[ScarletAvatar]

Simply the thread title. Aside from a 'no-black crap' scrape and wipe and a light coat of Mil-tec on all the moving parts, I don't really get too nuts with the cleaning. I still get two or three jams per trip to the range, or about every 120 rounds. I was just wondering if anyone could impart their own personal techniques so that I might negate even those few jams. Bushmaster XM-15, for the record. Thank you.

[bkt]

No black crap.

Break it open, use a bore guide and quality cleaner 'til the cloth comes out white, tear down the BCG and make it glow. Clean the inside of the receiver as reasonably well as possible without removing the trigger group. Very light lube, reassemble, and that's pretty much it.

I haven't had to clean the gas tube, yet.

No jams.

[rnds, on time & on target]

speaking of cleaning the gas tube, how is that done & are special tools required to remove/re-install it?

[matt g]

Originally Posted by rnds, on time & on target

speaking of cleaning the gas tube, how is that done & are special tools required to remove/re-install it?

You don't remove it, you just use a worn barrel brush and pipe cleaners to ream it out.

To the OP, make absolutely sure that you have all of the carbon out of the rifle. Other than that, you've got to get to know the rifle and figure out if it likes heavy oil, light oil or no oil at all. There is a reason that you have an assigned rifle in the military, this is the main reason.

What are you using for oil? I recommend Break Free CLP, as I know that is what works.

[rnds, on time & on target]

agree entirely on using breakfree, have done for years..my real concern about the gas tube is more the fact that i've never removed one before and was concerned that the line-up of the gas impingement port, in the barrel may need to be precise enough to require tools to remove/re-align, or other more technical details, that i might not have been aware of until too late..my time in the army was spent entirely on our own issue weapons, obviously, ( F-88 AUS-STEYR & F-89 Minimi) and it might surprise you americans, but the ar-15/m-16 series was not ever standard issue here! and even though we've always had a few in our armouries & got basic familiarisation on it & used them occasionally in opfor style ex's, we dont exactly get the armourer's course on them, so uh, yeah..i figured better to ask a seemingly stupid question, than make a DEFINATELY STUPID mistake, and because i'm not it's first owner, i've got no idea what state its in, except that it seems to be smooth cycling & okay, but i dont like leaving it to chance for too long, was all. but thanks for your reply, its appreciated..but could you help with my earlier query about the hinge pin?

[robocop10mm]

Cleaning the gas tube is something that you might consider after about 5000 rds. They make long pipe cleaners for such a job. Flood the gas tube with good solvent (not breakfree or LSA). I use Shooters Choice bore solvent, it disolves lead, copper and plastic fouling. I use a pipette to squirt solvent directly into the back end of the gas tube.

You do not have to take it off. If you choose to remove the gas tube, drive out the cross pin in the front sight base that retains the tube. Wiggle, cuss, tap and fight it until you kink or otherwise damage the tube. Replace the gas tube with a new one (less than $20) and call it a day. Vow to never remove the gas tube again.

For most folks the only thing you need to do is inspect the tube just behind the Ft. sight base. Look for serious soot on the exterior of the tube. If the tube is bad it will leak gasses and leave a sooty residue on the tube. Replace as necessary. If it is not bad, leave it alone.

[matt g]

Originally Posted by robocop10mm

Cleaning the gas tube is something that you might consider after about 5000 rds. They make long pipe cleaners for such a job. Flood the gas tube with good solvent (not breakfree or LSA). I use Shooters Choice bore solvent, it disolves lead, copper and plastic fouling. I use a pipette to squirt solvent directly into the back end of the gas tube.

You do not have to take it off. If you choose to remove the gas tube, drive out the cross pin in the front sight base that retains the tube. Wiggle, cuss, tap and fight it until you kink or otherwise damage the tube. Replace the gas tube with a new one (less than $20) and call it a day. Vow to never remove the gas tube again.

For most folks the only thing you need to do is inspect the tube just behind the Ft. sight base. Look for serious soot on the exterior of the tube. If the tube is bad it will leak gasses and leave a sooty residue on the tube. Replace as necessary. If it is not bad, leave it alone.

Break Free was the only thing we were allowed to use in the service.

LSA is Lubricant, Sub Arctic (or Small Arms, depending on what TM you read) and should only be used in freezing conditions or on pieces that call for it like the Mk. 19.

[bkt]

How many people here have used bore snakes? What's the best way to clean the bore snake after your rifle barrel is clean?

[slowryde45]

Originally Posted by bkt

How many people here have used bore snakes? What's the best way to clean the bore snake after your rifle barrel is clean?

Unless it gets real filthy, I usually let it go for a few cleanings before throwing it in the washing machine.

I usually give mine a few squirts of CLP (Break-Free) before running it through the barrel. After a few passes, I'll run a couple clean patches through to verify.

But if the barrels are pretty dirty, I'll only use the snake for that one cleaning before throwing it in the washing machine with regular laundry detergent. Seems to get most, if not all, the crap out of them. And I haven't noticed any wear and tear on them yet. But I do have a few of them and alternate them between cleanings.

Slo