Has anyone ever seen this military lube before?

[Maelstrom]

I can pick up a quart of this stuff for $5 locally and was wondering if anyone has ever seen or, better yet, used it before.

A little bit of research shows that it's made by Castrol in Germany. Beyond that I know nothing about it.

 

[subknave]

It is used for 20mm machineguns and costs the government $62.

 

[Maelstrom]

Well then it's a good deal for the price. I'll just have to get a 20mm autocannon. I guess I'll try it on some slightly smaller calibers first.

 

[RonE]

If I'm not mistaken, LSA came out in the 60's as a lubricant for the M-16. We used it extensively in Viet Nam and it seemed to be a brand new thing then. If you look as some old newsreel footage of the Viet Nam war, you often see a soldier with a plastic bottle or two under a band around his helmet. These bottles contained only two things: Mosquito/bug repellent or LSA

 

[Lightninstrike]

LSA - How could I have forgotten that stuff. Is it still available?

 

[Titan6]

If it ever was used on the M16 it has not been used on the M-16/4 in many, many years. It is too greasy and could cause jams.

Perfect for chain guns however which heat to amazing temperatures in a short period of time.

 

[Maelstrom]

LSA - How could I have forgotten that stuff. Is it still available?

It seems to be around here.

So, basically, don't use it in cold environments or on small caliber semi autos? I'll get a can and let you know what I think.

I could stick to using it on my .30 caliber bolt guns if that's what I need to do.

 

[Steve in PA]

It was issued by the military and we used it in the USMC through 1983 when I left. We used it for the M16 and M60's.

 

[Maelstrom]

I was in the Corps after you but we strictly used CLP. Is this the precursor?

 

[GRIZ22]

LSA was what the Army used from at least 1968 to the early 80s to my experience. It came out for the M16 and wound up being used on every small arm.

If it ever was used on the M16 it has not been used on the M-16/4 in many, many years. It is too greasy and could cause jams

It was better than regular gun oil on the M16 and worked well. You have to realize there was no selection of wonder lubes in the 1960s. The only wonder lube I can remember and used was Dri-Slide from that time. Dri Slide was molydendum disulifide powder suspended in a vehicle which evaporated after application leaving a black slime (which was the lubricant). I used it in Vietnam and it worked great. It wouldn't attract sand or dirt. The main reason I think the Army wouldn't adopt Dri Slide is when you lubed the weapon it left that black film and according to the Army a clean weapon shouldn't have a black film.

 

[Jeff White]

LSA is good stuff and M16s and M60s ran just fine on it.

The main reason I think the Army wouldn't adopt Dri Slide is when you lubed the weapon it left that black film and according to the Army a clean weapon shouldn't have a black film.

The main reason was that Dri Slide contains graphite which is corrosive to aluminum. Not real smart to lube a weapon with aluminum receivers with a lube that is corrosive to them......

 

[Lightninstrike]

Thanks Maelstrom.

 

[sm]

LSA is great stuff!

Heck I wish I had a slew of it.

From a civilian use, I and mine used it on Shotguns, and we run shotguns hard and with high round counts.

We also used it on 1911s, BHPs, Beretta Minx, Jetfire, Bobcats...
Revolvers from H&R to S&W,to Ruger, to Colts to...

Model 94s, in 30-30, Model 70, ...

Heck even on single shot .22 rifles and Marlin 60s...

At $5 a quart you cannot afford to not buy it!

 

[Lightninstrike]

FWIW

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-225815.html

 

[jwr747]

think the 1980ish version of the Army and Marine M-16 weapons manual list CLP and LSA as lube and cleaner. jwr

 

[Titan6]

The issue is not with the lube itself but with the stuff that gets into it. Carry your weapon around the desert with some thick lube in it for a while and you will see what I mean.

 

[expvideo]

You can get Castrol cheaper at Schucks Auto Supply.

 

[subknave]

Here is the actual MIL - STD if you are interested, list what it is made of and properties.

 

[GRIZ22]

The main reason was that Dri Slide contains graphite which is corrosive to aluminum. Not real smart to lube a weapon with aluminum receivers with a lube that is corrosive to them......



Jeff, not sharpshooting you but how is graphite corrosive? It's basically carbon which is rather inert. It can be abrasive. Corrosives are usually strong acids or bases. I never saw any ill effects from using Dri-Slide on M16s.

 

[Jeff White]

There is a DOD wide message that has been out for decades warning about using graphite in contact with aluminum. I think it was originally discovered in aircraft applications.

I don't know the science involved but I do know why Dri-Slide is not approved. I have no idea if the reasoning is correct.

 

[GRIZ22]

Thanks Jeff.

 

[Maelstrom]

Alright, looks like I'll be buying two quarts.