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Gas Port cleaning


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I’m still finding my way around on the Saiga since I’m still fairly new to the Saiga. Generally I try to find my answer before posting on questions like these because I’m sure it had been covered previously but any advise would be greatly appreciated. Since I haven’t cleaned the gas port yet on my 223, 7.62 or 308 I wanted to do it today after an enjoyable trip to the range. I went to YouTube and tried to use a pipe cleaner method as in this Youtube video (about at the 1:00 mark) but the pipe cleaner would only go so far before it folded due to the angle and the weakness of the pipe cleaner. It was like trying to put a marshmallow into a slot machine, it wasn’t happening. the angle seems too steep to push anything in without hitting the top of the Gas cylinder. So I have two question, what do you guys use to clean the port and are all the port sizes caliber specific. Thanks in advance.

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IMO do not use an ammonia-rich solvent in the gas port. Ammonia can theoretically attack chrome, and at its weakest areas such as the gas port, chamber, and muzzle crown, it can potentially cause chrome to separate from the barrel.

 

I use Hoppe's and CLP and allow them to soak down through the gas port before doing a barrel cleaning. Ever so often I'll blast a bit of compressed air into the muzzle (via rubber plug) with the chamber plugged. This blasts out the gas port.

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IMO do not use an ammonia-rich solvent in the gas port. Ammonia can theoretically attack chrome, and at its weakest areas such as the gas port, chamber, and muzzle crown, it can potentially cause chrome to separate from the barrel.

 

I use Hoppe's and CLP and allow them to soak down through the gas port before doing a barrel cleaning. Ever so often I'll blast a bit of compressed air into the muzzle (via rubber plug) with the chamber plugged. This blasts out the gas port.

Thanks for the feedback, maybe I will go that route because I do have a compressor. I just have to find a way to plug one end and deliver the air w/o leaking from the other. I see if I could hunt down some CLP this weekend
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Your finger is enough. I'm not talking about high PSI here - 30-60 is enough to blast out any carbon in thw port after a solvent has been given a bit of soak time.

 

The port in the .223 barrel is very small, so it's hard to run a reamer brush of any kind through it.

 

Fortunately, corrosive .223 is practically unheard of, and the port is relatively self-cleaning. The majority of the carbon collects in the upper gas block, where it can be scrubbed easily.

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Your finger is enough. I'm not talking about high PSI here - 30-60 is enough to blast out any carbon in thw port after a solvent has been given a bit of soak time.

 

The port in the .223 barrel is very small, so it's hard to run a reamer brush of any kind through it.

 

Fortunately, corrosive .223 is practically unheard of, and the port is relatively self-cleaning. The majority of the carbon collects in the upper gas block, where it can be scrubbed easily.

I did my 7.62, two 223's and they cleaned up nicely. You are correct, one finger is enough to plug off the air. I'm having a bit of a time with the 308, there is some build up just above the hole in the cup but the CLP don't have enough azz to clean it up. I just put some Butch's Bore Cleaner in there an the result is the same. I don't want to scrap it, it may mark up the finish. I may have to one of the chemicals sit overnight,
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I have a pretty large assortment of bore/chamber brushes. Usually there's one that will fit perfectly into the gas block for scrubbing.

 

I picked up a plastic kit at Cabela's that's specifically made for ARs, but coincidentally it works great on every part of an AK. The chamber brush even fits a 7.62x39 chamber nicely. The plastic brush included with this one is what I usually use on the gas block and gas tube.

 

I know some people on here rarely clean this area of the gun at all. Not me. My gas block, gas tube, and piston are always spotless if I can help it.

Edited by mancat
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@ mancat - after a closer look it might be the finish (the black)of the gun? what do you think odds are the finish got inside there somehow? I got some of it out and it doesn't look like it is pitted so that's good, then again my eyes aren't what they use to be either. if it is the finish maybe normal use will blow the rest of it out....

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Anything is possible, but I doubt it. There is no finish inside the gas block.

 

The gas block is also crome-lined, and should never pit unless seriously neglected, e.g. leaving the gun filthy for years without cleaning the gas block. If there is "pitting" then you're likely just seeing hard carbon deposits that need to be brushed off.

 

I think it's possible that you're worrying too much.

 

Also, although I suggested not to allow it to soak into any chromed surfaces, I find that Sweet's 7.62 solvent is one of the strongest solvents out there for breaking up hard carbon deposits. Just make sure to keep it off of the gun finish, and "wash" it away with CLP or another non-ammonia solvent as soon as you can.

 

I do not use Sweet's in the barrel.

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Hi,

I would be even happy about some carbon built up in the gas port, to reduce the ammount of gas and therefor velocity of the piston, since my cases are flying straight to the moon.

 

What is actually the impact on carbon built up in the upper part of the gas block and the piston. Will it reduce the amount of energy transferred to the piston or increase it?

There are several factors to consider which I could think of, but which of those have the most relevance and what effect here?

- reduced gas blow by at piston > increased pressure ?

- reduced volume > less room for gas expansion until piston reaches venting holes, Will that result in higher pressure or reduced amount of effective gas and therefor less energy transmitted, since the time from ignition to piston traveling beyond the venting holes would be reduced. The piston would accelerates immediately and therefor more following gas blown out at venting holes instead of "helping to accerate? Even further, how a lighter recoil spring would affect that "pressure built up" , could it result in less energy transferred to the piston? (Well it would also mean less counter force to stop the piston/bolt carrier) .

 

 

 

I did not mean to highjack this thread, but was just thinking about the effects of NOT cleaning the gasport/piston :)

 

DR

-

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You're overthinking how the gas block works. If you look at it closely after a range session, you'll see that there is a small open cavity area near where the gas port hole is. This is where the pressurized gas pulse occurs.

 

Oh8Rx.jpg

 

The gas piston enters the gas block and knocks away any carbon that is present in the initial cavity of the gas block. Because most AK gas pistons are somewhat loose, carbon buildup in this area is not all that likely, as again, the piston will knock/scrape away any carbon buildup upon its entry into the gas block. The seal doesn't have to be complete for the gas piston to operate, and in most cases there will never be a total pressure seal.

 

If you feel that your .223 is over-gassed, the easiest way to remedy it is to install an extra-power bolt carrier return spring. Wollf Gun Springs sells springs that have a 15% over-tension spring rate versus the original spring.

 

http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?page=items&cID=2&mID=77

 

However, strong ejection is a GOOD thing, and I'm not sure why you want to correct something that is usually not seen as a problem. The only thing I can think of is that you want to reload your cases, but the gun is beating them to death via ejection. This will be sort of hard to avoid simply due to the AK design and ejection pattern. Cases tend to get hit by the bolt carrier handle, and rebound off of the dust cover.

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If you feel that your .223 is over-gassed, the easiest way to remedy it is to install an extra-power bolt carrier return spring. Wollf Gun Springs sells springs that have a 15% over-tension spring rate versus the original spring.

http://www.gunspring...ms&cID=2&mID=77

this is off topic but here goes the newbie question, does the 7.62 & 223 use the same spring?

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