Chrome Cures All Ills!
The only part of the M-16/AR-15 series of rifles that takes longer than 2 minutes to clean to what I consider,"Combat Effective", is the bolt itself...
Other than the bolt/carrier combo,which in my experience can go atleast 700+ rounds without cleaning/failure,(I am sure it would go more but I just couldn't push my nearly $900 rifle
) it only takes a minute to achieve,"Combat Clean"; unhinge the receiver,remove and wipe off the bolt carrier(not fully disassemble), wipe off the inside of the receiver walls, add one SMALL drop of oil to the firing pin(through the bolt carrier hole no disassembly) and another SMALL drop to the two vertical holes where the dust cover recess is built into the bolt carrier and run something throught the chamber(just in case of debris) barrel cleaning not needed during combat....
Clean enough for combat in about 2minutes(probably less) and will get you through to your next chance to detail clean
! Also I say you could run the AR completely DRY(except for those two drops for the firing pin channel) and the AR doesn't seem to care much
PS I bet the constant cleaning some are giving their weapons in Iraq and other conflicts is also a modicum of control that they have over a very chaotic situation
? Think about it, IED's, insurgents, anit-American sentiment everywhere,missing your loved ones and on top of that you have a job to do. That job depends on THIS rifle....That Rifle represents getting home in one piece and a whole lot more to that soldier, it is basicly his life/significant other
Edit: I have no combat experience(I was a Boy Scout for a while though)and all views, ideas, thoughts, considerations, and opinions are the sole property of my being which I expressly reserve the RIGHT to change at any time