Thanks a million... wait two million. Great detail on how to. I'll be sure to copy and paste
No problems.
I don't know if I would recommend taking the feed mech apart after each range session to clean it as you are going to be in for an extended amount of time to take it apart and put it back together plus you always risk a small part getting lost in the process. (and there are "a lot" of small parts in there) Like a lot of gun parts there is also some concern about the wear a detailed disassembly causes as well, via punching out roll pins, flexing C-Clips, wear on pins and pin holes, etc. So I prefer to keep those detailed cleaning/disassembly to a minimum as you can do more damage over time via over disassembling/reassembling than you prevent with the detailed cleanings.
That said, for me I like to understand how stuff works, be able to repair it myself, and once every couple of years do a larger tear down to do a more comprehensive cleaning as well looking for any wear or problems before they become a potentially bigger issue.
I usually just clean my feed mechs in a parts washer filled with mineral spirits and a toothbrush. Then oil and grease after each cleaning. The good news is that the feed mechs have really good cleaning access from the bottom so I don't think you need to fully disassemble them on any regular basis.
I do have a Frankfort Arsenal ultrasonic cleaner that would fit a feed mech but have never really been a big fan of ultrasonics for firearms or firearm parts and really don't use it much.
Unfortunately, I have seen guns and parts damaged by over the years via ultrasonic cleaning. Sometimes those machines mess the part up in a single use and other time its a slower cumulative damage to the gun/part over time.
The only thing I would 100% trust dunking into an ultrasonic would be a solid stainless steel part (or something cheap I don't care about damage). I personally wouldn't put something as expensive and rare as a HK feed mech in an ultrasonic and have it potentially damage the finish, damage the plating on driveshaft or sprocket, or have water based ultrasonic cleaning solution stuck/left behind in the numerous little nooks and cavities inside a feed mech.
I personally wouldn't recommend putting an actual painted HK receiver in an ultrasonic unless you want to potentially refinish the gun. Just too many variables on finish type, solution, heat, etc. to know how its going to turn out.
Don't get me wrong, ultrasonics imho have their place in the firearm cleaning world. Especially for high volume,extra durable bonded finish, and/or inexpensive guns like duty Glocks. If you are a LE armorer and need to clean a couple dozen Glocks a week than dunking them in an ultrasonic that has the right pre-tested settings and solution confirmed from experience not to damage them is probably a good and efficient idea. Conversely, dunking a $7000 German HK21E feed mech in one, ehhh I would probably pass on that and stick to cleaning it by hand in my parts washer and as needed taking it apart every couple years to do a more more thorough cleaning.
