Just picked up my first long gun, a Stag Model 2 5.56.

 

Does is damage anything to dry fire this firearm? It appears that there is no way to decock, am I correct?

 

Is it also normal that the safety can only be engaged when the hammer is cocked?

 

How many rounds between complete bolt assembly tear down and cleaning? I will be firing commercially available ammo in common brands. Probably not much more than a hundred rounds at a time.

 

Thanks,

Blue1

There is no way to decock. Safety can only be engaged on ARs when the hammer is back.

Generally speaking, most centerfire guns are OK to dry-fire.

 

As for maintenance...you could ask 100 people and get 100 different answers. Some people "torture test" their AR rifles by not cleaning them, just lubing. Others will clean the rifle top to bottom even if a single round is sent down the barrel. The more often you clean it, the easier it will be. I ran nearly a thousand rounds through mine (various manufacturers) before i took the BCG (Bolt Carrier Group) apart for a detail cleaning. The carbon build-up on the end of the bolt was the hardest to clean off, but even that only took about 10 minutes after a soaking with Hoppes #9 and a scraper.

 

Keeping the AR lubed is the #1 most important part of keeping it running. However, field strip, detail strip and cleaning procedures will help you see any abnormal wear patterns with your rifle. It's not a bad idea to take it down, wiping it and taking a look at all the internals once in a while.