Unchained Preppers
General Category => Security & Survival => Topic started by: EJR914 on August 30, 2011, 05:52:25 PM
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How to field strip and clean your AR15 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdBiZfv1jSs#)
A fairly good video.
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Hey EJR, thanks for posting up a video on how to clean the AR15 platform but I really like the way Ron L has been doing it so I took the liberty of taking a mess of photos so I could do a write up and that way the content is on the forum.
First unload your weapon in a safe area.
Second I use an Otis Buttstock cleaning kit. It is light weight and very compact which allows me to find a place for it in my kit.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6098383485_64abfc69f2.jpg)
Like Ron says get your unloaded weapon, cleaning kit, large flat surface and I would like to add that I don't go anywhere without my loaded secondary.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6098377103_f0d0cb1852.jpg)
First thing you want to do is push out the rear takedown pin.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/6098377629_a9d8b84206.jpg)
Then hinge open the rifle.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6098925580_e2992e9852.jpg)
Then you are going to push out the front takedown pin.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6098378725_f700674465.jpg)
On a new rifle pushing out those pins will take some force, I liked to use a bullet as a tool to get that done but my rifle has worn in to the point that I can just push it out barehanded.
Congrats you just split your rifle.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6098926646_6c7a89f8a9.jpg)
Now you are going to pull the charging handle and the bolt carrier group (BCG) out of the gun.. Don't drop the BCG! It will leave a black spot on your wife's carpet at the best and could damage it at the worst.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6098927122_58138b1ccf.jpg)
Now set the Upper and Charging handle to the side. Then you are going to want to pull out the Firing Pin Retaining Pin (allow myself to introduce... myself) and set aside.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6098927972_a593547ef6.jpg)
Next you are going to want to pull out the Firing Pin. I thump the BCG in the palm of my hand (bolt up) until the pin comes out as you can see it's a hard one to grab.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6190/6098928958_7760d3db2d.jpg)
You are now ready to pull the Bolt Cam Pin. This is a tricky little devil. First you rotate it 90 degrees and push the Bolt back into the Carrier which rotates the BCP out from underneith the Gas Key.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6098382999_53af87b377.jpg)
After that the Bolt pulls out of the Carrier and here is what all those dirty little parts look like laid out.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6098931240_ccd6e43b6f.jpg)
Alot of guys like to run a swab though first but I always pull my brush though first. Seems to me like breaking up all that crap first it is a better way to go. Another thing I really like about the Otis system is that by cleaning from the bore to muzzle you can avoid damaging the crown of the rifle.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6098933244_9623940b10.jpg)
Then I pull a patch or two well soaked in CLP though the barrel. Just keep pulling patches though till they come out clean.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6098387019_1217eeaaca.jpg)
Now set up your Bore Jag and handle.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6098388261_d7c5df872f.jpg)
And clean the Bore. In and out Round and Round.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6098387751_27bdb3b830.jpg)
In and out Round and Round.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6098388889_5059857b89.jpg)
Now put the Patch Jag back on the handle and with a patch well soaked in CLP clean the inside of the upper reciever.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6098937236_9d234e052d.jpg)
Feel free to use the Tooth Brush to clean the spots that don't want to come clean
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6098938292_cd449205fd.jpg)
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6098391277_b8f9afa701.jpg)
Wipe down the outside of the upper with a rag that is wet with CLP.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6098392843_8853f3db0d.jpg)
With the same rag that is wet with CLP I wipe down the small parts of the bolt. Then I use the brush to clean between the Lugs.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6098394545_ebde2a804e.jpg)
And the Shoulder of the Bolt, which gets carbon fouling on it along with the Gas Rings.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6098942496_80e066758d.jpg)
Once all small parts are cleaned I wipe down the Bolt Carrier Group inside and out. I use the Jags and Brushs for that.
Because we have cleaned all these parts with CLP we can assemble them without additonal lube (just reverse the order in which you took them out) except the rails on the BCG and the charging handle on which I use Ford-Lincoln-Mercury Moly Grease. The amount on my finger is about three times what you need.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6098396329_c100e27b1e.jpg)
These rails
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6098945980_c5986f7d06.jpg)
One things I like to do before I put the BCG back into the rifle is to stand it up in the Bolt Face and if the Bolt won't hold up the weight of the Carrier then your gas rings are bad.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6098402629_4c110c4b90.jpg)
Then you can put the Charging Handle back into the rifle and then the BCG and reattach the upper to the lower. In the same manner as you took it apart.
And there you go with a clean rifle.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6098405785_3576d2af8c.jpg)
Maybe I will fill in the missing photos one day but its getting late and I am getting tired of writing this how to.. Damn Ron, alot of work goes into these!
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:o
I feel silly. I normally clean by adding lube.
I just use bullets as a borebrush.
Great tutorial though. Very thorough.
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:o
I feel silly. I normally clean by adding lube.
I just use bullets as a borebrush.
Great tutorial though. Very thorough.
lol thats how my grandpa does it "the new shot pushes all the old dirtyness out" (talking about bird hunting with the shotguns)
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:o
I feel silly. I normally clean by adding lube.
I just use bullets as a borebrush.
Great tutorial though. Very thorough.
I hadn't ever cleaned it before and I've been shooting the piss out of it since December of last year.. I thought I would do it for the record more than anything.
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Great tutorial, That Guy! That sure is a hell of a lot of work!
I see we got the thumbs up emoticon! Whoo Hoo! [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co
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Did you guys see anything that I forgot to mention, like inspecting the bolts on the gaskey, inspecting the charging handle for cracks in the metal or inspecting the firing pin for chips or dings?
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Hello all, Thanks THATGUY,
While I like U-Tube Vids as much as the next guy, unless your on an Old crappy desktop and they stutter and fair to play right? I see a Step by step Pic way as the way that I learn better and thanks for the credit, but it's just how I taugght inthe Military and works for me? I see u-Tube as a wonderfull way to do it, if you can get axcess, this way with Pics, one can even print this off or save it to have? All my seperate weapons systens get a clean and inspect as I do them! I know AR is touted as more cleaning intensive, and in more need of uinspection but the truth be told, they ALL NEED CLEAN and INSPECT and as in all cases Preventitive maintenance saves lives and even $! I also advocate a small kit of spare parts that we all know go bad on firearms in time and always at the worst time? I have most of mine inthe case for that handgun or in a rifle in the Butstock or somewhere they are handy and ready! Simple items like Pins, springs and other critical parts like Firing PIn, extractor and ejectors cover a Lot of common ground and common falures and plus as not at all expeniive and I see it as cheap insurance, even if you don't know how to install them, have them, one of us will talk ya though it or do it with ya?
RON
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:o
I feel silly. I normally clean by adding lube.
I just use bullets as a borebrush.
Great tutorial though. Very thorough.
I hadn't ever cleaned it before and I've been shooting the piss out of it since December of last year.. I thought I would do it for the record more than anything.
i know im late to this party but how long did it take you to clean that firing pin? did you have to scrape that carbon off?
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If I were you Chesty I wouldn't clean it till I shoot atleast 500 brass cased rounds though it.
To answer your question, I have never noticed carbon on the firing pin itself. Most fouling happens around the gas rings. It is a bitch to get off but have no fear they make all kinds of products that clean it off. I hear that carb cleaner is the shit just don't get it on any plastics.
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If I were you Chesty I wouldn't clean it till I shoot atleast 500 brass cased rounds though it.
To answer your question, I have never noticed carbon on the firing pin itself. Most fouling happens around the gas rings. It is a bitch to get off but have no fear they make all kinds of products that clean it off. I hear that carb cleaner is the shit just don't get it on any plastics.
roger, well ive got my rifle all seasoned with frog lube already so when i do clean it just wipes off. im gona put at least 500rds of whatever the hell i do shoot through it before my next cleaning. lol
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Honestly I only ever cleaned mine the once so I could show you guys how to do it.
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Cool find as a non AR owner this info is useful if I ever get one (some day I hope to get one) and as a SHTF there will be plenty of AR's laying around being C:-) [img]http://bestsmileys.com/ar use it lol...not to mention the millions of Americans who own AR's
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Good write-up That Guy, where ever you are...
General question: if I wanted to buy spare parts for an AR, what would they be?
The gas rings on the BCG would be on the list, what else?
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I'm looking for experience based objective opinions on field repair kits for an AR 15?
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Somewhere, I have a CMMG survival repair kit that is comprehensive. Over the years I've accumulated many spare parts, enough probably to build another AR or two. It's not a bad idea to squirrel away a BCG. You know the old saying, "two is one and one is none." I do try to have duplicate firearms, but it isn't always economically feasible.
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Here's a tip that I picked up from a night ops trainer.
It was 2020 and I was at a night vision class in the middle of bumbf&^K nowhere and my AR jammed. I cleared it and two shots later it jammed again.
The instructor remarked that the rifle didn't sound right. He came over and asked me to clear the weapon, and then asked me for it. He played with the bolt and then asked me, "is there was no oil wells in Pennsylvania?" Then he reached into an administration pouch of his chest rig and brought out a small plastic squirt bottle. Opened up the rife, extracted the bolt, and squirted it down with the concoction in the bottle, shook the thick liquid off the bolt and reinserted it and closed up the rifle. He then handed it back to me and pointed to the gong about 50 meters away and asked me to give it a try.
Well you guessed it, the rifle went bang with out a hitch. Operated great into the wee hours of the morning.
Later, while sitting around a camp fire at 0300 hrs or so, where the class was giving a AAR on the vents since the sun went down, I asked the instructor what was the makeup of that concoction he put on my bolt to make it work so well. His reply was, Mobil 1 synthetic oil. :facepalm:
That is what I have used ever since. :cheers: