Hi Has anyone tried to use Carb cleaner in a gas tube? I`ve always wondered about trying this.

why not?


brake cleaner
gun scrubber



but i try not to.

I shoot brake cleaner down my gas tube at each cleaning session……..can’t hurt now can it

Gas tube?  I use it on every AR on every dirty part every time I clean them.  It's hard on the skin, but hard on the grime too!  Just remember to oil everything up because it strips all or any protection you had on the metal surfaces.

P.S. another great thing is that it's only .98 cents a can at Wally-world.

You don't need to clean inside the gas tube.  Never.

You don't need to get so anal about cleaning your weapon that you use brake cleaner on it.  Your not making it more reliable, your making it less so.  

Excessive cleaning doesn't enhance the life span, it shortens it.

If you're not in a situation where your day to day life is controlled by an old school military NCO with a fetish for rifle cleaning, there is no benefit to crazy cleaning.

Quoted: You don't need to clean inside the gas tube.  Never. You don't need to get so anal about cleaning your weapon that you use brake cleaner on it.  Your not making it more reliable, your making it less so.   Excessive cleaning doesn't enhance the life span, it shortens it. If you're not in a situation where your day to day life is controlled by an old school military NCO with a fetish for rifle cleaning, there is no benefit to crazy cleaning.

I would have agreed until I had a gas tube foul up from carbon.  It didn't get to the point of causing jams but wasn't far away.  I agree about not needing to be anal about cleaning but shooting some brake cleaner or carb cleaner down the gas tube makes sense.

YMMV

Quoted: You don't need to clean inside the gas tube.  Never.

Never say never..........shit happens.

You don't need to get so anal about cleaning your weapon that you use brake cleaner on it.  Your not making it more reliable, your making it less so.

A thoroughly cleaned AR using PROPER cleaning techniques has never made a weapon less reliable.

Excessive cleaning doesn't enhance the life span, it shortens it.

A thoroughly cleaned AR Again, using PROPER cleaning techniques has never made a weapon less reliable or shortens the operating life of the weapon.

If you're not in a situation where your day to day life is controlled by an old school military NCO with a fetish for rifle cleaning, there is no benefit to crazy cleaning.

I wish people would quit giving out this advice. If proper cleaning techniques, with the proper chemicals, designed for and which are safe for firearms are used, then let people take pride in maintaining their weapon. I’ve seen so many people bitch about their weapon not functioning properly when the problem is with the operator and their cleaning techniques or lack there of.

It all boils down to using the proper tools, techniques and cleaning supplies.

What you consider “crazy cleaning” might be SOP for another.

The whole cleaning the gas tube thing seems to crop up often...sometimes I think there should be a website devoted soley to that...while I agree it is not a high need cleaning item, it does accumulate carbon. I have read here that there is no need to clean since 50,000 psi of gas pressure cleans it with every shot..there is not that high a pressure in the gas tube, and the gas does carry carbon-actually, probably not carbon per se, but powder residue and etc. Here's my procedure-I break open the rifle, slip in a Sinclair cleaning link, which if you don't have you should get, lock the rifle into a cleaning cradle, and then dribble a bit of FP-10 or 2 cycle oil or whatever solvent I am so inclined to use-Hoppes, whatever, into the gas tube, then proceed to clean the remainder of the rifle. When done I swab the gas tube with one of those long pipe cleaners, which I have never had stick in the tube if solvent is present, then send a shot of carb cleaner down the tube and let it drip out the bleed hole in the barrel, then some carb cleaner down the barrel, then lube the barrel lightly, then done. One more non-wearing cleaning step that keeps someone content about their rifle is not worth getting wild eyed about....

The natural orientation of your upper while cleaning the barrel is FSB down if holding it your hands. That means all your cleaners. barrel fouling and lube is dripping into your gas port. The last thing I do before final barrel lube is blow out my gas tube then barrel with carb cleaner. Even if the high velocity gases blow this crud out it goes into your bolt, so why not flush it while cleaning your gun. It doesn't hurt a thing.

Your gas tube will foul, you will have function problems. AR fact of life.

Been there, Done that, Clean it.

Not always----but frequently----in the course of cleaning, I use an old eye dropper and shoot a good squirt of Shooter's Choice or GM Top Engine Cleaner into the gas tube-----let it sit for awhile and later, flush it out with Spray Brake Cleaner----the red spray tube on the can fits perfectly inside of the gas tube. All I can say is, it works for me!

Quoted: You don't need to clean inside the gas tube.  Never. You don't need to get so anal about cleaning your weapon that you use brake cleaner on it.  Your not making it more reliable, your making it less so.   Excessive cleaning doesn't enhance the life span, it shortens it. If you're not in a situation where your day to day life is controlled by an old school military NCO with a fetish for rifle cleaning, there is no benefit to crazy cleaning.

But what if I AM that guy?

I personally squirt some carb cleaner down the gas tube. Do it before you clean the barrel, however, or you will undo your previous work.

Quoted: Gas tube?  I use it on every AR on every dirty part every time I clean them.  It's hard on the skin, but hard on the grime too!  Just remember to oil everything up because it strips all or any protection you had on the metal surfaces.

You bet! When I was in the guard, they hatted it when we would cheat and use the stuff! (Carb,cleaner) After A.T (Annual Training) I would hose down my M-16 with a high pressure steam cleaner, then blow it dry with a air hose and a "Very Light Film" of CLP on everything!

Quoted: Quoted: Gas tube?  I use it on every AR on every dirty part every time I clean them.  It's hard on the skin, but hard on the grime too!  Just remember to oil everything up because it strips all or any protection you had on the metal surfaces.

A cheap box of nitrile gloves may prevent pancreatic cancer in your future.  

Does the Military have a procedure for cleaning of gas tube or do they just replace it every few thousand rounds?

Quoted: Does the Military have a procedure for cleaning of gas tube or do they just replace it every few thousand rounds?

The military doesn't have a system for cleaning the gas tube other than dripping CLP down it.  I saw a M16 that wouldn't fire once and as I recall, the armorers had to replace the gas tube.  Military ammo tends to be fairly clean as opposed to Wolf or ammo like that.  The gas tube that started fouling on me was on my Colt and it was from shooting Wolf ammo.  I still shoot Wolf ammo but I just clean the gas tube when I clean the rifle.  Some good strong solvent down the barrel works wonders.

Do you remove the gas tube to clean it?

Let 'er rip!

No problems with this method. Just keep the "Pipe Cleaners" out of the tube!

Tack

OK, so if you were to pick one to use in the gas tube which would it be Non-Chlorinated Brake cleaner or Carb Cleaner?