Am I the only one who hates cleaning ARs?

[kimberkid]

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.

This is so simple!
Allow me to explain ...
Just shoot a couple thousand rounds,
Do a 3 minute clean by spraying it out with some brake clean, and then some CPL
Take it to a show and sell it, then buy a new one!

At today's AR prices you shouldn't have to suffer the inconvenience of CLEANING!!!

 

[armoredman]

In the Navy, we had to clean each M16A2 3 times. You cleaned one for the first time then took it to the MA for a second cleaning on another until all had been cleaned 3 times. Each company took turns cleaning that company's rifles.
That's why you couldnt pay me to own an AR type rifle now.

We had M14s in the Navy when I was a Gunner's Mate, easy cleaning. I just got into the AR game last year, very much a latecomer, and I was told by the builder who helped me to not fall into the over cleaning trap. So far maybe 1000 rounds and just the barrel patched and scrubbed, and BCG surface cleaned and oiled. Even for my ultimate low budget beater it runs like a champ.

 

[rust collector]

I'm not a high-volume AR guy so claim no expertise. I do enjoy cleaning my guns, as it's a link to my long-departed dad. Although we were cleaning ancient doubles and revolvers at the kitchen table, the smell of Hoppe #9 still brings great memories.

Guns are tools, and I was taught to take good care of tools to get maximum usefulness. A little gentle cleaning and preservation has worked for me over the last 40 years or so. Field strip, look things over, blow out crud, use a chamber cleaner, and patch the bore until clean. Light oiling in and out and I'm done. BCG gets cleaned only rarely in my ARs. With prices where they are lately, I have spares for every occasion.

 

[rsrocket1]

How are .22s different?

I guess it depends on the gun. I've been shooting a lot of rimfire lately. My SW22A-1 would get Failures to Fire when the chamber (tight) gets dirty and rounds won't chamber all the way in. The primer gets a strong strike, but it fails to fire because the front of the rim isn't sitting flush with the edge of the barrel (acts like a centerfire primer that wasn't seated fully). It depends on the ammo. Federal bulk is the worst but with a cleaning of the gun after each trip (just a bore snake and a Q-Tip with Hoppes in the chamber) and it shoots even the Federal reliably.

My 10/22 fails to reset the trigger once in a while if I don't clean it after many hudred rounds. The blown back soot gets into the trigger housing and it gets sticky.

With my Marlin 924 bolt, it runs forever without a cleaning because there is no blowback, everything exits the barrel.

The remark about the AR being "self cleaning" was sarcasm. It does need cleaning but in benign civilian cases, probably a lot less than they're being cleaned by most people.