AR Sponsor
Posted: 9/12/2007 6:27:39 AM EDT
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Cleaning and lubrication is not the sexiest topic, but a number of folks have pestered me to put this up, so I am yielding to a little arm-twisting. The kit shown below is what we have used in our shop for some time. While it looks pretty simple (and it is), it does some things that are not immediately apparent, so a little explanation is needed. When we first started testing GunButter a few years ago, we liked the product but struggled with two things. One, it's expensive for the amount you get (not if you use as intended, but it's easy to waste it), and two, it was hard to apply without using more than necessary. Expensive is a relative term however and GB became a sought after product and one that we would not want to do without. We like it so much that we provide a free lube pen with every custom upper we build. We used a lot of it in the shop (we clean and lube a lot of uppers), so we looked for a way to do a better job and save a little cash in the process. One of the unique properties of GunButter is it's incredible adhesion. Applied to clean metal surfaces, it stays where you put it with amazing tenacity. With heavy use, an AR upper will get dirty, but not as much as typical, and underneath the fouling, a layer of GunButter remains. What this allows is easy, quick cleaning, with no solvents needed to remove the fouling. Then, a reapplication of Gunbutter and you are ready to go again. We have been doing this for a long time, it works, and works well. But in order to easily clean and reapply the oil we needed a better system than shop rags, patches and Q-tips. Much as I like them, all of these products shed fibers, and these fibers reduce the effectiveness of any lubricant (contamination). Add when used as applicators they tend to be single use items, so we ended up throwing away a lot of perfectly good lubricant. We looked for a better solution, and the simple kit shown below is the result.  We ended up using only three different swabs. One small round one for applying lube inside the carrier and on bolt heads, cams, etc.  Another to lube inside the receiver and on the exterior surfaces of the BCG. The lollipop shape gets into narrow arreas well, is fast on flat surfaces, and conforms nicely to the interior bore of hte upper receiver.  And a third that we use primarily for cleaning prior to relube. This one has one end that has a dual-foam mitt. One side is soft and somewhat absorbent, the other is very open and scrubs well. The head can be wiped on a paper towel or shop rag and will release captured fouling easily. Once you are finished celaning, a quick shot of a clear solvent and a squeeze inside a rag or paper towl, and the swab head is ready to go again. Some solvents will attack the foam, so best to test one first. We use KG-3 and reuse these swabs many times before chucking them.  The lube swabs are designed to be used and reused. They hold the lube well, but give it up readily when applying. If you hit a corner and overlube, they suck it right back up with just a touch. No waste, no spills. The box has a place for one of each lube swab to be stored where they won't contaminate the new swabs, and will retain the lube without making a mess. (If you lay one down on your bench and drop a rag, patch, etc. on the swab, the lube will wick out.) The kits are available here as are bulk replacement swabs and the incredible GunButter lube. |
Same goes for your kids/clothes/furniture etc. 
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CLP is actually pretty toxic... Many solvents are even more toxic and can cause real liver and skin damage over time. As much as I hate it, gloves are a must unless you are using a tool kit like this. IMO, this kit is a must have if you care about your health. I have been using similar tools that I got from the medics for a long time. The gun butter is good stuff! |
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One that I wouldn't have believed if it hadn't happened to me... Most people I know think of titanium as being pretty inert, non-reactive, etc. I wear a titanium wedding ring that is very light, comfortable, and strong. It does have one main drawback though. even a small amount of splashback from spraying GunScrubber that comes into contact with the titanium will cause a strong caustic reaction to my finger. It starts burning immediately and sears the top layer of skin in few seconds. I am careful to avoid it, but my wife loves it. Ring on or ring off, my ring finger has a permanent imprint now, like a brand. |
Good stuff. And damn Paul, your website got massively more user friendly. Two thumbs up. |
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Hey Lumpy, Thanks for the props! Seems like I have been leading a double life for the last year or so, getting our new digs rolled out. We still have a ways to go, but it's presentable, at least. Building websites was fun when I had an entire team of developers doing the work. Not so much when it's just me and anyone I can con into helping. I get a lot more trigger time now though. And I can't say I miss the 250k of frequent flyer miles every year. |
The upper I picked up to do the pics with has one of our ACOG-cut receivers. Not a mainstream product. but one that we build quite a few 3-gun uppers on. The M16 blade mount that the fullsize ACOGs utilize is a throwback to the days when all receivers had carry handles (M16A2). They adapted the blade mount for flattop use with the TA51 mount. ARMS made another version, and Larue has the current best of class aftermarket rail mount. They all do the best they can with the blade as a starting point, but they are all too tall for optimal cheekweld/head position. Great for a combat sight where you need some flexibilty anyway, but less than perfect for sport use. Since the TA11 is the far and away most popular ACOG for competition (forgiving eye relief and the ability to shoot it "over the top"), we decided to optimize the mounting position by milling the mounting dovetail into the flattop receiver (before anodizing) instead of using a separate mount. While I would not recommend one on a fighting gun (no backup sight options), it does put the TA11 in the perfect position for fast, up close target transitions, and provides a very consistent locked-in cheekweld for longer precision shooting. They aren't for everyone but the guys who shoot them keep coming back for more. There are two mounting holes through the top of the receiver that are couter sunk on the inside. We make special screws that fit flush inside and don't interfere with the charging handle. The mount is as solid as any ACOG dovetail mount. I have one that is always in my truck that has probably riden 35,000 miles mounted that way and has never changed zero. |
Guess who is using the foam swabs for her makeup? Yep, my lovely bride has decided that all those $40 natural bristle brushes are too valuable to abuse by hauling them around. Now they stay at home on display and the foam swabs are going on all the road trips. Edited to add: She doesn't use the GunButter though. Says it makes her cheeks too rosy! |
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I was just wondering if you guys work 24/7? I placed an online order Sunday afternoon for a Nightforce scope. A couple of hours later I got an email saying the status had changed to shipped! On a Sunday! Then on Monday I got a tracking number and it's supposed to be delivered on Thursday. Way to go. Great service.  John |
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Wes, I have just received your new Lube Kit. It is a nice product with the different size foam swabs and GunButter! I have just finished assembling a new AR-15 build. I plan to use excessive lube for the break in. I would like your opinion on what lube to use during this break in. CLP, GunButter, or something else? Mavenite |
If you are using a billet receiver and a polished carrier, GunButter will work fine from the start. If you are using a forged receiver and a phosphated carrier, break-in will be easier and smoother using your favorite brand of CLP liberally and often. Parts that are smooth to start with don't need the extra protection and cleaning that CLP provides. Standard components do benefit from CLP for the first 500 rounds or so. You will notice when the gun starts running noticeably smoother. Then you can dial back the CLP, or do a down-to-bare cleaning and start with GunButter. On the inside of the bolt carrier and on the bolt itself, I like GunButter from the start. It keeps the bolt from getting carboned up and the gas rings seat very quickly. |
You can buy the swabs on our site, (as well as the kits.) All foam swabs are not created equal. We tested samples of over 20 types of foam to find ones that were compatible with the lubes and solvents we use. many we tried worked poorly. Some fell apart immediately, others would not hold and release lube at a desireable rate. Few worked at all for normal cleaning chores. We narrowed the best foams we found down to three different swabs with handles the right size and stiffness for use on guns, and particularly on AR receivers. |
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