I bought 4 identical complete AR15 uppers.  One for each of my kids (kids...ha...39, 37, 34 and myself).

I would like to keep each upper, as it has arrived, matched with its barrel, bolt, and bolt carrier.   We all live in the same town and will be shooting together.   Sometimes after a shooting session we do a clean on our other guns, but they are all different (non-AR platforms).

It would be nice to dump all our BCGs in a cleaning container to soak as we clean the rest of the rifle, then be able to rematch the BCG to its upper.

I thought about using a small center punch and putting matching dots on the upper, bolt carrier, and bolt. Also, I have a metal engraver that I could id each piece.

I thought it best to ask.  Sureley (Don't call me Shirley.), I'm not the first to experience this.  They just came in yesterday and I am in the process of cleaning them up from the factory and can see where this may become an issue.   I'm doing it one at a time, but I can see a potential issues if there were three other guns and people in the mix!

I think it is important to keep the Bolt, Bolt Carrier, and uppers together.

Any thoughts and insights are appreciated.

-GaryB
Starkville, MS

Mark them.

You choose how.

First world problem solved.

I clean one gun at a time, and see no need to soak a BCG.  I just spray mine off with brake parts cleaner, wipe it down, then oil it back up.

I don't see why you could not just scribe small lines on the BCG in area not being a wear area.  I,II,III,IIII or IV.

Wrap a twist-tie or two, or three around them prior to dunkin’ em?

Just what came to mind...

Pay Attention?

Colored zip ties. Harbor freight sells them cheap with multiple colors included.

Are you kidding me??  You are expecting a lot from a bunch of Mississippi good-ole-boys (RNs*)  .....even with out alcohol involved!!  And to clarify..there WILL NOT be any alcohol involved.

Hahahahaha....


* not Registered Nurses

If it were me cleaning each one of them I don't think there would be a problem.  But I feel that eventually someone is going to say about some part... "Is that yours or mine??"

Thanks for the reply!

https://www.ar15.com/forums/manageReply.html?a=squote&b=3&f=7&t=733911&tl=How-do-you-keep-multiple-bolts-BCGs-and-uppers-matched-while-cleaning-&r=7784639&page=1#

More than likely this will be the way I'll do it...  As long as I don't use the hand grinder or wielder to mark 'em I should be ok..   (I'm just having a bit of fun with this ole county boy's up-bringing.  I really, really wouldn't do that!)

Just need to borrow a hand held laser engraver!  ....no...

Thanks for your reply!

Yep, I think that is what I'll do...   No confusion from now on if I do...

I was just checking to see if someone had a unique way and a do/don't do before I started.

Thanks for your response!

Don't bother to clean them?

Electro pencil?

I clean each gun one at a time.

It saves a lot of time if you do all of them at once if they're the same caliber.

Thanks for the replies!

I think I'll mark the bolt, bolt carrier, and the upper with an engraving pen.

It seems that some missed the point that "I" am not going to be cleaning them at one time.  If so, there would be no problem.  I'd do them one at a time.  When the 4 of us get together and shoot and then we ALL clean guns after we shoot.  This is where the problem may occur.  There is a good chance that cleaning "stuff" will be shared and a potential for someone's parts to be confused with another's...

I was just checking to see if someone had a unique way of marking parts.

Thanks to all again....

GaryB

Yeah I can see that. One other thing is unlike the OP none of mine are exactly the same.

Gary,

I know your concern and what you are trying to do....

As an engineer in a refinery and dealing with machinery on a daily basis, we take every precaution to keep all parts segregated even if the pumps, turbines, what ever, are identical.

I carry this over with my weapons also.   I will clean as many as 6 at a time.    To keep things segregated, I went to the Everything's a Dollar store and picked up about 10 of the 6 X 9 inch baking pans and use these for all the parts.  These sit on my bench and I use blue tape to label each one...each upper is configured differently, so easy to identify.  Or if working on a lower, use the serial number

Has worked for me very well.

77

I like that.

OP I would recommend using separate plastic/tupperware dishes for each rifle.  That way you can literally write on the lid with a sharpie which parts go to which rifle and just reuse the cleaning solvent.  I know this can be costly as it pertains to the amount of solvent you would need for each.  Other than that you run the risk of mixing up extractors, pins etc.  I hope this helps.