Improper Cleaning can ruin your AR15 Bolt Carrier Group

Many people seem to believe that certain tools can't wear or change the dimensions of the bolt because the tools people used may be softer than the bolt material or the coating.

Fouling is abrasive. As fouling is removed, it will lap the bolt material when used between the bolt and a tool. Fouling can wear the tail when a bronze brush or piece of brass is used to "clean". Fouling can wear the inside of the carrier when a tool is used.

Ever look at a crowning lap? They are brass. An abrasive with the crowning lap will remove barrel material.

A cleaning rod with fouling can remove barrel material as it moves. A bore snake used the wrong way can remove crown material.

The difference between efficient and non efficient of most bolt tails is .0006. Thank about how little that is before changing the dimensions by "cleaning".

Very helpful, I got a new BCG recently and have wondered about this.
It wasn’t u till I started watching your videos that I understood & appreciated just how important BCG’s role in the gas system is to proper function.
Thank you for all the info!

Makes me crazy when I see people use metal brushes too much! They have their purposes but I use nylon as much as I can!

So are you guys in Canada or the UK? I ask because carrying that large knife in the US is illegal!

Nah I just never clean that at all

Sooo, is it bad that the only thing i use to clean my bolt carrier is brake clean and a cotton rag?

I wish you could tell that to the dang drill sergeants.

On 2001 I built a 223 ar out of a bushmaster lower. Forget what upper and barrel I used right now for some reason. Built it just as a test. Decided I’d never clean in. I do break it down every few thousand rounds and oil the shit out of it. I’m about half way through my 3rd 10k round crate. I have beat this gun to death. Barrel has rust. It’s been in the mud. The rain. Snow. I have washed it out in the pond and mud puddles a few times. It never fails. Hands down one of the most accurate riffles I have. I did just recently do a drop in trigger because it was feeling extremely gritty. Prob just from the crap in it but once or twice I had to manually push the trigger forward to reset it. So I just tossed in a cheaper drop in. (3.5 pound). I’m gonna keep beating and abusing this gun untill it just completely fails. I really don’t think I will ever be able to afford enough ammo tho. And it’s also a 223 upper and I shoot maybe 2k rounds of 556 through it early on. Think it was the first 2k rounds. Or close. I was young and dumb and had no clue you “arnt suppose” to shoot 556 in a 223.

Anyways ocd cleaning is over rated. I still clean alll my other guns pretty regularly but I don’t get all ocd and scrub the crap out of them. Especially AR platforms. Run and keep them wet. They last. Least mine has.

I was taught to just use some solvent and patches on the bolt and BCG. Really appreciate the content, as someone still fairly new to firearms and the AR platform

I heard that Sea Foam works good for removing carbon.

What about nylon scraping tools? Would that still harm the coating?

Don't use hoppes oil on nib bcgs. I learned that one the hard way before.

That damn thing never worked anyways. Drove me crazy

Next let's talk about who makes the best trucks. 👌

When did it become COOL to have a filthy weapon?? I don't get these guys that brag about not cleaning their pistols and rifles ?? 🤷

I've always used a nylon brush. Never metal brushes.

Was wondering if you meant to say CLR as a cleaning agent, or CLP ? Im not nearly as knowledgeable as you, but just wanted to clarify its ok to use CLR , because it’s pretty nasty stuff. Thanks for posting, i couldn’t have this hobby without guys like you.

I’ve always used a match stick or toothpick on a patch. Is that ok?

As always, thank you Chad for sharing your vast sea of knowledge with us mere mortals. BTW, this mere mortal would like to know we he can acquire that SOTAR skull patch you've got chillin' there by the bolts, thanks in advance!!!

AC Delco Dexron IV or V will remove all carbon fouling. Get a small metal pan or bowl large enough to submerge the entire carrier. Place it in there complete no need to disassemble. Let it soak overnight or if you're in a hurry or need it sooner a minimum of 4 to 5 hours. Then disassemble the carrier as you normally would for cleaning. Just wipe off all components and reassemble. ATF has detergents that will dissolve carbon. An automatic transmission must remain debris free in order for the pumps and valves to work properly. I just blow off any excess ATF into a rag with light compressed air, lube and good to go. Dexron will not degrade the rubber extractor bushing or o ring, but some type of ATF might so use at your own risk. But Dexron IV is good to go. Also you don't need to discard the ATF, you can reuse it 100s of times. One quart should literally last a lifetime.

Just the information I was looking for along with, Brownell's ( not cleaning the gas tube, myth busted). It makes sense that fine machined gun parts would only require solvent cleaning and NOT micro machining. I think this video saved an ar15…😎…thanks for making the video video.

I'm guilty of being fairly anal about keeping the guns 95% perfect. That said I'd NEVER use metal tools to scrape or score the surfaces. Only chemicals. Once really clean then I lather on the "Sriracha" lol

Would a toothbrush fuk me up? 😅

Is there any chance of the carb cleaner eating the o ring?

Ive ran almost 1000 rounds through an ar without any cleaning inbetween, just an initial lubing, and no malfunctions through that time mind you those were all break in rounds

Thats a plus to a CVD or PVD coated BCG by a good brand company like cryptek that understands coating thickness and parts are machined for it. There is no scrapping to clean them. They are all i will use now days for my builds and for customers builds. They run better than the multiple bcg's ive used and when i clean, i disassemble and soak in CLR then use q tips and synthetic bore tech or iosso brushes. If ever i would scrape it would be with a plastic pick. Those bcg's clean easy and run great and i hear Iron City Rifle Works are good too. Stay away from the cheap priced pvd or cvd coated bcg's like xslick or whatever and various other cheap ones. You get what you pay for, and also titanium is just not a good idea as titanium bcg's wear out way before a steel one will just like a titanium bolt action reciever will.

That makes so much sense! Thank you.

Really shows how intellectually honest you are Chad when you cover the brand names up. A+ sir, hats off.

Yes, thank you VERY MUCH. You have shown me how to CORRECTLY CLEAN MY BOLT CARRIER. I've got 2 ARs and the parts for 2 MORE, JUST IN CASE. 🤔😯 I've haven't shot mine enough to REALLY get DIRTY OR FOWLED with carbon. I've probably only shot about 20 rounds through both of them for sighting in the iron sights and scopes. Plus ammo is TOO EXPENSIVE to just blaze away with them, I save that for my 22lr rifles and pistols. 🤔😉😃😃😃👍

"becomes OCD for no reason"
*Laughs in US Army BCT

How many of your customers are veterans? Because Marine DI's will make you super anal retentive about BCG cleanliness! lol

If people did basic cleaning after the range, the build up and hard carbon is really a non issue and a breeze to clean. We were taught in the military to run the guns wet. Never had a issue, see plenty of peoples guns stop working because they are dry as a bone.

Tell all this to my drill instructor! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Thank you sir, great video with exactly the right amount of detail and specificity.

I bet the defense contractors love it when the military aggressively scrapes carbon off the internal parts because it looks like wear and tear and means better sales of more replacement bolts and bolt carriers.

Sea foam soak is the best
1 hour Turns baked on carbon to something that can just be wiped away

"Son, it's time we had a talk about the birds and the bcgs…"

Literally just busted my bolt today at the range 🙁

Sonic cleaners work wonders. If you need more then instead of water alone find the proper solvent mix for your finishes.

One product for removing carbon you can get at most restaurant supply stores. It’s called Carbon off. We’ve used it in the restaurant business to clean carbon buildup off of high and sauté pans made with all different types of metals.

Great channel just joined, do u have a bcg cleaning video

Would a kerosene soak be a more cost-effective option? Seems to do well on car parts.

I plead “guilty as charged”. I don’t have those exact scrapers, but something similar. Question: would a brass chamber brush be bad too?

Will swear with CLR for cutting carbon. Did some suppressor baffles that hadn't been cleaned for a decade. Dip worked to a certain degree. CLR owned it. Only thing is CLR can eat into the steel if left for WAYY too long. 10-15 minutes tops.

I use an old toothbrush and some small nylon brushes for this. Works great so far.

Where can you buy those gauges?