How to Clean an AR-15

By Jeff Wood

(Photo: Jeff Wood/Guns.com)
Maintenance and cleaning of a firearm will extend the life of your gun and increase its overall reliability and safety. If you are new to the AR platform and need a little help cleaning it, then you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are cleaning the AR-15 and similar variants.
There are some variations from one model to another, so if you have any concerns, check the manual from the manufacturer.
Steps to Clean an AR-15

Remove magazine and ammunition and clear the gun
Separate upper and lower receiver
Remove bolt carrier and charging handle
Clean barrel and upper receiver
Disassemble and clean the bolt carrier
Clean and inspect the lower receiver
Lubricate and reassemble the rifle
Function test
Store your AR-15

Tools You’ll Need

Gun mat or proper surface to clean the rifle
Cleaning patches and/or rags
A bore-guide, preferably for the AR-15
Cleaning rod with nylon brushes or jag. A bore snake also works.
Gun cleaning solvent — the brand of your choice, as long as it’s made for cleaning guns
Gun lubricant — the brand of your choice as long as it’s recommended for firearms

Now that we have everything we need, it’s time to get our hands dirty.
1. Remove ammunition, magazines, and clear the rifle
(Photo: Jeff Wood/Guns.com)
This is the very first step for

Source: Guns.com