How often do service rifle guys clean their muzzle devices?

[jlorenzo]

Just been wondering if I should be taking them off regularly to clean on a precision gas gun. Even something like an A2 flash hider. Take a close look through a borescope and you'll see theres tons of crap caked in there (although the A2 seems to accumulate less than other muzzle devices).

 

[6.5 forever]

I clean all brakes every 500 rounds.

 

[mtncwru]

My service rifle is a post-ban front (no device or threads) specifically so I don't have to clean it. For my rifles with muzzle devices they get cleaned after every range session: that carbon tends to be fairly hydrophillic, and can lead to corrosion and pitting. Plus cleaning is easier when it's fresh.

Edited to clarify: depending on the muzzle device I don't take it off to clean it. On my Anschutz I do, but that's because it's designed to be removed for cleaning. For the occasions that I need to clean a muzzle brake (rare, since most of my competitions don't allow them) it stays on the gun but it still gets cleaned every time. A little solvent on a Q-tip works great, and since it's an every-time clean there's not much scrubbing needed to remove what's there. If the brake comes off the gun for any reason (using it in a match that doesn't allow them, re-barrel, etc.) then it gets a bath in the ultrasonic tank before it goes back on the gun, no matter the round count.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Dont take it off. Douche it with your solvent to soften the crud then use a Qtip and some more solvent to flush it out.
50,000 PSI keeps it blown out pretty well even though it looks ugly.

 

[Twdmar]

I might take a wooden toothpick and scrape a bit but I use wipe out and then I can rinse it off with brake cleaner. There isn't much else necessary.

 

[David Milisock]

Just been wondering if I should be taking them off regularly to clean on a precision gas gun. Even something like an A2 flash hider. Take a close look through a borescope and you'll see theres tons of crap caked in there (although the A2 seems to accumulate less than other muzzle devices).

When ever I clean the rifle I clean the brake. I may shoot 5 or 10 and not clean for a few days. If it's a very damp day and I shoot 5 or 10 I will clean. If I shoot a 50 round course I clean.

 

[karrarararararar]

I've never cleaned mine

 

[jlorenzo]

A couple reasons I ask. I bought a used gun with a brake that has some old carbon build up, not a ton but some. I also think cleaning when things are fresh seems like the way to go. The other reason is the crush washer on an A2 is supposed to be one time use, even though I have reused all the ones I have without issue. I am looking at a ultra sonic cleaner for all things muzzle device soon. I want to clean as efficiently as possible. One of my breaks (Aerodyne Apollo max) is a real pain to clean out, still figure out the best tools for the job.

I mostly just wondered if the guys who shoot gas guns with high levels of accuracy see any difference cleaning muzzle devices.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Since the A2 is new to you and crush washers are less than $5… and it bothers you .. pull it off, carefully clean the muzzle making sure you don’t bugger the crown …

Nah.. blast it with cleaner and a QTip.
Part of the reason I like a preban FH is muzzle crown protection.

 

[mtncwru]

I mostly just wondered if the guys who shoot gas guns with high levels of accuracy see any difference cleaning muzzle devices.

In my experience: you're likely not going to notice a change in level of accuracy (or recoil reduction, or...) until it's catastrophically bad. It's likely to be gradual (and possibly written off to other causes) until it gets bad enough that you can't ignore it anymore and go looking for cause. Once it is that bad, you're looking at a lot more elbow grease to get it back to baseline than if you bake it into your routine.

I'd also suggest that the folks you really want to hear from are the PRS crowd rather than the Service Rifle crew. That A2 doesn't do any gas redirection, so I expect it would stay much cleaner than a brake anyway.