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AR barrel nut grease?

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  • AKM

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    What grease do y'all use on barrel nuts?

    Thinking about ordering some aeroshell but it's sure expensive for one time use, no graphite though.

    If someone around the north side of Houston had some I'd buy a dab from you.
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    I use anti-seize. The small tube you can get from the auto parts place. The same stuff you'd use on steel exhaust bolts going into an alloy engine head. It's specifically made for the purpose of steel to alloy contact. The barrel nut won't seize and it won't dry out like grease exposed to heat.

    (Edited for grammer)
     
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    CyberWolf

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    AeroShell 64.

    Yes, will last forever (bought a tube of 33ms over a decade ago and have used something like ~0.0001% of it).

    Not very expensive ($19), works great, and meets/exceeds MilSpec for that application...

    https://m.skygeek.com/5067068.html


    ETA: the AS 64 is just rebranded AS 33MS (I think some were getting confused between 33 and 33MS)
     
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    s-l300.jpg

    Permatex is the brand I have. Loctite makes it too.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006Q7H2M/ref=psdcmw_15719281_t3_B0053ZS1Z8


    I've had a single tube for about 10 years. It does last forever. It also sticks to everything. If you get it on your fingers, you'll leave silver fingerprints everywhere.
     

    sucker76

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    I bought a small container of Aeroshell 33MS from eBay. Yes it was expensive, ~$7.00 for about 1/2oz, but it will last me a lifetime. I have only put one barrel on an upper but I have enough to do 15 more. I also don't have a huge tube to deal with in my garage or gun room.
     
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    Use an old tooth brush to put it on the threads. Doing a scrubby motion. Coat all the threads, 360°. All it takes is a light coat. No need to smear it on.

    I'm sure you know it's tighten, loosen, tighten, loosen, then the final tighten to seat the threads. If not, remember the 'magic 3'.
     
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    CyberWolf

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    I bought a small container of Aeroshell 33MS from eBay. Yes it was expensive, ~$7.00 for about 1/2oz, but it will last me a lifetime. I have only put one barrel on an upper but I have enough to do 15 more. I also don't have a huge tube to deal with in my garage or gun room.
    Dang, that's pricey! The one I linked to for $19 (same place I got mine) is 14oz, but perhaps most of the cost of the AMZ one was for convenience ;)
     

    ScS

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    Permatex nickel
    It works on motors up to 2500F, so why not rifle barrels. There is copper also, but not recommend on stainless
     

    CyberWolf

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    There's actually quite a bit of science behind this topic...

    The real issues come down to galling and galvanic corrosion, and while I'm by no means an expert in metallurgy (or even close), current understanding is that there's nothing commercially available which performs this function better than a Molybdenum Disulfide grease containing no Graphite, Copper, or other conductive/reactive components which are highly undesirable for the given application...

    Specifically, the AeroShell 33MS (64) which meets MIL-G-21164D and is recommended for use between Steel bbl/nut (even more important if Ti nut is used), and AL receiver surfaces, contains MD (and no undesirable Metals/compounds); AeroShell 33 does not.

    Some references:
    https://www.valin.com/resources/whi...eal-solid-lubricant-and-anti-galling-material

    https://galvanizeit.org/design-and-fabrication/design-considerations/dissimilar-metals-in-contact
     
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    Permatex nickel
    It works on motors up to 2500F, so why not rifle barrels. There is copper also, but not recommend on stainless


    If I'm remembering right, copper base is for cast iron to cast iron. Like boiler fittings. The aluminum base is what's used between aluminum and steel. I don't have experience with the nickel based. But at 2500 degrees, the upper will be liquid. It has a melting point around 1220 degrees. I'd suspect nickel based would be used on exotic metals like titanium but I'm not positively sure.
     

    ScS

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    If I'm remembering right, copper base is for cast iron to cast iron. Like boiler fittings. The aluminum base is what's used between aluminum and steel. I don't have experience with the nickel based. But at 2500 degrees, the upper will be liquid. It has a melting point around 1220 degrees. I'd suspect nickel based would be used on exotic metals like titanium but I'm not positively sure.

    I've used nickel permatex on all head, rod, and header bolts, and anything from aluminum to stainless with good results. I don't believe it to be any better or worse than aeroshell, it's just something I've used in the past and trust. If it has threads that's what I use
     
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