Dremel to the rescue

Submitted by Eric Daniel

For those of you who have never fired it, the M-240 series machine guns are solid performers.  Reliable, and possessing a high ROF, they are a great weapon to have in your bag.  The only downside I’ve ever had with it though is the difficulty in cleaning the carbon buildup off of the gas piston cup.  Powder residue is constantly deposited in that cup and on the operating rod behind it, and after a couple of thousand rounds, stripping all that fouling off can be a real chore.

While the Army does field a couple of tools that will help remove some of that buildup, traditionally, it has required a lot of elbow grease and a couple of blunt instruments.

Well, being the avid hobbyist that I am, I have a number of Dremel tools at the house, and one day I decided to bring my battery powered portable to Graf with me to see how it would work on that carbon.  Long story short, it was brilliant.  With a bristle wire wheel attached, the Dremel strips off the buildup but leaves the cup and rod undamaged (the steel in the operating rod is harder than the wire in the brush.)

My Dremel, purchased in the 80’s, ran off of four AA batteries, which would provide power for about an half an hour of continuous use.  Dremel now makes their 4.8v cordless with a built in, rechargeable battery pack, which is replaceable, so you can purchase multiple packs.

If you’re looking for a “garrison” model, with a dedicated power source, I’d recommend any of their stock models (I have the multi-speed) with the flex shaft extension, so all you have to hold on to is the tool tip.

Buy a Dremel tool here

Comments

[Ghost of Habu, The Pit Viper]

Sent a new Dremel Stylus over in a care package, along with an extra accessory kit. The individual told us that getting tools through the chain of command was somewhat more lengthy and complicated, so any assistance we could provide would be appreciated.

Here's the link for the Dremel stylus:
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/tool-detail.htm?H=188091&G=66204&I=69808

Noted that Dremel accessories are really expensive, so we picked up most of the additional gear from American Science & Surplus. Link is:
http://www.sciplus.com/

At AmS&S, do a search for "dremel" or "rotary tool" and you'll get the hits.

[Mike]

Dremel is the tool of tool lovers.I'm basicly a fanatic about tools. I do own no less than six Dremels,plus enough of the gadgets, attachments, etc,etc., to fill a med sized suit case.If you have to get that stubborn residue out of an AR-15, 306, or rust off of your kids bicycle seat, Dremel has the way.My fav. is the 10.2v Lithium Ion for being the handiest damn thing to tote around.But invest in a second battery as a back-up, as the Lith battery will drop out on you without more than a couple of seconds warning.
It's as strong at the end of the charge as it is at the start.(Sounds like a Dremel commercial, doesn't it? )
Mike W.