Am I the only one who's done this? Today while cleaning my rifle after some practice yesterday for a match this weekend, I found myself in a bad position; I have no carbon scraper.

So, I started digging through my cleaning box and found some stripper clips. I pulled the goldish metal out from inside, and procided to use the stripper to scrape carbon off the bolt.

I then used it with a large patch of fabric to scrape/clean inside the bolt carrier, where the bolt is inserted; the bottom edge when looking down inside always seems to have a good amount of carbon build up.

Is this ok to do? Can I "hurt" the carrier or bolt surfaces by using a stripper clip as a carbon scraper? For what it's worth, the thing worked great

-Will

what is to hurt? Don't gouge it of course

I don't know, that's why I asked; LOL.

Yeah, I'm trying to make sure I'm careful with it.

No problem, you don't need one.  Trying to scrape off carbon from the back of the bolt just creates wear/damage, and is unnecessary since the carbon deposit is self-limiting.

So it's ok to let the carbon build up on the carrier, and on the corresponding area on the bolt?

To be honest, I've never seen the carbon on the bolt like I did today. That's not a huge surprise though, as I'm still a noob with very few total rounds down range.

your scraping tool is fine and will not damage the bolt.  If brass baranges the bolt used in this fashion your bolt is verry soft.

Thanks. Brass?? I'm using the steal part of the stripper clip (the outside), not the brass insert (if that's what the metal is).

ETA: this is a FN FA BCG.

Yes.  If you soak the parts in a solvent bath (one member here recommended 1/2 Break Free and 1/2 odorless mineral spirits) the majority of the carbon will come off anyway, but even if you don't do that just wipe off with a paper towel or scrub with a toothbrush or whatever and your choice in cleaner, lube and reassemble.

I'll have to try that formula, as I have both handy.

I just use an AP brush and Hoppes #9 usually.

Thanks for the input guys!

The drill instructors had us all keep a stripper clip in our cleaning kits for this very purpose.

With this we can /thread

I'm going to have get a stripper clip now. I usually use clp and a knife... Always worked just fine.

Stripper clips are GTG, but I love my C.A.T. M4 tool for cleaning, worth all 2000 pennies I paid for it.