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Posted: 6/9/2025 10:43:10 AM EDT
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I took mine to the range this weekend and had several FTFs with light strikes. I thought it might be the trigger spring but when I pulled out the conversion bolt assembly (do you call it a BCG?) I noticed it was covered and needed a good cleaning. Anyone have an instruction manual on how to disassemble and clean these. I see there's one for the army version but couldn't find one for the Air Force. |
| Thanks, yeah I saw that too. But the army one is different. Someone posted a link to the AF patent but the link didn't work when I clicked it. I think it was to an article that showed the patent and not the patent. I may give this a few more days to see if anyone has the info and if not I may give it a shot. |
I’ve never owned the Air Force 22 LR conversion kit but I saved these pictures from the web for reference. By looking at the picture it looks like you’d have to unscrew the recoil spring guide rods and guide rail on the opposite side to disassemble. There is a compression pin that runs through the bolt under the carrier key. I suspect this compression pin retains the firing pin. I suspect there is another pin which retains the extractor. If the Air Force Conversion were mine I’d use a wire tie or something similar to hold the bolt back. I’d then polish the chamber insert. I use Flitz polishing compound on a barrel mop attached to a short cleaning rod spun by a hand drill. I’d polish the chamber and use Hoppe’s to clean the rest of the bolt. I’d put some CLP on the recoil spring guide rods and rub a drop on the bolt contact areas. I’d try it with some CCI Mini Mags and see how it functions. Be careful with the magazines as I don’t know of another mag that will function with an Air Force kit. Here is a better picture of the AF bolt. The original Colt 22 LR AR-15 conversion kit uses two recoil spring guide rods similar to the Air Force kit plus uses a rear end plate similar to the AF kit.  Here is a thread with additional pictures. https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/air-force-22-conversion-unit.1223349/ |
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Pull the spring toward the rear that is on the round rod. Once it clears the bolt pull the rod out of the groove. Once this is done remove the rod by pulling it forward out of the hole that is on the rear base. To remove the bolt off the left rail slide it to the rear and pull to the right. There are two pins on the bolt that needs to be tapped out. One for the extractor and one for the firing pin. Both are under spring tension. Hope this helps. PM or email me with any questions. Craig |
You light em we fight em, you crash we dash.
Shemya AFB 81-82 RC-135
Shemya AFB 81-82 RC-135
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FWIW, IIRC the Compass Lake Engineering (CLE) .22LR AR set up was based off Jurek's design that the U.S. Air Force adopted. Also, IIRC, CLE deleted the gas tube interface section as they found that it did not have any function, and that it interfered with installation of the conversion into a firearm. So, CLE mags, if there is such a thing, could probably be used; and IIRC, for a time Black Dog Machine made mags for the Jurek/Air Force conversion, so some of those mags might be around. Good luck. MHO, YMMV, etc. |
| To all who responded, thanks. I saw a few posts that I think will send me in the correct direction. Yes, I knew this was the most reliable of the military kits. Fortunately, I located someone a few years ago selling a box of AF mags, unopened, still in their silver wrappers. I happily bought it. I only opened a few to verify the contents. I had 2 of these AF kits and gave the best one to my son-in-law. He didn't use it for a while but used it recently at the range with his 15-year-old son. They really liked it which is why I took mine to the range last weekend to reacquaint myself with this retro piece of history. |
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NC, USA
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Sir if there are no synthetic parts, consider Yamaha Combustion Chamber Cleaner. Placing the metal parts in an old metal coffee can and spraying this low evaporation foaming cleaner, let it soak overnight then take outside and blast clean with compressed air, no disassembly necessary. For oil I prefer Corrosion-X. Again, do NOT get the cleaner on synthetics or stock finishes, however if you observe that caveat it’s the best firearms cleaner I’ve ever seen. |
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As a one-time user of said Air Force adapter, I can say that they NEED to stay clean or they fail. EVERYBODY in my Flight had at least one FTF because the adapters were filthy. This was 1978. I'd have been interested in owning one of those adapters, if for nothing else than to prove that a little cleaning and maintenance would make it work, and so I could actually expect it to fire when I pulled the trigger.  In any case, my M261 has run quite well for me, as long as I get the magazine gadget properly aligned in the real magazine. I'm glad you're having fun with your AF unit. |
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Black Dog Machine sell 25 round and 10 round magazines that work with the Military M261 22 LR conversion kit. Olympic Arms offered a Rimfire Adapter “RFA” that was a copy of the M261 that can use the same BDM magazines. I have no first hand experience with the M261 or Olympic RFA but there are forum members who have used the BDM M261 mags. https://www.blackdogmachinellc.net/olympic-m261.aspx |
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