Before I start let me say that I’m starting from scratch. I currently have a CZ452 .22, and will soon (hopefully) have a CMMG 16" Mid-length Lightweight AR. As of now I have ZERO cleaning products (I decided to sell everything off and start fresh), but am looking to put a small collection together.
As it stands, budget wise, the AR won’t see more than 200 rounds at a time. I’m incredibly OCPD, thus it will be cleaned after every range trip. So far I have the following on my “to buy” list:
So the question is, can I get away with using a .22 boresnake for general purpose cleaning :o , or should I head the old “cleaning kit” direction; more specifically a rod, jag, brass brush, patches, etc.
Does anyone have a step-by-step procedure that they’d like to share, preferably with pictures?
What ever you do DON’t try pulling a dry boresnake through your ARs bbl. get it really wet with Breakfree CLP before pulling it through. You don’t want it to get stuck and if dry chances are it will. Trust me on this item.
You need a 5.56 AR chamber brush this item is very important.
A quality one piece cleaning rod like a dewey is IMHO a must. I find a bore guide a Dewey or Tipton is mighty helpful. Quality bbl. brushs and quality bbl. Jags are a must.
Quality Copper Solvent also Breakfree CLP and my choice of Lub. CrrosionX http://www.corrosionx.com/
Also quality cotton .223/5.56 patchs.
Pipe cleaners for the bolt carrier key.
I have a bolt carrier carbon scraper tool. steve at ADCO has a bunch of quality tools every AR owner needs.
The gas tube really does not need any special cleaning as over 30K of gas pressure keeps it unblocked really well.
The small gaskey on the boltcarrier is very easy to run a pipe cleaner through also through the firing pin hole.
You will quickly learn all the little places to clean using Q-Tips and ways to make the cleaning process go quickly and made easy.
Remember one very important item. NEVER iNEVER EVER install the bolt into the carrier without the bolt campin installed. If you leave the campin out and install the bolt and carrier into your AR and the campin turns and trust me it will somehow turn and then you will have a locked in bolt&carrier. And it’s not and easy task getting it unlocked.
Unless you are using some type of chemical solvent sticking a pipe cleaner in the gas tube or the bolt carrier key will do nothing much, but keep you occupied.
I skip the bore guide and jags. I use my Dewey rod with slotted tips to pull patches thru the bore military style instead of pushing thru. I have to take the upper completely off, but I do that anyway to clean the carbon out of the receiver.
A bore guide speeds up the process and protects the crown while cleaning the bore. Using a .223 Jag does a much better job of cleaning the bbls. lands and groves.
You can just use a slotted patch holder drag the patch through as many time as you wish. Then use a .223 Jag and clean patch and see how much stuff got missed.
I know it’s quick and easy just giving it the drag through military deal but if one really wants to get a quality cleaning job done on your bore use a bore guide and Jags.
Dewey and Tipton don’t make them because they just want more money it’s because people want them and buy them.
This is how I clean.
Break the weapon down
Fill the barrel with foaming boar cleaner
Use non chlorinated brake cleaner on all the other parts (knocks off most of the carbon)
Use a solvent (Hoppes, Eds Red, etc…) and an assortment of bras brushes, Q tips, cloth diapers, and scraping tools on the bolt and bolt carrier group and fire control group to get the last bit of carbon.
Blow out the barrel, chamber, and upper with non chlorinated brake cleaner.
Use chamber brush and Q tips on the chamber.
OTIS cleaning kit on the barrel (bore brush) and then a bore snake and then the Otis with patches (though I am considering getting a one piece rod).
After this, after my weapon is absolutely clean, I lubricate (thats another thread) and reassemble.
Takes me about an hour to clean the rifle. One key is to make sure your weapon is properly lubricated prior to firing. It helps to make clean up easier (I’ll fire about 100 rounds a pop at the range, once or twice a month).
I have a generic Hoppes cleaning rod kit that is 8x32 thread as well, I figure that I can use the chamber cleaning rod for double duty.
Is there any reason why this might not work?
P.S. - I’m still a bit confused what the “chamber guide” does for me though. Without having the kit/AR here, it makes it difficult to get a sense for size.
I just like a one piece cleaning rod for my ARs you will quickly find their bores are really tight with a quality 223/5.56 bronze brush. Any bending of a two piece rod causes sides of the rod to drag on the lands and groves inside the bbl.
Using my boreguide installed I have a rubber block on floor and with the cleaning rod and bronze brush installed I softly bump the rod through the bbl. while holding the upper. Makes it really easy. Then I remove the bronze brush before pulling the cleaning rod back out. This works for me others might differ.
That’s why I like to pull through. Even though it’s a little more work, I don’t have to pay close attention to my cleaning. I STILL use a Dewey rod though.
