(Continued from Part 1.)
PM and the AR-15 Rifle: Failure is the Best Teacher
As I’ve mentioned in a previous SurvivalBlog article, the first five ARs that I ever fired all failed. All five were in what appeared to be like new condition. Four of them failed due to a lack of lubrication. The fifth one was a new rifle that had yet to be test-fired. It turns out it was a home build that was sold through an FFL, a local retail store as if it was a factory build, yet the parts used were sub-standard and the builder lacked attention to detail. He was just looking to make a buck and used the lowest-cost parts and the lowest standards to get a product sold. This practice is all too common. Buyer beware.
Alll new rifle purchases should be thoroughly tested for function as soon as possible. Ideally, several hundred rounds should be fired, to include both brass and steel-cased ammunition run through it to see how it performs.
While I have received no instruction from the military and should not be considered to be an expert on the M16/AR-15 or firearms in general, I do have more than 40 years of experience diagnosing and repairing mechanical things and have been using firearms throughout my life in different venues. I have repaired many types of semi-auto rifles that were all purchased used, yet appeared to be in unused condition. Some were relatively easily fixed, other problem child semi-autos would stump the average gunsmith and required my extensive blood, sweat, and tears to repair on my own. Hiring a gunsmith would be excessively expensive and it would be more cost-effective just to buy another cheap AR and cannibalize the problem child for spare parts.
The AK Family: extreme reliablity
When an AKM rifle runs, it will continue to run and run. But if they have one or more problems, because of how they are manufactured, and because of the technology that is used, these rifles require a specialist and craftsman who understands this rifle well to find the problem. A fellow who has mastered the AR platform would probably be stumped if they worked on an AKM. Pictured at left is a thumbhole-stocked RPK clone. The RPK is an AKM variant designed for use as a squad automatic weapon (SAW).
The AKM design defies reason and logically should not operate so reliably, yet it does. That is the best way that I know how to characterize how it operates. No one sells a good horse. If at all possible use a local and reputable dealer when purchasing a firearm, or stay away from AKs unless the price is super low and therefore the risk/reward ratio is greatly in your favor. Of course, I have also purchased new ARs that were faulty as well, but ARs are easier to fix and replacement parts are cheap in comparison.
These bad experiences with like new rifles that forced me to repair them on my kitchen table is extremely valuable. It is not a coincidence. Four of the AR-15 rifles that failed to cycle were owned by highly educated and intelligent Vietnam veterans. They should have known better than to hand me their personal rifles that were not maintained, even if for only target shooting, but they did not. Do not let complacency get you killed. The U.S. Army spends approximately a week of instruction on how to maintain the M16/M4. Do we have that same level of minimum training and education on our own rifles? Not likely. Visit the University of YouTube often and while you can, and then apply that knowledge.
Keep Your Rifle Clean and Lubricated
The AR needs to be serviced often to be reliable when in daily use and exposed to dust and dirt. Learn how and why to clean and most importantly how to lubricate the rifle in the field on a moment’s notice. As a general rule, lubricate the AR-15 after every 500 rounds when in battle, or every 6 months if not in use and stored in a clean environment. This is advice I have received from guys who were deployed in The Sandbox.
I would rather be hyper-vigilant than have a rifle fail. Reports of high round counts without cleaning the rifle may be possible, yet the folks providing these accounts are likely not exposing their rifle to use in the field, nor exposed it to the ground with an open dust cover when they are taking cover. They are certainly not using the rifle in a fight.
Oil in the rifle is necessary for its function, yet excessive oil on the metal parts will also hold onto dust, sand, and dirt. If there is no time to properly clean the rifle prior to lubrication, lubrication may be all that is needed to keep it running. It takes little time to quickly wipe down the wearing surfaces of the action, and then lubricate when we are well practiced. Do not use WD-40. That is formulated for water-displacement and penetrating corrosion and dirt to free up moving parts. It has more in common with kerosene than it does oil. It is not a lubricant.
If you do not know how to disassemble the action for maintenance, then perhaps as a last resort would I condone spraying Break Free CLP (Cleaner, Lubricant, Protectant) into an action using it to flush out dirt and lubricate to get the action to cycle properly. If excessively viscous lubricants for the season or temperature extremes are in the action, using this light oil might be appropriate as a stopgap/emergency and temporary remedy.
Cold Weather Lubrication
In sub-freezing temperatures CLP alone is prescribed by the U.S. Army. In sub-zero weather, lubricate with CLP and then be sure to wipe the surfaces dry. A very thin layer of the oil will remain to lubricate. Excess oil that remains on the moving parts will thicken in very cold temperatures to the point that it is sticky or excessively viscous so that the rifle can not cycle or strip an un-fired cartridge from the magazine and into the chamber.
To reduce the spring pressure on the Bolt Carrier Group (BCG) do not top off the magazine. Down-load 30-round magazines to 28 rounds or perhaps even less in extreme cold weather. As another prevention, leave the rifle outside in freezing temperatures lest condensation form inside the rifle’s action when brought inside where the air is moist and warm. Should condensation form, once the rifle is taken out into dry freezing temperatures, ice will form and often prevent the rifle from operating.
Some actions will function with only a light coating of a lubricant that is wiped clean from the metal leaving a micro film of lubricant behind. This micro film of lubricant would be reapplied often and the action made clean as as possible to promote reliable function in cold or extreme cold weather.
There are new lubricants available out there that might be tested for use in extreme cold weather. I am not an expert on this topic. Instead, I will simply use an AK in freezing to extreme cold weather whenever possible. But there may not be enough ammunition available to keep 7.62×39 platforms fed.
To reduce the spring tension in the magazine and to ensure the main spring has the force necessary to operate the action so that it can strip a round from the magazine, I only use 28 rounds in a 30-round magazine, and 17 rounds in a 20-round magazine. I also use extra-strength buffer springs and I am using the appropriate lubrication for the season of the year. A 5-20-weight synthetic motor oil might be good for most seasons, but CLP is needed for sub-zero temperatures. Many lubricants can become so thickened by cold temperatures that they begin to behave as an adhesive instead of a lubricant.
My rifles are test-fired in sub-zero temperatures after remaining outside for many hours to test the lubricant being used. Hornady One Shot Case Lube is used as a dry film lubricant on brass cases during the reloading process. It might be a good choice during extreme low or sub-zero temperatures that might be as low as -40F. My rifles are tested at -20F. Depending on your climate zone, be sure to test your rifle during extreme cold weather periods if experimenting with the lubrication options at hand.
For those who are not mechanically inclined or who do not have the ability to field strip, clean, and lubricate the AR-15 on a moment’s notice during or after a battle, I strongly urge you to get an AKM rifle. This is the rifle that I will use much of the time. Many AR-15 rifles will become dry or lack enough lubrication after a prolonged battle or become dirty so it is imperative that you can field strip it and use a toothbrush and a small rag to clean and lubricate your rifle.
Always remember to close the dust cover to keep the action protected from debris. Keeping a rifle clean in battlefield conditions is a serious problem for all rifles, including the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, or even the most popular battle rifle in world history, the AK-47. But itt is more of a problem for the AR-15 family of rifles.
Magazines
My minimum is 20 spare 30-round magazines per rifle. Twice or thrice that number would not be excessive as we can pre-position loaded magazines throughout our home and property, at various fighting positions. (Use ammo cans to store any magazines that would be exposed to the elements.
Without a magazine, the rifle is useless. Do not become a proverbial “Only four magazines” Ukrainian. Magazines will inevitably become lost and broken over time. As a contingency plan, purchase ammunition from Federal or PMC that is in bandoleers containing cardboard boxes that hold three 10-round stripper clips, or load your ammunition on 10-round stripper clips and carry a stripper clip guide (“spoon”) that allows one to rapidly reload a magazine. Here is an article on that topic.
Based upon the history of war zones it is safe to assume that common-caliber ammunition will become de facto currency. This is true in Ukraine. It is also reported that spare magazines used are currency as well. Many Ukrainian soldiers are issued only four magazines with their AK. This makes a dump pouch of some kind absolutely necessary. It means we must dump empty magazines or into a proper dump pouch designed for the purpose, or lacking that even stuffing them down the fronts our shirts. We will need to retain our magazines! Currently, quality PMAG magazines for the AR-15 can be purchased for as little as $9 each. Currently, the impoverished Ukrainian soldier may pay up to $40 for just one magazine.
To be better armed, be better read. Here is just one example of the information and wisdom that can be found in the SurvivalBlog archives. This 2023 article was found with a quick search:
From Thoughts on a General Purpose AR-15 Rifle – Part 2:
“Choice of magazines should be conservative. I like the PMAG 20-round polymer magazines, although quality-made metal body magazines also work quite well. All your magazines should have anti-tilt followers. There is nothing wrong with 30-round magazines except that they make the rifle functionally “taller” top to bottom and are heavier when fully loaded. In any case fire at least a few rounds from each magazine you purchase to sort out any with severe issues. Look for sales on quality magazines. You should keep extra magazines on hand.”
(To be continued tomorrow, in Part 3.)