The Best AR-15 Cleaning Kits on the Market Today

For most shooters, the first associations with cleaning AR-15s are stories they heard about the notoriously tedious process of maintaining the Vietnam-era M16 so it could work properly in jungle warfare conditions. That involved taking it apart and cleaning it 5 times a day. That’s not the case anymore with your AR, but even with the introduction of new materials and coatings that have significantly improved the resistance to wear and tearof most modern rifles, that still doesn’t mean these rifles are indestructible. A good cleaning kit and a good cleaning routine will ensure your rifle will function properly, and who knows, maybe it will even outlast you.

What Should You Consider When Choosing an AR-15 Cleaning Kit

Whether you’re using your AR-15 for tactical, competitive shooting or hunting you will need to clean and properly maintain your rifle. The carbon, dirt, debris, and old oil that will build up in your weapon with regular and frequent use will have to be properly and regularly removed unless you want your accuracy to deteriorate, cartridges stop ejecting, or, worst-case scenario, the gun malfunctions when you need it the most.

With so many kits available today, you will have a hard time choosing which one to pick. Large bulky ones that include everything from a mat to solvents, that is, oils, a myriad of different scrubs and brushes, several picks and jags, specialized scraping tools, detailed instructions on how to disassemble, clean, and reassemble the rifle will probably benefit those people who like to do a thorough deep clean in the privacy of their kitchen or garage. Or just those who suffer from a severe case of OCD.

Small kits, like the ones issued to every grunt, are immensely helpful if you need to do a fast cleaning out in the field, but sadly most of those don’t come with either oil or solvents needed to break down gunk accumulated inside the rifle and lubricate it later. They will do a fairly decent job but most of the time they are used for quick and superficial cleans.

As is always the case in life, the trick is to find that sweet middle ground. Think hard about what your needs are, where the cleaning wil be done, whether you are a novice or an experienced shooter, and how many rounds you usually shoot in one session. Will you carry the kit with you, or keep it in your home? A good intermediate kit, easily stored and carried, with high-quality tools, your old cotton T-shirt, a bottle of oil, and a solvent is a combo worth considering.

What an AR15 Cleaning Kit Should Include

A good cleaning kit should pack all of these items, or at least a majority of them:

A Bore Cleaning Rod

It doesn’t matter if you choose a solid rod or a multi-piece threaded one, make sure that the one coming in the kit is made of good quality materials, preferably coated so it doesn’t accidentally scrape the barrel. Pay attention to how it’s cut and machined, be careful of any splinters or any metal shavings and nicks sticking out, it will cause more damage than it prevents. To avoid that from happening I use a standard one-piece rod in combination with a bore guide, which is a “compromise” I made with my paranoia. No, you don’t have to go out now and immediately buy one too. Focus on quality, maneuverability, and ease of use.

A Bore Snake with Attachment

A bore snake is another useful tool to have in your cleaning kit, some people use it exclusively, as it has proven to be quite effective for a quick brushing, cleaning, and oiling. The design of the bore snake incorporates both elements of a brush and a cleaning textile, with the weighted attachment on one end of the snake serving as a guide. When you insert it into the barrel, the gravity will pull it down, all you have to do is grab the attachment when it exits on the other end, and pull it until the entire length of the snake passes through. The front section of the snake has small bronze bristles incorporated into it which act like a brush after that section is just standard textile that cleans up dirt after the brushes have scraped it off. Finally, onto the end section, you can apply oil to lube the barrel.

Rod Adapters

The most important adapters for your rod are brushes, both bore brush and a good chamber brush. Good quality ones are not difficult to find these days, because most of them are made from materials that will prevent damage to your rifle. Bronze brushes are standard these days because they are hard enough to clean the carbon, but soft enough so as not to leave marks and scratches on the inside of your bore and mess up the rifling. Chamber brushes are made with bronze brushes at the top, and steel ones at the bottom for cleaning locking lugs, which are made of harder materials. Nylon brushes are also a good option, a lot of solvents now incorporate chemicals that are corrosive and damaging to the bronze used in brushes, so nylon could be a good alternative.

A Patch Loop

A patch loop is a tool that is attached to the end of the rod, resembles a slightly large needle’s eye. A cloth patch is inserted through the loop, then the entire loop is pushed or pulled through the barrel to clean off the debris after it was scrapped by the brush. A good patch loop should be wide enough to accept the patch, but tight enough to hold it in place while running dirt out of your rifle. The choice of materials it’s made of, whether it is bronze or polymer, that’s all up to you. Use white-colored patches made out of cotton, insert them in the loop, run them down the bore, if dirty, throw away the old one, place a new cloth, and repeat the process until the last one comes out clean, without a single black speck or mark on them. It sounds tedious, but the next part of your kit will minimize the steps necessary to clean the rifle.

Cleaning Fluids and Lube

The hardest job in this process is done by a solvent. Finding a good one will save you a lot of time and nerves, so I suggest if your kit doesn’t include a bottle of cleaner, which is most likely, go out and buy one. Good news, the majority of solvents on the market today do the same job, the only difference being the time it takes them to do it. When you strip down your rifle, apply not a too generous amount, but make sure to cover every fouled up area and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Now, it won’t flush out the dirt by itself, they will just loosen it, so take your brush and a rag and scrub it all off. When done, it’s time to apply oil or lube, the main purpose of which is to protect the rifle from corrosion and wear caused by friction. Don’t overdo it, a thin layer will do the job fine.

Field Stripping, Cleaning and Lubricating Your AR-15 – How to Use an AR-15 Cleaning Kit

In my experience, the AR-15 style of rifle is one of the easiest firearms to clean and maintain. I actually know AR-15 owners that bring their AR-15 to a gunsmith for cleaning or rely on others to do it for them. I have always wondered why. Maybe the person is new to the AR-15 platform and is not sure what the process consists of or how to do it? Or, maybe they just don’t have the time or are simply intimidated?

It is important for you, as the owner, to know how to field strip, clean, lubricate and maintain your AR-15. Think about it; would you want your rifle in the shop twenty minutes away when you may end up needing it right now?

You may find yourself surprised at how quick, easy and enjoyable the process can be; and, it will provide you with the opportunity of “getting to know” your AR-15. To help get you started, here is a list of definitions and items that you will need to help you get the job done.

Definitions:

• Field stripping: The process in which you disassemble your AR-15 style of rifle down to the minimum level needed for cleaning. There are no tools required for this.
  
• Cleaning: Using a few items to assist you in removing lead, copper, and carbon build-up from the barrel, chamber, and bolt carrier group.
• Lubricating: This is where a lubricant is placed onto moving parts of your AR-15 to provide less friction and protect against wear during the operation of the firearm. Properly lubricating your AR-15 is the most important part of this entire process. In emergencies, even a “dirty” rifle can still function with proper lubrication.

Items needed:

1. 1. A gun cleaning solvent of your choice to assist in breaking up the fouling from the rifling in the barrel and the bolt carrier group.
      

      

      
      

   2. Lubricant that may either be an oil, grease, or combination material such as CLP (cleaner, lubricant, and protectant).

      

   3. A bore cleaning device such as a bore snake, or a cleaning rod of proper caliber size. When choosing to use a cleaning rod, you will also need the proper attachments and fabric patches for running down the barrel to remove fouling from the rifling.

      

      HOPPE’S Boresnake for AR-15

Summary:

1. Field strip your AR-15 by separating the upper receiver from the lower receiver. You may set the lower receiver aside as it normally does not require cleaning.
2. Remove the BCG (bolt carrier group) and charging handle from the upper receiver.
3. Spray some bore cleaner down the barrel. This will allow it to soak in while you move onto the next step.
4. Field strip the BCG. (In the video, I show a detailed example of how to do this)
5. Spray a cleaner of choice onto the field stripped BCG parts and then wipe them clean.
6. Run a bore snake, or something similar, down the barrel and chamber to remove any fouling and to clean it.
7. Use your lubricant of choice and lubricate the BCG and charging handle.
8. Reassemble your upper receiver by installing the BCG and charging handle.
9. Reassemble your AR-15 by re-attaching the upper receiver to the lower receiver.
10. Function check your now cleaned and lubricated AR-15 for proper function.

To simplify there are four steps to this. Cleaning, brushing, drying, and oiling.

The most important step is to make sure your AR doesn’t have any ammo in it. Unload the gun, and start disassembling it.

Place everything in front of you on top of your cleaning station. I love having a cleaning mat in front of me at all times. This AR-15 Gun Cleaning Mat is portable and very absorbant, I love using this instead of laying down newspaper or paper towels. 

Another useful thing to have is a small bowl or a plate where you will put all the small parts.

If you have a vise block, place the upper receiver upside down in it for better access to the chamber and the barrel. Apply solvent to the BCG, the chamber, and trigger grouping inside the lower receiver. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes and make sure that liquid penetrates deep into any gunk that’s accumulated.

If you do not have a Vise Block – we revied the be The Best AR-15 Lower Vise Blocks for you here!

Attach the patch loop onto the rod, and place a cloth patch through the loop, soak it well in solvents, then run it through the barrel, making sure the entire length is well soaked. Remove the loop and attach the brush, do the same thing, run it through the barrel several times, until you’re sure you have brushed everything inside. When done, return the patch loop, this time use a dry patch, force all that residue after brushing out, and clean the barrel dry.

The next step is to use a double-edged brush and clean every surface of the rifle where you have applied the solvent. When you’re satisfied with the cleaning, run that brush again just in case.

Following that, use a dry rag and wipe the inside and the outside of the rifle clean. Now it’s time to oil the gun. A light coat will do, most people exaggerate the amount of lube they use, but remember the more you oil it, the more dirt, shavings, and debris will cling to that liquid and foul the gun. When it comes to oiling the barrel, use the same procedure when you applied the solvent. Lastly, reassemble the gun, and store it in your safe.

FAQ

What if You Neglect to Clean Your AR15?

Do not neglect it. Just don’t. The corrosion on the metal surfaces will cause damage to mechanical parts, which can be detrimental to your accuracy or cause malfunctions, like jamming. The build-up of carbon and debris inside your rifle will produce wear over time and you don’t want loose components to rattle in your AR. It could become unsafe.

How Often Should You Clean Your AR-15?

There is a lot of debate among shooters on how often you should clean your rifle. Some users suggest you should clean it each time you finish your hunting trip or a session at the range. Some like to stick to timing data that they can measure, and clean it after firing 500 or 1000 rounds. Others will do a quick clean with a CLP and a bore snake while on the range, and once a month perform thorough maintenance.

Hypothetically speaking, in a home defense scenario, probably the scariest sound you definitely don’t want to hear is the sound of your gun jamming in the dark. If you want to have a firearm that will operate reliably and accurately each time you pull the trigger, do it as often as you can, whether that is once a day, once a week, after running a magazine through it or after 500 fired rounds, the choice is yours.

What Causes Fouling in an AR15?

As is the case with all gas-operated weapons systems, the gas firing system of the AR platform will cause a build-up of carbon inside the rifle. A trip to the range or anywhere outdoors will attract dirt and dust, in combination with oil or lubricant it will create grime, which will jam the mechanical parts and limit the efficiency of the rifle in the form of short-stroke, failure to feed, fire or extract the spent casing. Carbon build-up produced after every fired round will form layers inside your barrel, which, if not regularly removed, will worsen your accuracy in the long run.

What is The Best Cleaning Kit for an AR 15?

My favorite is Hoppe’s No. 9 Deluxe Gun Cleaning Kit. Mostly because of the options, it provides in such a small package, whether you’re a novice shooter or an experienced one, tools provided in this cleaning kit will surely help you to maintain and clean your rifle no matter how dirty it gets. If used properly it will add years of life and good service to your rifle, making sure that it fires each time you pull the trigger.