AR Cleaning kit

[Drewski]

Just dipping my toes into the AR pond now and wondering about a decent cleaning kit for a AR 15 223/556. Any recommendations appreciated. Kleen Bore, Hoppe's, Rem, Otis. Flex rod vs Alum/brass/Nylon Dewey... Kit or pc one out?

Thx

[mmcnx2]

I've never been a kit fan. I have brass and coated rods I like, swags, brushes, ect that I prefer. I also have solvent and lubricants that I like that are not one brand.

[jshuberg]

I suggest you piece one together, something like the following:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/912202 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/957056 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/423606 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/260083 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/744854 ... uctFinding
http://www.tacticaltolerance.com/cat.htm
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/399753 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/881771 ... uctFinding

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/196090 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/987322 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/664438 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/697666 ... uctFinding

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/533373 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/840573 ... uctFinding
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/144092 ... uctFinding

People are going to recommend different products/manufacturers, but you get the idea. Stay away from segmented and uncoated cleaning rods, and a bore guide really helps to prevent damage to the bore during cleaning. Also, running a dry boresnake through the barrel after you're finished shooting when the barrel is still warm significantly reduces the amount of time, effort and solvent required to fully clean the bore.

Hope this helps.

[UnaStamus]

Otis offers one of the better "all-in-one" kits, but it's not a complete kit. Most of us that have been shooting a while have a whole kit box full of stuff.
Some AR specific necessities:

Boresnake
CATM4 tool
Military style double-ended brush (like a stiff toothbrush)
Pipe cleaners
Q-tips
Stiff Chamber cleaning rod and M16 style chamber brush

The best cleaning and lubricating products I've used are:
Slip2000
Froglube
FireClean

If you have kids or pets, I'd highly consider non-toxic lubricants and solvents. The above listed ones are non-toxic and biodegradable. The Froglube is also edible because it's plant-based (not that you would, but it tastes like minty wax if you do...)

[mmcnx2]

... The Froglube is also edible because it's plant-based (not that you would, but it tastes like minty wax if you do...)

Said like a true man, you just had to try once didn't you? Because somewhere on the package it said you could.

I had a hunting buddy that tried his dogs kibble for the same reason.

[jshuberg]

For copper fouling there's nothing that works better than KG-12. Normally I'm not a fan of removing copper fouling until it becomes a problem, but my machine gun gets caked up with copper every time I take her out. A boresnake through the barrel 10X when still warm, half a dozen patches with Hoppes, and then 2 patches with KG-12 and the bore is absolutely spotless. Make sure to use nylon brushes and jags when using any copper solvent, it will attack bronze as it is mainly copper.

While Hoppes and other carbon solvents don't remove copper fouling, they can act as a copper indicator. After cleaning the carbon fouling out of the bore, run a wet patch through and leave it for around 5 mins. Then run a dry patch through. If it comes out with a lot of green or blue, it's indication of copper fouling. It's usually not a big deal, and actually tightens up the barrel, but excessive copper fouling will cause a loss of accuracy, especially if it gets to the crown. After removing copper it usually takes 25-50 fouling rounds to season the bore and get your accuracy back.

Most people over clean their barrels. Copper and even some carbon fouling is fine as long as it's not excessive, and fouling can actually protect the surface of the bore. The first few microns of the steel undergo metallurgical changes when the weapon is fired as carbon is introduced into the steel at extremely high pressures and temperatures, making it incredibly brittle. Every time you clean the bore you are removing a microscopic amount of the surface, but when you shoot the rifle, the hard layer of fouling actually helps to protect the brittle layer against the friction of the bullets. Shooting a rifle is easier on the bore than cleaning it. Everything other than the bore should be cleaned to spotless every time you shoot it, but be cautious and gentle with the bore. It just needs to be clean enough to shoot properly.

One simple trick to extend the life of your cleaning brushes is after your done using them, dunk them in a jar of isopropyl alcohol and stir them around for 20 seconds or so to remove all of the solvent from the brush. Over time, those solvents will eat away at the bristles and spindle of the brush, causing the bristles to fall out. I've found you can almost double the usable life of a cleaning brush by cleaning them thoroughly after use.

[UnaStamus]

... The Froglube is also edible because it's plant-based (not that you would, but it tastes like minty wax if you do...)

Said like a true man, you just had to try once didn't you? Because somewhere on the package it said you could.

I had a hunting buddy that tried his dogs kibble for the same reason.

[Stugotz]

I use a Gunslick 36" carbon fiber rod with a JP Enterprises JPRG-1 guide (local company and I use a number of other JP products in my precision AR builds). Hoppe's, Frog lube, brass brushes, both stab and slot jags and various size patches (jag dependent) and clean regularly with exceptional accuracy results.

For Copper fouling I have used a few different foaming bore cleaners, Outers makes a good one, so does Breakfree. Gunslick's foaming bore cleaner is not as agressive as those two and that's what I have been using lately...

You may find this link interesting - http://www.frfrogspad.com/cleaners.htm

[Drewski]

Wow, thanks everyone for all the very informative info and interesting links. Think its time to get on the web and do some shopping, here's to hoping I have some seed money left over to put towards optics when I'm done. As I said I just took up this platform and bought a S&W M&P 15 MOE and must say it is a fun rifle to shoot. Time to get the plastic out and spend before the tax man finds me.

Thx again.

[solidgun]

I don't like the Otis kit as I have seen it stuck in barrels several times at ranges. While this has not happened to me, had I not seen it, I wouldn't have believed that the piece at the end crimped on could come off while inside the barrel. But I have seen this happen at least 3 times.

[UnaStamus]

Keep in mind that the key to your rifle operating reliably is quality lubricant, and lots of it. A dirty rifle runs just fine so long as you keep it lubed. I have a rifle with 9000rds down the pipe right now since it was last cleaned. I run Slip2000 EWL and the rifle still has never had a mechanical malfunction. Most of my other ARs get cleaned every 1200-1500rds or so.
Your rifle being dirty is irrelevant to the overall reliability. That does not mean that you shouldn't clean it ever. If you opt to always clean your rifle, heed the advice above about not over-cleaning the rifle. White Glove clean may look good for presentation, but it hurts the rifle in the long run. Don't be overly aggressive with your cleaning. Also, be careful about your use of solvents that degrease. Don't blast your parts all the time with Gun Scrubber or other degreasers, as they do in fact degrease. You remove all of the surface lubricant, and then a lot of it in the metal pores. This dries out the metal, and you need to relube to rehydrate the metal. I've sat at the range and watched people hose down their guns with cans of gun scrubber, then throw them in a case and go home. I'm sure they wonder why their guns start developing rust spots. It's ridiculous. Lubricant is your friend.

[johnlewjohn]

Plus one on the above post, people way over clean their guns.
If I am not getting little droplets of CLP or Miltec on my glasses when shooting, it's too dry.
Only time I ever use gun scrubber anymore, is on small parts disassembled, that have nooks and crannies I cant reach, and then I lather in the oil.

I have switched to the Otis Kits, and I have their Elite kit as well, with some added tools like their AR carbon scraper and the Leatherman EOD tool.
I always have one of their tactical kits anytime I go out shooting.
I really like the patch and cable system.

Breakfree and Miltec are my favorite lubes,
I will occassionally even also use 30 weight oil for certain applicaitons as well.
I always leave a coating of lube in the barrel when finished cleaning.

[johnlewjohn]

I don't like the Otis kit as I have seen it stuck in barrels several times at ranges. While this has not happened to me, had I not seen it, I wouldn't have believed that the piece at the end crimped on could come off while inside the barrel. But I have seen this happen at least 3 times.

I would be very surprised that the cable crimps are coming off.
I have seen the patch holder or brush "spin" off the cable because of the rifling and they were not tight when they pulled it through.