View Full Version : My cleaning routine. Does this sound ok?
Mossyoakglock
04-12-16, 14:24
So I am new to the AR works but not guns. Since I come from shooting mainly bolt action rifles and pistols, the cleaning routine seems a little different and more involved. After doing some research, I think I have found what my cleaning process will be.
Chamber/BCG - Slip 725 or CLP (is there something better than I can soak parts in)
Bore - some sort of foaming bore cleaner or Hoppes.
Lubrication - EWL
Since I'm religious with cleaning, I'll probably clean my gun every 500-1000 rounds. More likely after 500. After reading SLIP's website FAQs it said for something like that then 725 would be better than Carbon Killer since it's more aggressive and for people that don't clean often.
Thoughts on my routine? I know there are hundreds of cleaners and everybody has their favorite so is like for this to not turn into which one is better than the other.
My only thought is I clean mine after every range trip, 500+ or not. Not that you should feel obligated or pressured to do so. Just something I personally do as I like the intimacy between my firearms and myself. Plus it's nice when it's an easy quick cleaning.
Considering I vouch for Slip2k, you'll be fine either which way.
Otherwise all chems/equipment sound good. Without knowing your actual cleaning methods, all sounds pretty well setup from my limited perspective.
I lube with Slip 2000 EWL and just wipe everything off if I feel like it every now and then. I've gone over 5K without cleaning and have never had a problem.
Hoppes No 9 and lube with Slip 2000. Chamber brush, bore brush, bore snake, toothbrush. I clean my firearms "every so often". I very typically will go 1000 rounds or more with lube only.
It has been proven many times that you do not need to clean them at all. Just add CLP and roll on.
So I am new to the AR works but not guns. Since I come from shooting mainly bolt action rifles and pistols, the cleaning routine seems a little different and more involved. After doing some research, I think I have found what my cleaning process will be.
Chamber/BCG - Slip 725 or CLP (is there something better than I can soak parts in)
Bore - some sort of foaming bore cleaner or Hoppes.
Lubrication - EWL
Since I'm religious with cleaning, I'll probably clean my gun every 500-1000 rounds. More likely after 500. After reading SLIP's website FAQs it said for something like that then 725 would be better than Carbon Killer since it's more aggressive and for people that don't clean often.
Thoughts on my routine? I know there are hundreds of cleaners and everybody has their favorite so is like for this to not turn into which one is better than the other.
The first few times you may feel this way, but after a couple cleanings you will quickly settle into a pattern of what works FOR YOU (emphasis added, because everyone cleans differently, and their way is obviously the best/only way).
I just found Slip 2000 725 cleaner/degreaser and I'm about to throw out Hoppes #9 for good. I'm tired of smelling like solvent for the rest of the day, and not overly impressed with the results I get vs the smell and time involved. But...that's just what works for me.:cool:
If the firearm is in active usage I do a quick wipe down with a clean rag, pull a bore snake, and add light lubrication. This cleaning includes a check of the gas rings, extractor and ejector tension. It ends with a function test.
At the end of a case of ammunition I do a quick detail maintenance that includes cleaning the gun with water, compressed air, lubrication, and a proper bore cleaning. The bore cleaning at this interval includes removing copper and carbon fouling. I will not allow myself to go military grade obsessive with this cleaning. Bore tech is my solvent of choice. I will use any quality lubricant.
So I am new to the AR works but not guns. Since I come from shooting mainly bolt action rifles and pistols, the cleaning routine seems a little different and more involved. After doing some research, I think I have found what my cleaning process will be.
Chamber/BCG - Slip 725 or CLP (is there something better than I can soak parts in)
Bore - some sort of foaming bore cleaner or Hoppes.
Lubrication - EWL
Since I'm religious with cleaning, I'll probably clean my gun every 500-1000 rounds. More likely after 500. After reading SLIP's website FAQs it said for something like that then 725 would be better than Carbon Killer since it's more aggressive and for people that don't clean often.
Thoughts on my routine? I know there are hundreds of cleaners and everybody has their favorite so is like for this to not turn into which one is better than the other.
Cleaning your AR after every 500-1000 rounds is not "religious" about cleaning. If my rifle gets shot, it gets cleaned. How extensive that cleaning has to be depends on how many rounds were shot of course, but I just see no reason not to keep a clean/lubed rifle.
There's no "right" way to clean an AR, everyone does it differently. I use Fire Clean for pretty much everything and use a combination of patches, paper towels, cloth towels, q-tips, tooth brushes, wire brushes, bore snake and a few other tools.
titsonritz
04-12-16, 16:51
My normal cleaning consists of a squirt of CLP on the BCG, an oily rag wipe-down and thrown back in the corner.
Dionysusigma
04-12-16, 17:11
- Separate upper from lower
- Remove optic, lights, sights, and fore-end (if free floated)
- Discard barrel, upper, BCG, and charging handle
- Replace with new upper receiver group
- Reinstall fore-end and accessories (this is why QD mounts that return to zero are so nice!)
- Lubricate all surfaces with Johnsons Baby Shampoo (don't forget the inside of the magazine!)
I lube... and just wipe everything off if I feel like it every now and then. I've gone over 5K without cleaning and have never had a problem.
Honestly, this. I haven't even noticed any performance change from lube to lube, as long as they're thinnish and oily. Use a decent amount, and the oil will help keep the fouling saturated enough to wipe off easily.
My normal cleaning consists of a squirt of CLP on the BCG, an oily rag wipe-down and thrown back in the corner.
Add to that run a bore snake to swab the bore no chems needed.
That is as minimal as is needed
Ymmv
I use an otis cleaning system. With one patch or cut rag And a clp for my ar and handguns.
For my bolt gun 3 patches
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Ill rin a bore snake a no. 9 down the tube and put rem oil after the first few range trips and neglect it after that. I am a terribly person. I shoot my glocks straight outta the box.
The first few times you may feel this way, but after a couple cleanings you will quickly settle into a pattern of what works FOR YOU (emphasis added, because everyone cleans differently, and their way is obviously the best/only way).
I just found Slip 2000 725 cleaner/degreaser and I'm about to throw out Hoppes #9 for good. I'm tired of smelling like solvent for the rest of the day, and not overly impressed with the results I get vs the smell and time involved. But...that's just what works for me.:cool:
^^^Very good advice. OP, consider yourself lucky that you've landed on Slip 2000 as your first lubricant. Excellent stuff.
Cleaning your AR after every 500-1000 rounds is not "religious" about cleaning. If my rifle gets shot, it gets cleaned.
There's no "right" way to clean an AR, everyone does it differently.
^^^This as well is spot on. Although, I'd be more inclined to phrase it as there is no perfect way to clean an AR. But, there are a few wrong ways.
The best advice I can give is don't overthink it. Find what works for you in terms of functional results and personal preference for how clean you prefer your firearms.
I'm rather OCD about cleaning. Generally I'll clean after each trip, but if I only fire around 100-200 rounds I might just lube it up with some Slip EWL and call it a day. My routine is as follows, and I'll highlight a couple of my favorite items that make it a lot easier.
1. Break the rifle down, separating the upper from lower. Set the upper in my shooting/cleaning rest upside down (i.e. FSB pointing towards the floor) and the whole upper at a slightly downward angle. This is so the solvent heads towards the muzzle.
2. Close the dust cover and spray the crap out of it with some foaming cleaner; filling the bore and receiver. My gunsmith recommended and carried "Gunslick" brand, and it works just fine. He was also the one to put me onto using the foam in the upper receiver.
3. Break down the BCG, extractor and all. Spray the Carrier with the foaming bore cleaner and soak some of the smaller parts in some Gunzilla.
4. Break out my carbon remover tool. Im especially OCD about carbon and this tool does a great job...
http://www.primaryarms.com/avar15s/p/avar15s/
YMMV, as tolerances between brands will be slightly different. I go to town scrapping away, patching, reapplying CLP (only Gunzilla at this point), and scraping some more. The steel of the Real Avid tool is softer than the finish of the BCG, but I don't go crazy aggressive with the scraping. I also use some CLP and q-tips and patches with a plastic dental pick to get in the tighter spots. By far, the BCG is where I spend the most time. It's the heart of the rifle, so I don't see any reason not to give it the most attention.
5. When I'm content with the carbon being removed, confirmed by fairly clean patches. I'll spray it all down with some foam and set it aside.
6. I move on to the upper; patching out all of the foaming cleaner from the reciever. Normally I'll then hit the star chamber with a chamber brush and some Gunzilla, then patches, q-tips, and my dental pick to get in the tight spots. I keep at it until I'm satisfied with what's showing up on the q-tips and patches.
7. Next up is the bore. I use a one piece carbon-fiber rod. That's especially important, coupled with the bore guide, for a bolt gun. So why not do the same with my AR. First I run a couple of patches alternating between Gunzilla and dry. Then a few passes with a bronze brush liberally covered with Gunzilla. Finish with another alternation of wet and dry patches. Again, until I'm satisfied. I don't do it every time, but if I really want to go after the copper fouling I'll break out the Butch's and hit the bore with patches and brush. Butch's is awesome, and I love it for my Bolt guns! It's strong and effective, and also won't hurt anything if you want to leave it in the bore for a while.
8. I'll hit the muzzle brake with a toothbrush, some Gunzilla, and a quick q-tip. I don't really spend a lot of time there. As the foaming cleaner already did most of the work.
9. I'll finish the upper by using some Gunzilla, patches, and q-tips. But, again, letting the foaming cleaner sit from the beginning does a lot of the work.
10. Quick wipe down of the charging handle and buffer. Nothing much to write home about there.
11. I'll patch/q-tip with some light CLP on the FCG and lower reciever.
12. Now, it's time to lube and get it all back together. I quickly dry patch the BCG that had been soaking in the foaming cleaner, then move on to the Slip EWL. I have to say, a small needle-nose solvent bottle is a great investment. I use it for both the Gunzilla and Slip EWL, and it makes it easy to control how much I lubricate. I go light on the trigger, and use a little of the Geissele grease on the sear connections. Put the BCG back together, lubricating as I go. Little lube on the charging handle. Overall, I apply lube on the lighter side. Not wet, not dry. But that's kind of objective.
13. Slide the BCG back in, upper goes on the lower, and just about done.
14. The last thing I do is wipe the exterior down with some Tuff Glide. A little goes a long ways, and it's probably my favorite product. I use it on the exterior of all of my firearms. It's a great protectorate, and makes the whole firearm just look nice and clean.
15. Put it away, clean up my mess, and start thinking about the next range trip :D
That's about it. Again, find what works for you and makes you happy. I don't feel my method is the "best" or "right" way. However, I do highly recommend some of the products I mentioned for any cleaning regimine.
-Foaming Cleaner
-Gunzilla CLP
-Butch's Bore Shine if you're going after Copper Fouling
-A good bore guide and one piece carbon fiber cleaning rod
-The Real Avid BCG cleaning tool
-Needle-nose solvent bottles
-Some quality brushes
-Tuff Glide
Thanks to those that took the time to read through my post. I get a little long-winded sometimes...
OP. You seem to have a good routine. Nothing wrong with what you're doing, so keep at it and enjoy the AR!
^ That was well said.
The only thing different that I would add is the following.
I'm not sure how much in between time there is between people's range trips, but for me, if I know that I will be going shooting again within the next week to two weeks I don't clean the gun the same way.
I'll instead just break it down, and wipe it down. Then just add lube, and put it back together. I used to be a lot more anal about cleaning each gun after each and every shooting trip. I haven't seen any negative results from letting the gun sit there for a week without a cleaning.
Normally I'll do pretty much the same as everyone else has already mentioned. The only key difference for me is not how many rounds I've put thru the gun, but how soon will I be taking it out again. Obviously this is all within reason. If the gun had close to 1k ammo thru it, and is crazy dirty I'll spend more time regardless of when I'm going to shoot it next.
^ That was well said.
Normally I'll do pretty much the same as everyone else has already mentioned. The only key difference for me is not how many rounds I've put thru the gun, but how soon will I be taking it out again. Obviously this is all within reason.
Thanks. Although, I'm a little annoyed by some minor grammatical errors I've noticed having gone back through my comment :p. I did type that all on my iPhone though, so I can live with the errors.
I absolutely agree with your additional consideration regarding time between range trips. Excellent point.
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