How I clean my S&W 5.45 AR15

[Suwannee Tim]

I have added a step. First thing after removing the barrel and charging handle I spray the upper down with a bit of Gunk Engine Cleaner which I let sit for 15 or more minutes. This gets most to all of the old contaminated lube out of the upper.

I spoke to Matt at Adams Arms and he specifically mentioned the gas port as a prime victim of corrosion. Makes sense to me. Make sure you hit the gas tube with the hot water.

I had the bolt carrier and bolt seize up on a 5.45. I put a punch on the back of the bolt carrier and a light tap with a hammer freed it up. There was evidently a bit of corrosion in the gas piston / cylinder part of the bolt and bolt carrier. Starting now before I leave the range I'm shooting some lube into the exhaust holes in the bolt to prevent such until the cleaning which is usually an hour or two later. A squirt down the gas tube to get the gas port I think is a good idea too.

[tpd223]

Do you guys clean out the lowers as well, or is that not an issue?

I would think that some of the corrosive gunk would end up down in the lower.

[Littlelebowski]

Do you guys clean out the lowers as well, or is that not an issue?

I would think that some of the corrosive gunk would end up down in the lower.

The hot water rinse takes care of that.

[rootbrain]

You CLEAN it?!!?

Rootbrain

[Littlelebowski]

You CLEAN it?!!?

Rootbrain

Corrosive ammo.

[rootbrain]

You CLEAN it??!

Rootbrain

[ZH556]

I've looked everywhere and got nothing. Anyone know where I can find a 5.45x39 bolt for an AR?

[GunBugBit]

I haven't tried hot water but first heard about it for cleaning rifles in the 1980s during Army basic training. We weren't allowed to use it, just Breakfree CLP (modern formulation sure smells different than I remember).

My S&W M&P 15x has 5k rounds through it. All I've used on it is Breakfree CLP, automatic transmission fluid, and synthetic motor oil. I do shoot some corrosive ammo. I don't know how well my cleaning compounds of choice are doing against the corrosive residue. I don't know how long my barrel will last; at my current rate of .223 ammo consumption, it will hit 10k in about four more years.

[Lefty223]

FWIW 'hot' washing muzzleloaders causes some minor to serious 'flash rusting'. I clean all my BP toys w/ room temperature water, followed up by a Ballistol patch or 2, but will use Birchwood Casey's 'Barricade' for longer-term storage. No hot water EVER touches my BP arms and some of my flintlocks are worth more than custom build ARs posted here.

On any of centerfires w/ corrosive-primed ammo, I just use the Ballistol. Heck, it was invented for the German Army for use in their military arms when all there was was corrosive ammo.

[RetroRevolver77]

I have a 74 with over 18K rounds of corrosive ammo through it have a few other 74's with about 5-8K rounds through them. Hot water and bore snake. Toothbrush the comp and gas tube.