Proper Thread Sealant/Anti-Seize for SS barrel?

[Texas10]

I'm getting old and can't remember Sh**. Have made my disclaimer, I am trying to remember what is the proper Anti-Seize to use on a Stainless barrel install into a Stainless action. I know I found a detailed article somewhere, but can't find it again.

As I recall, copper based is OK, but aluminum based is bad, causes corrosion. Or do I have that bass-ackwards?

Called James at NSS and he uses copper based, and I know there are anti-seizes available that are "made" for Stainless.

Don't want to use oil, don't want the ooze.

What do you recommend for use when installing a new SS barrel?

As always, thanks, guys for helping out this pathetic CRS sufferer.

[gbflyer]

I use a little dab of gun grease with good result.

[Robinhood]

Anti-seize has oil in it.

[Hair_Boxers]

Here is an earlier thread on sane topic. http://savageshooters.com/showthread.php?t=49225

Summary: nickel or aluminum. NOT copper for stainless.

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[Dennis]

Never-Seize, available at most auto parts stores.

[Mozella]

Take a look at a table of galvanic corrosion. You will see SS near the bottom (less reactive) and aluminum near the top (most reactive), with copper somewhere in the middle. Generally speaking, it is unwise to combine two metals which are far apart on the chart because of corrosion concerns. In the marine world where a salt water electrolyte is essentially everywhere, sailors are all too familiar with problems associated with mounting hardware to an aluminum mast using SS fasteners. Can you say "snapped heads" and "stripped threads"?

Loctite makes a wide range of anti seize compounds for use with SS, several of them completely non metallic. Many of the non-metallic compounds have very good performance at elevated temperatures. Saf-T-Eze actually makes one containing SS as the metal, if you prefer a metallic anti seize. By the way, the reason anti seize compounds often contain metals is for lubrication at elevated temperatures, usually above 400F. I don't know about you, but I try to keep my barrel below that temperature unless I'm frying bacon on my AK-47. Spark plugs are one thing, but barrel nuts are something else.

Keep in mind that a typical barrel nut on a Savage barrel, for example, might be real tight when it comes from the factory. But when you install it you will most likely not use an insane amount of torque, you won't dip the finished product into salt water very often, and you won't let the barrel exceed 400F. In other words, while parts of a gun experience severe service, the barrel nut is not one of those parts.

That's why I use a molybdenum disulfide grease rather than a metallic anti-seize. It provides superior lubrication too. If I used a metallic anti-seize I would look for one containing nickel (close to SS on the corrosion chart) or one containing SS. I would not use one containing aluminum.

[m12lrs]

I use the nickel based

Safe for stainless

I use moly grease on my AR barrels. Don't really see why it wouldn't work on a savage barrel nut.

[Texas10]

Here is an earlier thread on sane topic. http://savageshooters.com/showthread.php?t=49225

Summary: nickel or aluminum. NOT copper for stainless.

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HA! So I did have it bassackwards! And I didn't use the correct words in my search, either. Thanks, HB for finding that.

Maybe I should take up knitting instead....

[geargrinder]

I use the same as the factory.....none.

[Texas10]

I use the same as the factory.....none.

You mean the shot peen media leaking out from under the barrel nut is not the factory lube?

[geargrinder]

Never had the media stuck under the nut. Lucky I guess.

[RustyShackle]

I have always just used white lithium grease? Seems to have worked for me. I don't know if using a copper based anti seize is a good idea.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

First off, any lube you end up using will not act as a "sealant". No need for that. All you're after is a good lube to keep the threads from galling and a lube to make it easy when removing the barrel and nut. And if you've removed the barrel once, my bet is you'll be doing that again.
I make it a point to clean the threads real good than apply a dab of grease before it goes back together. White grease, molly grease or just about anything you can get your hands on or is within easy reach.
Never seize? Makes a mess and will keep making a mess till you get rid of ANY excess. That crap will show up on just about any place you don't want it to. Still good stuff if you know how much to use. CM or Stainless, to me makes no difference. Just make sure you get lube on the threads. I've only swapped about 10 or 12 barrels and so far, no problems using just about any lube I can get my hands on. I prefer white grease but whatever is close works for me.

[Texas10]

My son is home from college so we spent part of the day installing the new Criterion barrel. Got the old barrel off without a hitch, which surprised me as there was shot peen media all over the front portion of threads. I mean a lot of media!

Cleaned up the action and checked for wear, lubed the threads with a little never-seize. New barrel went right in, set head space with go and no-go gages, easy-pezy. Was really anti-climatic, not all what I expected after reading all the horror stories. Maybe that's why is went so well, remember what not to do, my many thanks to you guys!

Then on to installing a bolt lift mod using a 38 cal. brass and .155 in ball bearing. I had the right washer too, to put under the BAS to get everything working again. BTW a standard 1/2 inch aircraft grade washer fits perfectly. Lift is much easier now, and very smooth. Well, we did some other tricks to the inners of the bolt too, so not just the lift mod.

Next was to re-do the bedding in the original laminate stock. Ground out old epoxy and used Devon 10110. In the 90 degree shop temps, it set in about 2 hours. Popped the barrel out and cleaned up excess while epoxy was still green.

Scope back on a leveled. Bing, bam, boom. Hey, this Bubba- smithing thing is FUN!

Now to re-size my brass and get some loads made for Thursday shoot with son. Can't wait to see how this new barrel shoots

[RC20]

Looking at what I can find, Nickel based appears to be the best of the anti seize for stainless application

Copper is not good (and having had some bad experience with copper anti sieve on shafts I would never use it for anything but it may have an application, not on stainless though) .


One comment was to avoid a seize up affect is to take the fastener apart. Just the encouragement we need to change barrels often!

And yes when I took my 111 apart there was some kind of material in the threads so they used some kind of Loctite or? on it.

[rjtfroggy]

Get yourself a small tube of RID gun grease and be done with it.
Small tube will probably be handed down to your children.

[RC20]

I am a mechanic/technician (now bucked up to a non lettered engineer)

I like to use the correct products and procedures for a given application. Probably not an issue.

Nickel works very good on steel and is the approved lube for stainless.

[Zero333]

I use the same anti-seize on barrels as I use on engine headers and any other threaded fastener on the exhaust system.

I don't use the liquidy brush on stuff . I use the playdoh like stuff.

I've used it on all sorts of exhausts, from stainless to TITANIUM and it's never let me down so I use it for rifle barrels as well.

[RC20]

I have not come across the play-doh stuff. We used various liquidy brush on since I got into the work and am used to it.

I do a lot of exhaust related stuff (pyrometer probes to check engine ops for full loads) so that's at work and by default at home.

[Texas10]

Get yourself a small tube of RID gun grease and be done with it.
Small tube will probably be handed down to your children.

Is that Birchwood Casy's RIG gun grease? Sounds like some good stuff.

[Robinhood]

[Texas10]

Ha-ha! Been there, done that. Back in the day we had to mix dry aluminum powder- bought it in a 2 lb can- with butyrate dope to get silver dope for aircraft building. A couple of days doing that and Mr. "tin man" had nothing on me.

[fr3db3ar]

Too funny but so true if you're not careful. Even then you be covered up to your elbows.

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[RC20]

A Little Dab will do you! (and bigger dab can do all of you!)