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Grease on action screws?

Fast14riot

Gold $$ Contributor
I asked a question in an F/class group on Facebook about whether I should grease the stainless action screws for my Panda. Let's just say the responses have been pretty well split on both sides.

So, what does everyone here think?
 
I asked a question in an F/class group on Facebook about whether I should grease the stainless action screws for my Panda. Let's just say the responses have been pretty well split on both sides.

So, what does everyone here think?
I would ask the manufacture if galvanic corrosion between action screws and the aluminum action is a problem/possibility and if they recommend any type of anti seize or lubricant for the action screws.

A lot could depend on humidity and temperature in the location you shoot and store the firearm.
 
I do plan on calling Kelbly today, but was after hours last night when the thought popped in my head as this is my first aluminum action.
 
I have always viewed lubricants as the enemy of galling. But, I think you must account for how much less torque is required to produce the same load on the contact surfaces. Mechanical stripping is even worse than galling.

Anytime that a metal on metal moving interface with load bearing surfaces is designed to be reversed, I can’t avoid a film of lubricant, from bolt lugs to tenons to AR carriers.

One of those two metals wants to rub off on the other when under pressure. Consider graphite pencil “lead” being pressed down and drug across a sheet of paper on a hard desk. If the goal was to preserve the pencil point while maintaining proof of contact, and the choice was to draw it across “wax paper” or dollar bills, the choice would obvious. If dollar bills were the only paper option but they could be either dry or oily, clearly the pencil point would last orders of magnitude longer drug across the oily paper.

It’s really the stress on the surface molecules we would be concerned about. The functional strength of that joint comes from the bolt’s body and the receiver floor. The threads’ only purpose is to ensure the relative position to each other of those two larger masses, like the “small pin” on the end of a hitch’s “big pin”. I always use a lubricant because they are unquestionably the weakest part of the joint. We know threads want to gall naturally because that is almost always the reason, when more torque, sometimes way more, is required to loosen a bolt than was used to tighten it.
 
I asked a question in an F/class group on Facebook about whether I should grease the stainless action screws for my Panda. Let's just say the responses have been pretty well split on both sides.

So, what does everyone here think?
Any thread and every thread should be lubricated. (with something even if its just oil, grease is better)
if anything to reduce the friction of the two surfaces when tightening
Plus the added corrosion protection
And if it's alum. YES, it is not as hearty of a metal as steel and can gall
ESPECIALLY soft stuff such as 6000 series
7000 series is much better but still is Alum.
I am a mechanic that works on ATV engines (My main course of business so deal with A LOT of aluminum female threads)
I learned to grease every thread when I worked in a bike shop as a teen, small fasteners need it as it prevents many unwanted bad things happening that I won't get all technical with here.
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Some people "incorrectly" believe that grease or oil will allow a fastener to loosen up easier
thinking it is the friction between the two threaded surfaces that hold the fasteners together
When it is more the torque applied to provide clamping force is what we're after.
Also grease under the head of any fastener will help once clamping force is being approached to allow the head to spin as friction free as possible
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If someone wishes to use loctite instead, Loctite also provides some amount of lubrication to the threads upon initial tightening and is Still better than dry threads
 
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Be careful. Grease can migrate out and onto your bedding.
Well ya don't use a Grease gun man!!!
Just wipe it into the threads with your fingers.
Oil WILL migrate, (Thats why I like grease, and the greases I tend to use are tested to NOT even splatter if smacked with a 2 lb sledge hammer. You can stick your face next to a steel plate, apply a big glob of grease and smack it with a hammer and not get any grease on your face....so I don't think it will migrate)
Once installed you likely will never have to put grease on the threads again even after repeated disassembly's.
 
If you don't use any grease or oil I would at least use LanoCote, I use it any time I have 2 dissimilar metals going together especially when one is aluminum. It helps stop galvanic corrosion which is very common when aluminum is used with stainless steel. I started using this when I had my big aluminum boat built and I was rigging it. I use it on all rigging on my boats.

 
If you don't use any grease or oil I would at least use LanoCote, I use it any time I have 2 dissimilar metals going together especially when one is aluminum. It helps stop galvanic corrosion which is very common when aluminum is used with stainless steel. I started using this when I had my big aluminum boat built and I was rigging it. I use it on all rigging on my boats.


I had forgotten about that stuff! I've probably got a tub somewhere in the boat. Forespar makes great stuff.
 

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