Page 4 of 5 FirstFirst ... 2345 LastLast
Results 31 to 40 of 45

Thread: Am I cleaning too much?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    11,063
    Feedback Score
    41 (98%)
    I clean usually every 500-2000 rounds depending on the gun. I did recently take my SR15 up to about 5k without cleaning but I couldn't take it anymore, and cleaned it.




    While my cleaning method isn't meant to get every last particle of carbon out it does at least a 90 to 95 percent job. Just scrub down with Carbon Cutter, foam bore cleaned, USGI chamber brush in a low speed cordless drill, spray everything off with brake cleaner, wipe everything with an oily rag, and then a few drops of oil in the BCG. Ill run a bore snake a few times as well. "Precision" barrels get cleaned with a rod, patches, and brushes every couple to three thousand rounds. Lowers I usually just wipe down every other time, and get scrubbed/sprayed the other time. Guys with cans should be cleaning them every time as the blow back will cause a lot more fouling than without a can. Ive seen/heard 1st hand where peoples guns started to fail around 2k rounds due to the build up in the FCG.


    I don't think you can over clean an AR but you can damage them. Things like scrubbing metal so much you wear the finish off (lots of military guns), using USGI cleaning rods (steel), maybe leaving harsh bore cleaners on too long.


    Im definitely not in the crowd of guys who treat their guns like shit intentionally dinging them up, and spouting off how cleaning a firearm every couple thousand rounds is pointless. Besides part of the purpose of cleaning is giving you the chance to perform a PMCS on thr weapon checking for unusual wear, broken parts, overall condition, etc. The guys who shoot their guns, and then just toss them in a case until the next time they shoot never get a chance to properly break the weapon down, and see whats going on. Not very responsible especially if you use the gun for HD or duty use.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    7,469
    Feedback Score
    12 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Belmont31R View Post
    USGI chamber brush in a low speed cordless drill
    Whoah.....

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    1,100
    Feedback Score
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Belmont31R View Post
    Besides part of the purpose of cleaning is giving you the chance to perform a PMCS on thr weapon checking for unusual wear, broken parts, overall condition, etc. The guys who shoot their guns, and then just toss them in a case until the next time they shoot never get a chance to properly break the weapon down, and see whats going on. Not very responsible especially if you use the gun for HD or duty use.
    Another very good point, and one that most don’t consider.

    There’s more behind cleaning, than simply the task of having a clean weapon.
    “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” -Lao Tzu


    http://quibphotography.com/

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Somewhere between Nevada and Colorado
    Posts
    1,008
    Feedback Score
    0
    I am anal about my duty carbine (6921). Wether I shoot it 50 or 500 rounds, it gets a good cleaning, inspection, lubing and function check before being returned to duty. It makes me sleep better at night.

    I regularly clean my DI guns. Guns for duty/defense use obviously get more attention.

    Others, not so much.

    On the other hand, I was just looking at my Mini-14 due to discussing it in another thread. It's running on over 1,000 rounds w/o cleaning. I have an old S&W M64 revolver that I honestly can't remember ever cleaning.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    11,063
    Feedback Score
    41 (98%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Littlelebowski View Post
    Whoah.....



    What?

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    7,469
    Feedback Score
    12 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Belmont31R View Post
    What?
    Sorry, I should have clarified. I think that's overdoing it. That's my personal opinion. Hosing the chamber out with brake cleaner is much less trouble and not polishing metal with metal.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    11,063
    Feedback Score
    41 (98%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Littlelebowski View Post
    Sorry, I should have clarified. I think that's overdoing it. That's my personal opinion. Hosing the chamber out with brake cleaner is much less trouble and not polishing metal with metal.



    Copper and soft/mild steel is going to damage chromed and hardened steel?


    A few seconds on low speed with plenty of lube (liquid cleaner) isn't going to harm anything in what amounts to about 1 minute and 30 seconds +- in the guns life. If a barrel can survive bullets going down the barrel at 2700+ FPS tens of thousands of time before wearing out in addition to the super heated gas I think a few seconds of a cleaning brush on a hard chromed surface is going to be just fine.


    IME brake cleaner is excellent at getting loose material out. If its baked on BC will not remove it, and you need a physical means to do so aside from the spray. This is why I brush the BCG out with a GI cleaning brush, and Carbon Cutter first. If spray was enough there would be no need for things like bore snakes, chamber brushes, cleaning rods, and every other mechanical means of cleaning a firearm.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    VA
    Posts
    7,469
    Feedback Score
    12 (100%)
    I have never see material I needed to chip out of a chamber with metal on an AR. Bear in mind, I shoot 5.45 too. If it works for you, fine. None of my ARs need me to fire up a drill and I abuse them a bit.

    As far as brushing out the BCG and all that; I've never seen that do more than waste time. I dunk it once a year or so in Carbon Cutter and spray out with brake cleaner.

    I have not used a chamber brush since I got out of the Corps in 04 and have no found a need for one since then either.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    11,063
    Feedback Score
    41 (98%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Littlelebowski View Post
    I have never see material I needed to chip out of a chamber with metal on an AR. Bear in mind, I shoot 5.45 too. If it works for you, fine. None of my ARs need me to fire up a drill and I abuse them a bit.

    As far as brushing out the BCG and all that; I've never seen that do more than waste time. I dunk it once a year or so in Carbon Cutter and spray out with brake cleaner.

    I have not used a chamber brush since I got out of the Corps in 04 and have no found a need for one since then either.


    Thats certainly up to you how to clean your weapons.


    I just do not think a few seconds with a low speed cordless drill is going to damage anything. Ive been doing it for years on multiple guns and never seen any hint of damage.


    I actually started this method when I was shooting competitive trap, and used a cleaning rod in a drill with a nylon brush to get the plastic wad fouling out of shotgun barrels. People used to do it all the time on 10k trap guns.


    To each his own though.


    ETA: Im not "chipping" anything out of my guns. No need to make it sound worse than it is, and the chambers are certainly not being polished anymore than hard chrome already does.
    Last edited by Belmont31R; 05-03-10 at 16:40.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    SE Michigan
    Posts
    632
    Feedback Score
    22 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by RogerinTPA View Post
    That would be me...just lube and shoot. 3-4K rounds fired is my cleaning schedule.
    Same here, I normally clean my AR's a couple times a year. Doesn't hurt anything. As stated above and all over the internet, most people clean their guns every time they shoot because someone told them to. Modern ammo is non-corrosive and won't hurt anything. I wipe down the outside when they get dirty. Guess what I shoot Wolf too, never had a failure I didn't induce...imagine that
    Full disclosure - I am an Engineering Supervisor at Trijicon, Inc.

Page 4 of 5 FirstFirst ... 2345 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •