[gmcfixer]

For you guys that just spray cleaner in and let the crud flow out, if you don't wipe out the excess, won't it just build up and attract funk. In my experience too much is worse or at least as bad as no lube.

Whenever we go to the range I see soldiers drown there rifle in CLP they are asking for problems, even more so with the M-16 and its varients the way the gas system throws crud back into the action. When I was downrange I cleaned my rifle once or twice a day depending on time and was real careful to wipe out excess lubricant that attracts dust and dirt.

I agree with you running boar ........ too much lube is not a good thing!

You mention the soldiers and thier M16s, reminds me of the last time we did range fire before I retired. We went to the ARF range (that's automated record fire or pop-up for those who didn't know) to qualify and when we got there what I saw them doing didn't set well with me. The unit running the range decided to insure the rifles had been lubed so they had this kid standing there before the troops went out onto the firing line squirting large amounts of breakfree into the ejection ports. I walked up and asked for the NCOIC (Non-commisioned Officer in charge) and informed him that I did not want them doing that with my platoon! He said we have to make sure the weapons are lubed and we are trying to prevent failures. I replied with and are you still having failures? He could only answer yes. I informed him that I insured all my troops had thier weapons properly lubracated and if that kid squirted the breakfree in thier rifles I was going to be hot! He said let me get the "LT". When he returned with the youngster (LT) the LT said that his Sergeant informed him of what I said, his reply was Sergeant if I allow that you will be responsible and if any of your soldiers has a failure he would insure I'd recieved an Article 15 (non-judical punishment) for failure to obey a lawful order. I told him that was a little extreme but I would go for it because very simply his doing so wouldn't get very far. Fact is my platoon used a synthetic lube that I provided that works far better than Breakfree ..... it even makes them easier to clean when finished.

My platoon not only had no failures but they also had the highest rate of qualifing in the battalion (the days of penciled in score where long gone and I loved it!) and that was on a ARF range that was known as one of the toughest! ARF 1 was set-up in dense woods rather than an open field with a tree or two like most ARF ranges of old. When we loaded up to leave the LT came over and asked me how I got them all to do everything right getting ready to qualify and that he was amazed we had zero failures? I simply replied I train my platoon right from the start and have trust in them, in return they trust me and do as I ask of them. The LT just didn't get it that you don't have to babysit the troops!

Dave Z.