straightShot
Member
Shooting them? That's not a problem at all. Getting them clean, to include the carbon build-up? I'm behind on that for sure.
Am I the only one who hates cleaning ARs?
- Thread starter straightShot
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Hokie_PhD
Member
It’s not one of my favorite chores. But if in the right mindset I then enjoy it.
Make it a game, or change the attitude. Or as Nike used to say, Just Do It.
Whatever works to get the task done.
That said, when I get into it, I look at I as a way to spend time with my ARs and to give them love. When I don’t its not fun.
So just stop looking at it as an either or. But rather something that can be enjoyable when you feel like it or awful when not. Then the trick becomes finding a little time and getting in the right mindset and then having fun.
Make it a game, or change the attitude. Or as Nike used to say, Just Do It.
Whatever works to get the task done.
That said, when I get into it, I look at I as a way to spend time with my ARs and to give them love. When I don’t its not fun.
So just stop looking at it as an either or. But rather something that can be enjoyable when you feel like it or awful when not. Then the trick becomes finding a little time and getting in the right mindset and then having fun.
ontarget
Member
Who cleans their ARs?
Jeb Stuart
member
Just run em under a hot shower and lube when finished.
Good Ol' Boy
Member
To me it's no worse than a 1911. Actually now that I think about it I think its easier.
One of the easiest firearms to clean. Over cleaning some parts just wears them prematurely.
The thing is modular and you can access the internals easily, and get to the bore from either end and inspect and maintain it far more easily than most other rifles. While having wide open access to the inside of the receiver with great ease in a wide work space significantly easier to work in than most other firearms.
It disassembles quite easily. If rating on ease of cleaning I would think it was one of the best firearms to clean.
The most likely risk to it is moisture, and with enough oil you prevent that and cause a lot of the carbon and stuff to soften up too. It is just leaks some oil for awhile afterwards so store it accordingly. Some guns are actually a challenge to assemble, requiring special holds and stuff to get things lined up while you hook another part just so...or various tools to take apart a lot more of the firearm. The AR needs no tools beyond the cleaning tools to clean, and can be even further disassembled with the most basic of tools if desired.
If you mean because it is not pretty like some blued and stainless guns with sensual curves, then you have not customized it enough to your liking. Keep customizing it until you actually like holding it. Every part can be had in more numerous shapes colors and designs than just about any other firearm. Many of them actually function, and some are actually improvements.
I don't like any grit in the action as it feels like it will wear it faster, and I am far more concerned with that where aluminum rubs than steel, but most of the gun just needs a good amount of oil and some wiping to stay looking like new underneath the carbon when you actually do clean it excessively. And then when you do you can just tell that you actually didn't need to and just exposed all that metal to wear, moisture, and oxidation before oiling it again for nothing.
The thing is modular and you can access the internals easily, and get to the bore from either end and inspect and maintain it far more easily than most other rifles. While having wide open access to the inside of the receiver with great ease in a wide work space significantly easier to work in than most other firearms.
It disassembles quite easily. If rating on ease of cleaning I would think it was one of the best firearms to clean.
The most likely risk to it is moisture, and with enough oil you prevent that and cause a lot of the carbon and stuff to soften up too. It is just leaks some oil for awhile afterwards so store it accordingly. Some guns are actually a challenge to assemble, requiring special holds and stuff to get things lined up while you hook another part just so...or various tools to take apart a lot more of the firearm. The AR needs no tools beyond the cleaning tools to clean, and can be even further disassembled with the most basic of tools if desired.
If you mean because it is not pretty like some blued and stainless guns with sensual curves, then you have not customized it enough to your liking. Keep customizing it until you actually like holding it. Every part can be had in more numerous shapes colors and designs than just about any other firearm. Many of them actually function, and some are actually improvements.
I don't like any grit in the action as it feels like it will wear it faster, and I am far more concerned with that where aluminum rubs than steel, but most of the gun just needs a good amount of oil and some wiping to stay looking like new underneath the carbon when you actually do clean it excessively. And then when you do you can just tell that you actually didn't need to and just exposed all that metal to wear, moisture, and oxidation before oiling it again for nothing.
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Deanimator
Member
- carburetor cleaner - Don't get it on the GI plastic stock.
- long pipe cleaners for the gas tube
- dental picks
- immersion in boiling water and solvent mix - Remove the furniture.
edwardware
Member
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- Feb 23, 2010
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- 4,422
Do you clean the carbon of your valves when you change your oil? If so, stop that.
You probably want to pull the BCG apart every 1k and clean it well enough to count three gas rings; other than that, don't. See BCM's Filthy 14 article.
For the barrel, clean per your accuracy requirements.
Obturation
Member
Im kind of ocd with cleaning and i think my ar is my least favorite to clean. I may get a little heat for this but i think the ar is a tool with no soul and i only own one, it has a very specific use that it does very well. I only shoot mine to practice and it does not bring me much joy even in that capacity. That said i see cleaning it as a chore. I like to clean my lever guns, revolvers and to some extent my various other handguns . But the ar always gets very dirty even with just a couple hundred rounds and has lots of small areas to scrape carbon from, in my experience soaking in solvent doesnt do much to make it easier. I know it will work fine with a bit of grit, but it drives me nuts to have dirty guns.
just stop then. Take the bolt out, wipe it with oil, run an oily rag down the barrel. Takes 3 minutes, with motor oil. When accuracy goes to hell, run some sweets through. Thats all I do, and clocked 1 malfunction in 25,000 round, other than some old Wolf ammo, and brass getting kicked back in by a catcher. Accuracy is fine too.
I will add, it is a self cleaning design, even if the DOD changed their minds on that. There is never any reason, to clean the gastube. Its stainless so you don't have to do anything even with corrosive ammo. I would drip some water in there, followed by some oil if using corrosive, but never felt the need to jam anything in there. I had a few thousand round, including 1000 rounds of the old Wolf stuff that ran really dirty when I took a gas tube off a barrel. Still looked good. No "build up" or "crud'. I have a friend who aggressively cleans his, only thing to show for it was some broken gas rings that didnt like being scrubbed. Don't clean the extension much either. Put a rod through the muzzle out the back, put a big oil patch in, run it back to the extension, spin it around a few times. I once found the extension full of lead wool from 22LR, even that didn't need more than a few spins.
Deanimator
Member
I'd treat a Mosin-Nagant with a cracked stock better than that.
cant say its the best thing in the world, but its runs good, shoots good, never rusts, and doesn't build up soot. No real signs of meaningful wear either. Shot it in a sandstorm in Yakama a few times, and it ran great there as well. I too would treat a Mosin better. Gotta take care of the wood
good analogy. I see those gas station pictures of "their gas vs ours" with the valves that could not possible have came off a running engine, well passed the piston kiss range on a low compression motor. But it sure is dramatic. Interestingly, I have seen the Filthy 14, and it DOES look like those valves.
JR24
Member
While that may be true, I definately like taking apart and cleaning my 1911 or Thompson far more than my AR. Heck, I enjoy cleaning my AK a lot more too.
I'd say, apart from my 9 shot .22 revolver (soooooo many cylendars to clean), my AR is my least favorite to clean.
Good Ol' Boy
Member
And on that note I think a lot of folks are just plain lazy nowadays. If it's not as easy to field strip as a Glock then it's a hassle.
You can never satisfy those folks.
Field stripping and cleaning a AR really isn't bad at all.
Deanimator
Member
I learned to clean guns in ROTC and the Army. I simply can't do a half-Schumered cleaning job on a good gun.cant say its the best thing in the world, but its runs good, shoots good, never rusts, and doesn't build up soot. No real signs of meaningful wear either. Shot it in a sandstorm in Yakama a few times, and it ran great there as well. I too would treat a Mosin better. Gotta take care of the wood
CapnMac
Member
Way easier than a Ruger Mk III or a Nylon 66 (or anything in .17).
All things are relative.
"Boot camp" clean is no more work on an AR than on an M1 or M14 (easier, really).
All things are relative.
"Boot camp" clean is no more work on an AR than on an M1 or M14 (easier, really).
I can respect that, I used to heavily clean, then eventually figured out it wasn't necessary. Still scrub down the 1911, grease the rails, lugs, bushing. But the AR gets shot so much I just started oiling it more than cleaning. After discovering that oiling it kept it clean enough, I just went with it. I always found a good AR runs very clean. Many disagree buts its every bit as clean inside as an AK/Mini/SKS and much easier to clean what does get fouled in my experience.
Chuck R.
Member
For a GP carbine:
Boresnake, wipe down, add lube. Periodically scrape some carbon off the bolt tail and from inside the BC. There's a couple tools available that make both a 10 second job. A couple of times a year I actually break the thing down and clean the bore.
I have found huge benefits in the combination of an adjustable gas block and clean burning powder. I hardly have to ever touch a lower.
Boresnake, wipe down, add lube. Periodically scrape some carbon off the bolt tail and from inside the BC. There's a couple tools available that make both a 10 second job. A couple of times a year I actually break the thing down and clean the bore.
I have found huge benefits in the combination of an adjustable gas block and clean burning powder. I hardly have to ever touch a lower.
Jeff Burgess
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- Nov 28, 2018
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I can’t sleep if my guns are dirty. Soon as I come back from the range I’ll clean it spotless and I feel proud when there clean and ready for another go.
I payed a lot of money for something to not clean it.
I payed a lot of money for something to not clean it.
shootstraight57
Member
When my son-in-law was over seas he would charge other people to clean theirs. He would go into the shower and lather the AR's and clean with hot water and when done he lubed and handed them back! LOL Quick and easy process but not one I would use. I am very meticulous with my weapons, only the best for them... Like LoonWulf said: I am pretty anal about my guns.
Chuck R.
Member
I understand how you feel.
One thing that's always missing from these "how frequently do you clean" type discussions is the amount of shooting done. In this case, my AR15 will get shot a couple times a month in addition to a monthly match. My match pistol(s) get shot a couple times a week in addition to matches. Both may go 1500-2000 rds between having anything done.
So when the "ready to go" date is a few days later, and the gun is functioning without issue, why clean it??
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