AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/1/2009 5:19:36 PM EDT
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To the venerable QUIB and other maintenance-minded folks on here...
I am steadily building up my knowledge of firearms and maintenance since purchasing a year ago. Got a Varminter, M1A, 700P, 1911, and a P22. Right now most of my routine consists of CLPing and cleaning the barrel, chamber, and most obvious parts (like the AR receiver internals), and Otis cleaning the barrel and chamber for fine/spotless cleaning. I am very gingerly adding more stuff to the mix, because I'd like to avoid getting *too* into cleaning. Last weekend, for example, I just added non chlorinated brake cleaner to the lineup to clean out my bore brushes, per QUIB and others. And I recently picked up pipe cleaners to hit the various holes in the AR parts. My question is, what more should I *reasonably* be doing for my pieces? I start reading any articles on copper removers, carbon removers, or, heaven forbid, make the mistake of looking at a cleaning section of a catalog like Midway's, and my head starts to spin 
I know there is a rational point to hit with cleaning. No disrespect meant to you guys who really get in there and do a bang up job, but I'm looking I guess for a level a bit above a field level of maintenance- i.e. what you would reasonably expect to do if issued a weapon in the field, but then a little more love since you have the time. So, what are the basics? EDIT- I guess this is more of a solution/product question than a parts cleaning question- I realize each of the firearms listed above have parts-specific procedures for them. |
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What I do is really nothing more than what is outlined in the -10 and -23.
No one can tell you how clean your personal weapons should be. You can only ask for suggestions from those here willing to help, and base your own routine off those recommendations that make the most sense to you. We all have our own standards as to what we consider acceptable when it comes to weapons cleanliness. ETA: You can't get any more basic than what I have pictured below. 
ETA II: I kinda take offense to being called a “cleaning junkie” when I really do nothing more than the basics and simply try to instill a sense of responsibility in people towards their firearms. There is no shame in taking care of your equipment. You take care of it, and it will take care of you. 
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QUIB, sorry, by junkie I meant the same thing people mean when they describe motor enthusiasts as gear heads or racers as speed junkies- I meant more enthusiasts than anything. Your advice and others' on here has been enormously helpful - hence my first designation of "venerable" before all else  . I've edited my OP above to reflect that. No offense intended, apologies 
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Quoted:
What I do is really nothing more than what is outlined in the -10 and -23. No one can tell you how clean your personal weapons should be. You can only ask for suggestions from those here willing to help, and base your own routine off those recommendations that make the most sense to you. We all have our own standards as to what we consider acceptable when it comes to weapons cleanliness. ETA: You can't get any more basic than what I have pictured below.
ETA II: I kinda take offense to being called a “cleaning junkie” when I really do nothing more than the basics and simply try to instill a sense of responsibility in people towards their firearms. There is no shame in taking care of your equipment. You take care of it, and it will take care of you. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Metroliner/CleaningGear1.jpg I want me a kit like dat... Quib you should sale them all pre-packaged up... 
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Quoted:
I want me a kit like dat... Quib you should sale them all pre-packaged up...
Well that kit is short one item now I guess…..a hypodermic needle. If I’m a going to be labeled a “cleaning-junkie”, I guess I better start “shooting up” some CLP. Gotta “get my fix” ya know.
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This is essentially what you need to do on an AR-15:
1. separate upper and lower. 2. Remove BCG. 3. Break down BCG into it's primary components.......bolt, bolt carrier, firing pin, extractor (when needed). 4. Use a good solvent such as Hoppe's #9 and a toothbrush to clean BCG components. Clean carbon from bolt as necessary. 5. Clean rails and locking lugs in upper using toothbrush/solvent. 6. clean barrel and chamber as per instructions in Otis kit. 7. Clean lower with solvent and toothbrush. 8. re-lube entire gun with a thick, high quality oil. If using Breakfree, use LP on the rails, locking lugs, and hammer, and use CLP everywhere else. My personal favorite is Slip2000 EWL and EWL 50. 9. Reassemble gun. If you follow this routine, you should never have any problems.
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A type of CLP will get most of your cleaning done (good enough)
Hoppes, shooters choice, or similar strength powder solvent will also work on copper every few 1,000 rounds down range. A can of non-chlor brake cleaner (or a gun powder blast) comes in handy. ETA keep the pipe cleaners out of the gas key and gas tube. |
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The only thing that goes down my gas tube, is a quick squirt of BF Powder Blast.
The gas key gets the pipe cleaner. Been doing it that way since basic training. It's the recommended procedure, as outlined above. It's part of my detailed cleaning of the bolt carrier group after the BF/OMS soak. |
| Get a one piece cleaning rod(s) like a Dewey. Get some bore cleaner like MPro 7 a.k.a. Hoppes Elite Gun Cleaner. Some copper solvent i.e. MPro 7 Copper Remover a.k.a. Hoppes Elite Copper Terminator. You can still use your Break Free as the oil, or go to MPro 7/Hoppes Elite CLP. Get some brushes, jags, patch loops and patches for your Dewey. Also, a good gun vice would be helpful. |
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