To say it is critical to running an AR is an understatement.
A BCG gunked-up with carbon and powder residue is a jam or failure just waiting to happen.
Its a dirty job cleaning AR rifles; some of us tend to put it off until absolutely necessary.
Do you know what you need to do when cleaning the BCG on your AR-style rifle? The author gives you the details.
In real-life situations, you simply cant afford to risk this.
The AR is a combat-proven system that can be remarkably reliable but they do require care and maintenance.
And dont worry, my methods are not only thorough, theyre also fast.
Cleaning the BCG is just part of the equation. Lubricating it after cleaning is another part. Do you know where the BCG should be oiled?
First, remove the magazine and ensure the rifle is not loaded.
Ever notice those two holes in the BCG that are visible when the dustcover is open?
Place a couple of drops of lubrication in there.
For a quick, in-the-field lube job, first place a couple of drops of lubricate love in the two prominent holes in the BCG.
Rub your finger back and forth along the BCG with the excess oil.
Hit the star chamber grooves where the BCG locks into.
Hold the rifle muzzle down so the oil flows into the cracks and crevices.
The Gun Tool CORE-AR15 is a fantastic tool that can help to make cleaning a bolt carrier group much easier. Image:Real Avid
You are good to go.
Tools of the Trade
You dont need a lot of specialized tools to clean an AR.
The only specialized tool I use is the Real Avid CORE-AR15 tool.
The first step to cleaning the bolt carrier group is to field strip the AR-15. See ourvideo on how to field strip an AR.
I like this tool since it has built-in carbon scrapers for bolt, carrier, and firing pin.
Its designed to scrape carbon from 12 bolt-carrier surfaces.
Whats also helpful on the Real Avid tool is the pick to remove the firing pin retaining pin.
The firing pin retaining pin must be removed to properly clean the BCG of an AR-15 like the Springfield SAINT.
To clean the bore, I use a pull-through rip cord and a chamber brush.
My solvents choice is easy; any CLP like Lucas Extreme Duty CLP will work great.
Give Your BCG Some Love
Again, ensure the rifle is not loaded.
Make sure the charging handle is clean and lubricated when cleaning your BCG. This will help it run smoothly.
Fieldstrip your AR by pulling out the takedown pin and removing the BCG and charging handle from the upper.
Separate the upper from the lower by pushing out the pivot pin.
The firing pin can now be withdrawn from the back end of the carrier.
To remove the bolt cam pin, rotate the pin 90 degrees and pull it out.
Now you’re free to pull out the bolt from the front of the carrier.
Carbon can build up on the firing pin.
Use a scraper, like the Real Avid CORE-AR15 tool, to get it off of there.
There are three places on the carrier on which you will want to focus.
One is the back end of the carrier.
Use a tool to scrape the carbon from the inside.
The second is to scrape out the front end of the carrier.
The third is to scrape the gas tube to remove the carbon.
Critical Areas
Next, focus on the bolt.
The rear of the bolt is a magnet for carbon build-up.
I use the Real Avid scraper to clean it off, fast.
The tool gets both the outside and inside of the bolt.
launch the tab on the tool through the teeth of the star on the front of the bolt.
A critical area on the bolt is the extractor.
Use a pick to clean the groove in the extractor.
Regularly remove the extractor from the bolt to deep-clean it.
Check you charging handle.
You may need to run a soft cloth rag inside the groove of the charging handle.
Reinsert the BCG back in the upper and reassemble the upper and lower.
You are now good to go.
Keep your BCG clean and lubed, and your AR will keep running for you.
