Cleaning your Rifle

[HotRails]

Ok so what do you guys like to use for your AR or AK? Hoppes, CLP?? Also to what extent do you break it down when you clean? For example

Field strip after each outing detail strip once in a while (disassemble bolt mechanism etc. etc.) or do you detail strip every time?

i know this is different for everyone. Just curious what others do.

[cleanguy46]

CLP for clean and lube and I do a complete field strip after every shoot.

[rksimple]

CLP. Couple drops before I go out. Clean maybe every 1k rounds.

[ocabj]

• Montana Xtreme Bore Solvent (bore cleaning)
• Montana Xtreme Bore Conditioner (bore oil, preservative)
• M-Pro 7 (cleaning bolt and rest of gun)
• Militec-1 (bolt lube)
• Brownells moly lube (trigger lube)

Bolt disassembly, cleaning, and relube after every range outing.

[p7m8jg]

Cleaning

I usually split the upper from the lower but leave it attached, remove the bolt carrier & bolt, clean the barrel & chamber, clean the bolt and carrier, scrape the bolt carbon deposits. Lather, rinse repeat.

Last time my USMC son was home he did pretty much the same, so I try to follow his lead. Good enough for the USMC, good enough for me.

[97F1504RAD]

And follow the same procedures

[NRAhighpowershooter]

Kroil for cleaning.. Break Free for lube......

[Infidel]

• Montana Xtreme Bore Solvent (bore cleaning)
• Montana Xtreme Bore Conditioner (bore oil, preservative)
• M-Pro 7 (cleaning bolt and rest of gun)
• Militec-1 (bolt lube)
• Brownells moly lube (trigger lube)

Bolt disassembly, cleaning, and relube after every range outing.

+1

Except I don't have the sweet vise/cleaning stand like he does...LOL

[1BigPea]

Full clean after every outing.

I'm pretty attention detailed so I don't like to miss anything, I do it all every time. Takes about 1 to 1 half hour to complete.

I first disassemble BCG completely, this includes the extractor and soak in M Pro-7 or Slip2000 Carbon Killer (stuff is awesome). While that is soaking I spray BF Foaming Bore Cleaner into the lugs and Barrel until it foams out the flash hider.

While those are soaking (30 min) I clean the lower and the charging handle, just use some qtips to clean the FCG and then remove the buffer tube and spring and wipe that down. Clean out buffer tube on the inside, re-assemble buffer and spring.

Back to upper, spray inside of upper, lugs, chamber with Slip 725 cleaner or BF PowderBlast (I prefer Slip 725) and then do the same to the barrel. Clean out where the BCG goes, clean lugs, chamber and lastly run patch with dewey rod down the barrel until comes out clean. Do the flashider with qtips and run one patch with Break Free LP on it through the barrel then one clean patch through after that.

back to BCG, scrape out remaining carbon, wipe down dry and then lube all of bolt and carrier with Break Free LP, I get it wet.

Lastly, and this is where my clean freak mentality comes into play, I put some BF CLP on qtips and go over the complete outside of the upper and lower, let sit 5 min and wipe it down completely. I wipe it down dry, but you can tell that the CLP has penetrated the metal. I then re-assemble and put it back in the safe proud that it's completely clean.

[shodog805]

maybe its just me but i get anal with my cleaning. clp works great with the nylon toothbrush cleaners for the reciviers and i always strip my bcg and clean the bolt. i was told by my cousin who is in the marines that you have to be carfull with the fouling build up on the gas rings. he said it could cause a ftf or fte. never had it happen though.

[antarius]

I'm the complete opposite.

I clean my weapons when I think about it. Usually every 500-1k rounds or so. I use a bore-snake and whatever I have in the drawer to clean the barrel -- usually its breakfree or CLP. Why? Cause two pulls through the barrel with a bore snake and that ****er is clean. No rods, no pads, no nothing... quick and easy.

I take the BCG apart and attack it with a harsh toothbrush (the military cleaning equipment) with more breakfree, or whatever I have around. Then I put a light coat of oil, usually remoil or again, whatever I have lying around and let it soak in for 5 min.

Once it's gone, I coat it again and wipe off the excess. A quick run through the barrel with a boresnake again, this time with some lube on the finishing end and im done.

Takes about 20 minutes start to finish. Is it inspection clean? No. Does it fire my ****ty ammo every single time? Yes.

[HotRails]

Can shooting without cleaning for extended times accelerate wear? I've also read that constantly completely dissassembling (detail stripping) the rifle can accelerate the rifle as well.

[SubSolar]

Weapon Shield on everything.

[kdm]

Hoppes #9 for my SLR-95. In addition to the usual wet patches/nylon brush thru the bore, I clean every nook and cranny...kinda anal about it, but it's the only evil black rifle I've got. Every 500 rounds or so I'll disassemble the bolt and detail clean it.

Then I'll put a dab of the Hoppes behind each ear. Stuff smells great.

[ocabj]

I use a bore-snake and whatever I have in the drawer to clean the barrel -- usually its breakfree or CLP. Why? Cause two pulls through the barrel with a bore snake and that ****er is clean. No rods, no pads, no nothing... quick and easy.
...
Is it inspection clean? No. Does it fire my ****ty ammo every single time? Yes.

It may not be 'inspection' clean, yet clean enough to fire your ammo. But it isn't clean enough to minimize the effects of corrosion in that bore.

Fouling attracts moisture. Moisture leads to corrosion.

And with the regiment described, two passes of a Bore-snake isn't going to get much out of the barrel. You're basically adding more fouling, both carbon and copper, than you're taking out. With enough rounds in the gun, the amount of build-up could get pretty severe, leading to increased pressures.