How to Clean an M4 Gas Tube

[jc75754]

I have heard some conflicting advice and i hope that some of you can set me straight. I have heard not to clean the gas tube and then others have said to use pipe cleaner which is never long enough. so which is it? and if it does need to be cleaned regularly what is the easiest way or direct me towards a product that makes this easy. thanks in advance.

[Robb Jensen]

Firing the rifle 'cleans' the gas tube. Stick nothing into the gas tube ever.

[jc75754]

Firing the rifle 'cleans' the gas tube. Stick nothing into the gas tube ever.

thanks

[Eric]

Don't put anything smaller than your elbow in there. :D
While I hate the term, the gas tube is operating at such a high pressure that it is essentially self-cleaning. Gas tubes that get clogged or are otherwise in need of service are just swapped out. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to change. Some folks like to occasionally blast some brake cleaner down the tube. No harm in that.

[RogerinTPA]

I have never heard of anyone cleaning a gas tube in 20 years of military service. I have heard of a few guys cleaning it outside of the military. I didn't think it was a self cleaning oven though as I doubt it is clean gas that operates the BCG while depositing carbon on the back end of your bolt. I could be wrong.:eek:

[MassMark]

I remember buying my first Colt AR-15 and the subsequent purchase of everything under the sun to maintain it - including a giant package of those long pipe cleaners. I was told by the dealer that they were an "essential" cleaning tool for the gas system. They are all gone now - used up years ago. Not on my gas system, but for my daughters art projects and I used a few to keep computer wires neat... ;) After easily 100k down the barrel and a buddy who now owns it - there has never been anything down that tube except the gases intended for it.....

[skyugo]

I remember buying my first Colt AR-15 and the subsequent purchase of everything under the sun to maintain it - including a giant package of those long pipe cleaners. I was told by the dealer that they were an "essential" cleaning tool for the gas system. They are all gone now - used up years ago. Not on my gas system, but for my daughters art projects and I used a few to keep computer wires neat... ;) After easily 100k down the barrel and a buddy who now owns it - there has never been anything down that tube except the gases intended for it.....

100k on the original barrel? :eek: nice. still fairly accurate?

[Colt6920]

I remember buying my first Colt AR-15 and the subsequent purchase of everything under the sun to maintain it - including a giant package of those long pipe cleaners. I was told by the dealer that they were an "essential" cleaning tool for the gas system. They are all gone now - used up years ago. Not on my gas system, but for my daughters art projects and I used a few to keep computer wires neat... ;) After easily 100k down the barrel and a buddy who now owns it - there has never been anything down that tube except the gases intended for it.....


You have 100,000 rounds shot through one barrel?

[MassMark]

Just got off the phone with the guy I sold the Colt to. Mike replaced barrel a year and a half ago, so slightly less. I put tons of ammo through the HBAR and it was still accurate when I sold it. I picked it up used in 1997, (it's dated 1995) and shot it nearly weekly until I said goodbye to it. I generally never went to the range with less than 10-mags loaded and on many weekend shoots went through much more than that...I would guess it was beyond it's ideal barrel life, but it still hit the paper and I was happy with it...