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Gunsmithing AR-15 field maintenance and cleaning tools

higginsworksforme

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 12, 2009
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Kentucky
I need a cleaning and maintenance kit for my bag. Does anyone have a preferred kit or do you just piece them together?
 
I'd start with one of the ProShot, Otis, or Dewey Kits and add in a few items to flesh it out into a well rounded, functional kit.

Stuff like:
Assorted hex and torx wrenches for the fasteners on the rifle
Q-tips
Spare parts (Extractor, extractor spring, gas rings, firing pin, spare bolt, spare batteries, etc....it's dealer's choice)
Lens cleaning cloth
Sight adjustment tool

The above is going to cover 95% of the stuff you'll probably encounter away from the bench. I like pull through cable kits because they'll roll up to be more compact and do a sufficient job of cleaning the barrel for field purposes. Speaking from experience with the Otis cleaning cables, they will punch a piece of stuck brass from the chamber in an emergency when used with the appropriate obstruction remover tip. Add in a small cleaning rod section and it's more efficient.
 
I'd start with one of the ProShot, Otis, or Dewey Kits and add in a few items to flesh it out into a well rounded, functional kit.
I found a BCM SOPMOD repair kit with these:
  • Extractor made to USGI specs (shot peened)
  • Extractor pin
  • BCM Extractor Spring (chrome silicon, heat treated & stress relieved, shot peened)
  • 3 USGI Gas Rings
  • Crane Ind O-Ring (Mil-Spec)
  • Black Extractor Insert
And an Aero field repair kit with these:

  • 2x AR15 Takedown Pin Detent
  • 2x Takedown Pin Spring
  • 2x Roll Pin, Fwd Assist
  • 2x Bolt Catch Spring
  • Bolt Catch Buffer
  • 2x Bolt Catch Roll Pin
  • Trigger/Hammer Pin
  • Safety Selector Spring
  • Safety Selector Detent
  • Buffer Retainer
And I'll get a spare bolt.
 
I have the Aero Kit also and it's a good kit to have in the parts box at home but not very usefule for a field environment in my opnion since they're mostly parts that you're not going to be swapping in the field without all of the other punches, screwdrivers, and armorer tools. A spare bolt and that BCM kit would be nice additions to the AR field maintenance and cleaning kit.
 
I have a Otis LEO deluxe field cleaning kit and its pretty nice. Got it on sale from primary arms. That's the only one I can recommend but it has served me well and it very compact.
 
Just a reminder that the parts are just weighing you down unless you have the tools to install them.