The AR-15 is a precision machine like a car engine or equipment. Therefore, it needs to clean and maintenance regularly especially, if you want to get the Desired performance from an AR-15 firearm. Cleaning and maintenance of your firearms extend lifespan and also increase reliability and safety.
However, if you are a new AR-15 user then you may don’t know how to clean an AR-15. That’s why you can be needed to take a little help to clean your firearms. But nothing worried, you have come right place. Today we will discuss some tips on how to clean an AR-15.
If you want to know how to clean an AR-15 firearm so, you can read this article and know that. Besides, when you will know how to clean a gun then you will able to keep your gun parts separately and all the gun parts set up effortlessly. Today we will teach everything that needs to clean an AR-15 firearm. For that, you don’t need to know rocket science. Just follow these steps.
Necessary AR-15 Cleaning Tools to clean an AR-15 rifle
- Gun cleaning rags and patches.
- Need a gun cleaning mat which is suitable for AR-15 firearm.
- Gun Cleaning rod.
- Nylon brushes.
- Need a bore guide for AR-15.
- Bore snake and jag.
- Cleaning solvent that is made only for gun cleaning.
- Lubricant that is made for the gun.
Ok, that’s fine; we have got all the necessary AR-15 cleaning tools that are needed to clean which means we are prepared to clean an AR-15 gun. Now we will start cleaning the gun.
Step-1: Unloading the gun
Unloading is the first and important step to clean a gun. Firstly, you unload your gun carefully because if you are careless this matter so maybe an accident so always you should need to unload the firearm carefully. Generally, when clean a gun then happens too much accident so, ensure that all the ammo removed from the gun.
Besides, eject the magazine to be moreover sure that the gun unloaded. After that, when you will go to the next steps, before that check the chamber visually of the firearm. Now you can go to the next step.
Step-2: Separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver
It is the second step and an important step. Because the upper receiver from the lower receiver doesn’t separate with bolt back and hammer easily. However, if you want to separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver then you remove the front and rear takedown pins that keep together the upper receiver and lower receiver.
However, you will start with the pins to separate the upper receiver from the lower receiver. You push up the pins from outside. For that, the upper receiver should pivot upwards. Afterward, push the front pin. When both pins go out then you separate the upper receiver and lower receiver carefully. In addition, a nylon punch is the best route when you separate the upper and lower receiver.
Step-3: Remove the Charging handle and bolt carrier
In this step remove the charging handle and bolt carrier. When you completely separate the upper receiver and the lower receiver, that’s mean you ready to remove the charging handle and bolt carrier. In this case, you must be careful, when you remove the charging handle and bolt carrier and ensure any gun parts don’t fall out as remove it.
The charging handle removes from the rear, and afterward, guiding the front parts of the handle through a wide spot to free it the upper. Furthermore, it may be tough for newbies so we have provided a video. You can watch this video and take a clear idea about this matter.
Step-4: Disassemble and clean the bolt carrier
In this step, you need to disassemble the bolt carrier. follow this instruction for disassembling the bolt carrier. However, you start to dissemble with the cotter pin. Furthermore, you pushing the bolt to the rear and remove the cotter pin with a small cleaning tool and keep the pin aside.
Afterward, you once remove the firing pin and allow the back end to fall out the firing pin of the bolt carrier, and aside with the cotter pin. When the firing pin removes from the carrier by rotating the cam-pin 90 degrees then you take it out from the bolt carrier easily.
Also, check the firing pin, cam-pin, bolt, and spiral gas ring for carbon build-up, excess wear, and damage. Finally, inspect the tear itself for buildup and wear or tear.
Step-5: Clean the upper receiver and barrel
You can use the rag to remove grime and grease from the upper receiver. Besides, always using caution when you are working nearby a gas tube so that doesn’t plug and damage. It also, you can remove the excesses carbon build-up.
You installed the bore guide to clean and keep the upper receiver assembly fire and stable position. After, use a solvent-soaked patch and bore brush run into the barrel from breech to muzzle. You running the patches and pass brush as long the patches come without contaminate.
When cleans the bore properly after, run additional cleaning patches. In this term, the pass cleaning patches will be soaked up into the gun oil to make lube and protect. Use the rag and chamber brush to clean the barrel and chamber to prevent getting carbon fouling and other debris.
Step-6: Clean the lower receiver
Wipe the receiver with a rag to clean grime. Also, the magazine wipes well because it can be dirt and get carbon. After that, check the trigger mechanism and make sure that all springs, pins, and keepers are still in place. Remove all the excess lubricant and buildup and clean the internal area of the gun. Otherwise, it can get crud in shot string time. So it cleans very well.
By the way, you ensure the safety function very well and remove all the debris that can cause malfunctions. Besides, inspect the magazine realize properly and remove all contaminates that make inhibitors in the rifle function. After that, ensure it pivot freely. Clean all the buildup, and lubricant lightly before reassembly.
Then remove the buffer with a small cleaning tool from the buffer tube. Check the buffer for different contaminants and damage. Remove contaminates and debris from the tube. Wipe inside of the tube to ensure that clean. Now, the buffer reinstalled, and lubricant all of the points.
Step-7: Lubricant and reassembling
If you want to intact your AR-15 then you want to lubricate. Everything from the bolt carrier group to the charging handle all parts should get a light coat of cleaning oil. Also, need to lubricant for the fire control group, bolt catch button, mag realize, and safety selector. Afterward, reinstalled the charging handle and bolt carrier into the upper receiver.
And ensure that the bolt carrier is all the way forward, and the bolt is in the battery. Besides, it’s very important to ensure the hammer has come back and holds the sear In this case, assemble both the upper receiver and lower receiver and hold tightly against each other while pushing the take-down pin back into place.
Step-8: Test function of the rifle after assembly
When you completed reassemble and lubricant afterward, you check the function. But when you test the rifle, certainly look around and make sure there has no ammo. Also, you should storage still securely. This time pick up the gun and point it safe direction. Then pull the bolt to the rear and release it. Keep running safety and push the trigger well.
If the hammer drops then have it problem otherwise if the hammer doesn’t drop then you succeed to clean. In this case, take off the safety and train the firearm safe direction and trigger. If the hammer falls then you are ready. Besides, you should consult with the manufacture to determine precise schedule maintenance of the AR-15 rifle.
If your gun faceted problems with bolt carrier group or other components then, don’t forget to works that area first and foremost. However, always should keep lubricant and alright the gun.