Best way to clean gas piston.

[James]

I just can't get my gas piston cleaned all the way. I saoked it in CLP for an hour, and there is still resin in the grooves and on the tip. Then, I soaked it in Hoppes #9 and it stil won't come off. I even tried a copper brush. What do you guys do to clean it off?

[56s]

Hello James.
You know that a little grud in the grooves and on the end of your gas piston is not going to hurt anything. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to get it all off. You are doing all the correct things already.

Take care, OUT

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56s

[JA]

James is right but if you just got to get it off there. Get a wire wheel for your hand drill and go to town. Get the one with the smallest wires you can. After you get it off give it a coat of CLP it will make it easier to clean next time.

[James]

Thanks for the info 56s & JA. I know it won't hurt it, but I am just the type that likes everything clean & perfect. You guys have been a lot of help before and I really appreciate it. Keep up the good work! Thats what makes this site so great!

[austral34]

Scrape it off by hand. A piece of bronze coat hanger with the tip flattened with a hammer works great. Carbon in the grooves would not pass any Drill Sergeants inspection...

[Heavy Metal]

I use a phosphor bronze toothbrush from kleenbore. I am not comfortable with using a steel wire brush. The brass works. Use a 12 guage bore brush to break up the carbon in the gas tube. Also, try using shooters choice on the carbon to soften it. CLP is not agressive enought to dissolve it.

[Packrat]

After passing a wet patch through the barrel, I wipe it over the gas piston and let it soak. Then after working on the barrel some more I wipe the piston again, then use a stainless brush (the utility brushes, like a giant tooth brush) on it. Finally, to get the caked carbon out of the grooves, I use a small triangular file, or something with an edge, and scrape it gently. You want to break the carbon off, not scrape the metal.

I also use bore cleaner on the gas tube with a 12 ga mop. When it gets dirty, you can clean it with Goop hand cleaner and wash it and it's almost like new.

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Packrat

[col_kurtz]

After cleaning the piston, wipe it down with some MILTEC lubricant. It only takes 1 drop on a patch and it won't foul up. I intend to do this every 1000 rounds or so and the piston will last longer than I will.

[kalipc]

Why isn't the gas piston chromed? Wouldn't that make cleaning a bit easier?

[James]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll go try out that Miltec oil.

[BIG D]

Hey kalipc,

On the MAADI I have the gas piston as well as the barrel are chromed. I've also been told by several people at work to never put lube on the piston. Clean it yes, but no lube. The heat will bake the lube on and make it really hard to get off. The tolerances are loose enough where it fits into the gas block that you don't need to lube it

Stan