My first AR. Newbie scare.

[Split]

I finally went and purchased my first EBR. A beautiful Ruger SR-556fb. I couldn't be more pleased with the purchase. It runs great and brings me great joy.

Now for the story since I feel the need to share embarrassment with strangers.

I broke it down to clean. Now I usually use bore-snakes but decided to run a brass brush on a cleaning rod down the barrel. Unfortunately the brush got stuck in the flash hider. Not a little tight, solid stuck. I sat red faced next to my wife who glared at me with great sadness that this bumbling oaf was the person she had chosen to spend her life with.

I attempted to pull the brush back out and actually pulled the screw attachment off the end......sigh... So I'm thinking wonderful, I have to take my 2 day old rifle to a gunsmith to remove a brush. I ended up taking a j.Dewey cleaning rod for one of my pistols and was able to "screw" the fitting back on and tap the end with a rubber mallet to get it to clear the flash hider. After that I was able to reattach the rod and push the brush through.

Being a predominately pistol user my only rifle cleaning experience has been .22s that you cleaned from bore to receiver. From now on this idiot knows to go from the receiver end and to not reverse direction.

 

[Ronald]

Is your barrel threaded? If so just remove your flash hider before cleaning next time

 

[dieselman]

i got a bore scrubber stock in the middle of the barrel and snapped the rod off inside the barrel. dont feel bad.

 

[Yukon227]

I have an easy fix.....don't clean it. LOL
Seriously don't feel bad. We've all done something like that at one time or another

 

[MrSmitty]

+1 rep'd for having the guts to admit a goof up...minor tho it may be! Congrats on the new rifle!!!, I want one of those ,but it ain't in the budget!

 

[LPMan59]

Pics of your new gun or gtfo.

I expect a full range report.

 

[Fenway]

Pics of the blaster

 

[sgreen3]

Dont feel bad bud, we all have had our own DOOHHH! moments. Main thing is you got an Ar

 

[Fordtough25]

Perk up! At least you can say you got it stuck in an AR and not a pellet gun or something goofy.

 

[T-DOGG]

You are not alone at all. Yesterday I realized I didn't know how to lock open the bolt on my 10/22 at the range. The range officer was nice enough to point that out to me in front of everyone. I felt like an idiot and should have read up on that beforehand, as he also mentioned to me. Jealous that you even own an AR, all I can do is dream about them.

 

[strahd71]

i took a gun apart one time and couldnt get it back together for three days, i still struggle with it, but i can usually get back together in a day now.

we all have our S-mart times............

jake

 

[redpitbull44]

Use a pull through method instead. Take the section of cleaning rod with your T handle off, drop the entire length of rod into the barrel from the chamber side, reattach your t handle (or not, I never do), and pull the brush through. About the only time I PUSH a cleaning rod through is when I am using a jag. Believe it or not, cleaning rods, especially .22 caliber rods, are meant to be pulled, not pushed.

 

[abnk]

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Now get out there and spread the EBR virus.

 

[ElsiePeaRN]

The first time I cleaned my Mark III pistol, I jammed the magazine in backwards and it wouldn't budge. I had to send it back to Ruger to disassemble and reassemble it The only good news is that it would have had to go back anyway as it needed the extractor replaced, but still...

I imagine there are lots of moments folks would rather forget!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Bore snake FTW!

 

[tradertator]

The first time I cleaned my Mark III pistol, I jammed the magazine in backwards and it wouldn't budge. I had to send it back to Ruger to disassemble and reassemble it The only good news is that it would have had to go back anyway as it needed the extractor replaced, but still...

I imagine there are lots of moments folks would rather forget!

WOW! That seems like it would take some work.

 

[T-DOGG]

Agreed!! Bore snakes are the shiznit (yeah thats a word)!! I have one for my .22lr and my Mosin. They work great.

 

[futureofwar]

Try being in the army and getting the wrong brush stuck in an M16 and having to tell the man who is going to smoke you for a half hour for it . . . no not me LOL

 

[swoobie]

Good story!

 

[ElsiePeaRN]

WOW! That seems like it would take some work.

It was actually easier than you'd imagine... Eyes on a YouTube video, hands on the mag--slid right in like butter until it jammed tight. Ruger said it takes more than a little work to get it out though