.22LR conversion kit for AR15, cleaning issues?

Cleaning lead is not that hard. Just use regular bore solvent and a bronze brush. It's a pretty soft metal and the heat generated by a 22RF is minuscule compared to a CF cartridge.

You need to worry about cleaning your trigger, though. Rimfire cartridges use a silica compound as a sensitizer in the priming mixture and that compound will fill your trigger with abrasive sand in no time.

I had to hose my trigger group with spray solvent (brake cleaner works great) and relubricate every time I used the RF upper.
 
hminsky said:
OK, I ordered a .22 conversion bolt thingy for my AR15. http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ARR059-21126-1884.html

Now, if I shoot .22 through my AR15, presumably its going to leave a lot more lead in the barrel than jacketed .223 ammo. So what's the best way to clean the barrel?
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In an AR15 I honestly think it will be hard to shoot enough 22's through it to be a problem unless that is all you shoot through it for years. and what will need cleaning far sooner than the barrel is the actual 22 unit and the inside of you lower, and if you shoot a whole lot your gas system will need cleanning befor you go back to .223...
I have a ceiner kit for my 16, with the 16 it is real easy to go through a bulk pack of 22 each time you go out, so things get dirty. Can't say I have ever worried about cleaning the barrel any special way. 360ish days a year it is in a "dedicated" upper, but for those other 5 or so days I need to use that upper as a .223 upper so I have a simple procedure to "Clean" it for .223 use...I throw on a balnk adapter, shoot a couple .223 blanks to blow out the gas system and I am ready to go...
Really I'd worry about crapping up the gas system long befor a little barrel leading...
 
I've never cleaned the gas system on the AR15. I guess I'll have to learn how at some point.
 
Why would the gas tube need cleaning when using RF ammo? The amount of gas RF ammo generates is so minuscule, and is so completely burned by the time the gas reaches the port that it makes absolutely no sense to try to clean it.

I have almost 5000 CF rounds through my AR and I have yet to need to stick anything in the gas tube.
 
Jose said:
Why would the gas tube need cleaning when using RF ammo? The amount of gas RF ammo generates is so minuscule, and is so completely burned by the time the gas reaches the port that it makes absolutely no sense to try to clean it.

I have almost 5000 CF rounds through my AR and I have yet to need to stick anything in the gas tube.
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Two things:
1. it is because there is minimal gas presure that there can be a problem. 223 round "violently" forces a high speed "jet" of gas through the tube. With a 22 conversion the gas system isn't even used, and you end with small "puffs" of 22 "crap" lingering in the gas system with every shot.

2. It may not always be the gas tube, (though I personally have had one "clog up") so much as the "elbow" between the gas tube and barrel, that is often the problem. Shoot enough 22 in your gun and the fouling/atomized (sp?) lead will eventual close it up (be it the tube or the "elbow"), much the same way too many big mac's will close up your artery's...

So if that upper of yours has ONLY shot 22s (5000 straight) without ever swapping back to 223, I'll bet your gas system is closed up some place, and if you were now to try to shoot a 223 round you could have problems...
 
Jose said:
I was going to say something really caustic, but I won't out of respect to Derek.
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Seriously that .22 upper costs as much as every .22 rifle or pistol I've got combined:

Browning BL-22 $400
Ruger 10/22 $200
Browning Buckmark $270
Marlin $200

My hope was to save some money by using an existing upper, and also have something fun for my daughter to shoot once in a while...
 
hminsky said:
Seriously that .22 upper costs as much as every .22 rifle or pistol I've got combined:

Browning BL-22 $400
Ruger 10/22 $200
Browning Buckmark $270
Marlin $200

My hope was to save some money by using an existing upper, and also have something fun for my daughter to shoot once in a while...
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High quality costs money.

That said, if you don't need or want a Benz, there are a few Chevys floating around. DPMS makes an affordable rimfire uppers (< $600 for sure). They are a better solution than shooting RF ammo through a CF barrel. For one thing, accuracy will suck as the bore diameter of a .224" barrel is larger than what a rimfire bullet requires, and the rifling will be much too fast.
 
hminsky said:
My hope was to save some money by using an existing upper, and also have something fun for my daughter to shoot once in a while...
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I'm with you on this. Don't waste your $$$ on an upper built soley for 22's. Its kinda silly to do that when you could go out and buy a real nice 22 gun for as much as the uppers go for.

Just shoot the conversion through your regular 223 upper and be happy.
 
The 22 upper I bought wasn't a plinker. It was a super accurate firearm for me to practice HP with.

There is a good reason it was $1K.

If plinking is what you like, get a CZ 452. I got one of those too, and it is a quality firearm. Accurate as hell, too.
 
leading in an AR should not be a problem 22 rf bullets are slihgtly smaller than .224 dia had a millitary conversion years ago bought it from Gun Parts and never had a problem only complaint the 10 rd mag was a bitch to load
 
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