Cleaning the 15-22

[NbleSavage]

Newb here, brand new 15-22. Any good instructionals on how to clean it before first firing & thereafter?

Peace.

- Savage

 

[TxShooter2k9]

Welcome to the forum, i know theres a few on here that have cleaned theres, and have great info, they should post pretty quickly. Welcome again!!!

 

[NbleSavage]

Thanks Brother. Appreciate any advice - I want to start off right!

- Savage

 

[Lynn]

Hi NbleSavage. Welcome to the forum!

The included owners manual says, to thoroughly clean your new rifle before it's first, and that is what I did. Me, I recommend a Hoppe's bore snake, a good non toxic cleaning solvent like Hoppe's elite, and a thorough washing out of the packing vellum. Vellum is a sort of thick reddish greasy stuff that should be washed away with the Elite or some other solvent. Then a good wipe down of all the external metal parts, with the gun oil of your choice, and you are golden. Youtube has some good how-to videos about cleaning, and you may wish to watch one or two of those first.

 

[NbleSavage]

Hi NbleSavage. Welcome to the forum!

The included owners manual says, to thoroughly clean your new rifle before it's first, and that is what I did. Me, I recommend a Hoppe's bore snake, a good non toxic cleaning solvent like Hoppe's elite, and a thorough washing out of the packing vellum. Vellum is a sort of thick reddish greasy stuff that should be washed away with the Elite or some other solvent. Then a good wipe down of all the external metal parts, with the gun oil of your choice, and you are golden. Youtube has some good how-to videos about cleaning, and you may wish to watch one or two of those first.

Thank you Lynn! This is exactly what I was looking for. Great explanation, and I'll check out YouTube for sime good video instructionals (those kind of things are typically VERY helpful).


PEACE.

- Savage

 

[NbleSavage]

While I'm begging - I've found a couple of what appear to be good links for cleaning the AR-15. Any specific vids / links that you all find helpful as per demonstrating how to clean & field strip the M&P model rifles?

Thanks again all. Glad I found this forum!

- Savage

 

[NbleSavage]

Thanks all for the responses on my 'Cleaning the M&P 15-22 thread. I'm as green as they come with this rifle and want to learn good habits so I can pass them on to my son.

Here's how I *THINK* I should proceed with cleaning the rifle - please correct me if I've mixed this up anywhere...

1) Clear the rifle visually and physically
* Set to 'Safe'
* Remove the magazine
* Pull charging handle back and visually inspect the chamber
* Lock the bolt back and finger-sweep the chamber

2) Remove the takedown pin
* Press from the 'Action' side out the 'Safe' side and pull to remove

3) Separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver

4) Pull the charging handle back slightly so as to expose the bolt carrier

5) Remove the bolt carrier from the upper receiver

6) Remove the charging handle from the bolt carrier

7) Apply cleaning solvent (Hoppes Elite) to either a bore snake or a patch secured upon a barrel rod

8) Drag the solvent-coated patch through the barrel
* Insert into the rear / aperture end of the barrel with a twisting motion, slide into barrel while twisting and pull back out the same end

9) Drag a 'clean' (dry) patch through the barrel the same way as in step 8

10) Spray all exposed metal parts with a gun oil (I have a spray bottle of Rem Oil) and remove excess with a rag
* Bolt carrier
* Outside of barrel
* Hand protector
* Others?

11) Re-assemble charging handle and bolt carrier

12) Re-assemble upper receiver and lower receiver

13) Replace the takedown pin

14) Perform function check
* Pull charging handle back and release
* Visually inspect that bolt has closed
* Pull charging handle back and lock bolt open
* Visually inspect for empty chamber
* Finger sweep for empty chamber
* Close bolt
* Pull charging handle and dry fire 1x
* Set to 'Safe' and test that trigger lock is working

Again, I'm as dumb as a rock with this & please correct me if I've mis-spoken here or if you have suggestions / additions.

Peace.

- Savage

 

[27 Beck]

#s 2 & 13, there are two pins you need to push out (they don't come out all the way, just enough to clear so you can break the rifle open (rear pin only) or separate the upper from the lower (both pins).

Don't over lubricate in the bolt area. These .22s shoot dirty, and too much lube will just make a cruddy mess.

 

[NbleSavage]

#s 2 & 13, there are two pins you need to push out (they don't come out all the way, just enough to clear so you can break the rifle open (rear pin only) or separate the upper from the lower (both pins).

Don't over lubricate in the bolt area. These .22s shoot dirty, and too much lube will just make a cruddy mess.

Excellent, 27Beck. Thank you!

Peace.

- Savage

 

[Lynn]

Thanks all for the responses on my 'Cleaning the M&P 15-22 thread. I'm as green as they come with this rifle and want to learn good habits so I can pass them on to my son.

Here's how I *THINK* I should proceed with cleaning the rifle - please correct me if I've mixed this up anywhere...

Here is my two cents worth.

1) Clear the rifle visually and physically
* Set to 'Safe'
* Remove the magazine
* Pull charging handle back and visually inspect the chamber
* Lock the bolt back and finger-sweep the chamber

Close.

A- Make darn sure, that your rifle is pointed in a safe direction, away from anything you don't want to accidentally shoot.

1. Set to safe. <--
2. Remove magazine.
3. Grasp charging handle. Pull bolt back. Depress bolt hold open lever, the smaller part not the finger pad. It's on the safety (weak) side, opposite the ejection port (chamber opening).
4. Visually inspect chamber to make sure it is empty.

I don't like inserting my finger into the chamber of any semi auto, unless I am very careful to make sure the bolt release wont be bumped, or something. The bolts themselves, on some semi autos, easily release when even the bolt itself is bumped, and you can get a good pinch on your finger. I have not noticed this happening with my 15-22 however.

2) Remove the takedown pin
* Press from the 'Action' side out the 'Safe' side and pull to remove

Well, sort of. You are on the right track though.

The TDP moves in the other direction, and you don't remove it, because it is self retaining. They wont fall out and get lost. Nice feature isn't it?

1. Push on the take down pin, with your thumb, from the safety side, until the crown of the TDP pushes out on the other side (chamber port side), about 1/8th of an inch. You will hear and feel it click.

3. Find the rim, at the top of the TDP, on the other side now.

4. Use the nail of your thumb, and the finger of your choice, to pull out on the take down pin (TDP).

The TDP will easily slid out, about an inch, and it will click in place. It wont come out, but it no longer passes through the TDP channel through the upper and lower receiver, and now the upper can be swiveled up.

3) Separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver

4) Pull the charging handle back slightly so as to expose the bolt carrier

That's basically correct.

Remove, the bolt carrier group (BCG) and charger, first thing though.

After swinging the upper receiver up a tad, you just grasp the charger handle and the BCG as it begins to clear the receiver, and then you slide the whole shebang out.

The receiver retaining pin, or swivel pin the upper swings up on, operates in the same way the TDP does. It wont fall out either. I love that.

Now for the actual cleaning.

Me, well I like bore snakes, and I believe they are better than the whole cleaning rod with brushes and patches way.

Here is why:

You can very easily ding your muzzle crown, which will adversely affect accuracy, with the use of cleaning rods. A lot of people, also tend to over scrub their bores with the brushes too, by going in and out. I don't think that is good for the bore at all. Just my little opinion.

They do make rods that are less likely to ding the muzzle though. Some metal rods have a little collar that projects into the barrel opening, which the rod slides in and out of, to prevent the rod from contacting the bore and dinging it up. Some metal rods have a protective coating of plastic, and some rods are even made of plastic.

Now from there, the whole bore snake vs rods brushes and patches debate, is easily batted back and forth endlessly, and I shall spare us both.

I just think that bore snakes are far less likely to damage anything, if used properly, and snakes have a lot more surface area than patches. As long as you wash them occasionally, to keep them clean, I am convinced that snakes are more than effective enough. Just my opinion.

10) Spray all exposed metal parts with a gun oil (I have a spray bottle of Rem Oil) and remove excess with a rag
* Bolt carrier
* Outside of barrel
* Hand protector
* Others?

First I spritz a little solvent in the entire chamber area, and I let it sit there a few minutes. Then I use an unused tooth brush, to scrub all the carbon fouling etc., from the entire chamber area of the upper. That includes, the chamber face, the feed ramp and the entire chamber area.

I also do the same, to remove any gun shot residue (GSR) and carbon traces, from the magazine well and anywhere I can see or smell it (or it is likely to be for that matter), on both the 'upper' and 'lower'.

Rem Oil, while good stuff for what it is, is in my opinion a poor choice for a protective coating on all the exposed metal.

Until recently I used it exclusively. I have since been informed though, that the lubricating property of Rem Oil is accomplished by the microscopic coating of dry Teflon particles it leaves behind. So whatever the liquid is that the Teflon particles are carried in, which soon evaporates away completely, it is not oil. So Rem Oil is not a good choice for a wipe down. I think, Rem Oil, is probably inadequate as a lube for our BCGs also. I am switching to Ballistol as one step CLP myself. I will still use Elite (or M-Pro 7 which is the exact same thing), in the bore and on the bolt though, at least occasionally

Here is good web page about gun powder solvents and lubricants. gun care/maintenance - PerfectUnion BBS

11) Re-assemble charging handle and bolt carrier

12) Re-assemble upper receiver and lower receiver

13) Replace the takedown pin

It will be a lot easier if done in this order.

1. Rejoin upper and lower.
2. Push in the swivel pin until it clicks and locks in place.
3. Insert charger into the track in the upper. Push it in a little way, not all the way.
4. Now insert the well cleaned and lubricated BCG, return spring up, so that little pin at the top inserts into the slot on the underside of the charger.
5. Slide the BCG and charger into the receiver, until the charger handle locks in place.
6. Swing down the upper into the lower.
7. Push in the TDP, until it clicks and snaps into place.

14) Perform function check
* Pull charging handle back and release
* Visually inspect that bolt has closed
* Pull charging handle back and lock bolt open
* Visually inspect for empty chamber
* Finger sweep for empty chamber
* Close bolt

That's all pretty good. First things first though.

A - Point weapon in safe direction.

1. Make sure safety is in SAFE position.
2. Do not insert magazine containing ammunition.

* Pull charging handle and dry fire 1x

Never dry fire a rimfire weapon. Doing so will damage the firing pin. Yes, .22lr is a rimfire cartridge. Don't fret if you have already done so a few times. You are probably OK. Just stop doing that is all.

* Set to 'Safe' and test that trigger lock is working

Yes, but I always do that first thing. Me, I just do it out of habit, reflexively.

Again, I'm as dumb as a rock with this & please correct me if I've mis-spoken here or if you have suggestions / additions.

Peace.

- Savage

I am dumber than a bag of hammers myself. I hope those more knowledgeable will correct me also.

Oh yeah, before I forget. Read the owners manual that came with your Rifle.


Enjoy your new rifle, Savage.

 

[NbleSavage]

MANY THANKS!!



I cannot thank you enough, Lynn.

GREATLY appreciated for the detailed and thorough response.

Peace.

- Savage

 

[Lynn]

You are very welcome Savage. I did not know how much detail you needed. So I just went with it.

 

[27 Beck]

Savage,

Please do not ask Lynn what time it is.









Just kidding, good write up Lynn.

 

[Lynn]

Thanks 27 Beck. At the tone .... the time will be .... . now.

 

[chuck s]

These are .22LR rifles, not 5.56mm NATO models. 22s don't take much cleaning other than the bolt group and dragging a Boresnake down the bore every 1000 rounds or so. They shoot low velocity lubricated bullets, not high velocity copper jacketed bullets so no bore "solvent" is needed.

CLP, a Boresnake, a couple shop towels, and a tooth brush is all ya need. Come to think of it, that's all you need with a real M16 as well.

-- Chuck

 

[NbleSavage]

These are .22LR rifles, not 5.56mm NATO models. 22s don't take much cleaning other than the bolt group and dragging a Boresnake down the bore every 1000 rounds or so. They shoot low velocity lubricated bullets, not high velocity copper jacketed bullets so no bore "solvent" is needed.

CLP, a Boresnake, a couple shop towels, and a tooth brush is all ya need. Come to think of it, that's all you need with a real M16 as well.

-- Chuck

Thanks Chuck! I ran the boresnake through it 3-4 times last night with just a touch of Otis UltraBore on it for good measure. Could not have been easier I've read the toothbrush tip as well - what am I brushing, the bolt carrier and charging handle & the area around the breach? Should I add a couple of drops of gun oil (Hoppes is cheap at my local Wal-Mart) around these same areas?

Great advice here by everyone! My son and I are off to the range a bit later today to break in the new rifle! Can't wait!!!

- Savage

 

[Lynn]

These are .22LR rifles, not 5.56mm NATO models. 22s don't take much cleaning other than the bolt group and dragging a Boresnake down the bore every 1000 rounds or so. They shoot low velocity lubricated bullets, not high velocity copper jacketed bullets so no bore "solvent" is needed.

CLP, a Boresnake, a couple shop towels, and a tooth brush is all ya need. Come to think of it, that's all you need with a real M16 as well.

-- Chuck

All very true. Which CLP (clean lube protect) product are you recommending Chuck? Breakfree, Ballistol, Gunzilla or what? Me I am going with something other than the Breakfree one, because it is toxic, and I am not sure if it is safe for poly either.

 

[chuck s]

CLP is a spec, not a formula and has changed over the years.

I'm still using up the Royal Lubricants MIL-L-63460D AMD 3 (NSN 9150-01-054-6453) stuff. Pint bottles last a long time.

Most of them work well. FP10 and Weapons Shield are two that I know work. The original BreakFree hasn't had a military CLP contract in 25 years, but it works well too.

-- Chuck

 

[Lynn]

Thanks Chuck.

 

[ptnumber1]

Hi! New to the forum and would like to know if someone knows if the BCG of the M&P 15-22 can be disassembled for cleaning and how? Thanks in advance for any reply.