Guns International

Ar-15 Gas Tube Maintenance?

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  • Glenn B

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    Sep 5, 2019
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    Texarkana - Across The Border
    I bought my first AR in August 2019. I have fired them and maintained them before but the last time I did that before buying this one was around 30 years ago - thus I forgot a lot about them.

    When cleaning my AR and following the manual, I realized there were no instructions on how to access and clean the gas tube. Doesn't the gas tube require regular cleaning & maintenance?
    Texas SOT
     

    vmax

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    Apr 15, 2013
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    I bought my first AR in August 2019. I have fired them and maintained them before but the last time I did that before buying this one was around 30 years ago - thus I forgot a lot about them.

    When cleaning my AR and following the manual, I realized there were no instructions on how to access and clean the gas tube. Doesn't the gas tube require regular cleaning & maintenance?
    No

    Since my introduction to the M-16 in 1986 in the Military and all my years in between, I have never found a gas tube to be blocked causing a malfunction.

    Now, some guys may build an AR and not get one to seal up right causing gas leakage and failure to cycle,...but thats totally different....LOL
     

    TxStetson

    Opinionated and Irritable
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    May 9, 2013
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    The Big Country
    No

    Since my introduction to the M-16 in 1986 in the Military and all my years in between, I have never found a gas tube to be blocked causing a malfunction.

    Now, some guys may build an AR and not get one to seal up right causing gas leakage and failure to cycle,...but thats totally different....LOL
    Wait a damn minute here.
     

    wbblazer90

    Active Member
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    Nov 18, 2014
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    Yeah like others said, leave it alone. If you bend it, you can mess it up and those tubes are pretty pliable.

    Focus on cleaning the bcg, bolt face, lugs, bore. An Ar15 chamber brush is useful. Lube the rails on the bcg and bolt. Gas rings on the bolt should be offset when you put it back together.
     

    cvgunman

    Not a Leftist douchebag!
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    16   0   0
    Oct 9, 2017
    2,469
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    Mckinney TX
    You should take the gas tube off. Then warm it up by running it through your hand up and down rapidly and blow through it. Cleans it out everytime.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
    I was taught that after you take it off, spray brake cleaner to soften the gunk, the run a pipe cleaner until it comes out clean. Now I just keep a supply of them as they're cheaper than the brake cleaner and pipe cleaners... :)
     
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