Your idea of cleaning your AR?

My brother and I went shooting the other day and we each went through one of those 480 rd cans of M855 from Walmart. When It cam time to clean our guns, I broke out all of my cleaning supplies and brushes and patches and did a thorough job. He on the other hand just removed his optic and then field stripped it and soaked the bore and the rest of the rifle in CLP, ran a patch down the bore and wiped it down with paper towels and then just let the whole thing dry in the sun. Am I crazy to think he is doing it wrong?

Soaking in CLP sounds a bit odd. Is he gonna store the thing away for 50 years? I run a boresnake a few times bolt to muzzle, may put some oil down the bore, but run the snake enough times to dry it out. Dissemble the bolt/carrier, remove grit/sand/carbon. Then put it together and do a couple of function checks, maybe take a moment to admire the rifle.

Wipe down the bolt, then lube it back up.

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I used to be real anal about cleaning my AR's, now I only run a bore snake and occasionally field strip the gun, clean up the dirtiest parts and then lube it again.

Why did he remove his optic?

As far as cleaning goes. I usually just wipe down the bolt/bolt carrier. If I feel like it, I will clean the barrel, but I don't do it very much. Sometimes, it is only a bore snake with some clp on it, and sometimes I will use a cleaning rod and patches. After I am done, I relube the BCG.

I used to do it like you as that's how I was tought in the ARmy, but now I don't spend anymore than 10-15 minutes cleaning my rifle, and I shoot that dirty Wolf ammo.

Bolt, chamber, bore.....these are the most critical areas.

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I'm probably more meticulous than I need to be but I enjoy cleaning my ARs but due to my shooting schedule, I don't have to do it that often any way. Regardless, I don't spend more than 15-20 minutes doing it anyway.

CLP down the bore and then a few patches. Field strip BCG, clean and lube. Wipe out any obvious carbon or grit build up. Reassemble. Takes no longer than 5-6 minutes. Every few months I'll break out the chamber brush and really clean out the upper, but it's mostly as I have described here.

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Usually relube then stick it into the gun cabinet till next time, with maybe a bore snake down the tube for good measure.

When I do a "detail clean" it's brake cleaner and a chamber and bore cleaning wipe down re-oil and done.

soaking down with clp is fairly close to what I do it just helps to loosen up any crud and then you just wipe down the excess it takes away the dirt and your already lubed and good to go. I find you end up with less excessive lube sprayed on the safety glasses next time you go shoot this way as it just leaves everything with a nice light coating and you got some extra hiding in the bcg that will migrate anywhere else. There doesn't seem to be much detailing needed with the soak and then wipe down method almost everything just comes off.
he removes the optic so he doesn't soak it with clp

1st: Disassemble upper from lower

2nd: Drop Bolt into Slip 2000 Carbon Killer as well as BCG (Disassembled) for 15 mins while I clean the Upper (DI AR only). If you have a piston AR spray it with some degreaser and wipe it down and lube...done!

3rd: Clean Chamber with Lug Mop/Brush spray with a degreaser/cleaner before you mop...let it sit for a few to penetrate in.

4th: Clean Bore with Rod with Brush or patch with Shooter Choice/Hoppes or Bore Tech Eliminator. You can also use a Bore Snake with CLP if not too dirty (if non corrosive ammo was used). Push thru 3x, use patch till clean and CLP for some light lube so you wont rust if not a chrome or treated barrel.

5th: Spray the Upper chamber, eject port, etc with a degreaser/cleaner such as Slip 2000 725, mpro7, or Super Quick Clean Gun . Use this degreaser/cleaner on surfaces as well. Wipe out with Rag/T-Shirts or Viva Paper Towels.

6th: Pull Bolt and BCG Wipe and raise off and let dry...this will prep it for Lube

7th: Spray Degreaser/Cleaner into magwell on lower as well as trigger group and so one...wipe out...you will want to spray a little lube in the trigger group springs because the degreaser will remove what was left. Dont get too crazy with the lower...I use a compressor first to get all the brass and loose fouling out then I wipe it down and oil what is necessary.

8th: Lube and reassemble BCG, Pin, Bolt, etc, coat bolt nicely with EWL, FrogLube or Mobil 1, Lube contact points as well lightly and lightly coat the other parts since the Carbon Killer has stripped it off all lube but make sure to coat they other part very lightly.

9th Clean the Buffer tube, spring and buffer itself...nothing fancy wipe down and might want to put a little CLP or EWL on the spring.

10th Reassemble!

I dont use a ton of tools...I dont thing you have too. Carbon Killer might not be enough but once you start using the right lube and keep it lubed it will make carbon removal easier. Right lube here is key! No BF CLP or Rem Oil...burns off and evaporates...you will have carbon caked and stuck to your Bolt and BCG! A good lube will help. But if you need to scrap...use the CAT M4 tool or the KZ CRT Carbon Removal Tool. I like to use products that are environmental, non-toxic and non-flammable if I can. Bore Tech is the alternative here to Hoppes and Shooters. I am missing a few steps but I think you get the idea.

Oh and this will initially take you an hour but I can get it down to 30 mins now. Trick is put all your cleaning stuff in a kit like a Tackle box to get it down fast...hunting around for cleaner, patches, tools etc cost me a ton of time.

It depends on how bored I am. Sometimes they just get the CLP wipe down, other times it's a full on detail clean.

I spend a lot of time cleaning and go through a lot of Q-tips. I don't shoot as much as I should because I dread the cleaning

Why?



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You're doing it wrong.

Girls in bikinis belong in BOTD. - Andrewphillipf

your not crazy..i like my ar-15 like i like my wife clean and only been touched with my hands..after 400 rounds of dirty ammo my chamber looked gross so i q-tiped it..ran a bore snake patches and bore brush through the barrel..clean and re lube bolt..then wipe down the outside of my rifle..o and i use balistol to clean and slip2000 to lube

first off why in the world would you remove your optic to clean an AR? That is pointless and awaste of ammo... 2ndly i treat my AR to the same cleaning as my AK which is the dishwasher. Works like a charm.

Because the Larue mount doesn't waste any ammo.

Didn't Pat Rogers say something to effect of "if you spend more than 10 minutes you're doing something wrong".

Patch down the bore, wipe down the BCG. Done. Haven't been anal about cleaning anything since I ETS'd in '95.

Still, why would you take it off just to clean?

Bore snake down the barrel, quick swap of the chamber, wipe down the inside the upper with a rag and use my cat M4 on the BCG.

Takes about 10-15 minutes overall.

1) Strip the BCG apart and wash everything in hot water with dishwashing soap using a toothbrush & Q-tips and whatever else it needs.
2) Clean inside upper & lower receivers with rags dampened in isopropyl alcohol.
3) Pump some foaming bore cleaner down the bore followed by running several patches soaked in alcohol to remove fouling & stuff.
4) Re-lubricate everything with a toothbrush/Q-tips using TW25B and MC2500.
5) Wipe down exterior with Birchwood Casey's Barricade.

Seperate Upper and Lower
Remove bolt and charging handle
spray some gun oil down the barrel, run the bore snake down 2 or 3 times... lightly glaze the barrel again with oil
wipe down the bolt and all the nooks and crannies, same with the handle, and the inside of the upper
move the hammer forwared, wipe all of that down
put it all back together dry as Heck
start oiling, and moving parts around
remove upper, verify that all parts are wet
Close dust cover and put it away

id wager to make sure that he doesn't accidentally do anything to mess it up. like drop it on the floor.

Or get anything, oil, on the glass.

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