Congratulations on your purchase of the modern roller-delayed blowback system-powered (MRDS) ZF-56 rifle. Smooth-shooting, accurate, reliable, and built to industry-leading tolerances and specifications, the ZF-56 is a miracle of modern roller-delayed engineering.
All the same, like all firearms, the ZF-56 will benefit immensely from routine cleaning. Here’s your primer on how to administer basic cleaning to the rifle.
Preliminary Safety Notes
First, before you do anything else, it is a critical matter of safety that you open the action, drop the magazine, and visually and physically inspect the chamber to ensure that the firearm is not loaded.
After ensuring the ZF-56 is clear, continue to observe routine precautions associated with firearm safety such as keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
Cleaning: Basic Instructions and Notes
After you have cleared the ZF-56 and removed the magazine, disassemble the firearm; release and remove the bolt carrier group and then remove the trigger group as well.
Visually inspect the firearm inside and out for signs of damage; then, using a microfiber cloth or a cleaning patch, use warm water and a mild detergent or bore solvent like Hoppe’s No. 9 to remove any fouling that’s visible on or in the firearm.
Assemble a barrel cleaning brush and dip the brush in a bore solvent, then use it to clean the chamber, which should be one of the more heavily fouled areas of the platform. Then, use the cleaning rod and brush to clean the bore; always push the brush through from chamber to muzzle, never the other way around, to prevent damaging the muzzle crowning.
Once you’re satisfied that you have loosened any fouling in the bore, replace the brush with a bore mop, or a slotted cleaning jag with a clean patch. Run this through the bore from chamber to muzzle, then repeat until the mop or the patch comes out clean.
If the patch is still heavily fouled at this point, replace it with a clean patch and repeat the process until the patch comes out clean.
Once you have completed this process, get either a clean patch or a new mop and apply a light lubricant or oil, then push it through the bore to give the chamber and bore a light coating that will help protect them against corrosion.
Using a nylon or brass brush, scrub off any fouling deposits that are visible on the bolt carrier, as well as on the trigger group. Do not apply any lubricant to the trigger group as, despite the fact that lubricant can help prevent corrosion, will attract fouling and other debris that can damage the operation of the trigger.
Pay careful attention to the firing pin, locking piece, extractor lip and bolt head, ensuring these are clean and clear of fouling and other deposits. You should also clean the recoil spring, allow it to dry, and then apply a very light coat of oil to protect it against corrosion. Less is more, though, as oil attracts dust and fouling.
Other areas to clean include the magazine release button and the inside of the mag chute, as well as the bolt catch. Ensure these are free of fouling and clean away any visible deposits. The receiver’s takedown and pivot pins should also be cleaned of fouling, dried, and then oiled to lubricate them and protect them against corrosion.
Lubricate the bolt carrier’s metal-to-metal surfaces as well as any other bearing surfaces of the firearm, then reassemble and perform a function check by manually manipulating the action.
Why You Should Routinely Clean Your Roller-Delayed Blowback ZF-56
Routine cleaning of your roller-delayed blowback ZF-56 will help prevent premature wear, maintain firearm operability and safety, and will make follow-up routine cleaning sessions easier by helping to prevent an accumulation of fouling. Because routine cleaning and lubrication can also help prevent corrosion, it will help protect your investment.
How Often Should You Clean This Roller-Delayed Blowback Platform?
A good rule of thumb is to clean your roller-delayed blowback firearm after every live-fire session, but if you can’t stick to that, we recommend cleaning the firearm each time it is fired and at intervals of 1000 rounds. Cleaning intervals should be every 500 rounds when using a silencer/suppressor.
For More Detailed Information
If you’re looking for step-by-step instructions on how to disassemble and clean each component of your roller-delayed blowback ZF-56, please consult the owner’s manual that came with your gun.
Otherwise, if you have questions and can’t find the answers in your owner’s manual, feel free to get in touch with us at 434-202-7790 or by email at [email protected]. We will be more than happy to help in any way that we can.