Ok, this question is right up my alley. This is what I do for a living and I've been in the field for 25 years and hold a certification from a global society of lubrication engineers.
When I see something like this come along as I have several times, I wonder why did someone feel the need to develop it in the first place?
Are the prices of quality gun lubricants skyrocketing in price?
Is it just too troublesome to spray your upper components with a light lube or CLP?
So they say they want to eliminate the need for a lubricant.
Well, what does a lubricant do anyway?
A lubricant has several functions. First and foremost, it reduces friction between two moving surfaces. This is Tribology 1.0
Well, also a lubricant helps cool the surfaces, collects and suspends contamination and inhibits rust and corrosion.
Why would you want to take that away from your AR upper?
The bearing test that they showed is irrelevant to how an AR upper works.
The bearing, if lubricated would start in what we call "boundary lubrication" then as speed and load increases, move to a "mixed film" regime and then to "hydrodynamic" state.
These are shown by the Stribeck Curve
An upper in an AR 15 stays only in the boundary lubrication regime. The simple back and forth motion of the bolt does not provide any other means for a lubricant to work. Thus the bearing example does not even represent how a lubricant or lack of lubricant would work in an AR
upper
In boundary lubrication you will always have the highest friction coefficient and thus higher wear is always possible. A good lubricant is essential to not only reduce friction but to also do the other functions I listed above. No "nano" wonder calcium impregnated metal can take the place of some inexpensive light lubricant.
While calcium is used as part of many common lubricant additive packages, it simply cannot take the place of using a quality lubricant.
Why do they market things like this? Obviously to make a profit.
I have nearly a 1/2 dozen ARs and lots of other auto loading firearms. I spend about $10 per year on lubricants and these lubricants also prevent rust and corrosion .
I talk to my clients often about what we call the 5 rights of lubrication to promote better reliability programs in some of the industrial locations I work at.
1. The right type of lubricant
2. The right quality
3. The right amount
4. In the right place
5. At the right time (intervals)
Sorry for such a long post, but I just wanted to share my 2 cents.