Cleaning The AR

Usage - day at the range. weekly-bi-weekly - 1600rnds avg/month

lightly clp'd moving parts.
lightly cleaned after each use (its stress relieving I think, I enjoy it)
no oil on bolt face - use clp to clean it, wipe it off.
clp down the barrel - wipe it out.
cam is slightly wetter than rest - only by a marginal bit.

pipe cleaners work well for the gas tube
 
V29189896 said:
Usage - day at the range. weekly-bi-weekly - 1600rnds avg/month

lightly clp'd moving parts.
lightly cleaned after each use (its stress relieving I think, I enjoy it)
no oil on bolt face - use clp to clean it, wipe it off.
clp down the barrel - wipe it out.
cam is slightly wetter than rest - only by a marginal bit.

pipe cleaners work well for the gas tube
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You average 1600 rnds/month, and you clean the gas tube with a pipe cleaner? Most everywhere I have heard says leave the gas tube alone.
 
I always ran my C7 wet.... except the bolt face. That's how I was taught in the Infantry, and that's how I did my cleaning.

You wouldn't run a car without oil right?
 
CdnCombatMedic said:
I always leave a light coat of oil on the bolt face, why is this wrong? I have had no problems thus far.
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A number of issues. Headspacing for one. Pressures could/will change because the oil on the face will not compress. Increased pressures could blow out a primer (unlikely with crimped military ammo). If a blown primer finds its way into the trigger mechanism, you may need to strip it down and shake/help it out.
If you oil up the bolt face you are also likely to have lubed up the extractor face. Combined with a high pressure load, hard or failed extractions could be the result.

If it is a very thin film, likely none of the above will/would happen, or if they do, they (like slightly higher pressure) will likely go unnoticed by you.
 
No oil should be on the bolt face or gas effected parts of any firearm. Exactly for the reasons stated above. Also noting that the military uses CLP, lube on the bolt face is also more likely to cause it to hold dirt or gum up which is not good. This can cause extractor problems which require the bolt to be removed and the extractor scraped.
 
carbonrod said:
You average 1600 rnds/month, and you clean the gas tube with a pipe cleaner? Most everywhere I have heard says leave the gas tube alone.
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I gave up golf to go to the "other range" - its less stressfull...

and yeah, the colored pipe cleaner helps get rid of the large loose debris, being fabric bristles rather than copper. You are partially correct - Gas tubes should not get a thorough abrasive cleaning. The soft pipe cleaners do not harm the inside of the tube... fyi

1600 rounds is no stretch. saturday mornings, and ussually a week night here and there...wednesdays our club does night shoots for pistols, revolvers and rifles. I should have been more clear though, winters I don't get out that often...
 
CdnCombatMedic said:
I always leave a light coat of oil on the bolt face, why is this wrong? I have had no problems thus far.
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I just do as the Wpn Tech says - and besides, this Sgt has seen dirt on his boots from the far reaches of the planet, and his biceps look like oxy/acedalyne tanks.... so I dare not question him...lol
 
Lube the lugs, not specifically the bolt face.

The more CLP/Lube on the bolt and other gas affect parts will lead to reduce carbon build up, easier to clean up and longer run times w/o problems.

The C7/C8 manual was adopted from the US M16A2 manual - and everyone had learned a lot more about fighting the systems since then.
 
Breakfree Carbon Cutter is great stuff.....Soak the bolt for about 10 minutes, and the carbon just wipes off.....Also, Breakfree has a lubricant/preservative that is thicker than the standard CLP....Stays where you put it, and works very well.....
 
V29189896 said:
I gave up golf to go to the "other range" - its less stressfull...

and yeah, the colored pipe cleaner helps get rid of the large loose debris, being fabric bristles rather than copper. You are partially correct - Gas tubes should not get a thorough abrasive cleaning. The soft pipe cleaners do not harm the inside of the tube... fyi

1600 rounds is no stretch. saturday mornings, and ussually a week night here and there...wednesdays our club does night shoots for pistols, revolvers and rifles. I should have been more clear though, winters I don't get out that often...
Click to expand...


Never put a pipe cleaner in the gas tube,or anything else for that matter, it does not require cleaning. It is a disposable part that should be replaced when required ie having gas related stoppages,it breaks or is excessively discolored by heat (blue/black "stain" on the outside). As for cleaning I ahve seen more rifle destroyed by excessive cleaning than anything else, wipe off the heavy deposits of carbon and filth, re lube and carry on.
 
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