I had to get out the old M-14 and start cleaning it today. I made the mistake of listening to too much news on TV this morning. The cleaning is a calming process and helps with perspective. Pry open the trigger guard and lift the trigger mechanism out of the stock. This makes it possible to separate the receiver from the top of the stock.
A fella named Soto was asked if he wasn't endangering the public with his flight from the police, driving the wrong way through traffic and sideswiping cars and going over 80 MPH trying to elude the police. His response ? He asked if the police weren't endangering the public by chasing him...they should have called off the chase and just followed at a safe distance and pace...weren't they driving just as crazy as he was ?
Press forward on the spring retainer and slide the retaining pin to the right, freeing the spring and retainer to slide out. Pull the charging rod out of the ring and set it aside. Turn the receiver over and lift the bolt out of the receiver.
There are currently about 17,000 websites that have been identified as supporting Islamic Terrorism. Some recruit, some just bad mouth the USA, some are used to transmit data and instructions to Cells all over the world. Another 9,000 sites are added each year. They are untouchable because there is no governing authority to stop them...and there is that thing about freedom of speech.
Take the little wrench/tool out of the butt and loosen the nut on the charging cylinder, remove the nut, then remove the piston inside. Lay everything out nice and neat and spray liberally with your preferred cleaning agent...I use Breakfree. Toothbrush the tight spaces, pipe cleaners for the holes and flash suppressor, screw driver for the cracks and crevices.
NBC has refused to air ads by FreedomWatch.com. The ads are "thank you"s from average looking folks to the troops is Iraq, other rough places, and Afganistan. At the bottom of the ads is the direction to go to FreedomWatch's website. NBC claims that the website is too political. There is also the images of servicemen and women in uniform and some of their equipment...NBC isn't sure that FreedomWatch has Government permission to use those images.
Assemble the cleaning rods from the pieces in the kit, insert a Breakfree soaked patch into the eye at the end of the rod, run the rod into barrel and swab it back and forth a few times. Replace the dirty, soaked patch with a clean one and run it through the barrel a few times, pull it out and replace it with a clean patch...repeat until you patch comes out clean.
The CIA is going to be investigated by some committee in congress because they destroyed tapes of interogations at Gitmo. The news people and congress are upset that they cannot have access to these tapes (no doubt the very reason they were destroyed). CIA says that if the tapes were released, the interogators would be revealed and possibly targeted by the bad guys. The congress says it wasn't the CIA place to decide if the tapes had any value to the courts...a judge should do that.
Wipe all the pieces down with a clean T-shirt. Insure the return spring and all the other associated parts are free of carbon build up. When all parts are clean and dry, apply a light coat of oil with a clean patch. Put a few small drops in the channels that carry the bolt glide, the groove that the trigger mechanism slides into, and into the recess where the firing pin rests.
Mitt Romney's speech has had the exact effect that was expected. Those who believe in something thought it was thoughtful, honest and well done. The others called it excluding and devisive and disappointing. All he did was tell everyone what he believed in. I can understand how that would confuse certain members of the press and the politcal population.
Re-assemble in reverse order as dis-assembly. Wipe all exposed metal parts with light coat of oil. Perform function check to insure re-assembly was accomplished correctly. Work the charging handle several time to facilitate the oiling of the bolt channels. After final function check, remember to wipe excess oil from breech and chamber, splashed there during dry firing.
Another mall shot up by a loner...troubled...un-socialized...angry...mental...etc, etc. Another group of families who will mourn their loss. Another media event. More psycologists to consult with the networks and their thoughtful pieces on what went wrong in this poor souls head.
Finally, wipe down the wooden stock with linseed oil (or Pledge) and lock it back into the gun safe. The 30-30 needs a wipe down, too, but there is no real rush. I am calmer now. On hectic days I can do this in my head and it is almost as calming. I understand my M-14. David Williams refinement of Moses Browning's ingenious design is magic to me. I can visualize the expanding gases from the detonation of the propellant pushing the bullet down the barrel, bleeding off just a smidgen into the gas port. The gas that goes into the gas port pushes the piston that sets off the reaction that ejects, reloads and cocks the rifle in a split second. Left at full automatic mode, the M-14 will chatter off about 700 rounds a minute...of course, it's 20 round magazine will be empty in less than 2 seconds. It is a complex little operation, yet so simple.
News being what it is lately, I am bound to have the cleanest rifle in town.