Complete Guide to Clean & Lube Your AR-15 [With Pictures]

In Guide, Gunsmithing by Jim

Everything You Need to Know About Cleaning & Lubricating AR-15’s

You can click on any of the questions below to be taken directly to the answer, otherwise read through the article for a step-by-step process on cleaning and lubricating your AR-15.

AR-15 Cleaning Questions

AR-15 Lubrication Questions

Step 1: Clear Rifle and Remove Ammunition From Prep Area

It seems like every year someone discharges their firearm while cleaning it, often times leading to a fatality. Always always always be sure to clear your firearm and remove any ammunition from the immediate area just to be on the safe side. To verify your AR-15 is unloaded, perform the following steps with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction:

  • Remove the magazine
  • Lock the bolt to the rear position
  • Visually verify there are no rounds in the chamber by looking through the ejection port
  • Release Bolt
  • Flip your safety on

Chamber is clear!

 Step 2: Separate Your Receivers

Using your fingers or a roll punch, remove the takedown pin (rear) followed by the pivot pin (front). Set lower receiver aside.

Takedown pin removed.

 Step 3: Remove Charging Handle & The Bolt Carrier Group (BCG)

Pull charging handle back until you are able to remove the BCG from the upper receiver.

Charging handle and BCG pulled out halfway from the upper receiver.

BCG removed, now lift and remove charging handle.

Step 4: Disassemble the BCG

Remove the cotter pin as shown below using your fingernails or a pick:

Cotter pin being removed from BCG, this is what retains your firing pin.

Next remove the firing pin and set it aside, it should fall right out after removing the cotter pin.


Now you want to push the bolt inward like shown, notice the clocking of the cam pin:

Bolt pushed into the carrier, cam pin in “default” position.

Removing the cam pin requires that it be rotated 90 degrees so that it can pass the gas key like shown:

After the cam pin is pulled out, the bolt can now be removed.

 Step 5: Disassemble the Bolt

First, you want to remove extractor pin using a small punch or even the firing pin you previously removed.

Using the firing pin to remove the extractor pin.

Now remove the extractor and carefully set them aside.

For this process, I like to spray all parts with CLP and scrub away with a nylon brush (or toothbrush). When using cleaning products I recommend using some nitrile gloves to keep your hands clean and free of harsh chemicals.

Cleaning the Bolt Carrier with cleaning pads inside the carrier.

You may need to wipe the parts down with a cotton rag and reapply CLP to scrub some more if your parts are very dirty. Once I can no longer remove any more residue I call it good.

Some areas like the bolt may require extra scrubbing and scraping to remove carbon buildup. This is where a scraper comes in handy.

Before reassembling, inspect your bolt rings for any damage. Insert the bolt into the bolt carrier, and turn it upside down over a soft rag. If the bolt falls out under its own weight, you need to change the gas rings. If not, you are good to go.

Also, note that the rings do not need to be misaligned for the bolt to perform nominally, they can and will work on a single ring despite what many say. With that said, if it makes you feel better doing it by all mean go for it.

After you are done cleaning the BCG parts, reassemble them in the opposite order as listed above. Make sure that the bolt is clocked correctly into the carrier when you install the cam pin such that the extractor is facing in the direction shown below. Otherwise, your rifle will try to eject casings into the wall of the receiver rather than out the ejection port likely causing a jam. Some newer designs will only allow installation in one direction, but this isn’t the case for everything out there.

Be sure to lube the BCG as recommend in the lube section further down in the article before installing back into the upper receiver.

The first thing to remember when cleaning your bore (barrel) is to always clean from rear to front, and not the other way around. The trick is to clean with the rod inserted from the breach, not the muzzle. Once a patch or brush has exited the muzzle, remove it before extracting the rod (cleaning is in one direction). This prevents crud from being pulled back into your receiver. It should also be done this way since you are less likely to damage the crown of your barrel which could affect your rifle’s accuracy.

To begin, run a patch soaked in Bore Cleaner down the barrel (or spray with CLP) and remove it once it exits the muzzle. Repeat this step once more and let the barrel sit for a minute or two in order to let the solvent work its magic. You can use CLP, however, a dedicated bore cleaner will work better at removing tough residue and even copper fouling built up from copper-jacketed ammunition.

Cleaning pad soaked in Hoppe’s bore cleaner running down the bore.

Remove cleaning pad after it exits the muzzle before retracting the cleaning rod back through the bore.

Now attach your bore brush and insert it through the breach and slowly push the brush until it exits the muzzle, remove the brush before retracting it back through the barrel. Repeat this process two or three times.

Chamber brush in the top of the picture, bore brush below.

If you are using a bore snake, the same principle applies. First, spray some CLP or run some bore cleaner down the bore. Then lower the brass end from the breach down to the muzzle and finish pulling it out the muzzle.

To clean the chamber first spray a liberal amount of CLP into the chamber and let is set for a few minutes. Insert your chamber brush from the rear of the upper receiver and scrub/twist the chamber and locking lugs for a minute or two.

Using a chamber mop, q-tips or cotton rag clean the area until the residue and crud have been removed. If you have wiped the area dry, lubricate the locking lugs with CLP or oil.

Chamber mop used to remove residue cleaned from the chamber.

Know that failure-to-extract (when a spent casing is not removed from the chamber) is one of the most common issues with the AR-15. This is often caused from a dirty chamber that has built up residue over time creating a tight fit with the casings.

This was the cause of many problems in Vietnam which prompted both weapon and ammo changes, but even now it can still be an issue. The take away here is that the chamber is probably the most important part of your AR-15 to clean regularly, the BCG is a close second.

Cleaning the buffer and buffer spring does not need to be done frequently. Just check it maybe once or twice a year to make sure the castle nut is secure and the buffer tube detent is secure and holding the weight.

If you want to remove it and clean it, depress the buffer retainer with something rigid (but not your finger). Note that the buffer is under compression from the buffer spring so be careful when you release it from the retainer.

There is nothing too difficult in cleaning the buffer and buffer spring, just spray parts with CLP and scrub with a rag until clean. That’s it.

What About Cleaning the Lower Receiver?

Unless you are firing an AR with a suppressor, you will rarely need to clean your lower receiver. Most of the dirty parts in your rifle will be in the upper receiver, however if decide to clean your lower you can spray CLP or another cleaning product into your lower. Because the access is limited I will either use q-tips to dry the area or use compressed air. The other option is to completely strip the lower but this should not normally be needed.

If you want a complete cleaning kit, look at the section after this for recommendations. However, you might already have a few items and want to complete your cleaning kit on your own. Here is a list of products you will need to properly clean your AR-15 along with a description:

  • CLP
  • Bore Brush
  • Chamber Brush
  • Cleaning Rod
  • Cleaning Patches
  • Bore Snake
  • Nylon Brush
  • Cat M4 scraper

CLP stands for Cleaner, Lubricant and Protectant. The original CLP came out many years ago by a company called Break-Free, however there are now several other brands available that carry this name as well. CLP is a one size fits all approach to cleaning your rifle as it will help break apart pesky residue and dirt while also keeping things lubricated and rust free. You can buy individual products meant to do each step of the process however a good CLP is proven to work effectively.

I recommend the original CLP (available on Amazon), as well as a CLP, called Ballistol (available on Amazon). I like using the trigger sprayer bottles since you have a little more control over how much cleaner you dispense. I can barely squeeze the trigger for just a drop or a full squeeze down the barrel to get full coverage. Both products will do a great job cleaning your rifle while keeping it running smoothly.

If you want a stand-alone cleaner that does a better job at breaking down stubborn buildup, Hoppe’s 9 Gun Bore Cleaner is a tried and true product that I also use for deep cleaning.

Bore Brushes are the best way to clean your AR-15 barrel. It is just a round brush that attaches to a cleaning rod that fits snugly inside your barrel to remove dirt and residue. They are made from a variety of materials like Nylon, bronze and brass. I prefer this set made by Hoppe’s that includes a bronze bore brush, chamber brush and chamber mop. Failing to clean your barrel will shorten its lifespan and reduce your accuracy. You will need a cleaning rod (or cleaning cable) to use these brushes, see my suggestions below.

Chamber Brushes are another essential part of your cleaning kit when you want to perform a thorough cleaning of your AR-15. A chamber brush is like a bore brush however it is designed to clean the chamber area where your rounds are seated in the barrel. A clean chamber ensures proper cycling of your AR-15 and is one of the messier parts of your rifle. If you neglect cleaning the chamber you can have issues extracting spent casings from your rifle. Again, I like the Hoppe’s combo set recommended above.

Cleaning Rods are required when using a chamber brush and bore brush. It is just a skinny long rod with a handle on one end and threaded feature on the other end to attach cleaning brushes. They are available in single or multiple sections; the single sections are safer to use on your rifle, however, the multi-sections pack away easier. The danger when using rods is to avoid damaging the crown of the barrel (where the bore of your barrel ends), any nicks or dings here can hurt your accuracy.

The trick is to clean with the rod inserted from the breach, not the muzzle. Once a patch or brush has exited the muzzle, remove it before extracting the rod (cleaning is in one direction, in other words). For a single piece cleaning rod I highly recommend this carbon fiber rod made by Tipton since it will not scratch or damage your barrel. For an inexpensive segmented kit check out this rod made by Hoppe’s that includes a few more items.

Cleaning patches are simply square pieces of cotton-like fabric that are used to apply cleaner on and inside your rifle. You use these in conjunction with a cleaning rod that has a slotted end fitting or however you see fit. You can get a bunch of these on Amazon for cheap.

Bore Snakes are essentially a long length of tapered “rope” made to fit a specific caliber that help clean your barrel. They are not a substitute for a bore brush but rather are a quick and easy way to clean your barrel while at the range or when you are crunched for time.

One end normally has a brass crimp that you feed down the barrel and pull through along will the junk and residue that has built up. It will not clean a barrel as thoroughly as a bore brush, and for that reason would not be considered a required item but they are inexpensive and work well. I recommend and personally use the Ultimate Bore Cleaner for my AR-15’s.

Nylon brushes are a very handy tool when you need to scrub all the various parts of your rifle. You can find something fancy on amazon like this but I normally just use a toothbrush. Just get something with stiff bristles that allow you to use some elbow grease.

Cat M4 scraper is used to remove carbon build up that attaches to parts on your BCG. Sometimes a nylon brush and cleaner just won’t get the job done and you need a specific tool that removes that stubborn carbon on your bolt. I like this Cat M4 scraper.

There is not one commonly agreed upon answer for this question, however most everyone agrees that you do not want to operate your AR-15 dirty and “dry”, and by dry I mean without lubrication (which I will cover in the next section).

AR-15’s cycle by using the combustion gasses from a fired round back into the rifle which naturally makes things dirty. Keeping the chamber, bolt carrier group (BCG) and barrel is going to be your highest priority since these areas get the dirtiest.

The best answer might come from Pat Rogers, a retired Chief Warrant Officer of Marines and a retired NYPD Sergeant says that a properly cleaned and lubed AR-15 should go a minimum of 500 rounds without cleaning.

I personally perform a basic cleaning of my AR-15’s after every outing to the range, however this is more out of enjoyment than necessity. There is definitely a ritualistic aspect to it that some gun owners like myself enjoy.

Many experienced shooters and armorers suggest to clean of your chamber, BCG and barrel after every outing to the range and then perform a more extensive cleaning after every 500 rounds. A simple cleaning back from the range should not take more than 10 minutes once you are familiar with your rifle.

There are several great cleaning kits designed specifically for the AR that are available in multiple calibers. The “Best AR-15 Cleaning Kit” is kind of subjective but you always want something with great value, high-quality parts and lots of positive feedback from other people. If you are starting from scratch or just want to purchase a kit with everything you need I recommend the Otis AR Cleaning Kit.

The short answer is no since a dirty gas tube is not a common cause for failures. However, damaging the tube or leaving moisture inside the tube can cause issues. Even the Army maintenance manuals for the M16A2, M16A3, M16A4, M4 and M4A1 rifles and carbines do not authorize the cleaning of the gas tube.

I do know some people insist on cleaning the gas tube and utilize a pipe cleaner with some CLP. I have thought this to be a bit silly since many servicemen with 20,000+ rounds through their rifles never have a problem with the gas tube, even if they did, a new gas tube can be had for $10.

Many people use WD-40 for just about everything, including firearms. Can it be used? Of course it can, however, know that there are better options out there like the CLP mentioned above. If you do end up using it, I would recommend you only use it to help remove residue and dirt but do no rely on it as a lubricant. Contrary to what many people think, WD-40 is a solvent rather than a lubricant which works well for cleaning but is not meant to do the job that a good CLP will do or a stand-alone cleaner/lubricant.

A good rule of thumb is to look for shiny marks, which indicate metal-to-metal contact. If it shines, give it some lube. However this won’t always be the case, so I have attached a graphic that indicates all the lubrication points on your AR-15. Note the chart key which codes the amount of lube to use on the noted parts: (D) indicates a drop of lube, (L) indicates a light film that you can barely see with the eye and (G) indicates a generous application of lube that you can spread with your finger.

For this answer I will appeal to authority once more from Pat Rogers, a retired Chief Warrant Officer of Marines and a retired NYPD Sergeant that says,

“One of the very prominent AR myths is that the gun runs better dry. It is a myth.

The AR series runs significantly better wet than dry, but there are those who approach this with such great trepidation that they steadfastly refuse and use only a tiny bit of lube on their carbines, causing them to cease functioning after a very short while.

Hundreds of e-net posts speak of using little lube on the carbines, believing that too much lube is the cause of all problems. A friend, a retired Marine MSgt and a prolific Class 3 collector, looks at lube like it was two-day old cat urine, and is absolutely phobic about putting anything more than a drop or two on any gun.

Our experience is that, after poor magazines and operator-induced malfunctions, dry guns are a major cause of stoppages. We see this in every class we have ever attended or taught, and we are satisfied that our observations regarding lubrication are correct.

Consider that your carbine is a machine, and like an internal combustion engine, it requires lubrication to make it function.”

This confirms what many have always held as truth when it comes to AR-15’s and lubrication. I have always ran my AR’s pretty wet and I have never had any issues related to lubrication what so ever. In fact many people will dip their entire bolt in oil and drop it back in the upper!

While it is true that an over-lubricated rifle is going to attract dirt in dusty environments, running it dry will certainly lead to more problems than a wet rifle in my experience.

There really isn’t a “best” lube for AR-15’s, there are however many great options to consider. I always look for the best value with lots of positive feedback. One of the most highly recommended lubricants for AR rifles is Slip 2000 (available on Amazon), it may be a little pricier but it does keep the parts “wet” longer than any other lube out there so one bottle will last a long time.

Another great inexpensive option that I have used for decades with great results is Hoppe’s Lubricating Oil, they have a longstanding reputation for making solid firearm maintenance products.

Both options will keep your AR running smooth, you can get away with just using CLP however, in the long run, you’ll be better off with a dedicated lubricant.

Conclusion

Ar-15’s will run forever when you properly maintain them. Cleaning your chamber and BCG and applying a generous amount of lube in all the noted spots above will reduce unnecessary wear and malfunctions. Also remember to always make sure your weapon is clear before cleaning! Stay safe!

How to Clean and Lube your AR15

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