New member with 2 questions

AR/M4 AR General Discussion
1

Hello: Been lurking for awhile. Great forum. +++++++

#1. How long does the firing pin last? How many rounds before it needs to be replaced? Also, which end wears out first? The flat hammer end, or the pointed
end hitting the cartridge?

#2 How do you clean the inside of the buffer tube? After removing the buffer and spring, what cleaner do you use, and how do you access all the way to the rear?
A cleaning rod with a mop on the end?

2

Howdy and welcome to M4C!

  1. Depends. The tip would generally wear out first. To date, I have never broken a firing pin, but others have. Good to keep a spare handy.

  2. Really no need unless you get mud inside of it.

C4

3

Nope. No mud. I’m a city slicker in Arizona. Until one week prior to the election,
I had not fired a firearm since 1977. Since then I joined the feeding frenzy and picked up a couple of rifles and four handguns. Been going out to the desert every weekend since and practicing. This beats the hell out of golf which I had
done for 40 years. Sport shooting is addicting. Also, buying stuff. So far I’m
approaching 4K in stuff. The beautiful thing is my wife is the one who turned me
on to all of this. So I don’t have to ask permission. Ain’t life great !!!

4

I’m right there with ya, I hadn’t been shooting since I was in scouts till the begining of this year when I purchased a shotgun.

Then a couple weeks ago I picked up a S&W M&P 15Vtac and have gotten hooked on the shooting bug, unfortunately there is no desert near atlanta to go shoot at, so I am stuck with range fees:( But even though I was hesitant to drop the coin on the S&W I am most definately happy with the purchase. I just hope politics doesn’t go and fuck up the inevitable drop in ammo prices now that raw materials cost has plummeted like gasoline has.

5

That is cool.

6
  1. Firing pins do wear down, eventually. Not sure how many rounds, probably over 100K. Maybe close to 500k-1M for some. I really don’t know. I had one in bootcamp that stopped working. The tit on it was visibly (barely) malshaped. Not sure why. Probably the only thing i got right with my Drill Instructer Kradic. He said it never happens. It was traded out and all was well again. I get laughed at when folks ask why i keep an extra pin in my ‘shoe box’. I was traumatized by the malfunction and will always vouch for firing pin death.
  2. Use your imagination on the cleaning question.

Cheers.

7

I was thinking of just throwing the buffer tube in the dishwasher with the dirty dishes. A little liquid Dawn, and “you’re good to go” !!! :wink:

8

If you really find yourself needing to clean the inside of the buffer tube, use a piece of an old t-shirt and wipe it down into the Receiver extension tube.
You do not need to go crazy. A litttle oil on the buffer and on the action spring and you are off.
Best of luck.
Jack

9

ooops