Question for the AR guys.

[Chris86]

I've had an AR for just a few months now. I built it from a Spike's lower with Stag parts in the lower and a Rock River upper.

My question is how do you guys clean that awfully awkward gas tube? I asked a guy at a local gun shop and he said Hoppes #9 and pipe cleaners... that didn't work, the pipe cleaner would only go in about 2 inches.

Another guy told me to use brake parts cleaner, in the spray can with the little straw like what comes with a WD40 can. That makes sense, I've used brake cleaner to clean seriously dirty guns when I worked for a gunsmith, it works very well.

I'm just wondering if I still need to scrub the inside of the tube with anything?
Or if rinsing it out with brake cleaner and blowing it dry with an air hose is good enough?

Good Lord I feel sorry for our troops having to trust their lives to these finicky things

 

[willr1]

Dishwasher !

I used to break mine down and clean it with Break Free and an array of qtips and chamois cloth, then I got tired of it and got me a Mini-14 and now I dont worry about it, just a bore snake and some lube and Im done

 

[sovietak474u]

They make some long pipe cleaners just for that. If you dip it in hoppes it slides right in. No problems.

 

[NWSharpshooter]

in 10 plus years of owning many ar15's I have never cleaned the inside of a gas tube.

 

[fattboyzz]

 

[Chris86]

in 10 plus years of owning many ar15's I have never cleaned the inside of a gas tube.

Seriously? I thought a dirty gas tube was the main thing that made them malfunction?

 

[NWSharpshooter]

Seriously? I thought a dirty gas tube was the main thing that made them malfunction?

Nope. The gas tube is for the most part self cleaning. Far more AR15s experience problems with pipe cleaners lodged in the gas tube than do with dirty gas tubes.

 

[ngcsugrad09]

DO NOT SPRAY ANYTHING DOWN THE GAS TUBE. You are more likely to cause a problem than prevent one. If you have gas tube problems, it's time to change it (otherwise done when you change the barrel and bolt).

AR Malfunctions come from 2 primary sources.. 1) lack of lubrication and 2) magazines.

1) Lube the bolt and front of the carrier area and add lube every 4-500rds for extended days. A wet AR will keep working even when dirty.

2) Magazines: Either bad mags or failure to properly insert (execute a good reload).

 

[Chris86]

Nope. The gas tube is for the most part self cleaning. Far more AR15s experience problems with pipe cleaners lodged in the gas tube than do with dirty gas tubes.

I can see how the pipe cleaners could be a problem, especially with the short, stiff, prickly ones the guy at the gun shop sold me.

So what would you recommend, just clean the barrel, bolt and bolt carrier?

 

[NWSharpshooter]

I can see how the pipe cleaners could be a problem, especially with the short, stiff, prickly ones the guy at the gun shop sold me.

So what would you recommend, just clean the barrel, bolt and bolt carrier?

see post right above yours. The man speaks the truth.