Has anyone used or recommend a sonic or vibrator type cleaning device for say a bolt or similiar and small AR items?

I did just use an ultrasonic cleaner (full size - not little jewelery cleaner) on a bolt and carrier to try and remove the carbon build up. It did break some lose, and clean off just about everything else. Had to relube, and still had some carbon on the back of the bolt, and inside the carrier. Am planning to get one of those carbon scrapers from Brownells.

A few squirts of Simple Green Automotive, a tooth brush and a M1 chamber brush will absolutely remove all of the carbon on the bolt and carrier. Just remove them from the rifle, hold them under some hot water in the sink and scrub away. The SG is biodegradable and is much less harmful to you as well. Dry them and oil them up afterwards and you are done.

Use a lab size ultarsonic all the time to clean with.  As noted you still have to scrube the high carbon build up areas with mechanical force, even if using Simple Green or such in the ultrasonic (I pre-clean with Hoppies #9 on the black areas).

In particular find the ultrasonic usefull on the 22LR adapter and 9mm bolt as these do not come apart as fast as the .223.  After an hour in heated simple green running the ultrasonic the bolts are done at the same time as finish cleaning the lower, multiple uppers (M16 have to always use several uppers [;)] and putting away "stuff".  The ultrasonic cleans around the extractor with out having to punch out the roll pin every time on the 9mm.  

Also works great for the MAC 10s as can fit the whole fire in and clean.

Have found a close second is cleaning in a larger amount of solvent, in a shop parts washer or in the field using a 5 gallon bucket with two gallons mineral spirts and half quart ATF ... half Ed's Red.

You should all try the Slip 2000 Carbon Cutter. It works great at desolving carbon. They will send out samples for you to try also.
Crisco  www.slip2000.com

If you haven’t already done so, you might want to price one before you go too much further, they’re pretty expensive.  Brownells sells them.

They do a decent job of removing oil, loose debris and such.  But, as noted above, you’ll probably still find some caked on carbon here and there that needs to manually removed.

They’re nice, but unless you’re going to be using one quite a bit, they aren’t – IMHO – worth the initial cost and the aggravation of maintaining.

If you decide to get one, be sure and use a liquid cleaner suitable for firearms.  I’ve heard that the ammoniated cleaners commonly supplied with these can damage the epoxy that holds night sights in.  

Personally, I’d rather just use brake cleaner.

(I just got some Slip 2000 Carbon Cutter mentioned by [b]shineit[/b] above, but really haven’t used it much thus far.  It’s essentially a dunk and actually looks like it [b]might[/b] work as well as an ultrasonic cleaner setup - or maybe even better- for a lot less money.)

Both of mine were free so cost was not an issue [;)] however, they are too small for a complete long gun (to solve this issue a friend is getting a 40" model for his farm ... since that is where we shoot, works out nicely to clean while having the cook out).

If the thought of carbon on your bolt gives you the chills, buy some stripper containing the wonder chemical "Methylene Chloride". Dab a little on the ass end of the bolt, and let it sit a while.

This is the same chemical used in carburetor dunk to decarbonize the lower throttlebodies, only in a gel form.  Yes, it's very toxic, and dissolves skin as well as carbon and other deposits.


Or, you could not worry about it.



Meplat-

Never used one on an AR. I do have experience using them for cleaning handguns. My opinion is that you can do a better job without the ultrasonic cleaner. A little elbow grease and the proper cleaning products are all you need.

Mike

I've got one of the 19 inch dental units I bought on ebay for $35. I use MPRO7 in it. The key is to let it get hot first, then run it for about 40 minutes. I use it on anything that will fit in it. B/BCs, handguns ect. I then use a compressor to dry completely then lube. Works for me.