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Hi guys I am new to this forum and thought this was the best place to be asking this question. Basically we just did our first OBUA with the OTC and when we came back our rifles were a mess, I want to know any tips you can tell me on how to clean the ring just before the start of the barrel ? I clean it using a little square piece of scotch brite or chewing a piece of cloth then using my firing pin/knife to clean it because thats how its been taught to me but no matter how much I clean and scrub the damn thing when I take it to the inspectors they pull out the grease/carbon with their fingers and when I use my finger nothing comes out probably because I got big fat fingers. Can I use some solvents or something ? if so are there any you would recommend ? I want my rifle to me immaculate -_-

thanks guys.

Strip the whole dam thing down and clean and oil each bit then re assemble, is the only proper way of doing it including the barrel and the magazines.

Tab wrote:Strip the whole dam thing down and clean and oil each bit then re assemble, is the only proper way of doing it including the barrel and the magazines.

Yes that is what I do, I strip it down completely. I am not aware if the rifle can be dis assembled any further than that ? I basically take the sight system, firing mechanism, all springs, gas parts out and take the front cover off too until what is left is barrel and the metal case surrounding it and I dont think there is anyway to strip that ?

There is nothing to stop you washing it, but just make sure you dry it off and apply a smear of oil to the metal parts to stop any rust forming.

Tab wrote:There is nothing to stop you washing it, but just make sure you dry it off and apply a smear of oil to the metal parts to stop any rust forming.

yeah but would washing clean that bit I am talking about ? its the bit where the bolt rests behind the barrel. I have tried washing a rifle before but I dont remember if it cleaned it or not.

Try using a I'M A SCAMMER SPAMMER!!! brush on it, just think what you can use that wont mark it. There are those little brushes for cleaning out baby bottles, even the old pipe cleaners if they still do them.

Tab wrote:Try using a I'M A SCAMMER SPAMMER!!! brush on it, just think what you can use that wont mark it. There are those little brushes for cleaning out baby bottles, even the old pipe cleaners if they still do them.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/WASTE-PIPE-CLEA ... 057&sr=1-4

OR

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mini-Bong-Spout ... 057&sr=1-2

Any of the above ? there already are similar brushes in the cleaning kit provided to us but they wont even fit. The only thing that can reach in there is something small and thin like the firing pin or a swiss army tool blade. I will buy one of these anyway and see if it does the job then wash it with hot water and use very little soap in that spot then dry and oil it and see if that does any good. I just dont understand how they can fit their fingers in their.

Never use your firing pin for anything other than firing.
It's a precision part and using it like that will wear it away and lead to stoppages.

A properly oiled weapon will be easier to clean when it becomes fouled.
So pro-actively consider this for next time
You can also use the oil for this after the event if you have time on your hands. OX24 has something in it that actually breaks down carbon so if you can get a little onto areas like this and leave it there for a bit it will help.

You're talking about the breach aren't you? That splined area that you can just get your little finger into.
Get the breach brush out of your kit and put it on the end of your 3-piece rod handle, and get that in there to scour out as much carbon as you can.
Other parts of the cleaning kit can be used in this way too if you get a little wad of flannellete in there but not the firing pin!
Lastly use your little finger with flanellete to finish it off.

It's a pain to get in there and get it shiny again but trust me it's much easier if you've oiled it well during prep.

The scotchbrite stuff is hit-and-miss in my book because it takes the teflon off the dull bits and you don't want to do that.

"Hot-bathing" is a popular on-camp trick involving a kettle, it does a really good job but check with someone who's done it before. You need to get it right otherwise you'll get rust!

ofens wrote:Never use your firing pin for anything other than firing.
It's a precision part and using it like that will wear it away and lead to stoppages.

A properly oiled weapon will be easier to clean when it becomes fouled.
So pro-actively consider this for next time
You can also use the oil for this after the event if you have time on your hands. OX24 has something in it that actually breaks down carbon so if you can get a little onto areas like this and leave it there for a bit it will help.

You're talking about the breach aren't you? That splined area that you can just get your little finger into.
Get the breach brush out of your kit and put it on the end of your 3-piece rod handle, and get that in there to scour out as much carbon as you can.
Other parts of the cleaning kit can be used in this way too if you get a little wad of flannellete in there but not the firing pin!
Lastly use your little finger with flanellete to finish it off.

It's a pain to get in there and get it shiny again but trust me it's much easier if you've oiled it well during prep.

The scotchbrite stuff is hit-and-miss in my book because it takes the teflon off the dull bits and you don't want to do that.

"Hot-bathing" is a popular on-camp trick involving a kettle, it does a really good job but check with someone who's done it before. You need to get it right otherwise you'll get rust!

that is exactly what I was thinking, firing pins can get bent or the tip can get damaged doing that but I dont know why they taught me that. I always oil the metal on metal parts quite a lot. Yes I believe I am talking about the breech but I dont know what a breech brush is :O sorry. Another problem is our cleaning kit usually doesnt have everything in it, sometimes the combi tool will be missing other times the brushes or even the oil bottle wont be in there because its not our personal kit I get issued a different rifle and kit everytime. I have also been taught that using scotch brite is a good idea lol.

I will make sure I try using the breech brush with the rod and oil the bit before I start, just need to find out what a breech brush is first lol really appreciate it man thanks a lot

Yeah the scotchbrite has its uses, just not on the teflon coated bits.

The breah brush is in this picture, the one between the pull-through and the soft multi purpose brush:
http://www.specialistauctions.com/cache ... g.img?2705

You'll get the idea next time you see one

Dentist tool (the one they use to get the bits in between your teeth, long rod with a pointy/angled end), use it to clean the thin ring bit inside the breach, then stuff a few bits of bits of 45x45 in there and give it a scrub around.

Dentist tool (the one they use to get the bits in between your teeth, long rod with a pointy/angled end), use it to clean the thin ring bit inside the breach, then stuff a few bits of bits of 45x45 in there and give it a scrub around.

I second this. I would try and find one (they are really cheap, about 5 quid) rather than damaging your firing pin which could lead to real problems down the line.

How often do you clean it in the field? Remember that being on a two-day ex doesn't mean you should leave cleaning until your return to the TAC.

A selection of brushes (some already mentioned here) and plenty of oil to flush away the dirt and carbon deposits.
I cheat and use paraffin or WD40!
Ensure it is thoroughly dried off and re-oil using issued rifle oil.

* Beware WD40 has a low flashpoint and can ignite quite easily.
(i.e. if your rifle is smothered in it then you fire it...)

Kovacks probably knows his onions here but this is just in case any cadets are reading this. Cadets should keep their eyebrows intact!