1st time AR cleaning

IDPA Mike

IDPA Mike

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Wow.
I just completed cleaning and lubing my AR-15. It was very difficult to reach some areas, so now I am on the hunt for extra cleaning supplies. Pipe cleaners, narrow but long tooth brush, and anything else I can think of.
It took about 1 hour and 15 min. to complete the task.
Being my first time, I hope to reduce the time.
How many rounds in between cleanings? I shot about 400 before cleaning.
Any recommendations will be welcomed.
Thanks, Mike
 
Last edited:
IDPA Mike said:
Wow.
I just completed cleaning and lubing my AR-15. It was very difficult to reach some areas, so now I am on the hunt for extra cleaning supplies. Pipe cleaners, narrow but long tooth brush, and anything else I can think of.
It took about 1 hour and 15 min. to complete the task.
Being my first time, I hope to reduce the time.
How many rounds in between cleanings? I shot about 400 before cleaning.
Any recommendations will be welcomed.
Thanks, Mike
Click to expand...

it definitely does not need to take over an hour. What parts exactly are you cleaning that took so much time, and what areas did you find difficult to reach?
 
The bolt assembly and the inside of the upper,where the barrel starts, Star shaped.
Not the right terminology, but I'm sure you know where I'm talking about.
Thanks, Mike
 
I think it's brownells that make a star shaped cleaning pad for the barrel extension. They also make huge q-tip looking things with a thin metal handle that bends. Makes quick work of cleaning the AR.
 
You are spending way too much time. 20 minutes is usually enough.

-Mike
 
Get a milsurp AR field cleaning kit, it has the right stuff for the job.

A piece of copper pipe flattened and with a slight edge will scrape the bolt clean and not damage anything.

A good cleaning takes me 25 minutes or so. My gun starts to shoot better with 500 rounds down the pipe and I don't brush the barrel to death.

The boss is pretty good at it I bet.
 
IDPA Mike said:
The bolt assembly and the inside of the upper,where the barrel starts, Star shaped.
Not the right terminology, but I'm sure you know where I'm talking about.
Thanks, Mike
Click to expand...

The bolt carrier group is easy to clean. Remove the bolt, cam pin, and firing pin. You can use CLP to surface clean these. Just use a brush to get crud out of the locking lugs on the bolt and clean up the bolt face. Then, lube the bolt and cam pin generously (as in there should be a thick layer of lube on it). You can clean out the gas key and the inside of the bolt carrier group with q-tips or pipe cleaners pretty quickly, no need to get them spotless. The contact surfaces on the BCG also need to be lubed generously, you can identify them by the wear marks. Then reassemble and you are good to go.

They make the star shaped chamber brushes for cleaning out the nooks of the chamber. It's a nice tool to have. Do not try to stick pipe cleaners or what not down the gas tube to try and clean it. You can see the gas tube sticking out right above the barrel when you look into the upper receiver. Clean the barrel in the normal fashion, such as using a boresnake, barrel brush, and patches. That's really all you need to do for the upper.


This should take 20 minutes or less. Very intense 'white glove' type cleaning probably hurts more than helps the rifle.
 
Fixxah said:
Get a milsurp AR field cleaning kit, it has the right stuff for the job.

A piece of copper pipe flattened and with a slight edge will scrape the bolt clean and not damage anything.

A good cleaning takes me 25 minutes or so. My gun starts to shoot better with 500 rounds down the pipe and I don't brush the barrel to death.

The boss is pretty good at it I bet.
Click to expand...

The bolt was gummed up and not chambering rounds with ease.
When I took it apart, there was a lot of build up.
Maybe the ammo was dirty.
I have started using my own ammo now. BLC-2 powder.
 
15 minutes, once a year or 2000 rds, whichever comes first.
Concentrate on the BCG and don't worry so much about the barrel.
 
This is the best and simplest way to maintain the AR.

Just click on the pages to advance the document. I copied it and keep it as a .pdf for giving to those new to the AR.
 
Last edited:
PatMcD said:
15 minutes, once a year or 2000 rds, whichever comes first.
Concentrate on the BCG and don't worry so much about the barrel.
Click to expand...

Ok, I will buy that you may get 2000 rounds with out a full cleaning, but you must relube at some point. Even with upgraded extractor spring and correct buffer/spring I will start seeing failures somewhere between 1200-1500 if I do not stop and lube the bolt/carrier. If I go so far as to remove the bolt and carrier and hose it down with CLP, shake off the excess, and drop it back it normally runs fine up to 2000 which is the most I have ever shot with out fully stripping it down for a cleaning.

For removing carbon, I really like the CAT. I have a friend who makes knives that made me a small piece of G10 that is round on one end to act as a punch and the other end is flat and about the size of a mediumish flat screw driver. It helps run cleaning patches into tight spaces and clean the bolt head as well as the rails on pistols.
 
One of my Ar's that I use for classes has never been cleaned and I only shoot crap ammo through it. I just hose the bolt down with CLP every once in a while. If it ever starts screwing up I'll think about cleaning it.
 
P-14 said:
This is the best and simplest way to maintain the AR.

Just click on the pages to advance the document. I copied it and keep it as a .pdf for giving to those new to the AR.
Click to expand...


I think I may need to print out that PDF just for fun to put in my AR case.
 
10-15 mins for the bolt carrier and bolt. 5 minute wash down of everything else. Boresnake through the bore and done.
 
IDPA Mike said:
Wow.
I just completed cleaning and lubing my AR-15. It was very difficult to reach some areas, so now I am on the hunt for extra cleaning supplies. Pipe cleaners, narrow but long tooth brush, and anything else I can think of.
It took about 1 hour and 15 min. to complete the task.
Being my first time, I hope to reduce the time.
How many rounds in between cleanings? I shot about 400 before cleaning.
Any recommendations will be welcomed.
Thanks, Mike
Click to expand...

I shoot mine until it won't shoot any more!
 
bfm said:
Ok, I will buy that you may get 2000 rounds with out a full cleaning, but you must relube at some point. Even with upgraded extractor spring and correct buffer/spring I will start seeing failures somewhere between 1200-1500 if I do not stop and lube the bolt/carrier. If I go so far as to remove the bolt and carrier and hose it down with CLP, shake off the excess, and drop it back it normally runs fine up to 2000 which is the most I have ever shot with out fully stripping it down for a cleaning.
Click to expand...

You are correct. If I work the action slowly and it seems "catchy", I'll blast some CLP, WD40, whatever I have nearby on the BCG. That's it. End of season (November), I'll take the bolt apart and scrape it out, and if I feel anal, I'll put some Kroil in the bore for 20 minutes and then run a boresnake down it.

Believe me: I know I'm stupid. Everybody I shoot with says I'm an idiot for letting my rifle get so dirty. Only thing is: I've never had a fail-to-fire and I still can post a respectable 600yd score towards the end of the season.
 
PatMcD said:
You are correct. If I work the action slowly and it seems "catchy", I'll blast some CLP, WD40, whatever I have nearby on the BCG. That's it. End of season (November), I'll take the bolt apart and scrape it out, and if I feel anal, I'll put some Kroil in the bore for 20 minutes and then run a boresnake down it.

Believe me: I know I'm stupid. Everybody I shoot with says I'm an idiot for letting my rifle get so dirty. Only thing is: I've never had a fail-to-fire and I still can post a respectable 600yd score towards the end of the season.
Click to expand...

No, it is not stupid. barrels do not need as much cleaning as many give them. You might be slightly increasing wear on the bolt group, but most well put together guns will run 1000 rounds with out a failure. And even then lubing the bolt and carrier will set them running again. On a normal day out I shoot no where near that much, but I have taken a few courses that can run 500-1000 rounds in a day. I try to add a drop of lube every couple hundred rounds or take a break after 500 and spray it down and put it back together.
 
PatMcD said:
You are correct. If I work the action slowly and it seems "catchy", I'll blast some CLP, WD40, whatever I have nearby on the BCG. That's it. End of season (November), I'll take the bolt apart and scrape it out, and if I feel anal, I'll put some Kroil in the bore for 20 minutes and then run a boresnake down it.

Believe me: I know I'm stupid. Everybody I shoot with says I'm an idiot for letting my rifle get so dirty. Only thing is: I've never had a fail-to-fire and I still can post a respectable 600yd score towards the end of the season.
Click to expand...

Nice!! [grin]
 

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