Smyth Busters: AR-15 Bolt / Carrier Lubrication

Brownells Gun Techs Steve Ostrem and Caleb Savant are back to help us separate fact from fiction. Or should we say "friction"? Today's topic is the PROPER way to lubricate an AR-15 bolt / carrier assembly. Turns out the Army Way isn't always right. When our guys were in basic training (a few years apart), what the Army told them to do was wrong. Well, Steve has theory that it served a purpose, but keeping the rifle running reliably wasn't it. Caleb shows us the metal-on-metal friction points where you actually need oil: the rails on the underside of the carrier, shiny wear points on top, and just a dab on the cam pin. How much oil should you use? The AR-15 is pretty forgiving on that point. Just keep it out of the combustion areas. Those little holes in the carrier are gas vent holes, NOT oil holes! Do BCGs with special coatings like Titanium Nitride or NP3 need to be lubed? The guys have some advice on that. What are your tips for lubricating an AR's BCG?