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October 8, 2012, 09:29 AM | #1 |
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How often to clean an AR?
How often do you guys clean your rifles with production target ammo like Federal ball or what not? Another way to put this is how many rounds do they typically run before malfunctions begin due to maintenance or lack thereof. Thanks.
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October 8, 2012, 09:53 AM | #2 |
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As an experiment, I once fired 600 rounds (over several months) without cleaning my rifle and had no issues. It's made by Olympic Arms.
Nonetheless, I clean it after I use it. Habit. |
October 8, 2012, 09:57 AM | #3 |
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If I'm going to be shooting it regularly for a few weeks I don't clean it. And I shoot cheap and dirty eastern block steel. Never one issue, several thousands of rounds all in all through the gun. If I shoot and know it'll be a few weeks till I go out again ill clean it.
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October 8, 2012, 10:17 AM | #4 |
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I occasionally run a bore snake down the barrel and wipe the NiB BCG off with a paper towel. No nook and cranny scrubbing like when I was in the service. As a matter of fact I put her away wet and dirty simply because I know it would pi$$ off MSgt Murray.
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October 8, 2012, 10:59 AM | #5 |
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All my guns get clean with in 48 hrs of using them . Not cus 48 hrs means anything other then to me . 2 reasons for this . 1) I love cleaning and or just working on my guns . 2) If I don't clean them with in that time I'll forget and never clean them .
As for my ARs I'm not sure how long it takes me per rifle . If I were to put a # on it i'd say 30 min per rifle . I like to take my time that way I make sure I get in to every nook and crany . When I'm done they are pristine ,lubed up with grease or slip 2000 EWL 30 . I like to use the thick stuff so there is less evaporation and run off While sitting in the safe for long periods of time . By doing that I know I can at any moment grab one and know it's ready to go that 600 rounds others have talked about . You never know when you may have to go that distance and to already have 5 or 6 hundred rounds worth of dirty in it does not sit well with me . That pretty much goes for all my guns . All though I have skipped cleaning when I was going to be shooting my 22lr in the next day or so . I'm not as picky about my 22lr but when they get cleaned thay get the same treatment as all my guns .
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October 8, 2012, 12:17 PM | #6 |
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"Never Let the Sun Set on a Dirty Gun"
That's always been my motto. Now how thoroughly I clean and lube varies with the amount and type of ammo I've been shooting. Remember that part of cleaning is inspecting for problems and fixing them as necessary. This ensures the gun will continue to operate.
An AR should go many thousands of rounds without cleaning or lubing. But why do it? The only time such a situation should occur is when a band of bad guys is chasing you around in some hellhole. Remember that dirt mixed with oil and grease becomes, over time, nothing more than lapping paste that will in fact wear away the surfaces.
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October 8, 2012, 12:56 PM | #7 |
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If you are going to be shooting it all the time then its up to you to decide when to clean it. If you are using cheap or known corosive ammo (Tul; Brown Bear, etc) then its best to clean after each use.
I have been shooting my rifle every week as of late; I do a minor strip after each firing and run the bore snake. otherwise i only do a detail strip and clean every month or so. |
October 8, 2012, 01:42 PM | #8 |
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The reason I ask is I cleaned it before i ever shot it, then after the first five, then again after 25 more I think. Then ran about 200 rounds through it. It stove piped only once the other day at the end of that 200 rounds so I was wondering if it was due to needing it. This is my first AR and my ex marine corp buddy said it happens, don't worry about it. I thought it a little odd so I figured I would ask.
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October 8, 2012, 01:55 PM | #9 |
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Yep it happens . The other day I had 2 failers to fire and 3 feed jams in one 10 round mag . It was the first mag of the day . I did nothing to the gun just loaded the next mag and all was good .Put another 200 rounds through it that day with out one problem . Boy I'll tell you what . Those first ten shots had me thinking there was something very wrong with my gun . I never realy found out what the problem was . I think it was the mag . I've been having problems with the two older 20 round PMAGS I have . I did not use either one again that day .
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October 8, 2012, 02:39 PM | #10 |
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Now that I think about it I was using a used mag someone gave me that day. Can't remember which one I was using that day. More will be revealed!
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October 8, 2012, 04:49 PM | #11 |
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Some of them... I only clean them when they stop working.
The one I keep for home defense... I will up keep that a little more often.. they don't need to be as clean as you think... I run BCM uppers and BCG's on mine, they seem to keep on ticking no matter what I do to them. When I DO decided to clean them.. I bring them into the parts washer at work for an other night bath... let them dry.. air hose them off.. then generally cover them with EEZOX. Seems to work great. |
October 8, 2012, 05:19 PM | #12 |
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I dont clean them that often. about every 3rd or 4th time out. And I typically fire 200-300 rounds per outting. Cleaning that 22 cal barrel is a pain. So I get lazy with my ARs. I always carry a 22 boresnake with my ARs for fouling but ive never had to use it in the middle of a session
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October 8, 2012, 08:05 PM | #13 |
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I've heard more than one old timer say:
"A lot gun bores have been ruined by too much cleaning."
I wonder if it's true that you can scrub the bore too much. It's probably like everything, the middle ground is probably the safe way. It also helps to use good technique when cleaning. |
October 8, 2012, 08:16 PM | #14 |
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I clean my rifle after each time I shoot it. I love cleaning them though.
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October 8, 2012, 08:57 PM | #15 |
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Typically I'll clean no more than a day or two after shooting. If I shoot during the week and know I'll be shooting on the weekend I'll just toss some CLP on the bolt and wait until after the weekend to clean it.
My largest infraction was waiting a week to clean it after I shot almost 2k rounds one weekend. It still works. |
October 8, 2012, 09:12 PM | #16 | |
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Quote:
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October 9, 2012, 06:04 AM | #17 |
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I dont think ive EVER white gloved mine. Im lazy
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October 9, 2012, 07:06 AM | #18 |
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I try and clean my AR every time I use it, but I've spent a week out in the bush with my AR, kayaking there and back, covered in mud, dirt in the workings and I didn't clean it until I got home. Swam with it through a river and 3 days camping and didn't clean it until I got home. Overnight in -10 weather sitting on ice and snow and didn't worry about cleaning it until I got home... During all those trips I used the rifle and it never once failed to work. HOWEVER... When it got all muddy the first couple shots I had to manually charge the rifle.
Now I know I'm just saying more about reliability, but I didn't have to clean it and it was fine. If you keep it well oiled you don't have to clean it as often, but after long storage clean it and make sure you oil the hell out of it, after heavy use, and if you can after every shoot. Not required for it to still work usually. My gun shoots best when it's not got a lot of oil in it so if you oil the hell out of the gun make sure you clean the hell out of the gun. |
October 9, 2012, 07:09 AM | #19 |
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Interesting opinions here and good info -- I can chime in with those that do it because of habit & training. JIMBO
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October 9, 2012, 12:22 PM | #20 |
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More AR failures can probably be attributed to mag problems than anything else. If a mag acts up, ditch it. Mags also require some cleaning occasionally.
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October 9, 2012, 01:27 PM | #21 |
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I'm with SFW and Plouffedaddy...I enjoy cleaning so I clean every time after shooting.
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October 9, 2012, 03:32 PM | #22 |
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You can run em dirty and wet but not dirty and dry.
Having said that, I usually clean them after every range trip.
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October 9, 2012, 03:49 PM | #23 |
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Google "Filthy 14." It basically shows that you don't ever need to clean it as long as you keep it well lubed. Having said that, I'll clean mine after every time I shoot it.
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October 9, 2012, 05:20 PM | #24 | |
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Quote:
Nope. |
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October 9, 2012, 05:40 PM | #25 |
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Just run a bore snake through the barrel for a hundred rounds or so. Clean the bolt with a brush and rag and relube. Maybe a major cleaning every six months or so.
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