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ADVICE ON CLEANING AR

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  • #16
    romeomikelima
    Member
    • Dec 2009
    • 314

    M-Pro 7 on toothbrush, scrub to loosen grime, then wipe off with a rag. Repeat if necessary. Use dental picks to scrape off the stuff that cannot be wiped off. Once the big stuff has been wiped off, use M-Pro 7 on Q-tips to get to hard to reach places and scrub til' the q-tips start coming out clean... It takes me about half a box sometimes. Now for the most important part, lube down the parts. Pay special attention to areas that show wear since this will indicate where it needs to get lubed. The oil can be applied using a q-tip... this also gives you another chance at inspection. If the q-tip comes out dirty then looks like you need to clean it some more. Take it from a grunt that's been in the sandbox, you can't clean your AR enough! You won't hurt it and no you can't overclean it.

    I have to admit that my method takes lots of patience. But overtime, you'll get use to it. For me, it's actually become therapeutic and relaxing. But then again that's just me. I keep all my guns clean. I don't feel like I can fully rely on them when they're not... which makes me feel like crap.

    Comment

    • #17
      romeomikelima
      Member
      • Dec 2009
      • 314

      Originally posted by ANDREWMENDEZ
      So you hear one gunsmith/Former Marine tell you that your over cleaning it and your going to dismiss what EVERY ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY is taught? In Vietnam when the M16 was put into play, they experimented with different twist, and your going to say the military is now incapable of making accurate training reports? CLP and cotton pads are not going to do a damn thing to your AR, but protect them. Shoving a wire brush or bore snake thru the areas where a bullet travels thru, is probably not going to do to much. I will agree that you can shot the hell out of your AR without giving it a cleaning, but that does not mean you shouldn't clean it. I will tell you what, after basic training, shoot me a PM, and let me know then if you still think cleaning an AR is something you should never do is the proper way to take care of it. I will respect your answer either way.
      I second this. When I was active as an airborne infantryman: if we were in garisson and had nothing else planned on a Monday, we would be cleaning our rifles. And if nothing was planned for that next Monday, guess what we would be doing? Cleaning our rifles. The next Monday after that, well you get the picture. I was fortunate enough to get a squad leader that was real anal when it came to weapons maintenance... I hated it at the time... but now I thank him.

      I can almost guarantee you that many people on CG who think they know how to clean guns, don't. They would fail if I had to inspect it. I say: clean that thing like your life depends on it.

      Comment

      • #18
        xaaronx
        Junior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 91

        I loled at some of the suggestions. Dont mess with your gas tube, ever. Dont use brake cleaner on your rifle, you dont need anything that harsh to get the job done easy, plus it strips oil OUT of the metal and leaves it vulnerable until you actually get oil build-up deep into those microscopic cracks, which could take awhile. Dont use WD 40 for anything on your rifle. Use a good cleaning solvent, and use a synthetic motor oil to lube. Buy a boresnake and be happy.
        "REPR" Is a buzzword (buzzacronym) I cant wait to see float off into "made up useless term" heaven.

        http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...3&postcount=35

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        • #19
          Pryde
          Veteran Member
          • Oct 2005
          • 2506

          Originally posted by ANDREWMENDEZ
          I am not sure where you heard this, but i am calling FUD.

          This is my method, similar if not the same thing the Marines do. First and foremost, take the upper and lower apart.

          Get yourself one of these:

          Its USGI issued, and works well. I want to say gunbroker sells them for about 20~ bucks, and it fits right into your A2 buttstock.

          The first thing I do is take apart the bolt carrier. Remove the firing pin retaining pin first, twist your cam pin and slide the bolt out, then remove the firing pin. Grab your all purpose brush, looks like a tooth brush, squeeze some CLP from the little bottle onto it, and go to town on all the parts until on the carbon is off. If it is caked onto the bolt, you can use the firing pin to break it up. Scrub the charging handle with the brush, it will be significantly cleaner though. Now grab a cotton cleaning pad, and wipe everything down until it is a light Grey if your not too picky, or until its clear if you like me.
          Set the bolt carrier aside on something clean
          Grab your brush and clean the inside of the Upper receiver. Clean it up with the tooth brush, it should be fairly clean, then wipe away all the dirty CLP. Put together the polls. Grab the small wire brush, throw some CLP on it, and slide it from the chamber to the end of the barrel (same way the bullet goes), it should slide out the other side. Repeat a few times. Grab the loop eye and stick a small piece of cloth and slide it in the same way, pull it out, repeat 1 or 2 more times until it comes out clean. Your flash hider might also need a quick cleaning, so grab the brush that is used for the chamber, squirt some more CLP on it, and clean it up. You should be able to wipe it clean with your finger and cloth. Do the same thing to the chamber, however, make sure you stick it in til the fat part on the wire brush is pushed up against it. You can also clean this part out with a piece of cloth and your finger.
          Go wash your hands, if they are dirty, then rub some CLP on yours hands like its lotion.
          Rub the bolt in your hands til it has an even shiny gloss to it, but not overdone, to the same thing to the firing pin, cam pin and put it back together, slide in your firing pin retaining pin, give the entire bolt carrier a quick rub in your hands til it has an even light shiny coat, but not too much. Do the same thing to the charging handle, and inside of the Upper receiver. You can also give a light coat to the LPK, but it doesn't need much. It should all have an even coat though.
          Reassemble the complete upper, and lower. ***MAKE SURE THE BOLT IS OUT BEFORE SLIDING IN BACK IN TO THE UPPER***
          Give the entire rifle a quick rub down with your hands so it is all protected by the CLP.

          Your good to go.
          Wow this post and this thread is just full of serious fail. You obviously have no f'ing clue whatsoever and are just spouting out wrong information.

          Just because the military does it one way does not mean it is correct. I was in the Marines and I can tell you the regimented weapons cleaning was just a way to kill time because there is a sh*ton of downtime: you give your junior enlisted grunts something stupid to keep themselves occupied so they don't go around breaking sh*t. BTW that one former Marine, Dean Caputo, happens to be one of the most respected, experienced, and trained Colt armorers in the entire United States.

          You are setting yourself up for failure using those POS USGI cleaning kits, that steel segmented rod is gonna scratch the hell out of your barrel and that CLP is going to gum up your bore. It is almost unheard of in competition shooting to use any sort of teflon product on your bore because it ruins accuracy.

          Also, for the love of god do not rub CLP on your hands like lotion. CLP has many dangerous hydrocarbons which can be absorbed through the skin and is toxic to your liver. Where the hell do you hear crap like this and why would you suggest something so irresponsible and dangerous to someone else? Don't believe me? Read this: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs...elect23=Choose
          Last edited by Pryde; 03-21-2010, 2:45 AM.

          Comment

          • #20
            Seesm
            Calguns Addict
            • Nov 2008
            • 7812

            Bottom line is we all have different ideas on how to clean our ar15 pattern rifles... Do it your way... I look at all of you going back and forth and all I see is we agree to disagree...

            Comment

            • #21
              romeomikelima
              Member
              • Dec 2009
              • 314

              I'm nobody's fan boy. I know what works from my personal experience and that is what I go by. My guns have always worked when I needed them and that is all the proof I need that my method works.

              I've seen military people with their rifles malfunction because they were too complacent to clean it. Simply doing the minimun is not an option when my life and the lives of those around me depend on it.

              You CANNOT clean your AR enough. Scraping it to the point of damage is not the same as cleaning it. That's called DAMAGING your weapon which would be a really stupid thing to do. Anyone with common sense would know not to scrape the metal off their gun.

              Cleaning your guns in a "regimented" way makes absolute sense. It teaches you discipline, which permeates in all facets of your life. If you don't have the discipline to care for your rifle then you won't have the discipline for other things. A thourough cleaning also gives you a sense of trust in your weapon. It also forces you to fully inspect every single nook and cranny and to identify potential problems that may arise. Without having the discipline and the insight to pick this up during weapons maintenance is simply asking for trouble down the road. Another benefit is that you get to fully know your weapon in a personal sense... a thing us military guys take for granted but to which civilians lack. Just because you can put together an AR does not make you an AR expert.

              Now let me ask you a question. Hopefully this will put things into perspective. If you wash a car with dirty water, how does it come out? Now imagine not thoroughly cleaning your AR (simply doing "good enough"). You then lube it up and put it away. Over the course of time after time where you're not thoroughly cleaning your AR and you're lubing it and putting it away; do you think that the AR will magically clean itself or do you think it will gunk up and raise the chances of you having a malfunction?

              I clean all my guns with this philosophy. I clean them like my life depends on it because who knows, maybe one day it will. DISCIPLINE, something I learned as a paratrooper, but it goes a long way.

              Don't be a fan boy of nobody. Try it and test it. If it works then good for you. If not then find your own way.

              Comment

              • #22
                CHS
                Moderator Emeritus
                CGN Contributor - Lifetime
                • Jan 2008
                • 11338

                Cleaning a gun doesn't do one thing for function (except the bore, and only occasionally).

                Proper maintenance is what keeps a gun functioning.

                The only thing that an AR needs for proper maintenance, is lubrication. When properly lubricated, the parts of an AR that need to be cleaned will be self-cleaning.

                Boresnake every couple thousand rounds, lube as necessary, leave the cleaning kit in the attic.
                Please read the Calguns Wiki
                Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.
                --Cesare, Marquis of Beccaria, "On Crimes and Punishment"

                Comment

                • #23
                  technique
                  I need a LIFE!!
                  • Jan 2008
                  • 10639



                  Written by Pat Rogers....nuff said.
                  California Uber Alles, California Uber Alles
                  Uber Alles California, Uber Alles California

                  I am Governor Jerry Brown, My aura smiles and never frowns, Soon I will be President...

                  Comment

                  • #24
                    Greg-Dawg
                    Banned
                    • Oct 2006
                    • 7793

                    Start with the barrel first, then bolt carrier assembly and wipe everything down. Finally oil.

                    That's my technique.

                    Comment

                    • #25
                      limitdown
                      Member
                      • Jan 2010
                      • 466

                      Scrub all of the carbon gunk off of the bolt, carrier, upper and magazines. Unless you have a piston upper, in which case you'll just need to clean the barrel.
                      Why do we keep letting history repeat itself?....

                      "A retreat by the United States from Vietnam would be a Communist victory, a victory of massive proportions and would lead to World War III"
                      - Richard Nixon, May 1966:

                      Comment

                      • #26
                        Kerplow
                        Calguns Addict
                        • Dec 2009
                        • 8875

                        A friend tells me not to clean guns with penetrating lubes such as wd-40 because of the off chance it creeps its way into the primer and causes a dud. i think my ABC's of reloading also mentioned this.

                        has anyone actually ever experienced this?
                        Originally posted by MelvinoelGreat**
                        My friend, your Chargers sure are looking good tonight. They are only losing by 14 at the half, not to bad my friend.

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                        • #27
                          Pvt. Cowboy
                          Banned
                          • Oct 2006
                          • 2688

                          Originally posted by JOLLYROGER
                          Just looking for some advice on whats the best "ways" you all of found to clean it.
                          Basically I just use hot water.

                          After shooting my AR, I remove the bolt carrier and set it aside. I treat my bolt carrier with Militec before I go shooting. It bakes in.

                          I separate the upper and lower and take both to the shower or under the kitchen sink faucet and blast them with a high pressure stream of hot water. If the water is hot enough, the parts will air dry in a few moments. Wipe the rest of the moisture off using an old towel. If the receivers are extremely cruddy inside, I fill them up with Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner and let them sit for 15 mins before I blast them with water.

                          Then I grab the bolt carrier and wipe it dry with a shop rag. The Militec treatment seems to make cleaning easier. Every few times I go shooting, I may completely strip the bolt carrier assembly and do a detail cleaning.

                          One or two passes with a dry boresnake down the barrel will get the rest of the water and schmutz out of the bore.

                          Reassemble the AR and put it back in the safe that's full of desiccant and an electric drier tube.

                          PS: Don't use a sectional cleaning rod for running patches down your bore.

                          Comment

                          • #28
                            dwa
                            Senior Member
                            • Apr 2008
                            • 2452

                            just because the military does it does not mean it correct. weapons maintenance in the military is based on "this is what we did when i was a private so well do it this way now" and killing time. carbine have put down over 20,000 rounds at pat rodgers classes with simply re applying lube. for you screwdriver three day cleaning fans, can you articulate why an ar with carbon in it will not function. a properly lubed weapon will fire regardless of carbon buildup a sparkly clean poorly lubed weapon will not.
                            sigpic

                            Comment

                            • #29
                              AndrewMendez
                              C3 Leader
                              CGN Contributor - Lifetime
                              • Jan 2009
                              • 6777

                              Originally posted by Pryde
                              Wow this post and this thread is just full of serious fail. You obviously have no f'ing clue whatsoever and are just spouting out wrong information.

                              Just because the military does it one way does not mean it is correct. I was in the Marines and I can tell you the regimented weapons cleaning was just a way to kill time because there is a sh*ton of downtime: you give your junior enlisted grunts something stupid to keep themselves occupied so they don't go around breaking sh*t. BTW that one former Marine, Dean Caputo, happens to be one of the most respected, experienced, and trained Colt armorers in the entire United States.

                              You are setting yourself up for failure using those POS USGI cleaning kits, that steel segmented rod is gonna scratch the hell out of your barrel and that CLP is going to gum up your bore. It is almost unheard of in competition shooting to use any sort of teflon product on your bore because it ruins accuracy.

                              Also, for the love of god do not rub CLP on your hands like lotion. CLP has many dangerous hydrocarbons which can be absorbed through the skin and is toxic to your liver. Where the hell do you hear crap like this and why would you suggest something so irresponsible and dangerous to someone else? Don't believe me? Read this: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs...elect23=Choose
                              I can give a crap less what they do in competition shooting, explain to me just when they would use that rifle for anything besides competition shooting? Those rifles are kept in the safe until they are ready to come out. Do you understand the mechanics of an AR, and how parts rubbing together need to be lubriacted or they will destroy each other? Don't put CLP on your hands then, use a cotton, it does the same thing. CLP is a CLEANER, LUBRICATOR, and provides PROTECTION to the metal. Explain please what portion of that hurts the rifle? I have used the cleaning brush at least 100 times on my barrel, I just looked at it, there is not a single scratch on it. Looks just like the day I bought it. I wonder if that has anything to do with the level I take cleaning to. I also noticed that you have yet to provide your method of cleaning.
                              Need A Realtor in SoCal? Shoot me a PM. :cool:

                              Comment

                              • #30
                                AndrewMendez
                                C3 Leader
                                CGN Contributor - Lifetime
                                • Jan 2009
                                • 6777

                                I will agree with you guys by saying that the military cleans their rifles to overcome boredom. I will also agree that just because the military does it, does not make it right.
                                An AR with carbon on it will more the likely function flawlessly, that does not make it right. The carbon will continue to harden and get thicker, you don't think it will ever get to a point where it gets stuck?
                                How about this situation, you take your gun to the range, shoot 500 rounds thru it, put it back in your safe, take it out 3 months later, and shoot another 500 rounds thru it. Lets assume the ammo is not cleaning burning, something like wolf or brown bear, take it back home, put it in your safe. 3 months goes by and yet again, you take it out, 500 rounds later, bring it home, it sits there for 6 months.. you wake up at 4 am, because someone is breaking your door down. Are you going to confidently be able to grab your AR and stop the threat, or is the possibility that it might jam make you reach for something else instead???? Or are you going to go with the assumption that you shot 1500 rounds thru it, just fine, and its only been sitting there?? Just a thought.
                                Need A Realtor in SoCal? Shoot me a PM. :cool:

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