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Thread: Basic Cleaning Kit & Tools for new N4 ?

  1. #1
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    Basic Cleaning Kit & Tools for new N4 ?

    I am a very experienced shooter, BUT NOT with ARs. My new Noveske arrives this week and wanted to know if there are any AR specific cleaning gizmos, tools, etc. that I need and may overlook? Any personal lists or methods you use would be much appreciated. Thanks!

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    I use a standard Army issue kit with multi-piece rod, brushes etc. I was issued the OTIS system but I am not a big fan of it. If it is a precision AR, maybe a bore guide. I have been using the Chambermaid swabs for the last couple of years and they are awesome. I treated my M4's with Mil-Tec and it is all I use currently. I have recently ordered some SLIP 2000 EWL to try though. YMMV
    Last edited by Shane1; 03-17-09 at 01:54. Reason: Forgot the lube

  3. #3
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    I am making a Midway/Brownels order of:

    patches (sz & shape?) ,
    jag,
    brushes (copper or nylon?) ,
    some type of chamber brush?
    special cleaner or brush for gas sstm?
    tools?
    mag brushes?
    tools?

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    AP Brush, chamber brush, bore brush, bore snake, chamber maid, chamber stars, pipe cleaners, G-tips (cotton swabs for gun cleaning application), patches, dewey coated one piece rod, lucas bore guide, jag, patch eyelet, slip/hoppes/mpro7 solvent/clp, OTIS cleaning kit for emergency purposes, rags, gun cleaning mat, and lots of time

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kimbo View Post
    AP Brush, chamber brush, bore brush, bore snake, chamber maid, chamber stars, pipe cleaners, G-tips (cotton swabs for gun cleaning application), patches, dewey coated one piece rod, lucas bore guide, jag, patch eyelet, slip/hoppes/mpro7 solvent/clp, OTIS cleaning kit for emergency purposes, rags, gun cleaning mat, and lots of time
    I agree with all of the above except for the Lucas bore guide.

    FIRST, call Sinclair (800-717-8211) and get a copy of their catalog (latest is 2009-A).

    Second, go to their website (www.sinclairintl.com) and order 4 items, all made by them:
    > Sinclair bore guide (P/N RGAR15; they call it a "rod guide", $19.85);
    > Sinclair solvent port (P/N RG322, $6.95);
    > Sinclair AR-15 cleaning link (P/N 14-900, $13.95) (makes cleaning an AR-15/M4/M16/CAR/etc. much easier); and
    > Sinclair AR-15 dry firing device (P/N 14-400 or 14-455, depending on whether you want it in black or orange; $16.95).

    You can purchase just about all of the cleaning and maintenence items you need from them, but the 4 items above are must-haves.

    If you have any questions about cleaning/maintaining/reloading for/general questions about ARs, call Sinclair's tech support.

    I have no connection whatever with Sinclair or its parent company, Brownells, except as a satisfied customer, and can recommend both without reservation.

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    Is there a reason why you suggest the sinclaire over lucas or is it just personal pref?

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    Has anyone ever simplified the cleaning task and just ran wet patches down the pipe and follow it up with a bore snake?
    I have an N4 coming in as well..

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kimbo View Post
    Is there a reason why you suggest the sinclaire over lucas or is it just personal pref?
    I want to say that there is, but it's really just personal preference ... and probably uninformed personal preference to boot.

    Disclaimer: You should be aware that I have used the Sinclair guides with complete satisfaction ever since they came out with the AR-15 guide, but I have never owned, used, or even seen (except on the Internet) a Lucas guide. So I may not know what I'm talking about.

    An AR-15 -- even one configured as an NRA Match Rifle and built by one of the top builders (Frank White, John Holliger, Mike Bykowski, etc.) is not a benchrest rifle. The one that you will use (no offense) is even less so. Cleaning an AR is not that big a deal as long as you don't do dumb things (like use a sectional military cleaning rod). It is easy to get overly caught up in the idea that you must use only cleaning patches made of the finest yak hair blessed by monks and imported from Tibet, but 'tain't so. The reason the core of the brush and the tip of the cleaning rod are made of brass is so that they won't harm the barrel if they come in contact with it. That is also the reason you will use a coated cleaning rod. Having the rod perfectly centered using the Lucas bushing system (as opposed to almost-as-perfectly centered using the Sinclair guide) won't hurt (other than get in your way), but I don't think you will find that it makes any difference. But you may feel otherwise.

    One other point: A couple of years ago I bought a pair of 22 cal carbon-fiber cleaning rods from Midway thinking that they were the Next Great Thing. While talking to a Sinclair rep I asked why Sinclair didn't carry CF cleaning rods and was told that they can release small CF splinters into the barrel and harm it. Dunno whether that is true or not, but I until I get a more info on that from a knowledgable source I won't be using any more CF rods. (And I note that Sinclair still does not carry CF cleaning rods. That tells me something.) The fact that the Lucas writeup on 6mmBR.com states that "The Lucas Guide, when used with coated or carbon rods from Dewey, Bore-tech or Tipton (MidwayUSA), provides the best insurance against barrel damage during cleaning" (emphasis added) causes me to question that whole writeup. But that's just me.

    Regardless of which bore guide you decide to purchase, get one of them and use it. If you decide to get the Lucas guide, PM me after a year and let me know how it worked out.

    Also, whichever guide you get, I still recommend items #3 and #4 from my list above. (Note that #4 won't work with a Jewell trigger.)

    Enjoy your AR.

  9. #9
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    One or two passes with a bore snake when I'm done at the range while it's still warm. When I get home I remove the BCG and give the bolt a wipe down with an old t-shirt and re-oil it. Give the chamber brush a few turns, run the bore snake a few more times; then it gets bagged and goes back in the trunk.

    Once every few months I'll strip it down and go after the nooks & crannies:


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    Quote Originally Posted by 021411 View Post
    Has anyone ever simplified the cleaning task and just ran wet patches down the pipe and follow it up with a bore snake?
    I have an N4 coming in as well..
    I have two bore snakes. One to run after I'm done shooting at the range while the barrel is still warm. Then a second one that I run through after I am completely done cleaning the barrel (after running a brush, solvent, patches, and jags). It's unnecessary but I just like to.

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