AR Bolt Cleaning

[benEzra]

I clean mine after every two or three range trips, or when it looks like any internal surfaces are getting close to dry. Figure 60-80 rounds per range trip, so I probably clean it every couple hundred rounds on average (mostly Tula steel-case).

In my experience, starting with a bolt and bolt carrier that are both pretty wet with Mobil 1 makes carbon cleanup a snap; pretty much wipe it off and re-lube.

 

[IndianaBoy]

An AR15 is a machine. It is designed with liberal tolerances, very liberal tolerances but if it is designed to run, first, when it has no contaminants in it, sooner or later, when there is enough garbage in it, it will stop. Just the law of physics.

To a point perhaps.


Do you know anyone who disassembles their car's engine to clean it when they change the oil?

By and large, people drastically over clean. Wipe off the dirty oil. Re-oil. Done.

It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to clean an AR.

 

[Mohave-Tec]

I just said that.

 

[IndianaBoy]

 

[Jason248]

I take mine apart and clean them after every range trip so I don't get the hard carbon build up later.

It takes maybe 5 minutes to clean at out back together? To me it's worth the time to have it cleaned, lubricated and ready to go.

 

[taliv]

An AR15 is a machine. It is designed with liberal tolerances, very liberal tolerances but if it is designed to run, first, when it has no contaminants in it, sooner or later, when there is enough garbage in it, it will stop. Just the law of physics.

the assumption there is that contaminants continue to build up as you shoot. i think reality is that contaminants build to a point and then past that point, they find a way to break off and exit the rifle on their own. but it's a simple theory to test. fire a few thousand rounds and stop every 200 rounds and mic the bolt tail, lugs etc. record the build up.

 

[Blade First]

"i think reality is that contaminants build to a point and then past that point, they find a way to break off and exit the rifle..."

This. Not everything about high-pressure gas is negative.

 

[Mohave-Tec]

That is not the assumption. What happens to the stuff that breaks off? Does it make a positive contribution to wherever it ends up. My guess is no, not likely.
Saying "I've never cleaned my AR and it lasted 50,000 rounds" is like saying "I didn't change the oil in my car and it lasted 130,000 miles" while the cars says "I sure would have enjoyed another 120,000". The mechanical engineers, auto professionals and industrial mechanics here with 30+ years experience and education won't call or think anybody here wrong necessarily, mostly because they've heard it enough that an AR is unique in the mechanical world I'm sure, but they are reading the words with a grimace on their face.

 

[Mohave-Tec]

Anyway. There is no need to prove a point from either perspective. Everybody's going to do what they are going to do. I'm off my soap-box.

 

[Nom de Forum]

During my Army career it always amazed me the amount of abuse M16s suffered from soldiers using improper cleaning techniques due to the ignorance of their leaders.

Want you AR-15 to keep working? Keep it real wet. Want to keep it reasonably accurate? Don't clean your rifle like Roto-rooter cleans sewers. Want to hit your target? Learn how to use your sights better than how fast you can pull the trigger.

 

[68wj]

That is not the assumption. What happens to the stuff that breaks off? Does it make a positive contribution to wherever it ends up. My guess is no, not likely.
Saying "I've never cleaned my AR and it lasted 50,000 rounds" is like saying "I didn't change the oil in my car and it lasted 130,000 miles" while the cars says "I sure would have enjoyed another 120,000". The mechanical engineers, auto professionals and industrial mechanics here with 30+ years experience and education won't call or think anybody here wrong necessarily, mostly because they've heard it enough that an AR is unique in the mechanical world I'm sure, but they are reading the words with a grimace on their face.

The oil changing analogy is not valid here. Oil in a vehicle engine is a lubrication barrier between moving parts that would otherwise grind themselves away. Nobody here has yet advocated running a rifle dry, but the question is about cleaning carbon from the bolt (mainly the tail). A better anology might be how often has one cleaned their muffler.

I have found that lubing the piston portion of the bolt doesn't affect much since it is blown away by the hot gas. Any carbon that breaks free is likely blown through the carrier vent holes too.

 

[Blade First]

"That is not the assumption. What happens to the stuff that breaks off? Does it make a positive contribution to wherever it ends up. My guess is no, not likely."

Huh?! What sort of nonsense is this "positive contribution" or lack thereof supposed to represent?