PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-583

PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly

ISSUE 583

JUNE 2001
PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-583 - Page 26 of 32
¤
Pay attention to the clean-
ing rod and brushes.
If the
rod and brushes are in bad
shape, you’ll have trouble
cleaning out carbon. If the
bore brush moves easily
through the barrel and leaves a
lot of carbon, the brush is shot.
Dear Editor,
When the paint wears off the M16-series rifle’s rear sling swivel, most
armorers simply replace the swivel. That eliminates the shine that can give you
away to the enemy. But it’s not necessary. All you need to do is cover up the
shine with solid film lubricant.
First, wipe off any dirt or oil on
the swivel with a rag. Clean the
swivel with dry cleaning solvent,
spray on solid film lubricant, NSN
Eventually the lube will wear off,
but when that happens you just
touch up the swivel again. That’s
always cheaper and easier than
replacing the swivel.
SPC Sean S. Kear
A Co, 52d Engr Bn
Ft Carson, CO
PS 583
JUN 01
49
M16-Series Rifles…
If the cleaning rod sec-
tions won’t screw together
easily or if the rod bends at
the joints, you need a new
cleaning rod.
¤
Never run the cleaning
rod back and forth inside
the barrel.
That ruins the
bore brush and the barrel’s
grooves. Put the cleaning rod
brush or handle in the cham-
ber end and push or pull it all
the way out the muzzle end.
¤
Use only the special tools
authorized in your TMs to
clean the gas system.
Worn
brushes go
through
barrel
without
cleaning
carbon
Run rod completely
through barrel without
reversing direction
¤
Blanks count.
Just because
you’re firing blanks instead of
live rounds doesn’t mean you
can forget carbon. In fact,
blanks produce more carbon
than live rounds.
After firing blanks, give
your weapon a thorough
cleaning using chamber and
bore brushes, CLP, and clean-
ing patches (use only RBC on
the MK 19). Don’t stop clean-
ing until a patch run through
the bore comes out clean.
Small Arms…
Carbon is the worst enemy
of your rifle, machine gun,
or pistol. It slows down
moving parts and reduces the
clearance inside the barrel.
Fight carbon with the cleaning
procedures in your operator
TMs and these points.
I don’t need to
worry about cleaning
my rifle. I was only
firing blanks.
think again,
blinkie! Blanks
produce lots
of carbon
New Swivel Not Needed
Spray solid
film lubricant
on swivel
New
Old
Chamber
Muzzle
583. 48-49 (I!)
4/28/01
7:54 PM
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