What to do to a new AR 15

[229Mick]

Not sure if this quite falls into gunsmithing, but I have a new Bushmaster M4A3 and it seems slightly dirty and a bit dry. I'm guessing that they test fire it and that is why it's a little dirty (the box was factory sealed), but I'm wondering what I need to do before firing as far as cleaning and oiling. Should I just run through their standard cleaning and oiling procedure, or is there anything special for the first time?

If anyone's got any info or a link to a previous discussion I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

[Captain Tuttle]

This link should help:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=35490

The site that the link jumps to is a good source of technical information on the AR platform.

[NightRocker]

Not sure if this quite falls into gunsmithing, but I have a new Bushmaster M4A3 and it seems slightly dirty and a bit dry. I'm guessing that they test fire it and that is why it's a little dirty (the box was factory sealed), but I'm wondering what I need to do before firing as far as cleaning and oiling. Should I just run through their standard cleaning and oiling procedure, or is there anything special for the first time?

If anyone's got any info or a link to a previous discussion I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

BTW, Congratulations on your new AR. Welcome to the dark side lol. JK. let us know how it shoots.

[panther76]

When I got my new upper I stripped it clean with a few good blasts of degreaser, and then lubed it with old fashioned G.I. CLP. Since then I just use CLP. No problems even though I use a .22 conversion a lot that gets it really dirty.

This is just my ritual, others may have differing opinions. In the army I tried long and hard to come up with what was really necessary for field cleaning an M4, versus the overcleaning (IMHO) you do before a turn-in to an arms room. The following is the happy medium between the two, I now do for my own ARs as a civilian after a day at the range.

I usually run a cleaning rod with a patch and CLP (or a bore snake) down the bore. I hit the chamber with a brash chamber brush on a cleaning rod with a handle and CLP. Then I sop up the loosened carbon with a chamber mop on the same rod. I brush the bolt and bolt carrier, especially the locking-lugs on the bolt with a brass brush and CLP. Sometimes I hit the gas-key and the bolt with a pipe-cleaner (basically the parts where the hot-gas is dumped). I usually brush off the sights and brush out the lower receiver with a dry shaving brush. Brush visible carbon on the firing pin, cam pin etc, if you take the bolt carrier group apart. That hits most of the key spots that matter and that accumulate carbon.

I think whatever brand or type of cleaning solvents and lube you use are probably ok. They aren't as sturdy as an AK, admitted, however they aren't a faberge egg either.

Just IMHO...

[229Mick]

Quick side question...

How do we clean a bore snake after use? I picked one up for the .22 /.223 and the 9mm, and they seem to work great. I expect after even a couple of uses, you need to clean everything off of the snake, so what do we do?

[gold cup abuser]

Sorry but I dont trust bore snakes....just me lol

When Im cleaning my AR this is what I do.

1. Detail strip the bolt carrier group. Clean out the firing pin hole and with the extractor removed clean under the rim of the extractor and the track the extractor rides in. Q tip or pipe cleaner works well for this.

2. Clean the lugs of the bolt carrier with a bronze toothbrush. On the tail of the bolt, clean off any carbon fouling that may be there.

3. Inside the bolt carrier, soak with break free and clean out any carbon fouling that may have accumilated in there. A worn out bore/chamber brush works well for this.

4. Bolt carrier key... soak a pipe cleaner in break free and swab the key out. Then use a few dry pipe cleaners til they come out dry.

5. Bore: I usually run several patches soaked in break free down the bore from the front of the muzzle. Then I go to the bore brush and make a few passes, then finish up with several dry patches til they come out clean.

6. Chamber area: Just hit it and hit it again with the chamber brush til any carbon fouling in the chamber mouth is gone. Also run a pipe cleaner down the gas tube that is above the chamber area.

7. Check the trigger group area for any gunk, debris or other crud and get it out. Powder Blast and q tips help here.


Hope this gets you in the right direction.