[JHN]

I was under the impression that I needed to disassemble the entire rifle and clean/oil and grease all internal parts before firing for the first time. But according to Springfield Armory, I do not need to oil/clean any internal parts (such as the trigger group). They said I just need to keep the major moving parts greased. So now I'm a little confused.

Exactly what must be cleaned/oiled/greased before shooting a brand new M1A?

I know this has been covered before, but please excuse my confusion.

Many Thanks,

J

 

[hammonje]

Clean and lubricate the rifle prior to your first trip out. What are you going to hurt???? Grease needs to be on all metal-metal contact areas besides the gas system. It will reduce wear and tear. It will facilitate smooth functionality. The gas system needs to be free of grease/oils to perform optimally. A thorough cleaning/lubrication will create optimal conditions for your rifle to function properly.

 

[tonyben]

Cleaning....

http://m14forum.com/reference/96949-my-old-m14-m1a-rifle-cleaning-tutorial.html

Lubrication...
http://m14forum.com/reference/96750-m14-detailed-lubrication-instructions.html

Do a complete disassembly and lube before you take it out the first time.

Disassembly....

http://m14forum.com/reference/96749-m14-m1a-detailed-disassembly-instructions.html

Have fun!

Tony.

 

[7 for 1]

Simple answer, yes before you shoot it he first time. After that a good bore snake and some wet and dry patches after each outing, If you start getting copper fouling or the weapon is really dirty than by all means do a complete dis/as.

 

[bd111]

TonyBen to the rescue. I was gonna refer OP to TB's tutorial.

OP, we read/hear SAI is using Superlube grease now. You might ask them. It's a good synthetic; I don't know if it's NLGI #2 rated, which is what you want. Plastilube or Lubriplate 130A or some other brands you'll find at the auto parts store (read the label) will meet NLGI #2. A veterinary hypodermic needle with a long plastic tube is a time-saver.

 

[m1jerm]

JHN,
I just took mine out last week. I have a brand new scout from SAI.

I did heed everyone's advice to do a routine clean/lube the night before. What I discovered was that SAI does pretty much deliver you a ready to shoot rifle, though mine had sat idle for a few months, so figured what the heck, I will at least get familiar with all the fundamental lube points.

One thing I noticed and did not pay enough attention to was the sticking safety. And I really should have figured that problem out better before I went to the range. Still, it had never had a loaded mag, so I think the only way that was going to get seriously addressed was there with the loaded mag in place.

Long story short, I think its worth it to CYA before you pull a trigger, to know basic operation and takedown. I am seeing a lot of horror stories about things breaking/dropping off/moving funny, and it sure would be worth it to know before firing if there was a crumbly part.

Just my 2 cents on the matter.
(Of course, like programming, you run the risk of introducing new problems every time you go into the guts, haha!)

 

[NoExpert]

It's smart to tear down and visually inspect all the parts. This way if you have any unusual wear you can spot it easier.

 

[Swamp Rat]

Bear in mind that some SA trigger groups can be hard to remove. Better to get it out of the way before a fun day at the range gets ruined by a trigger group driving you up the wall.

 

[panther308]

And while you have it apart look over everything to understand how it's put together, it's a wonderful design...

 

[BigBill]

With any gun new or used i completely disassemble it and clean it using the orginal G.I. Rifle bore cleaner first making sure its clean and dry before i start the application of moly. I put moly on ever metal to metal contact area. Once the moly is burnished into the metal contact areas there is no metal to metal contact its moly against moly thus all wear is eliminated. Moly reduces friction and prevents galling and fights corrosion and doesn't attract dirt too. The gun, any gun will cycle faster and smoother too. In most cases that i have seen the finish on the receiver rails and grooves doesn't wear off too. If your seeing any kind of wear at all your present lube isn't working. Let no gun wearout before it time. Remember to put some moly on the sear in the trigger group too it can lessen the trigger pull by up to 50% right away and more as it works into the pores of the metal. None of my new or used guns gets into the safe without them being fully cleaned and lubed first, i do inspect ever part of them too.
Bill

www.tsmoly.com I use the ts-70 moly paste and the ts-70 moly anti-seeze because they have a higher % of moly in it.