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Bolt carrier cleaning tools

svxwilson

Sergeant
Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Feb 23, 2013
    617
    69
    Montana
    What tools work best for cleaning the bolt carrier in a ar-15 and a 308 carrier. I have heard of cat n-4 and have seen a few others. Looking for recomendations.
     
    Just about any good cleaner will work. Apply, let it work and wipe down. No need to buy tools that "scrape" carbon away, as round one after cleaning will add carbon right back to said parts. We use MPro-7 on our range and it cleans as well as needed.

    Be safe,
    FourNineThree
     
    I've been using froglube now for about 6-7 months and am very satisfied with it. Best stuff I've ever used. Makes cleaning a breeze. Maybe the best thing is it makes your rifle smell minty fresh, lol.
     
    I just spray brake clean or carb clean on it, wipe it down with a rag and lube it up. If its really bad, I soak it in hoppes 9 completely disassembled for a couple hours and brush with a brass brush, dry it then lube. I normally at least do my carb clean spraydown of the bcg after every shooting. Barrel gets left alone, 2k now barrel untouched, still holds a group.
     
    Last edited:
    Time vs. Money. If you don't mind spending $35, the CAT M-4, or the G&G Bolt Cleaner from MidwayUSA will clean your bolt in about two turns totaling 7 seconds. If you don't mind spending an extra 45 seconds and a little elbow grease, the usual cleaning gear will save you that $35.

    I'm lazy, so I borrow my friend's G&G cleaner every now and then.
     
    I tried the FireClean out on my GAP-10 bolt carrier today. I run the rifle suppressed 100% of the time so baked carbon is always there. Applied several drops, a little goes a long way, and let it sit for 20-30 minutes while I cleaned the rest of the rifle. I used a q-tip to clean out the carbon. The amount of carbon the just wiped off the rest of the rifle was amazing. I am sold on it.

    I have not used frog lube so i cannot compare, but this has no smell and did a great job.
     
    I just spray brake clean or carb clean on it, wipe it down with a rag and lube it up. If its really bad, I soak it in hoppes 9 completely disassembled for a couple hours and brush with a brass brush, dry it then lube. I normally at least do my carb clean spraydown of the bcg after every shooting. Barrel gets left alone, 2k now barrel untouched, still holds a group.

    Carb cleaner works good you don't need to go that far until you have several hundred/perhaps a thousand rounds down the barrel though.
     
    Here ya go, most people have one sitting around..

    49056707.jpg


    and what ever carbon cleaner you like.
     
    FWIW, I have several armorers courses from AGI, and Bob Dunlap, the instructor, uses Simple Green and warm water for all his deep cleaning of gun parts. He hoses them down, lets them sit a few minutes for the crud to soften, uses a toothbrush and his fingers to loosen the grime, and rinses in warm water. Then he dries on a cookie sheet in a 150-200 degree oven for a short while until all the water is dried out, hoses the parts down with Break-Free, and wipes with a cloth and reassembles the gun.
    I haven't done a deep clean yet, but I intend to follow this method when I do.