Introduction: How to Clean Your New Tec 9

Tec-9 Disassembly / AB-10 Disassembly / Tec-DC9 Disassembly


Firearm shown is an AB-10, but the basic process is identical for all of the Interarms 9mm Tec-series weapons to the best of my knowledge. It's also useful for the Kimel/AA Arms AP-9 series as well as they're close, close cousins of the Tec series.

A basic level of competence is assumed in these instructions, as well as sobriety, legal possession of said weapon, et cetera. A sense of humor is also very, very helpful.

For the purposes of this web page, only the basic maintenance required to clean, lube, and keep your Tec-series "pistol" operating will be covered. We're interested in field-stripping and routine maintenance here, not taking apart the cap-gun lower receiver trigger mechanism or the like.

If you're unsure of yourself or your skills, take the weapon to a competent gunsmith and ask them to show this to you. If you damage yourself, your property, your domestic partner, your low-rider, wall of graffiti, or fellow gang members, it's your fault. Use these instructions at your own risk - they're worth exactly what you paid for them.

Step 1: Step 1: Get Your Gun

You'll need the following to complete the disassembly of your firearm:

- The weapon itself.
- Slot-head screwdriver.
- Phillips screwdriver.
- Hammer or rubber mallet.
- Cleaning supplies + weapon lubricant (WD-40, Rem-Oil, etc.)
- A flat surface upon which to work.
- A parts tray, dinner bowl, or something to hold the small, easily-lost parts as you go.

Step 2: Step 2: Make Sure That Sucker's Unloaded.

Remove your magazine. Pull back bolt handle and visually inspect chamber to make sure that there's no forgotten bullet lurking inside, waiting to be eaten by a grue.

If you're the paranoid type, hide all magazines and 9mm ammunition in another room while you disassemble the gun. If you're not, bully for you.

Step 3: Step 3: Remove Retaining Bolt From Frame

Before doing anything else, make sure the gun's not in the safe position - cocking handle pushed in - I have no idea if anything bad happens if you disassemble it when the safety is on. Of course, this assumes that someone would actually use the safety on this weapon.

Using your handy Phillips screwdriver, gunsmith punch, or just about any metal object that's easily tapped and is smaller in size than the front retaining pin on the weapon, remove the front retaining bolt from the frame. It'll move slowly at first, and be careful to not damage your genuine plastic receiver. Once it's out about halfway, you may be able to pull the pin out with your fingers - if not, work it out slowly so the last tap doesn't send the little piece flying all over the room.

There's no trick to removing this bolt - it isn't spring loaded or required to be turned to a particular angle, or anything of the sort.

Take the retaining bolt and put it somewhere safe, like the parts tray recommended above. You don't want to have to buy another one.

Step 4: Step 4: Remove Upper Receiver Tube From Lower Receiver.

Once the retaining pin is removed from the frampe, pull the upper receiver tube away form the lower receiver up, away, and forward of the magazine well. It'll come out easily enough.

Expect the strap lanyard to fall out if you're not paying attention. Put the strap lanyard in your parts tray.

Step 5: Step 5. Unscrew Upper Receiver Cover

Firmly grasp the receiver tube in your hand and examine the rear end. Ask it out on a date. When it respectfully declines, you'll likely note the notch for inserting a handy tool (like a slotted screwdriver) to facilitate rear cover removal.

It'll take a few turns of the rear receiver cover to get it to fully disassemble. There's not much to worry about here - unlike other firearms I've taken apart over the years, there isn't a whole lot of pressure in the receiver tube and its springs, so pieces are unlikely to enter low earth orbit.

When it's done, you'll have something that looks like the second picture.

Put the rear receiver cover in your parts tray. I don't think the plastic lower receiver is strong enough to stop the rearward motion of the bolt when fired without it.

Step 6: Step 6: Remove Charging Handle From Bolt.

With the rear receiver cover removed from the tube, and the recoil and operating springs hanging haphazardly out the rear of the upper receiver, move the bolt handle back as far as it goes.

Pull the charging handle out away from the receiver and out from the bolt. There's a small ball-bearing in the charging handle itself that will give a little resistance, and you might have to move the bolt a little forward or back to remove the charging handle fully from the bolt.

Step 7: Step 7: Remove Bolt From Receiver.

Guide the recoil and operating spring out of the receiver tube, and remove it and the bolt from the receiver tube. When it's done, you'll have a bolt trailed by a pair of springs. Depending on your luck, desire for further cleaning, et cetera, the firing pin and firing pin retaining mechanism may or may not remove themselves from the bolt.

The photo above shows the firing pin and firing pin retaining mechanism removed from the bolt - to re-install it, place the firing pin the center channel hole of the bolt, and place the spring in the rear opening of the firing pin retaining mechanism.

Depending on whether or not you've ever taken the thing apart in its life, the bolt and bolt parts are likely to be very well slathered in packing grease. Remove it, and you'll have a much smoother-cycling and operating firearm, not to mention one that fires a little faster.

And firing faster is the real reason you own one of these babies, right?

Step 8: Step 8: Clean Barrel, Feed Ramp, and Receiver Tube

Now you'll likely want to wipe down the inner parts of the receiver tube, removing deposits of packing grease, burned powder, primers, cocaine residue from the previous drug dealing owner, or whatever else may inhabit the tube.

Pay special attention, as with any firearm, to the chamber area, feed ramp, and barrel. You may or may not need to brush out your barrel - chances are not, and it's been as easy in my experience to clean out the chamber and barrel with Q-Tips or the like as it is to use a regular pistol brush due to the short barrel and chamber length of the weapon.

Lightly lube the interior of the tube with a quality firearm lubricant (Rem-Oil, WD-40, etc), and wipe away excess.

Step 9: Step 9: Reassemble the Thing

Place the bolt and spring mechanism back in the upper receiver tube.

Before re-fastening the rear receiver tube cover, line up the hole in the bolt for the charging handle and re-insert the charging handle. You won't be able to do it once the cover is re-installed, so don't forget.

Once you've re-assembled the upper receiver, take the strap lanyard and place it on the rear of the receiver tube. Insert the upper receiver tube and strap lanyard into the lower receiver in the opposite direction that you removed it, slowly and carefully.

Visually align the upper and lower receiver so that you can re-insert the retaining bolt holding the firearm together. If you can see daylight through the hole, and it's perfectly round, reinsert the retaining bolt. Tap lightly with your hammer, mallet, etc. to re-seat the retaining bolt in the receiver, and make sure it's back in fully.

Pull back the bolt handle to visually inspect the chamber to make sure once again it's not loaded, place the safety in the fire position, and point the firearm away from things you'd rather not destroy, maim, kill, or frighten. Pull the trigger to test for function - if it dry fires as usual, then you're most likely good to go.

Reinsert magazine if desired.

You're done.

If I was concerned about whether or not you cared about political correctness and "NRA-approved gun safety", I'd suggest locking up your Tec-9 in an unloaded manner with an approved gun lock. However, you own a Tec-9 - I somehow think you'll leave it on the desk just like me.

Just don't let children near it. They already think it looks like a cap gun.