AR cleaning with Wipe Out Foam bore cleaner

One thing you should think about when cleaning an AR: if you are using a bore cleaner that will eat the barrel over time, be sure to spray out the gas tube from the receiver end to make sure none of the solvent will some out into the barrel after you are done cleaning. I got some pitting on my first AR barrel from Sweets coming out the gas hole and sitting in the barrel for a while.

Aaron
 
Greetings from South Louisiana! New guy here.

I've been using Wipe-Out Foaming Bore Cleaner in a JP CTR-02 and a Daniel Defense M4 after every range session for several years. Upon return both barrels and gas tubes are foamed liberally with Wipe Out Foaming Bore Cleaner as are the separated parts of the BCGs which are wrapped in zip lock bags and left to soak over night. Next morning several felt buttons and cotton patches are pulled up the bores with a Patchworm, and BCG parts are brushed with Wipe-Out if residual debris is noted. Then barrels, gas tubes and BCG parts are flushed with odorless mineral spirits or any aerosol cleaner-degreaser, dried with compressed air, and lubricant-protectant is applied where relevant.

To date I have seen no evidence that Wipe-Out Foaming Bore Cleaner is causing any noticeable damage or discoloration to any metallic part that it contacts over night, including small areas of the upper and lower units where anodization has worn off of aluminum edges.

I've not worried about Stainless Steel gas tubes per Wipe Out being reported to be non-damaging to Stainless Steel. But more importantly to me is that it has caused no visible change whatsoever on the CTR-02's 416 stainless steel alloy barrel or on/in it's S.S. compensator or on the surface of the gas tube extensions that are visible in each of the uppers. I have not used a bore guide for years and it's not uncommon for the foam to flow back into the upper unit where it clearly aids the removal of carbon and gunpowder residue the next day.

Wipe Out and Browell's EZ-Soak have completely replaced the collection of other goodies that are collecting dust in the gun stuff closet, including the ultrasonic cleaner that I regularly used on the BCGs in earlier times.
 
Welcome to the board critterdoc!
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Jack
 
Quote:I've not worried about Stainless Steel gas tubes per Wipe Out being reported to be non-damaging to Stainless Steel.

Yeah, the foam won't hurt the SS tube, but it will leave some crud in there that the gas from the first shot will push back into the carrier/gas rings.

That's why I flush it out with brake cleaner.

Thanks for the report on aluminum damage, you've used it enough times that it would have shown up, if it was going to happen.

Welcome, great first post.
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FYI, attached are images of the Patchworm Pocket Field Kit, cotton flannel patches and felt bore cleaning buttons. I've used this durable and effective $10.50 brushless device for years now with a high level of satisfaction and have never passed a brush in any of my current firearms.

Another source of plain and intensive felt cleaning buttons (pellets) in various calibers is Brownell's.

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The tightly woven patches are a PIA to penetrate with the beveled tip of the flexible nylon rod, so I carry a 20 gauge sheathed hypodermic needle in the small but heavy plastic bag that the rod coils up in for storage for punching a central holes in the patches before placing them on the rod.

I'd also respectfully offer a caveat to follow up on EL's comment about flushing residual crud in a gas tube with brake cleaner which IMHO carries some risk of toxicity. An aerosol can of Foaming Bore Cleaner can easily be attached over the nub of the gas tube inside of the upper receiver with a short piece of flexible tubing allowing for effective downrange flushing, or you can deliver the foam into the gas tube with a 12cc tapered curved tip syringe - which invariably produces a significant amount of blue and grey-black residue when the foam exits through a clean barrel.
 
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