Is there any need to clean the gas tube inside and out? If so, how is it done?

No and no.  It's pretty much self cleaning and will burn off whatever is on the outside when you heat it dumping rounds.

Quoted: Is there any need to clean the gas tube inside and out? If so, how is it done?

Yea, I just asked the same question a couple of days ago (see below), and the general consensus is to leave it alone.


keltoid

Quoted: Is there any need to clean the gas tube inside and out? If so, how is it done?

I use the following technique:  I blast it with some white hot gas at about 40,000 psi, repeat as necessary.

so every other working part can be fouled by carbon, except the gas tube? How is that ?

i usually just give it a shot of gun scrubber and run a pipe cleaner down it to clean it out (dont get much) and then put a drop of clp at the opening of it and let it run down the tube for a few seconds.  That keeps it clean and protected, and I havnt had any problems with it.

The tube is kept clean because the gasses are blasting it everytime.  The fouling has no where to go but out the other end, replaced by more light fouling.  If you feel you must stick a pipe cleaner down there (I'm not sure why, it doesn't collect debris), I would strongly recommend against any CLP or other product which will only attract fouling and/or leave burnt residue.  Such residue would only serve to collect more heat and help cause your gas tube to fail, same with the outside.  Upon the first shot or two, that CLP is going to be vaporized and blown right into your receiver, cause even more fouling.  Simply put, any debris is going to get blasted out of there with each round you fire, even if it's replaced with new fouling.  I have never heard of or seen a gas tube that failed because it needed to be cleaned, in a rifle that shot jacketed centerfire ammo.

The only time I would even think about the prospect of cleaning it is if I was shooting .22LR.  Even then, the manufacture of the conversion kits direct the user to clean out the gas tube by shooting some standard pressure 5.56 though it.

  Thank you AKMike!!... I've been tormenting myself for awhile as to whether I should or need to clean my gas tube. Your explanation satisfies me, so I'll leave it alone. Semper Fi!!

I check mine with a pipe cleaner everytime I clean my carbine, but it is never really dirty.