Cleaning an AR-15

After firing clean the weapon one time only with CLP. Under all but the coldest Arctic conditions, use only CLP to lubricate the rifle.  Remember to shake the CLP before use.

1) Field strip the rifle.

2) Clean the bore.  Always pull the rod (or bore snake or Otis cable) from the Chamber to the Muzzle.  With a rod you insert the rod (without Patches or brush) into the muzzle - when it pokes out of the upper receiver then attach the patch or bore brush and pull through the bore.

3) Clean the chamber and locking lugs with the chamber brush (insert and twist a few times).  If you're using the USGI cleaning kit use the 'T' handle section of rod.

4) Clean the interior of the upper receiver.  Clean off the end of the gas tube where its exposed in the upper receiver (clean the exterior only! Use a worn bore brush).  Wipe down the outside of the receiver.

 5) With a rag, wipe down the exterior of the lower receiver, and clean the inside of the magazine well.

6) With the rag, clean off the the area around the front of the receiver extension.  You can use a pipe cleaner or toothbrush to clean the grime off the fire control components.  Use the rag or a large patch on the cleaning rod to clean out the receiver extension (buffer tube).

7) Use a pipe cleaner to clean the hole on the UPPER buttstock screw (The photographer screwed up and showed the trainee cleaning the lower screw - which doesn't have the hole)

8) If required, clean the exterior of the buffer spring with the toothbrush, the buffer can be wiped off with the rag.

9) Clean the exterior of the bolt carrier with a toothbrush or rag. Clean the interior (where the bolt rides) with the toothbrush (put a patch around it).  Carbon may be cleaned off the bolt carrier with a worn bore brush.

10) Clean the interior of the gas key with a worn bore brush.

11) Clean the dirt off the bolt's locking lugs, and the areas behind the bolt ring. Put a few drops of CLP on the bolt face (puddling around the ejector) and work the ejector with a spent case (or a piece of cleaning rod) several times.

12) Clean the firing pin channel with a pipe cleaner.

 12) Clean the extractor with a bore brush or tooth brush, be sure to get under the lip of the extractor