A Prospective AR-15 Owner/Builder’s Primer
By Ron
Wu, NRA/CRPA Member, San Mateo, CA
Disclaimer: The purpose of this
Primer is to serve as a guide and introduction to AR-15 rifle collecting and
building. The author assumes no
liability for accuracy of the information herein contained.
© 1997 Ron Wu.
Contents
————-
1. History
A.
Origins
B.
The AR-15 Legacy
C.
Whats In a Name?
2. Civilian
Ownership
A.
Availability
B.
Legal Configurations for Civilians
i. BATF
ii. Pre-Ban vs. Post-Ban
iii. Ban Criteria Features
iv. What Features to Keep
C.
Barrel Options
i. Length
ii. HBAR: Steel or Chrome-lined?
D.
Parts Ordering
E.
Automatic/Select-Fire Versions
3. How to Go About Building Your Own AR-15 and Why
A.
The Savings
B.
What To Order
i. The Lower Receiver
ii. The Kit (less Lower Receiver)
C.
Necessary Tools
D.
Accessories & Options
i. Heatshields
ii. Flat Tops
iii. Carrying Sling
iv. Repair Kit and Extra Detent Pins
v. Free-Floated Barrel
vi. Fluting
vii. Magazines
E.
Assembly
4. But I Want a Pre-Ban Rifle
5. Maintenance
1. History
A. Origins. The AR-15
Rifle was designed by Eugene Stoner and his team of engineers in the 1960s
for entry into U.S. military trials for a new battle rifle to replace the M-14. Mr. Stoner, working at the time for ArmaLite (a division of
the Fairchild Aircraft & Engine Corporation), engineered a revolutionary new
rifle utilizing non-traditional rifle materials such as aluminum alloys and
plastics. It was initially designed
around the .222 Remington cartridge. It
was later, at the request of the Army, re-chambered in .223 Remington
(5.56x45mm) which propelled a 55-grain bullet out of the AR-15 at roughly 3000
ft.-plus per second. With the
.223-calibered AR-15 rifle, for the same weight, a soldier could carry more
ammunition than the older .308 Win (7.62x51mm) ammunition for the heavier M-14
rifle.
After lengthy evaluation and revisions, the AR-15 rifle was only adopted
by the U.S. Air Force for use by its base security personnel. For a variety of political reasons, the Army did not select
the rifle. However, as America
became involved in the Vietnam War, Secretary of Defense James McNamara cut
through the Army Ordnance Departments red tape and selected the AR-15 for
issuance to troops. The Army gave
it the military designation of M16.
In the Vietnam War, the rifle initially earned a reputation as being
prone to jamming and stoppages. This
was, in hindsight, due to three primary factors: 1) insufficient training of the
troops on weapons maintenance, 2) poor-to-non-existent distribution of cleaning
kits to those same troops in the field, and 3) improperly formulated .223
Remington ammunition which caused heavy fouling (a primary cause of stoppages).
Eventually, the situation was recognized and remedied as troops were
properly trained to keep their weapons clean and well-lubricated, issued proper
cleaning kits, and issued .223 Remington ammunition that was properly formulated
to burn cleanly.
B.
The AR-15 Legacy. Today, the
AR-15 rifle has become really one the most highly engineered and refined battle
rifles of modern armies. It has
since earned a reputation for reliability and accuracy. It has been in service in all branches of U.S. Armed Forces
now for nearly 30 years. In the
process, it has been upgraded from the M16, to the M16-A1, all the
way through the latest M16-A4. The
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) and the U.S. Military Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
also currently issues to its troops, the M-4 rifle, which is essentially an M-16
with a 14.5 barrel, collapsible stock, detachable carrying handle, and other
special accessories such as laser/infrared sighting systems, reflex-type optics,
grenade launchers, flashlight attachments, etc. For these Special Forces, the M-4 has also been in certain
instances reconfigured to fire full auto, as opposed to tri-burst.
The current generation of military M-16s and civilian AR-15 models
differ from the originals in many ways, reflecting the improvements and
refinements of the rifle over the last 30 years.
Current Military Specifications (Mil-Spec) for the rifles barrel is
for a heavy barrel (HBAR), replacing the original lightweight barrel which was
prone to overheating and bending. Nearly
all current civilian AR-15s now are built with Mil-Spec HBARs.
The original triangular-shaped, non-perforated handguards have been
replaced by rounded, perforated, and heat-shielded handguards for rapid heat
dissipation of the barrel. Other
changes include; a tri-burst sear on the M-16 replacing the fully automatic sear
of the original, adding a brass deflector to keep spent cartridges out of
left-handed shooters faces, adjustable front sight and fully adjustable rear
sight for windage and elevation, detachable carrying handles, etc.
Todays military contract for the M-16 variants has been awarded to
Fabrique Nationale dArmes de Guerres (FN) of Belgium (though the actual
rifles are built here in the United States).
Colts Manufacturings Co., which lost the lucrative M-16 contract,
has retained the smaller contract for the M-4 rifle mentioned above. It has been reported that prior to Colts obtaining the M-4
contract, Bushmaster Firearms Co. had manufactured a limited run of M-4s.
(Note: According to recent firearms industry news, as of December 1997,
Colt is currently in the process of acquiring FN.)
C. Whats in a Name? The
name, AR-15, in general is used by the shooting public in reference to all
current rifles (regardless of manufacturer) made to look, function, and
swap-parts with the AR-15. Non-military
contract AR-15s are also commonly referred to as clones. The actual and original AR-15, manufactured by ArmaLite
and then Colt (after buying the manufacturing rights from ArmaLite) has been
discontinued for political reasons. Each
manufacturer of AR-15-patterned rifles now has its own moniker for the rifle
these days; like Colts Match Target, Bushmasters XM15E2,
DPMSs Panther, and the hilarious Olympic Arms PCR–for
Politically Correct Rifle.
2. Civilian Ownership
A. Availability. As a
result of the militarys adoption and continued usage of the rifle, the
shooting public is blessed with a variety of manufacturers of AR-15 variants.
The major manufacturers today are: Colt, Bushmaster, Defense Procurement
Management Services (DPMS), ArmaLite (Note: The rights to the name ArmaLite–which
was out of the small arms business years ago–have been bought and sold to
high-quality manufacturer, Eagle Arms), and Olympic Arms.
Parts, whether newly-manufactured or surplus, are plentiful from dozens
of companies which will sell you non-restricted parts.
Pick up a copy of Shotgun News at your local newsstand and you will be
sure to see a variety of advertisements for AR-15 parts suppliers.
B. Legal Configurations for Civilians., i. BATF
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) is the Federal Agency
responsible for the enforcement of Federal firearms regulations.
The BATF takes very seriously any and all infractions of these laws.
Ignorance here, shooters, is definitely an offense not a defense!
So, stay on the safe side and follow all Federal, State, and Local
firearms rules and regulations.
ii. Pre-Ban vs. Post-Ban Today,
if you are interested building your own AR-15 rifle then you are limited to
building Post-Ban configurations of the rifle.
This is may or may not disappoint you.
But you ask, What is Post-Ban ?.
Well, the short of it is, The Crime Bill, courtesy of the Clinton
Administration, has made a number of features illegal on civilian-owned
semi-automatic assault rifles (i.e. AR-15, AK-47, FN-FAL L1A1, etc.)
manufactured after September 1994. In
general, assault rifles manufactured after September 1994 are referred to
as Post-Ban, and conversely those manufactured prior to September 1994
are referred to as Pre-Ban.
Note on Pre- vs. Post-Ban Rifles:
In
certain, limited circumstances, you may still build or own a Pre-Ban AR-15
rifle. But the restrictions should
be researched extremely carefully and followed to the letter of the law!
Should you desire to build or own a Pre-Ban rifle, then please be
sure to read the Section 5. But I Want a Pre-Ban Rifle passages below.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A LOWER RECEIVER WITH SERIAL NUMBER
WHICH DENOTES MANUFACTURING PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 1994 DOES NOT NECESSARILY PERMIT
YOU TO LEGALLY BUILD A RIFLE WITH PRE-BAN FEATURES!
A LOWER RECEIVER MUST HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED INTO A COMPLETE RIFLE
PRIOR TO THE SEPTEMBER 1994 BAN AND THE MANUFACTURER MUST BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT
THAT ASSEMBLY TO THE BATF IN ORDER TO QUALIFY AS A PRE-BAN LOWER RECEIVER!)
iii. Ban Criteria Features
Post-Ban AR-15 rifles, by law, cannot have more than 2 of the following
features:
1) detachable magazine
2) pistol grip
3) threaded barrel/flash hider
4) collapsible stock
5) bayonet lug
6) grenade launcher
iv. What Features to Keep
Ninety-nine percent of Post-Ban-AR-15 rifle owners keep the detachable
magazine and pistol grip features. And
for good reason. Read on.
In many ways the [Crime Bill] Ban (though an infringement on our 2nd
Amendment Rights), by limiting the accessories on the AR-15, has actually
improved the performance of the rifle. It
is more accurate with a crowned barrel vs. a threaded barrel for flash hider.
It is more comfortable for most shooters with the regular stock vs. the
shorter and smaller collapsible stock. It
weighs much less without a bayonet and grenade launcher. (Note: As well-built
and engineered as it is, the AR-15 with bayonet does not make a great platform
for a spear–application of said spear would probably ruin the alignment of your
front sight and barrel–and the M203 grenade launcher are costly and are simply
difficult-to-find civilian flare launchers).
C. Barrel Options
i. Barrel Length
The military issues all chrome-lined 20 heavy barrels on their
M16-series, and also 14.5 heavy barrels on their M4.
Barrels, however, are manufactured in everything from pistol-length
7-1/2 versions to match-grade 26, and everything in between.
Civilians have mainly a choice of 20, 16, and 24.
20 is standard. 16 is carbine length.
24-26 is usually reserved for match-shooters and varmint hunters.
(Note: Federal, State, and Local laws all dictate that minimum rifle barrel
length is 16. Do not build
any rifle with less than a 16 barrel.
ii. HBAR: Steel or Chrome-lined?
Also, as previously mentioned, HBARs are the current Mil-Spec.
They offer greater accuracy and are less prone to overheating.
It is essentially the only barrel type the many manufacturers make these
day. But, you have the option of
steel barrel or chrome-lined barrel. Steel
is more accurate than chrome-lining, which is why most match-shooters use steel.
Chrome-lining is much more durable than steel, though trades off
match-grade accuracy. (Note:
Break-in procedures for the 2 vary greatly!
Check with someone knowledgeable before shooting your new barrel for the
first time to avoid ruining it!)
In my opinion steel is fine and chrome-lined is…also fine.
Under full-auto, military-type conditions I can definitely see the need
for the durable chrome-lining. However,
civilian shooters–even the occasional happy blaster–is not going to wear out a
steel barrel for many thousands upon thousands of rounds in recreational
(non-full auto) shooting, given proper care of the barrel.
But know that chrome-lined barrels are much easier to clean and resistant
to rusting. So if youre not one
for weapons maintenance, it may behoove you to order the chrome-lining–whatever
trade-off in accuracy.
D. Parts Ordering
Companies that supply AR-15 parts can legally sell to anyone (with the
exception of the serialized lower receiver) Pre-Ban parts, Post-Ban parts,
and less-than-16 barrel parts. It
is up to you to follow the laws that pertain to your jurisdiction.
These parts companies are not legally required, as far as I know, to
screen their customers. So, be
very careful to order Post-Ban parts!
(Note: You can still obtain legal Pre-Ban AR-15 rifles and, as mentioned
before, Pre-Ban components, though they are much more expensive and getting more
difficult to find. See But I
Want a Pre-Ban Rifle section below.)
E. Automatic and Select-Fire Versions
Automatic firearms have been tightly regulated in the United States since
the Gun Control Act of 1934. Automatic
and Select-Fire Versions of any firearm is considered a Class III firearm and
subject to National Firearms Act (NFA) Title II regulations, which are extremely
strict. Newly manufactured fully
automatic and select-fire versions are available only to the military and law
enforcement, and in extremely limited circumstances to civilians.
In California, you can forget owning an automatic anything unless you are
law enforcement, or a licensed dealer. Civilians
must obtain special law-enforcement approved permits, pass a whole series of
local and Federal background checks, and pay a host of special Federal Transfer
taxes ($200.00 per firearm) to own an automatic or select-fire firearm in the
few states that permit civilians!
Remember, it is ILLEGAL to even have in possession the parts for
Automatic/Select Fire conversion for your AR-15 type rifle if you have an
semi-automatic AR-15 rifle! Be
safe, err on the side of caution, and stick to the legal semi-automatic parts.
3. How to Go About Building Your Own AR-15 and Why
A. The Savings
Most people build their own AR-15s in order to save money.
Some build their own for the knowledge and experience.
A combination of both is the best reason in my opinion.
In California, a newly manufactured, basic AR-15 model from any
manufacturer, will have a retail sticker price in excess $900.00 (base price).
Then do not forget to include California Sales Tax (8.25%) and DROS Fee
(California Dept. of Justices $14 processing fee).
This brings your total to $988.25, quite a chunk of change.
Now, lets compare this to building your own rifle.
Without getting into the intricate details, yet, it suffices to say that
the Federally-regulated, serialized (numbered) component, called
the lower receiver, will cost you about $150.00 from your local gun
dealer (maybe less if he is kind). Your
local gun dealer is the only source for this part, as only the lower receiver
is considered the actual firearm under the law. The rest of the AR-15, in the form of a kit, will cost
about $380.00 delivered to your door–with no middle man. That brings your total cost to just $530.00.
Even adding in the carrying strap and 1 magazine–usually included on
retail versions–your cost is only $550.00.
Thats a $438.25 savings–or 44%!
The savings is equivalent to roughly 2000 rounds of .223 Remington
ammunition! Moral to the story,
build your own!
B. What To Order
The ordering process will require that you order the parts from 2
different companies in order to save the most money.
The stripped lower receiver–devoid of all other parts–will have
to be ordered through your local FFL holder.
I suggest using Bushmaster lower receivers–which have a good reputation
in the business, and manufactures their parts with top-quality materials.
And though Bushmaster sells kits too, they cost too much in my opinion.
The rest of the kit should be purchased from one of the plethora of
parts suppliers. I suggest Model
1 Sales in Illinois. So do as
follows:
i. Step 1: The Lower Receiver.
Through local gun dealer/FFL holder, or Dept. Armorer if you are Law
Enforcement, the following (as appeared in Bushmasters Catalog Volume XIV,
page 16, Tel. 1-800-998-SWAT):
Part No. 9349102-S
BUSHMASTER XM15-E2 Lower Receiver – STRIPPED….$ 89.95
The wait will be about 2-3 weeks, shorter for Law Enforcement.
(Note: It has been brought to my attention that as of early August 1997,
Bushmaster has raised their price for stripped lower receivers by $30.00, making
the base price now $119.95. It has
also been brought to my attention that Olympic Arms will not be undersold on
lower receivers, so it may behoove you to research their product.)
ii. Step 2: The Kit (less Lower Receiver).
Call Model 1 Sales, Inc. at 1-847-639-3192. Ask for Bill or Cindy.
Order the following:
If you want a FULL-SIZED 20 rifle: POST-BAN, E2 20 KIT …… $390.00
If you want a CARBINE-SIZED 16 rifle: POST-BAN, CAR 16 KIT ….
$380.00
You will receive a complete kit with all parts except the lower
receiver. The barrel will come
pre-assembled–saving you the time, effort, and critical part of test-firing!
There may be some minor cosmetic non-matches of color, but who cares.
Youre building a rifle not a doll house.
Expect to pay about $5.00 in shipping & handling, for a total of
$385.00 delivered to your door.
C. Necessary Tools. Although
opinions vary as to the number of proper tools you need. In my experience, only the following was necessary:
1. (1) long screwdriver.
2. (1) set of drift punches, from about 1/32 though 1/4.
3. (1) 16 oz. brass hammer (a regular hammer will do in a pinch, but use
lightly!)
4. (1) set of maintenance materials: gun cleaner (i.e. Hoppes No. 9), gun
oil, patches
5. (1) pr. needlenose pliers
6. (1) USMC Technical Manual (TM 9-1005-319-23&P).
A must-have reference guide
on assembly,
disassembly, and cleaning. About
$7-10 depending on where you buy it.
Model 1
will have them, as will Bushmaster.
7. (Optional) AR-15 Assembly/Disassembly Video. $19.95. Available from Bushmaster.
D. Accessories and Options. As
previously discussed, there are options and extras which you should know are
available to you for more money of course.
Some you need, some you dont. These
are matters of personal preference, and I dont even know the charges many of
them:
i. Heatshields. These
are about $5.00 extra, and are worth it! They keep your front handguards much
cooler in extended shooting sessions. Order
them while ordering the Kit from Model 1 Sales.
ii. Flat-Top. This
option gives you a detachable carrying handle.
This way you can take the carrying handle off and mount very low to the
bore-line any type of scope on your rifle–full sized, compact, reflex, etc. Very cool in either 20 or 16 versions with red-dot or
reflex/holographic type sights. This
option is between $0.00 from Model 1 Sales to $50.00 extra on assembled
retail models. Note: you can also
mount scopes to the carrying handle, so a flat-top is not a necessity for
scoping purposes.
iii. Carrying Sling. $5.00
to $40.00. Self-explanatory,
available in cheap but functional nylon form or high-quality leather.
Buy at least the inexpensive nylon one, you will need it.
Order from Model 1 Sales.
iv. Repair Kit & Extra Detent Pins.
About $30.00. Get one.
Any AR-15 owner needs to have these parts on hand.
Not that parts break too often, but normal wear and tear will occur.
You should have 2 or 3 extra detent pins ($0.50/piece), because in the
assembly process you may lose one or two for reasons that are too long to
explain here–and if you dont have a spare on hand then the whole assembly
will be stalled until a $0.50 piece arrives by mail-order.
v. Free-Floated Barrel. About
$25.00 extra. Free-floating the
barrel does exactly that. It
floats the handguards off the barrel, making your rifle like a hunting
rifle where no pressure from the handguard can be transferred to your
barrel. Most people report that
free-floating the barrel decreases their groups at 100 yards from
something like 1.25 to .75. Note
that should you opt for the free-floated barrel, the aluminum free-float tube is
going to get hot in extended shooting sessions.
vi. Fluting. Usually
about $50.00 extra. Fluting
is a process whereby multiple parallel grooves are actually cut into the barrel
for its entire length. This process
makes the barrel cool faster, makes it stiffer, and makes it more accurate.
vii. Magazines. $10-30
each. Well, there are an endless
variety of magazine manufacturers out there.
And though the Brady Bill has limited newly-manufactured magazines to
10-rounds, there are plenty of 20-, 30-, and 40- round magazines in circulation
(new and used) manufactured prior to the Brady Bill.
The 30-rd Israeli-made, polymer Orlite magazines are about $15-20
and work great. The same can be
said for the polymer Canadian Thermold magazines.
(Note: It has come to my attention that the polymer magazines, i.e.
Orlite and Thermold do not always positively lock into place in
Bushmaster lower receivers. So, it
is my recommendation to buy your magazines directly from Bushmaster, or buy G.I.
surplus magazines, or even Colts magazines.)
E. Assembly
The entire assembly process, presuming you have ordered the pre-assembled
barrel parts, will take you no longer than an afternoon–2 hours if you are good
with mechanical parts and at following schematic diagrams. Again, here the USMC Technical Manual is essential, providing
invaluable diagrams and schematics. There
is also a good schematic you can download from the Bushmaster/Quality Parts
website (http://www.bushmaster.com) Alternatively,
you have the luxury of a first-rate Bushmaster video, though the extra $20 bucks
isnt really necessary.
Read the USMC Technical Manual through once, then twice. After which, you will understand and have an overview of the
entire project. Really, it comes
down to fitting some parts together and using roll pins to put the rifle
together.
If you have ordered the parts as described above, then your Upper
Receiver and Barrel Assembly comes pre-assembled, and has generally been
test-fired at the factory. It is a
good idea to confirm this when you order from your parts supplier that, in fact,
your Upper Receiver and Barrel Assembly has been tested for headspacing and
test-fired. This dispenses with
your need to test the headspacing of the chamber–though it is a good idea to
have and occasionally use a FIELD HEADSPACE GAUGE (available at Brownells
and other parts supplies for about $15.00).
It will come with instructions on how to periodically test your headspace
to assure the safety of firing your AR-15 rifle.
I read a suggestion somewhere that you should put down and spread out a
few large, spare white sheets in your living room or garage to keep from losing
parts upon assembly. I have
personally used this method, and have found it to be a great idea.
Also, have a few paper plates ready to put all your little springs and
detent pins into until they are ready to be used. Clean all your parts first with Breakfree CLP or like
product–and if you have time let the parts soak overnight.
Also, please remember to wear safety glasses when you are assembling your
rifle. All the little pins and
springs become mini-projectiles that are a ballistic liability to your eyes!
Trust me, Ive had one or two close calls, being too cool to wear
safety glasses in the presence of no one in my own garage.
I now wear them whenever I work with the pins and springs!
There is one tricky part in the assembly process.
This is the front takedown pins detent spring and detent pin
installation. This requires some
patience and a few attempts. Brownells
sells a special tool for this project. It
is worth it the $7.95 if you are intending ever to construct 2 or more rifles.
Otherwise, use a blade of some type, and be extremely careful of losing
the spring and detent pin when installing them!
(Note: One major discrepancy in the USMC Technical Manuals
instructions with regard to your semi-automatic version is the section on
installing the firing control group and safety selector assembly.
Simply forget about the USMC Technical Manuals instructions regarding
automatic sear parts installation, and the rifle will still come together
fine. You may notice that your
safety selector switch remains loose and free-moving after installation of
the firing control group and safety selector assembly.
Dont worry, upon installation of your pistol grip, the safety selector
switch will tighten up and function reliably.)
After assembly, you are ready to shoot your new rifle. Remember to properly break-in your rifles new barrel.
4. But I Want A Pre-Ban Rifle
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A LOWER RECEIVER WITH SERIAL NUMBER
WHICH DENOTES MANUFACTURING PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 1994 DOES NOT NECESSARILY PERMIT
YOU TO LEGALLY BUILD A RIFLE WITH PRE-BAN FEATURES!
A LOWER RECEIVER MUST HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED INTO A COMPLETE RIFLE
PRIOR TO THE SEPTEMBER 1994 BAN AND THE MANUFACTURER MUST BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT
THAT ASSEMBLY TO THE BATF IN ORDER TO QUALIFY AS A PRE-BAN LOWER RECEIVER!
This is an extremely important detail!
This is why I highly suggest that when dealing with any Pre-Ban
lower receivers, check the serial number with the manufacturer to confirm
that it is indeed of Pre-Ban manufacture.
Getting this confirmation in writing (i.e. by facsimile) is also not a
bad idea!
So, you want all the goodies on your rifle?
Well, you can still have them but it will cost you.
Assembled Pre-Ban rifles sell for about 40-50% more than Post-Ban ones.
So a rifle that costs about $1,000.00 retail, will set you back–if you
can find one–closer to $1,400.00. Thats
not a lot of money to some people who have to have it all.
With a Pre-Ban Rifle, you will then have the legal capacity to have:
detachable magazine, pistol grip, threaded barrel and flash hider, collapsible
stock, bayonet lug (bayonet sold separately), and grenade launcher (sold
separately).
But, be careful! Some
unscrupulous individuals will mate Pre-Ban parts and features onto a Post-Ban
lower receiver and sell them as Pre-Ban.
This can get you into a load of trouble, as well as the seller, with all
levels of Law Enforcement. Its
not worth the legal fees! Buy only
from a reputable source. You can
call any AR-15 manufacturer with the serial number of your lower receiver–and
they will tell you when the rifle was made and if it is Pre-Ban or Post-Ban.
Can I build a Pre-Ban rifle to save money you ask?
Why, yes. But its difficult.
Pre-Ban lower receivers are extremely difficult to find these days and
are expensive, usually fetching in excess of $300.00 for the lower receiver
alone. But should you be able to find one for sale; first, check
the serial number with the manufacturer and if it is confirmed as a
Pre-Ban, then negotiate the sale.
You will then build, as instructed above, but have the option of
installing the banned features.
5. Maintenance
Due to a large number of requests for this information, I have put
together a cursory passage on maintenance of your AR-15 rifle.
Your rifle must be carefully maintained. While the AR-15 can take much abuse, improper maintenance
over time can cause your rifle to malfunction or worse make it dangerous to
shoot!
Like almost any task, with the proper tools, one can make a tiresome
chore pass much more quickly and effortlessly.
Everyone is going to have a bit of a different system, so by no means are
the following methods carved in stone. Over
time, according to your shooting patterns and level maintenance-inclination,
youll develop your own system. So
lets start by look at my shopping list of maintenance materials:
1. .22-caliber cleaning rod (I prefer the Dewey brand)
2. .22-caliber brash brush
3. .22-caliber jag
4. .223 cleaning patches
5. Cleaning Solvent (MP-7, Hoppes No. 9, Breakfree CLP, Tetra, etc.)
6. a cleaning rod chamber guide (Dewey makes these too)
7. dental picks (ask your dentist, he usually has old ones hes
throwing out anyway!)
8. Brownells AR-15 Bolt Carrier Scraper Tool ($7.95 in Brownells
catalog. One or
two attempts at
cleaning this area will convince you too of the need!)
9. plenty of clean 100% cotton rags
10. Lubricant (Snake Oil, Tetra, Wilson Ultra Lube or like)
11. Q-tips
First, as always, with your rifle pointed in a safe direction, remove
any magazine attached to the rifle, and confirm that it is unloaded!
Then, disassemble into its major components.
The extent to which you disassemble is up to you.
In general, I separate the upper and lower assembles, and then I
disassemble the charging handle and bolt carrier group (I actually disassemble
the bolt carrier group as described in the USMC Technical Manual).
Thats it as far as disassembly. Theres a reason this is a military
rifle. Maintenance must be easily
accomplished in the field. (Note: I do not regularly disassemble the trigger
group. This is not necessary most
of the time. Should the area where
the trigger grouping is installed become fouled to the point of affecting
function or even your aesthetic liking, then disassemble and clean the parts.
Otherwise, theres no reason to.)
I, personally, spray down all the parts with MP-7 and let soak for about
15 minutes. Then using a cleaning
rod chamber guide (this tool is essential to keep you from scraping up the
insides of your upper receiver chamber area with the cleaning rod–it also keeps
the solvent confined to the bore), I scrub out the bore once, run a dry patch
through, soak with MP-7 again for a minute or two, scrub, and run a dry patch
through. And Im done.
(Note: if Im not going to fire my rifle for a while, then I run a
patch lightly coated with oil through the bore.
I am always careful to run a dry patch through it before firing it
again! Do not fire a rifle with an
oiled bore! This can be
extremely dangerous and cause hydraulic failures in your rifle–which in turn
may cause hydraulic failures in you (i.e. bodily harm)!)
Im sure to carefully and meticulously clean out the chamber area with
solvent-soaked rags and use my Q-tips to a great extent here.
Be careful to get out all the gunk that collects between the
locking lugs. This may take some
scraping. Then, I clean out the
rest of the insides of the upper and lower receivers.
The bolt carrier grouping is rather simple to clean out with the
exception of the inside of the bolt carrier itself.
Carbon residue just seems to collect at the bottom of what Ill call
the well–youll know what I mean when you see it–and no amount of
solvent-soaking, scraping with Q-tips/dental picks, etc. seems to get it out.
I finally resorted to buying Brownells AR-15 Bolt Carrier Scraping Tool,
and voila, a 20 minute chore was turned into a 2 minute chore!
After cleaning everything, I apply a light coat of Breakfree CLP to
everything while being careful not to get any in the chamber or bore area.
On surfaces subjected to great friction, i.e. the outside of bolt
carrier, I put on a light coat of Snake Oil.
Be careful not to get any oil on the face of the bolt itself!
I wipe down my magazines with a solvent-soaked rag, and occasionally
disassemble them for a detail cleaning. You
can also get these instructions for disassembly of the magazine from the
technical manual.
After all this, reassemble, and perform a quick function check. With everything in order, my rifle is ready for storage.
© 1997 Ron Wu