PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-694
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 694
SEPTEMBER 2010
20
PS 694
SEP 10
21
PS 694
SEP 10
Dear Editor,
Through our work supporting units here at Ft Lewis, we’ve come up with a
couple of bolt tips to keep your M16 rifle and M4/M4A1 carbine firing reliably.
Carefully check for cracks around the bolt lugs.
We’ve run into
several cases of a bolt lug actually shearing off.
That, of course, ends firing. So when you clean your
rifle or carbine, you need to carefully check around
the lugs for hairline cracks. But first thoroughly
clean around the lugs or you won’t be able to spot
the cracks. The two lugs beside the extractor are
the most likely to develop cracks. Also check the
bolt cam pin and both sides of the pin hole for
cracks.
If you spot any cracks, it’s time for a new bolt.
Use an old chamber brush to clean inside
the bolt carrier.
Carbon really builds up inside
the carrier. If you don’t clean out the carbon,
the bolt has trouble seating, which causes
misfires.
The best way to clean out that carbon is with
an old chamber brush. Don’t use a new brush,
because this will ruin the brush for chamber
cleaning.
Put a few drops of CLP inside the carrier.
Connect the old brush to your cleaning rod and
twist the brush up and down in the carrier until
all the carbon is gone.
What you don’t want to do is use a sharp
object like the firing pin or a hanger to scratch
out the carbon. That scratches the inside of
the carrier, which leads to an even worse carbon
buildup. Plus it blunts the tip of the firing pin.
Aubrey Nabb
Jacob Moore
SGT Edward Groudin
Ft Lewis, WA
Dear Editor,
In my work with Ft Drum’s Command Maintenance Evaluation and Training
Team (COMET), I’m running into local direct support units who are not
following demil procedures for unserviceable small arms parts.
Instead of sending off the parts to an authorized Defense Re-utilization
and Marketing Service (DRMS) facility, they are trying to demil the parts
locally. Demilling locally is time-consuming, costly and takes away manpower
from their mission.
Grouping like items such as unserviceable M16 rifle barrels and turning
them in to the local supply support activity (SSA) to be sent to DRMS is
much more efficient. This is especially true after a unit’s small arms have
gone through RESET and many unserviceable parts must be demilled.
Please help get the word out to units to not waste their time demilling
small arms parts.
Robert Owens
COMET
Ft Drum, NY
Editor’s note:
We will do that. If you have any questions about demilling, contact
TACOM-RI’s James Rollins at DSN 793-1797, (309) 782-1797, or email
james.rollins@us.army.mil
Don’t Demil Small Arms!
Let
DRMS
Do It!!
M16-Series Rifle,
M4/M4A1 Carbine…
PM for a Healthy Bolt
Inspect bolt lugs for
hairline cracks, especially
around extractor
Use old chamber
brush to clean carbon
out of bolt carrier
read and
heed, rifle-
men.
these guys know
what they’re
talking about.
well, I guess I’m
going to have to
demil
all
of you.
waitaminit!
you’re Direct
Support!
send
us to
drms.
they’re
the demil
experts!
694.20-21.indd
1-2
7/26/10
4:39:43 PM
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