Armueller2001
Member
I went to Walgreens and they had some but it seems that in along with the soft bristles, there are hard steel ones... where do you guys get yours?
Where the hell to buy pipe cleaners
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armoredman
Member
Walgreens...they work well to clean my pipes. Seriously.
ronnieevans40
Member
cleaners
Hit up a smoke shop.
Hit up a smoke shop.
Go to;
http://www.brownells.com
type in;
116-000-001
in the search engine on the upper left of the screen.
These are the pipe cleaners you should be using for any firearm applications IMHO
http://www.brownells.com
type in;
116-000-001
in the search engine on the upper left of the screen.
These are the pipe cleaners you should be using for any firearm applications IMHO
mrmeval
Member
308sc
Member
arts and crafts stores like Michaels has them.
MaterDei
Member
They aren't issued with q-tips, bore snakes or even ammo for that matter. Still nice items to have, just like pipe cleaners.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
AR gas tubes are self cleaning.
There is no need to be sticking pipe cleaners up one in the first place.
rcmodel
There is no need to be sticking pipe cleaners up one in the first place.
rcmodel
I use pipe cleaners for cleaning out screw holes, slots. grooved areas, and hard to reach internal areas.
They are super good for cleaning the slots of flash hiders and the gas ports on guns so equipped.
The one place I don't use pipe cleaners is for cleaning the gas tubes on M16/AR15 type rifles,,,,,,,,
They are super good for cleaning the slots of flash hiders and the gas ports on guns so equipped.
The one place I don't use pipe cleaners is for cleaning the gas tubes on M16/AR15 type rifles,,,,,,,,
possum
Member
craft stores. wal mart in the school section etc.
If we're going to be snippy here, then I could say you apparently lack the reading comprehension to realize there is a difference between "this rifle needs no cleaning" and "you don't need to clean a particular part of this rifle".
Neither I nor Rcmodel made that statement, but any spent time with ARs will show they are exceptionally reliable even when you neglect the gas tube.
The pressure flowing back into that itty-bitty tube is more than enough to dislodge any minor blockages that may come from powder residue.
Neither I nor Rcmodel made that statement, but any spent time with ARs will show they are exceptionally reliable even when you neglect the gas tube.
The pressure flowing back into that itty-bitty tube is more than enough to dislodge any minor blockages that may come from powder residue.
MaterDei
Member
When I was in the Army I never cleaned the gas tube of an M-16. I did however, clean a lot of things with pipe cleaners other than the gas tube. Without q-tips and pipe cleaners I would have never passed the armorer's inspection.
If you really feel compelled to clean out a gas tube, my recommendation is to remove the gas tube and immerse it in a good carbon solvent in a vibrating cleaning tray and leave it there for about eight hours.
Take it out of the vibro-tank and use compressed air to blow the tube clean shooting the air in from the breech side of the tube.
Carbon deposits mainly accumulate in the first three to four inches of the gas tube at the gas port side.
Very little carbon residue actually adheres all the way back to the breech face end.
Shoving a pipe cleaner into the breech area of the gas tube will just shove what carbon residue there is in that area into a mass four or five inches up the gas tube.
Gas flow is now restricted at the gas port area of the tube and again about five inches down the tube.
Rifle starts malfunctioning and owner can't figure out why,,,,,,,
If you really think your gas tube is fouled out, the things only cost about $10.00,,,,,it is easier to just replace the gas tube.
Take it out of the vibro-tank and use compressed air to blow the tube clean shooting the air in from the breech side of the tube.
Carbon deposits mainly accumulate in the first three to four inches of the gas tube at the gas port side.
Very little carbon residue actually adheres all the way back to the breech face end.
Shoving a pipe cleaner into the breech area of the gas tube will just shove what carbon residue there is in that area into a mass four or five inches up the gas tube.
Gas flow is now restricted at the gas port area of the tube and again about five inches down the tube.
Rifle starts malfunctioning and owner can't figure out why,,,,,,,
If you really think your gas tube is fouled out, the things only cost about $10.00,,,,,it is easier to just replace the gas tube.
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Whatever problems the M16 had in Vietnam was not caused by a lack of gas-tube pipe-cleaners.
When the M-16 was first issued, there wasn't even a .22 caliber cleaning rod issued with it.
And .22 cleaning rods were a mighty scarce item in an Infantry Company line unit back then.
My personal Colt AR carbine is 1970 vintage, and it has never had a pipe cleaner in the gas tube yet.
It has also never failed to work perfectly in almost 40 years.
Like others mentioned, I do use pipe cleaners in many places on an AR, but the gas tube is not one of them.
rcmodel
When the M-16 was first issued, there wasn't even a .22 caliber cleaning rod issued with it.
And .22 cleaning rods were a mighty scarce item in an Infantry Company line unit back then.
My personal Colt AR carbine is 1970 vintage, and it has never had a pipe cleaner in the gas tube yet.
It has also never failed to work perfectly in almost 40 years.
Like others mentioned, I do use pipe cleaners in many places on an AR, but the gas tube is not one of them.
rcmodel
Scott Skawronska
Member
I use 'em for the gas KEY on the B/C. I tried using one on my Bushy's gas tube once, but it didn't seem to help anything, it's not something I found particularly easy nor useful, so I stopped doing it.
But the gas key, fouling builds up there, as it does on the tail of the bolt, and those places need scrubbing if you neglect them.
Thanks for the brownells' links. I've found that the pipe cleaners with synthetic bristles are particularly bad for rifle cleaning as certain types of solvents such as Shooter's Choice actually dissolve them, leaving a crusty, sticky, depolymerized nylon residue.
Ewww.
Cotton all the way, folks.
S
But the gas key, fouling builds up there, as it does on the tail of the bolt, and those places need scrubbing if you neglect them.
Thanks for the brownells' links. I've found that the pipe cleaners with synthetic bristles are particularly bad for rifle cleaning as certain types of solvents such as Shooter's Choice actually dissolve them, leaving a crusty, sticky, depolymerized nylon residue.
Ewww.
Cotton all the way, folks.
S
Amen, Brownell's is the best bet. Been shooting AR's since 1974 and have used them for a variety of tasks. Never used one in the gas tube yet. Think about it, every time you pull the trigger you get 50,000 copper units of pressure through the gas tube. It pretty much cleans itself.
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