AR15 disassembly and maintenance

[Agent Smith]

New to the AR world hence the questions.

1. What tools are needed to disassemble the AR15 for maintenance? Specifically, what are the tools needed to disassemble the bolt?

2. Once the gun is disassembled, what is the proper way to clean, lube the weapon?

 

[happygeek]

Ummm, unless you get a weird one from some company, you don't need any tools to field strip a AR for cleaning.

 

[FlyinBryan]

ya, like happy said, you wont need any tools for basic stripping of the bolt.

most folks dont remove the ejector or the gas rings when cleaning, and you wont have to either.

if you want to COMPLETELY TAKE IT APART you will need a sharp object like a punch or awl (but could do it with something as simple as a paperclip) to get the gas rings out of their groove. no tools needed to get them back in though, at least for me.

for the ejector, you just push in on the ejector (its a really stiff spring though) and then when you have relieved the tension, use a little punch and tap out the ejector retaining pin.

but 99% of people dont remove the ejector or gas rings for maintanence.

just do a search on youtube.

you can take the bolt apart very easily. in fact, i think there is a vid of a little girl, like 8 years old or something, completely taking down an ar in like 30 seconds.

 

[loadedround]

I have shot the Garand, M-14, And the M-16 while in the service and now presently own two AR-15's. The M-16/AR-15's are the easiest service rifle to take down and throughly clean since the advent of the '03 Springfield. All I use is a Boresnake, an old toothbrush and solvent, plus lube.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Here is an online copy of the Army M16 field manual.

Pretty much everything you need to know is in there. Not much is different as far as assembly and maintenance goes.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/3458887/Field-Manual-US-Army-TM-9100524910-Operators-Manual-for-M16-and-M16A1

 

[Avenger29]

2. Once the gun is disassembled, what is the proper way to clean, lube the weapon?

Read this article by Pat Rogers.

Run 'er wet is the basic rule to follow. Cleaning an AR-15 is not that tedious or time consuming.

 

[W L Johnson]

Here's what Armalite has to say about the matter

http://www.armalite.com/images/Tech Notes\Tech Note 29, Rifle Cleaning, 99.04.pdf
plus we've started a little discussion on this doc here http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=446227

 

[briansmithwins]

Simple manual with pics here: http://www.box.net/shared/tlxri3l1ic

BSW

 

[happygeek]

LoadedRound: "All I use is a Boresnake, an old toothbrush and solvent, plus lube."

No dental picks or pipe cleaners?

 

[Avenger29]

LoadedRound: "All I use is a Boresnake, an old toothbrush and solvent, plus lube."

No dental picks or pipe cleaners?

No. Soak the stubborn parts in solvent and brush/wipe them off.

And no sticking pipe cleaners down gas keys or the gas tubes.