch over wire of spring with the other). Then I would lube just the leading edge of the buffer itself. Never had any problems doing it this way.

 

[hj28rules]

I use a small amount dry lube (graphite) on my buffer and spring. It is a left over practice from my active duty days. I find the 'sproing' sound comforting when I fire my AR. It lets me know the bolt is functioning properly.

LM...Ft. Worth, Tx.
USN 1964-1975 Viet Nam Vet
US Army National Guard 1982-1996 Desert Storm Vet
SFC US Army (ret. 1996)

 

[STLRN]

hj28rules

You may want to find a differant lube, the army put out a message a while ago saying not to use Graphite with the M16 because it caused a battery like reaction when it was held between the dissimilar metals in the reciever.

Also, when you trace many of the complaints in the early stages of OEF you see the command had issued graphite based dry lubricants because someone said it was necessary, and in fact it caused an increased failure rate in the weapons.

 

[oldbillthundercheif]

When I was in the Army I would take a patch and put a drop or two of CLP on it, then twist the spring through it (twist spring with one hand, hold patch over wire of spring with the other). Then I would lube just the leading edge of the buffer itself. Never had any problems doing it this way.

This procedure has worked for me as well. I don't lube the spring exactly, but CLP will leave a light film on parts even after being wiped off. It's just a side-effect of cleaning with the stuff, although I don't often use CLP for heavy-duty cleaning. From my experience, the AR mainspring and spring-tube don't get filthy enough to require anything more potent than CLP.