ArchAngelCD
Member.
Put the upper in a sonic cleaner and go eat lunch or dinner. When you're done eating the upper will be spotless. A quick wipe down of the lower and a good spray lube on the upper and your AR is better than new.
tips to speed up cleaning of an AR without sacrificing quality?
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benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Lubricate the internals with a good synthetic oil (I use Mobil 1 5W30, which stays put a lot better than Rem Oil or CLP) until all surfaces are quite wet, and then shoot the heck out of it. When you're done shooting, take it apart, fill the bore and chamber with foaming bore cleaner. Let that sit while you wipe the oil containing the dissolved carbon off the bolt, bolt carrier, and the inside of the receiver with a cloth or paper towel. Clean the barrel (bore snake, or cleaning rod if you're so inclined), re-oil it generously, and put it back together. Ten minutes tops. If you are OCD, add an additional 5 minutes with some Q-tips, and every once in a while you could use a chamber brush if you feel the need. But carbon deposits wipe right off as long as they remain wet; they only harden when they dry. I shoot a lot of Tula (notoriously rather dirty) and cleaning is a snap.
The biggest problem with a .22LR adapter would be lead fouling, which may take a little extra scrubbing with a bronze brush to get rid of.
Also be aware that an AR does not have to be spotless, or even clean, in order to run reliably, as long as they are run wet, and you certainly don't have to clean it after every range trip.
AR after 15,000 rounds of steel-case without cleaning
The biggest problem with a .22LR adapter would be lead fouling, which may take a little extra scrubbing with a bronze brush to get rid of.
Also be aware that an AR does not have to be spotless, or even clean, in order to run reliably, as long as they are run wet, and you certainly don't have to clean it after every range trip.
AR after 15,000 rounds of steel-case without cleaning
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If your AR does not work when dirty, it was broken before you ever fired a round.
When you get a new AR wipe away any crud inside left over from manufacturing, lube it up, shoot, and when it gets powdered fouled enough that your hands and clothes are getting annoyingly dirty but the rifle is still functioning properly, wipe out the excess fouling from the bore and receiver with the CLP of your choice, and resume shooting.
Spotlessly clean ARs are an indication of concerns other than conscientious AR maintenance, a waste of time, and often have been damaged from improper cleaning techniques.
When you get a new AR wipe away any crud inside left over from manufacturing, lube it up, shoot, and when it gets powdered fouled enough that your hands and clothes are getting annoyingly dirty but the rifle is still functioning properly, wipe out the excess fouling from the bore and receiver with the CLP of your choice, and resume shooting.
Spotlessly clean ARs are an indication of concerns other than conscientious AR maintenance, a waste of time, and often have been damaged from improper cleaning techniques.
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sappyg
Member
I cleaned an AR after about 500 of steel ammo. Really wish I hadn't bothered but I figured it was overdue. It wasn't that dirty.
Sometimes I spray the BCG with CLP and sometimes I wipe it down and spray with CLP. Takes about a minute.
Sometimes I spray the BCG with CLP and sometimes I wipe it down and spray with CLP. Takes about a minute.
Welding Rod
Member
Before every range trip I run one patch down the bore to verify it is clear and lube the BCG and charging handle.
After each range trip I usually push an oily patch down the chamber and bore.
After several trips I wipe the gook off the BCG with an old dry wash cloth. Once in a great while I disassemble and clean the BCG inside.
It drove me bats to hear NCOs or Officers in the Army in the 80s and early 90s telling soldiers that essentially, their rifle would likely fail them if it weren't kept very clean... total hogwash... I think it is irresponsible to falsely ruin a soldier's confidence in his weapon's capabilities. However I do think many of these young and inexperienced leaders actually believed what they said as it was simply what they were told. Truth was most of M16s that I saw choked because their magazines were bent to crap and not replaced or even taken out of service, or the gun was used way beyond a reasonable service life.
After each range trip I usually push an oily patch down the chamber and bore.
After several trips I wipe the gook off the BCG with an old dry wash cloth. Once in a great while I disassemble and clean the BCG inside.
It drove me bats to hear NCOs or Officers in the Army in the 80s and early 90s telling soldiers that essentially, their rifle would likely fail them if it weren't kept very clean... total hogwash... I think it is irresponsible to falsely ruin a soldier's confidence in his weapon's capabilities. However I do think many of these young and inexperienced leaders actually believed what they said as it was simply what they were told. Truth was most of M16s that I saw choked because their magazines were bent to crap and not replaced or even taken out of service, or the gun was used way beyond a reasonable service life.
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You experience mirrors mine during the same time period. The use of firing pins as scraping tools and cleaning rods chucked into electric drills are just a couple of the absurdities I observed in use to meet the nonsensical cleaning standards in multiple units.
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