Personally, I hate cleaning guns and prefer to just shoot them.

However, cleaning is imperative to a successful range trip so, unfortunately, we all must do it.

My favorite platform to shoot is the AR-15.

In this photo, we see the author begin the process of cleaning his semi-automatic rifle. A semi-automatic rifle is an autoloading rifle that fires a single cartridge with each pull of the trigger and uses part of the fired cartridge’s energy to eject the case and load another cartridge into the chamber.

All firearms need to be cleaned from time to time. In this article, the author shows us how he cleans his favorite semi-auto rifle.

Getting Started Safely

The number one thing to remember when cleaning any firearm is safety.

Now that youve taken the right safety precautions to clean your gun, lets discuss the particulars.

Different guns are going to require different techniques.

In this photo, we see the author clearing his rifle. This means he is removing all ammo from it and then checking to ensure none remains in the firing chamber. The chamber of a firearm is the cavity at the back end of a breechloading weapon’s barrel or cylinder, where the ammunition is inserted before being fired. The rear opening of the chamber is the breech, and is sealed by the breechblock or the bolt.

Be sure to safely clear your rifle of all ammunition during this process. This includes removing the magazine, locking the bolt open and checking the chamber — both visually and manually.

These kits are normally not very expensive and will make life much easier for you.

it’s possible for you to also wear a pair of nice nitrile gloves.

Oil them, and you are good to go.

In this photo, we see the author applying gun cleaner to the lower receiver of his rifle to help clean it. A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting and higher stopping power, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves cut into the bore wall.

A liberal application of a quality cleaning fluid can make removing grime and built-up carbon easier.

Lay out all your tools and cleaners and start by disassembling your rifle.

After I finish with the bolt carrier and charging handle, I then move on to the lower.

The same is also true for other types of semi-automatic rifles.

In this digital image, we see the author running a bore brush through the barrel of a rifle to clean it. A gun barrel is a crucial part of gun-type weapons such as small firearms, artillery pieces, and air guns. It is the straight shooting tube, usually made of rigid high-strength metal, through which a contained rapid expansion of high-pressure gas is used to propel a projectile out of the front end at a high velocity.

Use caution when cleaning the barrel of a semi-automatic rifle. The barrel’s condition has a substantial impact on accuracy, so damage can negatively impact performance.

I always start with brushes but then move to cotton swabs and patches for the really hard-to-reach spots.

A good solvent is definitely going to be your friend.

After you get the entire lower receiver cleaned up, its time to tackle that upper.

In this image we see the author using a soft bristle cleaning brush to clean the hammer and lower receiver of his rifle. A solvent is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid.

Don’t be afraid to use a soft brush on your firearm. With a quality solvent, this can be an excellent way to remove carbon and debris.

you could use your patches to run through the barrel as well.

Soak them in cleaner and run them through using your cleaning rod.

After the barrel is cleaned up, move on to the chamber.

In this photo, we see the author function testing his semi-automatic rifle after cleaning it.

Be sure to safely function test any rifle after cleaning. You want to discover any problems in the shop and not on the range or in the field.

But with some good old-fashioned elbow grease, you will get it done.

The magazines can get very dirty inside and outside, and this can actually cause malfunctions in feeding.

Use safety glasses and extra care when working on your magazines.

AR Series

After you get the gun back together its imperative that you test the functionality of the rifle.

A clean microfiber cloth is perfect for this job.

I will spray the exterior lightly with my cleaner and then rub it clean with the cloth.

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I also highly recommend looking intosonic cleaners, which will make the job nearly hands-off.

That is the perfect scenario for someone like me who hates cleaning guns.

Throw your parts in the sonic cleaner, and let the machine do its thing for you.

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If the end-result is a clean and lubricated gun, you did it right as far as Im concerned.

Now get out there and train hard, then clean your rifles using some of these tips.

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