PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-608
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 608
JULY 2003
Y
our M16-series rifle or M4A1 carbine is the best
friend you'll have in battle. That's why you need to
give it all the PM attention it needs.
But there is a widespread problem in the Army.
Some soldiers want to give their M16 or M4A1
too much attention. They want to do not only their
job, but also the armorer's and maybe even direct
support's. The results of doing more than you
should can be disastrous for your weapon.
• Don't disassemble the lower receiver and trigger assembly for better cleaning.
• Don't remove the buttstock to clean the lower receiver extension.
• Don't remove the compensator to clean the barrel.
• Don't give your M16 or M4 a bath.
• Don't remove the self-locking screw in
the buttstock.
PS 608
47
M16-Series Rifle, M4A1 Carbine…
The takedown pin spring is
easily damaged and difficult
to install correctly. If the
spring and detent are not put
back in right, the takedown
pin won't lock in and your
rifle won't stay together. You
could also loosen the lower
receiver extension, which
could let the buffer detent
and spring pop free.
Water trapped in tight places corrodes
metal parts like the carrier key, forward
assist spring, trigger spring, and sear spring.
Once the screw is removed, it's no
longer self-locking. It won't hold and the
buttstock can turn while firing.
and when I’m
done cleaning
your heat
shields, I’ll
give you a
sponge bath
and a…
in fact,
it’s
just
plain
wrong!
no! no! nO!
that kind
of attention
is
not
necessary!
If you continually push out the receiver
pins, you enlarge the receiver holes. The
holes can't hold the pins and the receiver
is ruined.
Here's
what you
shouldn't
be doing…
If the trigger assembly is put together
wrong, the weapon fires automatic when
it's not supposed to. That's dangerous.
The compensator must be torqued just right. If it's screwed on too tight, the barrel
threads--and barrel--are ruined. If it's too loose, it can vibrate off.
Don’t
take trigger
assembly apart
Removing
buttstock leads
to takedown
pin spring
problems
Leave
compensator
alone
Screw won’t
lock in place
once it’s
removed
Leave receiver pins alone
I agree
you
need a shower.
but all this
water is going
to
corrode
me!
Takedown
pin spring
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