I live in AZ. We have low humidity here so I rust is a non issue. I don't worry about lubing under my rails and handguards.
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Another option you have, if you're really OCD about a clean rifle. Is to dunk it in a bucket of hot water or use a hose, pressure washer, etc. and spray it down with wd40 after. Then lube it and it's good for storage.
In before littlelebowski and his brake cleaner.
Kidding.
In all seriousness, though, use some brake cleaner if you must worry.
Ruger keeps telling me that if I remove the handguard I'll mess up the alignment for the oprod, thus destroying the rifle. Do I believe them? Not really, but I don't know enough to argue with the people who design and build guns for a living. I don't want to take it apart myself until I can confirm that it's safe to do so. If someone has done it, it'd be awesome if they would chime in and post some pics too. :)
I was thinking exactly the same thing about replacing the rollpins.
I don't care all that much about the dirt. I just can't believe they'd rather pay the shipping and labor to clean it for me rather than designing it, like every other AR I know of, to be able to be completely disassembled by the average end user with basic tools and knowledge.
What's worse is you can't buy replacement parts for the piston system directly from them or anyone else.
Again I say, GRRRR
:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
To be fair, I totally admire the dedication Ruger has to customer service. I also really like their piston design. I just wish I could service it myself. :moil:
There were some patent drawings posted over on The Firearms Blog a year or two ago showing a QD barrel system from Ruger. From what I can remember, there was a folding handle attached to the gas block. The barrel and gas block came out the front of the handguard and the piston and rail stayed with the upper. Kind of an interesting idea and the general consensus was that Ruger was actually working on something from the USMC's M27 project. I don't know if that's true or not but it would help explain why Ruger didn't make the piston rod something that's easily removable.