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Posted: 7/14/2023 1:28:35 PM EDT
[Last Edit: wormraper][Edited]
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I picked up a Dewey cleaning kit as well as a Sinclair bore guide and link since I've just been a lazy "Otis flexicable" cleaner for the last few years. Realized with the link I'd probably need a sled/cradle to hold it in place vs. just yanking the upper and slapping the otis cable through it free hand. I have ZERO idea of what to look for in a cradle, don't know what's a Piece of crap, and what is overkill for what I need. basically, just a simple man's cradle that is well built and not overly fancy. any suggestions ??? |
| This will sound dumb, but I use a plastic cat litter box to clean/hold most of my pistols and AR's. All the small stuff gets broken down and put in the bottom. The upper will sit across the top and let me clean the bore. Now if the cat ever finds out about this..... |
Death before dishonor, Drugs before lunch - Aspen Gun and Drug club.
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Originally Posted By Slingblade2006: This will sound dumb, but I use a plastic cat litter box to clean/hold most of my pistols and AR's. All the small stuff gets broken down and put in the bottom. The upper will sit across the top and let me clean the bore. Now if the cat ever finds out about this..... I kind of do the same, but I use a carboard box because they are free from the grocery store and I can cut out grooves or slots towards the top. I am a poors... 
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Originally Posted By Slingblade2006: This will sound dumb, but I use a plastic cat litter box to clean/hold most of my pistols and AR's. All the small stuff gets broken down and put in the bottom. The upper will sit across the top and let me clean the bore. Now if the cat ever finds out about this..... lol, that's hilarious. but doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of using a rod and patch? meaning I've always been told that the reason you use a sled or gun vise when using a rod and patch was so that it was locked in place and wouldn't move on you while you swabbed the patch down and the rod wouldn't knock into the barrel walls |
I use two sizes of Lyman gun cleaning mats for most things.
I also have some of these magwell blocks mounted in single and multiples. I use the single for cleaning and other AR work. 
A lot of people make magwell vice blocks. The company that made mine seemed to move on to a more complex line of mounting and storage products. If the block doesn't have a mounting base and you don't have a vice, you can drill and tap the bottom and use a wood plank to make a mount or cleaning cradle for almost nothing. A 3D printer can easily make one. |
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Originally Posted By wormraper: lol, that's hilarious. but doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of using a rod and patch? meaning I've always been told that the reason you use a sled or gun vise when using a rod and patch was so that it was locked in place and wouldn't move on you while you swabbed the patch down and the rod wouldn't knock into the barrel walls Originally Posted By wormraper: Originally Posted By Slingblade2006: This will sound dumb, but I use a plastic cat litter box to clean/hold most of my pistols and AR's. All the small stuff gets broken down and put in the bottom. The upper will sit across the top and let me clean the bore. Now if the cat ever finds out about this..... lol, that's hilarious. but doesn't that sort of defeat the purpose of using a rod and patch? meaning I've always been told that the reason you use a sled or gun vise when using a rod and patch was so that it was locked in place and wouldn't move on you while you swabbed the patch down and the rod wouldn't knock into the barrel walls I have yet to use a rod and patch on a AR. I have two bore snakes. One with the brush and one without. I use spray hoppes to soak the bore and let sit while I clean other parts. Then use the snake with the brush a few times. Then chamber brush if needed. Then spray with rem oil and run the snake with no brush through. It has worked for 20 years. I have replaced the snake with the brush once in 20 years. About every other cleaning I fill the litter box with hot water and laundry detergent and wash out the snakes and hang dry. |
Death before dishonor, Drugs before lunch - Aspen Gun and Drug club.
| if you have. bench vise, field strip the gun and put the upper into the vice. Goes without saying-not but so tight! I have a big piece of leather, 1'4" thick that's folded like a "U" that goes into the vice jaws and place a rag into that, clamps snug and works well. |
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I have been using these two items for decades to clean all sorts of guns. Neither is perfect for cleaning an AR but between the two of them they do a good job. Edited to add: The MTM cradle is great for any rifle or shotgun or an assembled AR. The Hoppe's is good for holding an upper or lower since it is adjustable.  
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FTFTWFMF
| I use a magwell block held in a vice with a upper lower link to keep everything rigid. I yank out the BCG and clean that separately, then use a bore guide and a carbon fiber rod on the barrel, and a non-spinning rod on the chamber with a chamber brush. Works well and isn't a hassle to store. |
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I do have an MTM Cradle, and it works fine. However I normally shoot off a Harris Bipod at the range. So I just open the AR up, and lock it in position with a Cleaning Link. I then pull the Charging Handle and Bolt Carrier Group out, and install my Possum Hollow Bore Guide. I am now ready to field clean the AR. In years past I brought my gear home to clean, which might or might not happen. I have built a couple of Gun Cleaning Box's. One for my Specialty Single Shot Handguns, and a second for my rifles. I am now clean everything before leaving the Range. No more not getting around to cleaning after a Range Session. The best set up I have seen belongs to our Club Secretary. It is I believe an MTM Gun Cleaning Box that has slots for the Same vertical members used with the MTM Cradle. I believe it is no longer produced. A cleaning box with a Cradle is as handy as pockets on a shirt. Bob R |
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+1 on the Tipton, I have the 'Best' gun vice, has a wide range of adjustments from 20" A2 length builds to shorty pistol builds. Great for cleaning to gunsmithing. Only had the Best a few years but bought their base vice for sporting rifles like 15 to 20 years, everything still works. Hard to beat for the money. |
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I have the MTM mentioned above, which works fine for simple cleaning; nothing more. Handy little containers. Especially great for taking to a match. I have a Tipton Best which I got for working on guns - it is 100% useless for that task. Cheap, floppy, flexible Chinese plastic. Clamps are useless, due to flexing. Would probably be fine for just cleaning. Only reason I don't toss it is I use it for bore-sighting. For simple, basic cleaning, I use the MTM. For more extensive/vigorous cleaning, I use an AR magazine block in a vise (for ARs) or some wood barrel clamps in a vise for other rifles. For any real work on a gun, THIS is what you need. I use it all the time for scope mounting and most any rifle work. I highly recommend it. 
It's STEEL, and it is MADE IN USA. No flexing. |
“As long as none of us gets hurt, we’re making memories.” - one GA trooper to another after shooting HOSTAGE 9 times
Their SHAME has become their PRIDE
Their SHAME has become their PRIDE
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If you're an Arfcom millionaire, you might like this, which just popped up in another Arfcom thread: https://www.area419.com/product/orange-bench-vise-maintenance-and-barrel-change-package/ |
“As long as none of us gets hurt, we’re making memories.” - one GA trooper to another after shooting HOSTAGE 9 times
Their SHAME has become their PRIDE
Their SHAME has become their PRIDE
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AZ, USA
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For those who value most the price tag on something for bragging rights. I bet they would leave the price tag sticker on it too for all to see! I’ve been using an earlier version of this for over 20 years with very few complaints. Newer versions are likely better but not worth it to me to upgrade. |
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I took a couple chunks of 1x4 and made cradle uprights, a bottom board, and two "feet" that stick out about 4" each side. then put 1/4" plywood sides on it for a tray to hold all the cleaning junk. cost me nothing. used old socks for padding on the cradles. keeps all the crap in one place, covered up in the old bath towel I put down on the surface I use for cleaning. maybe before I die I'll buy a nice setup like the mtm. more interested in buying ammo and gun parts so far. |
The deuce you say.
| I made one some 15 years ago out of scrap lumber, took me like 15 minutes. Still using it, works great. |
Smaug:"I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today". 1 dedicated marksman who held his ground and kept shooting:"Haha bow go twang!"
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I have an ancient unreliable 20 round mag I put in a bench vice. I use this to hold the action open and stable... https://deweyrods.com/product/ar-cleaning-link-tool/  Looks like amazon, and others are making similar ones... 
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Work bench, must be nice? Sou. Alabama is blastin' hot more than a few months per year. I'm not going to sit at a bench in the garage half the time. We have no basements, here. We have a 12 in. by 48 in. wide plywood board covered by a towel for GUN cleaning or non-whack AR tasks. It fits over (part of) the ginormous master, double sink area w/ Wifey's blessing. She's the best! There's a big USA-made vise, and a sturdy bench in our garage for cooler months, or when really needed. Reloading is performed indoors! Thankfully, The American South (and most of it's humans) welcome our hobby. |
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I use a plastic oil drain pan that you get from the automotive stores. For pistols I use CLP mostly to clean. But for rifles, I do it a bit differently where I would soak everything with a solvent, like Breakthrough suppressor cleaner or before that I would use wipeout bore cleaner (the tactical bottles they sell was a huge thing for me). And I would let it soak for a while, then I would wash everything with soapy water and simply reoil. Doing this method, I'm able to get the inside of the carrier so clean, that a dry patch would come out clean. It's so much easier to break down an AR than anything else though so it's quite easy to dry out and clean. |
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