I have shot M&P pistols for a while now but just shot my M&P 15 Sport for the first time yesterday. I break down and clean my pistols after every trip to the range, but I was told not to with the MP15. Was this bad advice? The dealer that sold it to me said that it can take tons of use and abuse and still shoot great, just oil it a bit and you'll be fine. But my instincts are to break it down and get it perfectly clean every time i shoot it. (granted i only put 50 rounds down it yesterday but normally it will probably be more). What is the best practice to get into for maintaining my new rifle?

tectrry,

Even though the firearm can go to a higher round count without a clean, I'll field strip and clean my firearms after every range outing. Sometimes the cleaning isn't most important aspect of the process, but rather the inspection. Over time, inspection sets a visual baseline for "normal". You'll be better able to discern normal from abnormal.

My M&P 15-Sport was my first AR-15. I had no previous experience with the platform. I admit that I went off the cleaning deep end for a while. I authored this thread:

New to AR's? Here are some tools I use to clean.

Cleaning a rifle is just like cleaning a pistol, just a bit larger. Everyone has their own methods and preferences. The basics for me...

Clean the bore just like a pistol. Push a solvent moistened patch down the bore. Push a solvent moistened bronze brush down the bore. Push down dry patches until they come out mostly clean.

Swab out the chamber with a solvent moistened patch. Swab it out again with a dry patch.

Field strip the bolt carrier group. With a solvent moistened rag, wipe off the exterior of the carrier and the bolt, the cam pin, the firing pin. With a solvent moistened patch, swab out the inner surface of the bolt carrier. I use a solvent moistened tooth brush and brush the bolt face, the lugs, and the bolt tail. If the bolt tail has some caked on carbon, I wet it with solvent and let it dwell. I then brush it with a bronze brush or a bolt cleaning tool.

I take the solvent moistened rag used earlier, and wipe out the upper receiver. I wipe off the charging handle.

The lower receiver never really gets dirty. Every once in a long while, I'll take out the buffer spring and wipe it with a lube moistened rag.

While everything is out, I'll give it a quick visual inspection. Once that's done, I'll lube the bolt carrier group. I'll moisten a rag with lube, and wipe the charging handle. If my rifle is going to be stored away, I'll push a lube moistened patch down the bore. (Remember to pull a dry patch down the bore before you hit the range again.)

It sounds very involved, but it goes very quick.

How did the first range session go?

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-John

Thanks for the help. I loved the first session. I only shot at 50 yards with iron sights (no optics yet) and had all but 3 rounds in the 8 inch circle. But more than that I had a blast. Afterwards, the range master showed me about sand bags and i think that will help as i was just holding the rifle without any support. Once my old eyes get some magnification i will move to 100 yrds.

I'm just the opposite. I don't break mine down after every range session, especially if I am only putting 50 rounds through it. I will thoroughly clean mine for long term storage, or when accuracy degrades. A little oil here and there will keep it running for quite a while.

^ Perfectly acceptable too. Cleaning frequency, solvents, lube... all of it is subject to the need/want of the owner.

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-John

JaPes gave you some fine advise, cyphertext method will work as well. Your LGS guy is an idiot. I'm not a clean freak, my weapon came from the factory clean, and I'm a firm believer that it should be kept in that condition, within reason. Why anyone would recommend running a gun until it's filthy is beyond me, and then recommend oiling it to make it work again.

The Sport is a fine weapon, clean it to the degree you're comfortable with. At minimum I would wipe it down and run a boresnake through the barrel, followed by a thorough cleaning at some later date as needed.

Enjoy and good shooting.

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SFC, US Army, Retired

I should add that i don't depend on my AR as a defense weapon. Mine is used for hunting and range fun. If I used it for defense, I would keep it cleaner. I still wouldn't clean it after only 50 rounds, other than wiping down the exterior, but I wouldn't let it go past a couple of range visits.

I clean mine about every 3-400rds or before a prolonged storage. I've gone over 500rds with no issues, most of which were steel cased. I don't oil a gun until after its been cleaned.

Back when I was shooting competition, it was common not to clean an AR until either accuracy deteriorated or operation became sluggish. I'd usually clean every 300 rounds or so. In between cleanings I would place a couple of drops of CLP in the BCG vent holes.