Dremel to clean Firearms?

Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Messages
998
Location
Pennsylvania
Anyone ever use a Dremel to clean carbon from firearms? Nothing so abrasive as to mar or shave surfaces. Thinking of AR bolt near the extractor and such. If so, what attachments did/would you use?
 
The AR really shouldn't require that much cleaning unless you're cleaning for the sake of cleaning. Even after a thousand rounds with only lubrication added, the bolt and locking lugs will be clean enough to be operational.

If you absolutely must get every last bit of carbon off, soak it in odorless mineral spirits for a few days.
 
That was more in line of what I was thinking as far as using softer Dremel attachments. Nothing abrasive but instead, polishing brushes etc.

I've used brass brushes on occasion when I've just shot the fool out of the gun and the barrel is streaked with copper. Cleans the Glock barrels up nicely. Don't know if it would be harder on a traditionally rifled barrel or not, but doesn't seem to have any effect on the Glock rifling.
 
I just throw the gun in the river when I'm done with it.

Kidding aside, you shouldn't really be operating it till there's so much buildup that a dremel saves you much time so I don't see the point. Besides you don't really need that much RPM, seems more likely to tear up the attachment than allow a window of observation of when you're done vs just eating up attachments. Then again I hardly ever use my dremel for anything due to this, just too costly to do same jobs as other tools with lower RPMs and longer lasting bits.
 
That was more in line of what I was thinking as far as using softer Dremel attachments. Nothing abrasive but instead, polishing brushes etc.
That’s rather the point - polishing is removing a tiny bit of metal. I’ve polished gun parts, like feed ramps, which is deliberate and planned. I used a dremel with a polishing wheel.

But you don’t want to remove metal when cleaning.

Your dremel won’t remove just the dirt, carbon, whatever, it will also round over parts that should not be rounded over.

If you’ve got really bad caked on gunk, use more solvent. Step up to a bronze brush.

But stay away from the Dremel. Because that “soft” wheel, impregnated with grit or polishing compound, will wear down the part in ways you don’t want. You run a good risk of ruining your bolt, extractor, or whatever is you’re trying to clean.
 
If you’ve got really bad caked on gunk, use more solvent. Step up to a bronze brush.
If you have a leaded barrel, you can push bronze wool down the barrel with a jag. It will clean the lead out like magic and the bronze wool won't scratch your barrel.
 
Thanks all. I clean after every range trip unless I’m heading back in short order, as in a few days. I posted the Dremel question because I recently bought one for a singular purpose and while at my workbench, I was trying to think of some different uses. I’ll stick with everyone’s advice and maintain the tried and true.
 
I use mine for all sorts of tasks on weapons (including cleaning) but as others have said ( and I strongly reiterate)

UNLESS you are highly skilled and have jigs, don't. ( avoid the problems)

The best cleaning tool ( in addition t solvent) for general hard carbon are dental picks made for the task.

Cheapest way to get them is 1/8" hardened drill rod from McMaster- torch them and hammer flat then use your dremel to shape them as needed.

Same for cleaning checkering and other detailed tasks.

Polishing ( which is a form of cleaning) is a different matter altogether- with the right head or tool- the dremel is the tool of choice.
 
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