You answered your own question. Running the drive chain in oil will give the chain 10 to 15 times the life range. I know the Deere oil bath drive is nasty to work on, but you get superior life. Gleaner and Pixall corn headsalso run in oil. Case hasn't figured it out yet.
Oops!IJ I guess Case figured it out. The machine they had at the Farm Progress Show had plastic points and oil bath chain drive. Oil bath chain drive (Deere 1980) Plastic Points (Deere 1994).