PS 573
21
AUG 00
PS 573
20
AUG 00
rewmen, keeping the bore evacua-
tor clean and lubed is one secret to
trouble-free shooting with your
M109A2-A5 howitzer.
Each time the cannon is fired, a little carbon builds up inside. If you wait too
long to clean it, carbon accumulates and freezes the bore evacuator in place. It
becomes almost impossible to remove.
Avoid that sticky problem by cleaning and greasing the bore evacuator daily
during firing periods and monthly during non-firing periods.
Here’s what to do:
1.
Loosen and slide the bore evacua-
tor forward on the gun tube following
the instructions in Appendix G of TM
9-2350-311-10.
2.
Slide the valve ring forward and re-
move the check balls. Remember, your
howitzer is NMC if any check balls
are missing, per TACOM SOUM 00-
011.
M109A2-A5 SP Howitzer . . .
Slide forward valve ring .
..
...and remove check balls
tube. Use the CLP and bore evacuator
brush comes with the artillery clean-
3.
Wipe off the loosened carbon and
CLP with a clean cloth. Then lightly
coat the check balls, valve ring, and
the unpainted surface of the cannon tube
with general purpose grease, NSN 9150-
00-985-7316, or molybdenum disulfide
4.
Be
very
careful not to plug the
metering holes with grease while lubing
the cannon tube. When the howitzer is
fired, propellent fumes are expelled
through the metering holes and out the
end of the gun tube.
If the holes are plugged, the fumes travel
back down the gun tube and inside the
howitzer when the breech is opened. Those
fumes contain lead and aren’t good for
your health.
5.
Reassemble the bore evacuator.
get
outta
here,
crud!
yeow!
that's what
i call
stern
pm
!
...or fumes come back out
when breech is opened
Slide bore evacuator forward
Keep grease out of metering holes.
..
Clean the check balls, evacuation vents,three metering holes, valve ring, and
the unpainted surface of the cannon