To increase reliability and performance to reduce misfires
and malfunctions in various military weapons, the U.S. Army
issued in 1971 a "purchase description"--PD-48-- listing the
performance properties of a single, multi-purpose product to
clean, lubricate and protect weaponry. These included, in broad
terms, the following requirements:
1. It must easily remove firing residue, carbon
deposits and other contaminants during the
cleaning process, and prevent the rapid buildup of
subsequent deposits during firing which cause
malfunctions and weapon failure.
2. It must lubricate moving parts, including those
which bear a heavy load, and it must continue to
lubricate over long periods of time and use. At
the same time it must not be sticky or greasy so
as to attract dust, sand or dirt which would cause
malfunctions. As a weapons lubricant it must
function under all conditions - extreme heat or
cold, in mud, water, dust, etc.
3. As a corrosion preventative it must protect the
weapon and preserve it in a "grab-and-go"
condition in all climatic conditions - high
humidity, rain, snow, etc., and it must protect
the weapon against corrosion in field use, even in
extreme conditions such as salt water
environments.
The requirements were so severe that PD-48 became known as
the "impossible specification," and from 1971 nothing was found
to come even close to meeting its requirements, until BREAK-FREE
CLP was introduced.
The U.S. Military began testing BREAK-FREE CLP in 1976 and
for almost three years it carried out test after test in the
laboratories and in the field on weapons of all types from the
M16 rifle to 8 inch artillery howitzers, until finally, in 1979,
it was completely satisfied that BREAK-FREE CLP not only met the
"impossible specification," but even exceeded its requirements.
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