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Thread: AR & Rust?

  1. #1
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    Default AR & Rust?

    Quick question... Since my AR is mostly aluminum & plastic (as far as I can tell), where should I pay special attention to when cleaning the beast?

    It's probably been posted here in the past, and I did try searching but alas I did not find anything.

    Thanks in advance!
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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    It's a good idea to wipe down all of the aluminum with a silicon cloth or light oil to prevent corrosion.

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    The aluminum on my AR-15 is anodized, so as long as that is intact, corrosion shouldn't be a problem.
    The barrel is steel, as are most of the internal components, so a wipe down or spray with oil is advisable.
    It would be easier just to do the whole rifle though, just to ensure nothing is missed.

    BTW, like Dave, I use a silicon cloth on all metallic surfaces of all my firearms. That removes fingerprints and protects. Some peoples' fingerprints contain acids which can be quite corrosive on steels.
    Last edited by RoyJackson; February 23rd, 2009 at 07:42 AM.

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    Quote Originally Posted by RoyJackson View Post
    The aluminum on my AR-15 is anodized, so as long as that is intact, corrosion shouldn't be a problem.
    The barrel is steel, as are most of the internal components, so a wipe down or spray with oil is advisable.
    It would be easier just to do the whole rifle though, just to ensure nothing is missed.
    Anodizing is controlled corrosion, Aluminum being the medium it is, any bullets that cause sulfur and or sodium/calcium need to be throughly cleaned after. Soapy water is the best for removing calcium, vinigar works well also.
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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    Quote Originally Posted by Frenchy View Post
    Anodizing is controlled corrosion, Aluminum being the medium it is, any bullets that cause sulfur and or sodium/calcium need to be throughly cleaned after. Soapy water is the best for removing calcium, vinigar works well also.
    From Wilkepidia:
    Anodizing, or anodising, is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. Anodizing increases corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and provides better adhesion for paint primers and glues than bare metal

    Here's the whole article:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodization

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    I wipe the whole outside down with oil. The parkerizing soaks it up well.

    On the inside, keep your chamber clean (an AR15 chamber brush is really nice) and keep the fouling off the bolt......(take it out of the carrier).

    That's about it.

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    Quote Originally Posted by RoyJackson View Post
    From Wilkepidia:
    Anodizing, or anodising, is an electrolytic passivation process used to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of metal parts. Anodizing increases corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and provides better adhesion for paint primers and glues than bare metal

    Here's the whole article:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anodization
    That natural oxide layer is the controlled corrosion Frenchy was talking about.
    Warning: I may not read responses to OP before posting

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    I tear the entire BCG apart and clean everything with George's Weapon Shield. I wipe it with a clean WeaponShield coated swab and leave it slightly wet and reasemble. I oil every touchable part inside and out with weaponShield and I dry-wipe the outside after it is oiled. I drop WS along the rails on the BCG before I rotate the upper down to lock the rear pin to the lower. Then I put a few drops of WS in the holes in the BCG after its assembled and toss it in the safe.

    Before next use, drop a few drops in the BCG holes for the pin and gas rings and again every few mag changes to keep it oiled up and wet with protective lubricant.

    I like to lube my machine. No point in seeing how long it will run nearly dry if I don't have to. If you were in the sandbox fighting for life and liberty you may HAVE to run without periodic oil in the BCG holes during a mission, but on a range you have time to keep things nicely oiled. It also helps make cleaning a breeze. With WeaponShield inside, the crud from the gas stays in suspension in the WS oil and simply wipes clean once you get home. If you run dry you notice it will tend to carbon more and begin to affix to the internal parts.

    Wet is good on the AR.

    I run the AK and other firearms with much less oil. Certain parts of the AK...such as the piston and contact points of the bolt do get a healthy coat of WeaponShield to prevent un needed wear and ease cleaning.

    I would not run my engine without lubrication... and these parts of the rifle move pretty damn fast with a lot of pressure and heat. It is after all... a machine.

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    Quote Originally Posted by Legion_Prime View Post
    That natural oxide layer is the controlled corrosion Frenchy was talking about.
    Yeah, I know...been involved (as supplier QA) with coatings processes for quite a few years now. Wilki defines it better then I could, especially at 6:00 AM.
    Thanks for the response though!

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    Default Re: AR & Rust?

    Ah ok. I guess I'm just used to explaining things to idiots then. Sorry about that. When asked to explain the difference between a cooling lube and a warming lube you just get used to never assuming anyone knows anything. I would however like to pick up a bare set of recievers to alodine. It is another process similar to anodization which leaves a surface more suitable to painting but it does not harden the surface like anodization does. However it does leave a nice translucent gold tint that I always just liked the look of and is more readily done at home without all the expensive equipment.
    Warning: I may not read responses to OP before posting

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