Extra Rifle Parts and Cleaning Gear

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  • bwframe

    Loneranger
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    Do you carry extra rifle parts and field cleaning gear? What do you carry and how?

    BCG or just bolt?

    A whole BCG seems heavy. Would you compromise with a LW BCG?
     

    Icarry2

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    The AR that is in my "Oh Spit Kit" usually has..

    AR hand grip has spare firing pin, bolt and other parts.
    Bore snake wrapped around the stock.
    Spare gas tube zip tied in the rail.
    An Ottis Tactical Cleaning Kit on my kit.
    There is a Leatherman RAIL on my kit.
    Also a Leatherman MUT on my belt.

    Parts are one thing, tools are another..
     

    JeepHammer

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    BWFrame, context?

    In competition I carried a complete BCG in a pistol mag pouch on my belt.
    Much faster to replace the entire BCG than to disassemble and troubleshoot.

    In battle we generally defaulted to handgun and fix the rifle when you get time.
    By defaulting you aren't completely toothless.

    There is a multi pistol mag pouch with screwdrivers, Allen, torx, all fold up type, also a muti-tool and small springs, pins & extractor.
    I was an armorer, so the fold up in handle tools allowed me to use multi-tool as hammer, fold ups as punches, and it covered all the 'widgets' the optics & accessories suppliers would throw at us.
    As mentioned, it wasn't light weight, but everyone showed up sooner or later looking to get something fixed, installed or removed.
    Suppliers can't seem to decide if it's metic or inch standard on Allen heads, or torx, so I ran into everything at one time or another.
    I like plain old thumb screws, with a screwdriver slot, but I think those are a thing of the past...

    I use strong ammonia cleaner, so when I use a bore snake, I replace the bronze brush with nylon.
    When Uncle Sam was supplying them I tossed them, but now it's on my dime I replace the brush so it simply doesn't corrode.
     
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    spencer rifle

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    Since I don't use ARs, some of the above doesn't apply. What fits in the pistol grip goes there - usually part of the cleaning kit. The rest goes into the butt case - oil, firing pin and spring if needed, rest of the cleaning kit, a few small Allen wrenches or Torx as required. Tools provided by the Leatherman Wave I always carry. The biggest problem is AK underfolders - no place to put a butt case. Have a few items in the pistol grip. But then AKs are never supposed to break, right?
     

    JeepHammer

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    In a SHTF situation (or under siege in a military situation) spare parts are CHEAP considering the alternative is being defenseless.
    I've seen so many stupid things hung on a rifle, and the guy doesn't have an extra extractor spring or pin... I can't even go there.

    With bolt rifles, we were required to carry an extra cocking piece & firing pin assembly.
    It unscrews from the bolt, and you can change a broken firing pin in about two minutes or less depending if you have a simple tool to swap them out (which I bought myself & carried).
    We also carried iron sights in case the optics were damaged or failed.
    Not much else can cause a bolt rifle to fail if it starts out in good shape.

    An AR is an entirely different situation, there is a LOT more going on there, and this isn't an M14 that's built like a tank.
    90% of the fails in the field was failure to extract/eject.
    All those little bolt springs & pins would be on the top of my list, along with an extra extractor 'Claw'.
    Keep in mind I would MANUALLY TEST my extra extractor before I stored it, sometimes they need fitting, and you don't want to do that fitting when being shot at... (Common sense)

    Gas tubes rarely fail in the field unless there is lots of full auto fire.
    They usually plug up rather than fail, and that's usually a cleaning issue.
    I always put a new gas tube in when I had to service a rifle simply because 'New' means clean and good to go.
    Again, I was big on new extractors and/or springs with 'Bumpers' under the extractor, and ejector springs.
    I considered these 'Consumable' parts, really cheap and easy to change on the bench, not so much in the field.

    The gas key on the bolt carrier is another problem source, particularly on civilian rifles...
    I use high temp thread locker AND stake the screws in place. That gas key comes loose and you will not only fail to eject, but you will wipe out the end of the gas tube.
    Again, stupid simple to do on the bench, but impossible to fix in the field.

    I see a lot of trigger/hammer pin capture devices, but I've never seen a pin work loose in the field, not one single time.
    I assume it can happen, but I don't see how unless the pin hole was drilled off square or was slotted from damage or use.
    I won't add capture unless the customer asks for it, but I don't have issues with capture devices if they already exist.
    That's a call for the owner to make.

    Everyone asks why I have a magnet epoxied to my multi-pouch I carry tools in...
    Ever drop/loose a pin or spring? That magnet keeps track of pins/springs when servicing in the field.
    It's a really strong rare earth magnet from a little speaker, and it's saved a crap load of pins/springs down through the years.
    It's also found little metal items dropped into dirt or grass, sucks them right up out of the crud.
     

    Ruger_Ronin

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    Everyone asks why I have a magnet epoxied to my multi-pouch I carry tools in...
    Ever drop/loose a pin or spring? That magnet keeps track of pins/springs when servicing in the field.
    It's a really strong rare earth magnet from a little speaker, and it's saved a crap load of pins/springs down through the years.
    It's also found little metal items dropped into dirt or grass, sucks them right up out of the crud.

    That is genius. I know a speaker about to lose one when i get home.....
     

    JeepHammer

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    It's a field thing... Your parts last a lot longer when they aren't lost in the dirt.
    We all know springs escape, and a magnet helps find them if it's strong enough.
    I have painted springs red so they are more visible, but that only goes so far, and some springs are so close tolerance paint keeps them from working.

    40+ years ago I found quite by accident a Radio Shack bar magnet in the parts bins kept small parts front & center,
    (Anyone old enough to remember free stuff from Radio Shack, flashlights, batteries, magnets, etc?)

    I always kept a little magnet in my parts trays in the Marines. With a tray (and no one shooting at you) parts didn't get lost in the tray, but springs did get away and a magnet helped recover them, so I kept one handy.
    I took a bar magnet with me into the field, and this is an extension of that practice.
    When you have small tools in the field, people bring a lot more than just weapons to be fixed, armorer or not...

    I've bought a rare earth magnet off eBay that's larger and stronger and is held on with a screw (or in my case a rivet since it's being attached to nylon canvas mag pouch)
    I used the same magnets to hold a mirror onto the Dillon case feeder, only took me two years to connect the dots and figure out that same size magnet would work for my small parts kit... So maybe not a 'Genius'...
    It always has been REAL handy, so it's a good idea that has worked.
    Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while...
     

    Ruger_Ronin

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    It's a field thing... Your parts last a lot longer when they aren't lost in the dirt.
    We all know springs escape, and a magnet helps find them if it's strong enough.
    I have painted springs red so they are more visible, but that only goes so far, and some springs are so close tolerance paint keeps them from working.

    40+ years ago I found quite by accident a Radio Shack bar magnet in the parts bins kept small parts front & center,
    (Anyone old enough to remember free stuff from Radio Shack, flashlights, batteries, magnets, etc?)

    I always kept a little magnet in my parts trays in the Marines. With a tray (and no one shooting at you) parts didn't get lost in the tray, but springs did get away and a magnet helped recover them, so I kept one handy.
    I took a bar magnet with me into the field, and this is an extension of that practice.
    When you have small tools in the field, people bring a lot more than just weapons to be fixed, armorer or not...

    I've bought a rare earth magnet off eBay that's larger and stronger and is held on with a screw (or in my case a rivet since it's being attached to nylon canvas mag pouch)
    I used the same magnets to hold a mirror onto the Dillon case feeder, only took me two years to connect the dots and figure out that same size magnet would work for my small parts kit... So maybe not a 'Genius'...
    It always has been REAL handy, so it's a good idea that has worked.
    Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while...
    Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.

    Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk
     

    bwframe

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    Very good stuff! Thanks guys.

    I'm gonna pull the magnets out of those old hard drives laying around.

    Anyone keep/use assembled extra parts packs from companies? Believe I have one from Damage Industries?

    What about those round Otis rifle and misc cleaning kits?
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    Very good stuff! Thanks guys.

    I'm gonna pull the magnets out of those old hard drives laying around.

    Anyone keep/use assembled extra parts packs from companies? Believe I have one from Damage Industries?

    What about those round Otis rifle and misc cleaning kits?

    The spring pin kits in the small plastic tubes. Very compact and every pin/spring required is in there. Nothing for the trigger/hammer assembly. Need to address this.
    I have a Gerber Multi-tool on my belt and a SOG in the kit. Assorted small tools as well.
     

    Vigilant

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    Jul 12, 2008
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    Plainfield
    It's a field thing... Your parts last a lot longer when they aren't lost in the dirt.
    We all know springs escape, and a magnet helps find them if it's strong enough.
    I have painted springs red so they are more visible, but that only goes so far, and some springs are so close tolerance paint keeps them from working.

    40+ years ago I found quite by accident a Radio Shack bar magnet in the parts bins kept small parts front & center,
    (Anyone old enough to remember free stuff from Radio Shack, flashlights, batteries, magnets, etc?)

    I always kept a little magnet in my parts trays in the Marines. With a tray (and no one shooting at you) parts didn't get lost in the tray, but springs did get away and a magnet helped recover them, so I kept one handy.
    I took a bar magnet with me into the field, and this is an extension of that practice.
    When you have small tools in the field, people bring a lot more than just weapons to be fixed, armorer or not...

    I've bought a rare earth magnet off eBay that's larger and stronger and is held on with a screw (or in my case a rivet since it's being attached to nylon canvas mag pouch)
    I used the same magnets to hold a mirror onto the Dillon case feeder, only took me two years to connect the dots and figure out that same size magnet would work for my small parts kit... So maybe not a 'Genius'...
    It always has been REAL handy, so it's a good idea that has worked.
    Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while...
    Christ man, just when I thought that keeping the crayon population at bay was the only reason for Marines! My toolbox, and spare parts boxes have those flexible “sign magnets” as drawer liners, always have. Never actually thought about a “field” magnet. Although, a rare earth magnet anywhere on your body woul$ probably play hell with a compass. But that wouldn’t matter to a Marine, because you already ate the crayon for marking your maps, so the compass reading doesn’t matter anyway.:):
     

    JeepHammer

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    Why don't Marines eat M&Ms?
    They find them too hard to peel with a Kabar.
    (I've heard ALL the jokes...)

    Mud/sand and corrosion gets everywhere,
    I keep drill bits in sizes of the spring bores handy.
    Sometimes you need to clean crud out & push springs/pins, and they fit in the spare parts case.

    *IF* you were worried about the magnetic field, then use a Altoids or Sucrets tin for magnet & spare parts.
    Simply shield the magnetic field.
    It's not like you can't stick the magnet to the outside of the tin when looking for escaped parts.
    I've never had an issue with my magnets throwing off map & compass navigation, but I guess it's possible if the magnet was strong enough and close enough.
    It's not like most people have a land navigation map and know how to use a compass with GPS around...
     
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