PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-668
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 668
JULY 2008
JULY 08
19
PS 668
PS 668
18
Bore
— A good
cleaning begins with
the bore. Carbon
quickly builds up
there during fring.
First swab out the
barrel with a patch
moistened with CLP
to loosen the carbon.
Drop the end o± the rod without the brush in the
chamber end with the barrel pointing down. Attach
the handle to the end o± the rod sticking out the muzzle
and pull the rod all the way through. Let the section
with the bore brush turn as you pull it through. That
way the brush bristles ±ollow the rifling grooves.
Repeat this process until all the carbon is gone,
periodically running a patch moistened with CLP
through the bore to clean out the carbon. Don’t pull
the bore brush through a dry bore or reverse direction.
That damages the brush.
A
n M16 rifle or M4 carbine
that’s flled with sand and
carbon is a weapon doomed
to ±ailure. That lack o± PM
attention can doom you in
a frefght with the enemy.
Here are the cleaning basics
±or making sure your weapon
is ready ±or duty.
Charging
handle
—
I±
you don’t clean the charging
handle, eventually you can’t
charge your rifle or carbine.
Pull out the handle ±rom the
receiver and clean it with
CLP and a cloth. Use a pipe
cleaner dipped in CLP to
clean out the handle and
receiver slots.
Gas tube and locking lugs
— I± they get too gunked up, bolt action slows. Use
your chamber brush to loosen carbon around the lugs. Then clean the lugs and under
the gas tube with a pipe cleaner and CLP.
Bolt
and
bolt
carrier
—
Clean
carbon ±rom the bolt and bolt carrier
with a worn bore brush, CLP, and a pipe
cleaner. Use the pipe cleaner to clean
out tight areas like inside the carrier
key. What you don’t want to use are
the fring pin or cotton tips. Cleaning
with the fring pin blunts it and leads to
misfres. Cotton tips leave cotton inside
the carrier key, which mixes with lube
and carbon and blocks the gas system.
Then your weapon can’t cycle.
Make sure the gaps in the bolt’s gas
rings are staggered. I± they’re lined up,
too much gas escapes and the bolt won’t
be pushed back to the lock position.
Stagger the gaps i± necessary.
M16-Series Rifle, M4/M4A1 Carbine…
Make Sure it’s Clean
are you
sure your
rifle is
clean?
your
life may
depend
on your
answer.
Use pipe cleaner
in tight areas
Stagger bolt ring gaps
Clean under gas tube and…
…around locking lugs
Don’t
forget
charging
handle
slots
Pull
bore
brush
through
muzzle
668.18-19.indd
1-2
6/3/08
3:41:23 PM
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