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m1a gas chamber

Sir Martin
do any of you m1a owners clean your gas chambers? and if so is there any things i need to watch out for when disassembling. i have heard that you can mess things up easily and that i should not mess with it from some people, and other sources tell me i should regularly dissassemble it and clean it out..
any information is greatly appriciated,

Martin Janczak
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Laredo Lefty
    Martin....

    I have several Springfield M1A's. I clean them after each use, barrel, chamber, bolt etc. It is not necessary to clean the gas piston and gas cylinder after every use, but I would suggest doing it after about every 400 to 500 rounds. It just helps to keep things running smoother.

    Make sure you use a proper fitting wrench on the gas nut so as not to deform it. Also when reassembling the system tighten down the sleeve that screws onto the barrel, then back it off just enough to get the end nut in, usually about 1/3 to 1/2 a turn.

    Do not oil the gas cylinder or piston, just clean them with solvent and maybe a brass brush on the piston to remove carbon, then dry the parts and install.

    Joe
    "Never let school interfere with your education"
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  • Sir Martin
    thank you
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  • nmyers
    The M14 rifle was designed to never need removal of the gas piston in normal use. When I carried an M14 in the Army, we never, ever removed it; this was done only by armorers. We only cleaned the exposed part, making sure that it was never touched by any abrasive.

    Neal
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  • Sir Martin
    Nmyers, when you say that you never removed the gas pistons, and that only the armorers did, does that mean that they were cleaned by the armorer ever?

    Martin Janczak
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  • nmyers
    All I'm saying is that, at the individual level, we didn't fool with them. I don't know whether this was just my unit, but we were trained to clean the rifles without doing so. We never saw a TM, so maybe that wasn't correct. It's certainly possible that some units DID remove it, just not us.

    I have no idea what the armorers did; when a rifle had problems (&, honestly, the only problem I recall were stocks broken by dropping), they were sent to ordinance.

    Neal
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  • Sir Martin
    ok thanks for the info

    Martin
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  • Meanie
    just like the garand, it doesnt need to be done hardly ever (as stated 400-500 rounds or more) but some people do it after shooting it every time just cause, personally, if i put 1 round through my garand or ar15 it gets cleaned, and i mean cleaned. Just make sure on the m1a(and garand) that if you do clean the gas tube to make sure it is dry, it's designed to work that way.
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  • Ray Boone
    This appears to be another area where the Armey and Marines differ. when I was in recruit training we took the M14 apart in entirety, including the gas assembly. We didn't use any sand paper or other abrasives on any part of the rifle. We did clean averything but the stock with solvent. Considering the number of times the rifles in recruit training were taken apart and cleaned during their lifetime and I know of no malefunction with those rifles, it must be effective. My experience is that you can take it apart, just make sure you don't drop it, or otherwise nick it up.
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  • sr338
    Also some guys were telling me that if you clean the piston every time you clean your gun, after a while you wear down the threadingheard of this actually happening, but that's what these guys at a shooting club told me. And they were pretty hardcore m1a guys.
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  • Iroquois Scout
    When I was in the Marine Corp the standing orders were that you were not to use any abrasive material on the gas piston, just wipe it off, it is ok if it has a black look to it. It was considered alright to clean the gas tube, but, again no abrasive.
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  • remingtongeo
    I've always cleaned my gas chamber. I used to shoot a M-21, when I had hair, and for the past 14 years I've shot a Fulton Armory peerless match.

    The problem with not cleaning it is that the cycle timing can change as more carbon builds in it. Champion's Choice or Creedmore Sports sells eveything you need to clean it properly. Buy the two drill bits, multi purpose tool and the wrench that holds the barrel and gas tube. Don't put any type of lube on the parts.

    I clean mine every 150 to 200 rounds.

    Gun controll is a good eye and a steady hand.NRA instructor and coach.
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