Pipe cleaners

[Nikola]

Every how-to I've read on cleaning the AR bolt carrier has told me to use 'pipe cleaners' to clean out the firing pin channel and gas key. Maybe this is a dumb question, but what are pipe cleaners? Are they talking about the multicolored fuzzy wire things I made craft projects with when I was a kid? Is there such a thing as a 'professional' pipe cleaner?

[Soldier415]

Every how-to I've read on cleaning the AR bolt carrier has told me to use 'pipe cleaners' to clean out the firing pin channel and gas key. Maybe this is a dumb question, but what are pipe cleaners? Are they talking about the multicolored fuzzy wire things I made craft projects with when I was a kid? Is there such a thing as a 'professional' pipe cleaner?

Nope, just use the cheap ones from the craft shop or anywhere. We have been using them i the Army for a long while to get those places in the bold as well as the gas tube.

[jfred90]

I also use them to clean the gunk from behind the extractor's on my pistols.

[xrMike]

A solvent-soaked q-tip will go into your gas key if you roll the end between your thumb and first finger a couple of times.

[SJshooter]

If you go to a tobacco shop that sells nice pipes and ask for pipecleaners you'll get a version that is more sturdy, thicker, and useful than if you just hit the local art store. The dime store version usually bends way too easily for any serious cleaning effort.

[-hanko]

If you go to a tobacco shop that sells nice pipes and ask for pipecleaners you'll get a version that is more sturdy, thicker, and useful than if you just hit the local art store. The dime store version usually bends way too easily for any serious cleaning effort.

You can also get some with little brass bristles woven in the cotton. Buy a bunch, they tend to get used fast.

-hanko

[naimad]

mstn sells some nice kits

http://www.mstn.biz/index.php?option=com_joomla_store&jStore=index&cPath=8_31&Itemid=27

[rivviepop]

Any head shop has pipe cleaners that are pretty good, I use both the soft kind and the scratchy kind for both revolvers and semis. This being Norcal, there are no shortages of head shops... they usually run like $2 a bundle if I recall correctly.

[DedEye]

Any head shop has pipe cleaners that are pretty good, I use both the soft kind and the scratchy kind for both revolvers and semis. This being Norcal, there are no shortages of head shops... they usually run like $2 a bundle if I recall correctly.

Nice, didn't think about buying pipe cleaners there! I looked for quite a while and couldn't find any locally; time to check the one place I hadn't searched.

On a related note, is it true that you shouldn't clean the gas tube?

[Army]

A solvent-soaked q-tip will go into your gas key if you roll the end between your thumb and first finger a couple of times.

No...bad juju! Most "Q-tips" are not made of cotton anymore. There is a very good chance you will leave much of the "tip" behind in the key. This will be flash melted to your bolt stem on the first shot.

Even the famously stubborn US Army, has put out the word to stop using Q-tip applicators for weapons cleaning.

[xrMike]

Thanks for the info; I will stop doing it!

[gunn]

Any head shop has pipe cleaners that are pretty good, I use both the soft kind and the scratchy kind for both revolvers and semis. This being Norcal, there are no shortages of head shops... they usually run like $2 a bundle if I recall correctly.

Remember, if they ask, it's to clean tobacco accessories
-g

[rivviepop]

Remember, if they ask, it's to clean tobacco accessories
-g

Even better is when you're buying q-tips and ask "I'm looking for the cheap kind from China or whatever that aren't fluffy and really tightly wound and don't come apart". Always fun trying to come up with a non-gun answer for that one...

[DedEye]

Remember, if they ask, it's to clean tobacco accessories
-g

No way, tell them the truth! It's much more fun to see the hippies' already bugged out eyes get even larger .

[QuarterBoreGunner]

A solvent-soaked q-tip will go into your gas key if you roll the end between your thumb and first finger a couple of times.

Uh huh... and then this happened:

There is a very good chance you will leave much of the "tip" behind in the key

I had one hell of a time getting that little bit of cotton or whatever the fiber is, out of the key. Eventually resorted to canned air to blow it out. What a pain. Stuck with pipe cleaners after that.