Must-have AR tools?

[hornadylnl]

I absolutely despised cleaning my M16's while I was in the Army and said I'd never own and AR. I've gone back on that word. I don't have to be so anal about cleaning my own but I'm wondering what cleaning tools I should get to make it much easier. What tools do you guys own and recommend? I just ordered Tipton's best gun vise off of ebay last night.

I'm also thinking about getting these tools from Midway.

Mark Brown Custom AR-15 Bolt Carrier Carbon Gun Cleaning Scraper - MidwayUSA
G&G Tools AR-15 Bolt Cleaner and Polisher - MidwayUSA

Now that I actually have a nice work area to do it, I want to take better care of my guns. Thanks in advance.

 

[grimor]

bore snake...

 

[Fireaxes]

I don't clean my ARs like I'm "ready for inspection" anymore. I broke myself of the habit. Scraping the carbon off the bolt is a pain and only makes it look nice. I just wipe it down and punch the bore once in awhile.

 

[Lock n Load]

Same here, I love the boresnakes for a quick clean. About once or twice a year I do a detailed cleaning on the ARs.

Other rifles like the AKs, M1Garands and the M1As get cleaned more often and detailed due to shooting corrosive or surplus ammo.

 

[phylodog]

Now I know from our conversations that you spent time in the same Army that I did so I also know that you know what they learn't you and that is that all you ever need, all you could possibly ever hope for, to get that rifle all sparkly clean is located in one of those little, green, nylon pouches with the snaps that never work.

lol

 

[ranjah6]

Bore snakes are a great tool, and gettingnyour weapon completely free of carbon isn't good for it anyway. The army has actually gotten smarter on it the last few years and maintenance has come a long way.

 

[hornadylnl]

Now I know from our conversations that you spent time in the same Army that I did so I also know that you know what they learn't you and that is that all you ever need, all you could possibly ever hope for, to get that rifle all sparkly clean is located in one of those little, green, nylon pouches with the snaps that never work.

lol

Those little green pouches were a total waste. We were lucky to have a decent bore and chamber brush. We had to scrounge for qtips. I managed to find a pair of forceps and would break off qtips to clean the chamber.

I've got about 3 sets of these but haven't actually tried them on the star chamber yet.

I remember how we were supposed to have 2-3 stages of cleaning weapons after we came back from the field. The day you come back to the field, you're supposed to get all the dirt off, the chunks of carbon, and a good coat of oil. Then the next day or so, go back and do a detailed cleaning. We came back from the field after a week or two, and the platoon sergeant had a burr up his butt. The day we got back, we were cleaning our rifles and had to show them to him before we turned them in. He took a paper clip and was pushing dirt out of the gas tube roll pin on the front sight post. I won't ever be that anal about my AR's.

I think the handiest thing to clean the bolt carrier would be that scraper. We used to always use our firing pins as that was the only thing we had to break up that carbon.

 

[hornadylnl]

Bore snakes are a great tool, and gettingnyour weapon completely free of carbon isn't good for it anyway. The army has actually gotten smarter on it the last few years and maintenance has come a long way.

I've noticed that they are getting way better gear and going away from the spit shined boots. Could they possibly be getting away from rifles that you can eat your dinner off of? The old schoolers must finally be dying off or retiring.

 

[Gamez235]

 

[hornadylnl]

I've got an air compressor and a blow gun now.

 

[mutt]

CLP toothbrush and a bore snake for all but the occasional detail cleaning

 

[Saiga223]

bore snake...

another +1