View Full Version : CAT M-4 Cleaning Tool
Figured this has to be discussed here some place, but my search fu didn't find it. Anyone using one of these? I just got one. Seems to work as advertised.
Not a "must have" cleaning tool, but it does make the process faster and easier. Similar tools recommended/used? I admit, I'm lazy when it comes to cleaning these days and anything that is legit while saving time/energy, I'm all for it.
http://www.catm4.com/
Long gone are the days I couldn't wait to get home to break a gun down withing 20 seconds of returning from the range to clean it within a mm of its life.
I'm with you. I don't love cleaning. So I picked up one of these up in 2009, which is basically when they came out. I used it from time to time but it was really only a first step tool because it didn't help much unless the carbon on the bolt was excessive. In other words, this tool by itself wouldn't get all of the carbon off and I would still have to go back to the old way.
However, late last year I received another one and I decided to try it out. The 2012 version works better. They may have changed sizes slightly over the years or the first one (which I still have and it still doesn't work as well) was incorrectly sized. It is still usually a first step tool but it gets a lot more of the carbon off of the bolt.
However, I have also been using fireclean since sept 2012 so the carbon build up isn't nearly as bad and it comes off much easier. The two combined has made cleaning the carbon off very easy. That said, I would attribute the ease of cleaning off the carbon more to fireclean than this tool.
Grand58742
08-04-13, 15:39
I use one based off the anal people I work for that demand a dry and clean rifle (military). The CAT does make the process slightly easier with the boat tail scraper and the carrier cleaner thing. The firing pin cleaner...not so much. Overall, it mainly works as advertised if you are meticulous in cleaning or have over anal people inspecting your weapons.
The CAT is another tool to make things simpler. Gets the chunks off without wearing out my patience and wire brushes.
I have a couple of the Otis BONE AR (yeah read it fast). Work as well as any.
http://www.all4shooters.com/en/articles/accessories/2013/Otis-bone-AR-MSR-bolt-cleaning-tool/
Of all of them, Fireclean has made my life the simplest. That is some good shit. I have gone to using it with my handguns. It really makes things easy there.
Unnecessary and a waste of money. But, hey it's supporting the economy so that's a good thing.
Unnecessary and a waste of money. But, hey it's supporting the economy so that's a good thing.
Unnecessary, I concur. Waste of money? It is a wash as I don't spend as much on brushes or as much time. The older I get, the lazier I get. If nothing else the BONE makes for a good handle for the cleaning cable.
As for economy......as fast as the AR crowd buys into any gizmo, it is small potatoes compared to what is spent on other crap.
I was being a smart ass in reference to the economy.
Unnecessary, I concur. Waste of money? It is a wash as I don't spend as much on brushes or as much time. The older I get, the lazier I get. If nothing else the BONE makes for a good handle for the cleaning cable.
As for economy......as fast as the AR crowd buys into any gizmo, it is small potatoes compared to what is spent on other crap.
I was being a smart ass in reference to the economy.
Yeah, I got it. So was I. Except I was serious about getting lazy in my old age!
Quite a few things we see being "hawked" are solutions looking for problems.
Must be a boring Sunday, flapping our gums over something like this...............I'm closing the laptop and having a beer.
I wouldn't go without it for the price. I leave it in the office at work and pretty much everyone borrows it on a weekly basis. We all run suppressed shorties and things get dirty quick.
I have one and IMHO the $$$ you spend is worth it (what is it, like $30 or so?). It'll peel the carbon off like using a potato peeler. However, it scrapes off gross amounts well but the fine and tough lower "stain" still has to be gone over with a few twists of a scratchy pad to 100% remove it. The tool does speed up the process.
Voodoo_Man
08-04-13, 21:06
I have one, bought it when they first came out.
Does the job really well.
Travelingchild
08-05-13, 07:19
... The older I get, the lazier I get. ..
Well I'm getting there.
Take all small parts toss in tumbler with range brass and walnut media..Do it with when my reloading dies get loaded up with lead residue also..
How that for lazy..
sinlessorrow
08-05-13, 07:41
Unnecessary and a waste of money. But, hey it's supporting the economy so that's a good thing.
There is one great use for them.
Sine I like to clean my rifle after every use, I like the CAT because it has a place for a 2x2" patch that you wrap around the tool and it wipes out the inside of the carrier.
Beats shoving a napkin in there to mop up whats in the carrier. Aside from that I do not use the other CAT features.
It does what it advertised though if you need those features.
I don't use metal tools to clean my ARs anymore. I want to keep all the finishes and hardening intact.
We have a couple at the office. Makes cleaning the rifle faster, and is easier... I like it.
joshua79109
08-05-13, 10:14
I've been using one for a while now.
I like it and think it speeds up the process.
Really helps on a firearm that gets a lot of use suppressed (in my opinion).
http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a535/Blastah1/8411e6cd-34dd-41c9-9bfa-be8d5547d024_zps92043bad.jpg?t=1375715609
I had a bit of trouble with the initial application, but I think I got it now.......
That's good. . Split66
I've got one, I loan it to the anal retentive types on cleaning. If I was shooting a crap load of wolf I might need it.
plouffedaddy
08-06-13, 05:53
I've been using one for a while now.
I like it and think it speeds up the process.
Really helps on a firearm that gets a lot of use suppressed (in my opinion).
That's pretty much how I look at it as well.
Here's my review of it :
CAT M4 HD Video Review Link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXpkv_lCeAg)
Have it. Use it & think it works well enough for what it is & cost.
I don't use metal tools to clean my ARs anymore. I want to keep all the finishes and hardening intact.
I wonder this myself. I don't have one, I've throw around the idea of purchasing one.. But I don't want to ruin the surfaces of the bolt and potentially leave a spot that's vulnerable. On the other side I wonder how much damage can this device really do if any, and if its covered in Ballistol, which my BCGs all are.. Will any spot really be THAT vulnerable.
Heavy Metal
08-06-13, 19:46
If ya'll want to know about a metal tool that you can scrape the shit out of the inisde of the carrier with and not worry about hurting it in the least, what I use:
http://www.mscdirect.com/product/65062960?src=pla&008=-99&007=Search&pcrid=25122931144&006=25122931144&005=53303986024&004=7506850144&002=2167139&mkwid=siXccVIB9%7Cdc&cid=PLA-Google-PLA+-+Test_siXccVIB9_PLA__25122931144_c_S&026=nv&025=c
sinlessorrow
08-06-13, 20:01
If ya'll want to know about a metal tool that you can scrape the shit out of the inisde of the carrier with and not worry about hurting it in the least, what I use:
http://www.mscdirect.com/product/65062960?src=pla&008=-99&007=Search&pcrid=25122931144&006=25122931144&005=53303986024&004=7506850144&002=2167139&mkwid=siXccVIB9%7Cdc&cid=PLA-Google-PLA+-+Test_siXccVIB9_PLA__25122931144_c_S&026=nv&025=c
Copper certainly sould be fine, its much softer than steel or chrome.
Heavy Metal
08-06-13, 20:24
It's marine brass. If you could get a piece of brass rod, it would be pie easy to fashion a scraper out of it.
Rarely do I go medeval on the inside of a carrier or the ass of a bolt. I did the other day for a switch to fireclean. I used the tool with the chisel tip in the above link for that. I have a conventional carrier scraper but they do not work on LMT Enhanced Carriers as the internal geometry at the rear is a bit different.
It's marine brass. If you could get a piece of brass rod, it would be pie easy to fashion a scraper out of it.
Rarely do I go medeval on the inside of a carrier or the ass of a bolt. I did the other day for a switch to fireclean. I used the tool with the chisel tip in the above link for that. I have a conventional carrier scraper but they do not work on LMT Enhanced Carriers as the internal geometry at the rear is a bit different.
How do you like that enhanced? I almost bought a LMT 10.5 recently but held for the time being.
If ya'll want to know about a metal tool that you can scrape the shit out of the inisde of the carrier with and not worry about hurting it in the least, what I use:
http://www.mscdirect.com/product/65062960?src=pla&008=-99&007=Search&pcrid=25122931144&006=25122931144&005=53303986024&004=7506850144&002=2167139&mkwid=siXccVIB9%7Cdc&cid=PLA-Google-PLA+-+Test_siXccVIB9_PLA__25122931144_c_S&026=nv&025=c
Bookmarked. Thank you!
Heavy Metal
08-06-13, 22:42
It has worked great from me, bolt and carrier for over 15K rounds.
It has worked great from me, bolt and carrier for over 15K rounds.
I'll never hit that round count, definitely not in one carbine, so it'll work for me!
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.