This question is for the military guys who completed basic training.

So goes the scenario. This fella brings a 1911 in for trigger work. Nice guy, personable, intellegent and easy to visit with. Just an all around Missouri good ole boy.

We get to visiting, he's a cold war vet. In his fifties. He says, you know I logged on and joined one of them gun forums.

I closed one eye and cringed with the other and says. Yea, which one ? To my relief it wasn't this one. One with an average age higher than this one so most conversations are reasonably mature. Not picking on anyone here. I was surprised at how his story went GD like from here in a forum that's known for putting up with little bs.

He says yea. There was a question asked about cleaning guns. I told'em the way we cleaned ours to pass white glove inspections in basic.

He goes on for a while and says. You know it got so bad, people trolling and digging me. I just had to take a break. Then agreed, yep that's the way my son's group at Ft. Benning passed white glove inspections.

Works, don't it ? He says, yea. Sure as hell does. I just couldn't believe others reactions.


So here it is for those who lived the experience. What did it take to pass ?

Well, being Navy we didn't have all the weapons training in basic. On my ship I was on the VBSS (Visit Board, Search and Seizure) Team and we were very meticulous with our cleaning. Our standard was white glove when inspection time came around, other than that our standard was "would you bet your life on it?". we always maintained them the same way, but we didn't always break out the white gloves.

I remember our final cleaning when we turned in our rifles for the last time.
I purchased a can of WD40. Was not authorized.
Cleaned rifle using CLP quickly and went to arms room where he passed a pipe cleaner under the gas tube and in a couple other areas.
Took rifle back and stripped it and took first upper then lower to shower with water on hot only. Added a little soap to the mix and rinsed it good.
Sprayed rifle completely with WD40 to displace water, wiped it down and slopped on CLP and wiped it down again. I then waited around BSing with everyone until there were only about 6 or 7 left to turn in. I then took my rifle to the Arms room where it was accepted.
Carb cleaner works great but needs to be kept away from plastic and polymer portions of the buffer and extractor.

In Germany we had our whole company qualify with M-60s during a week long training cycle at a German training sight. They weren’t cleaned during the week. The motor pool SGT left a little over an hour before main convoy and he had them all clean by the time we got to the motor pool.
My favorite cleaner now is G96 gun treatment.

I did training at Ft. Dix NJ though.

this has no relevance to the topic at all (my apologies).....BUT...my Grandpa served at Ft. Dix......during WW ONE !!

We used pledge spray wax just before a white glove inspection. Of course that was after hours spent with our rifles in the shower, a tooth brush, pipe cleaners and God only knows how many q-tips.

MCRD San Diego back in '03... I remember lots of boot camp rifle inspections. I dont recall white gloves, nor do I recall anyone "passing" those inspections.. EVER.

PI in 04 but truth here

The first attempt at White glove inspection , Ft. Sill OK 1981(actually we used our white towels in the Drill Sergeants hands) resulted in about half my Battery (about 90 of us) not getting any sleep at all. It was PT time when the arms room finally took in our M16A1 / XM16E1's . After that the Drills actually showed us some tricks of the trade and next time was done by 7pm. By the Way the Army will say you shouldnt white glove towel clean them as it encourages snuffy to take apart the trigger parts.

I don't think I ever cleaned a single gun I shot in the navy. I'd carry them for hours and hours on end. Only get to shoot them a few times a year but never once cleaned them. Give them back to the GM's and let them deal with it

In Parris Island, it doesnt matter how much you cleaned your rifle, it was still dirty no matter what. Then they went off on your ass just to see if you would lose you bearing. Honestly it was pointless because it was designed for you to fail.

In 2006 we had to clean them pretty well, but if there wasn't any major crumminess on them it was fine. A speck here and there was okay. After that most of the Army realized that white glove cleaning of an M-16 is stupid as hell and does more to detract from its reliability than just leaving it moderately clean.

I used shaving cream. Sounds nuts but It worked for me. I shot shaving cream all over my A2, let it set for a few mins. Went into the showers and washed it all out. Even the star chamber. Passed my first time up. Go figure.

I went through Parris Island in 2009. We never got our weapons "White gloved" with an actual white glove. They were inspected, and if black shit got on the DI's finger, you failed. Main area of concern was the barrel extension.

As far as what we did to clean them, a trashcan full of hot soapy water, a cordless drill, a chamber/barrel extension brush on a section of cleaning rod, and rubbing alcohol. This all was after an hour or so of regular cleaning with CLP and the normal tools.

Of course, when asked, "Sir this recruit used CLP and an AP brush!"

Been nothing resembling that ever after bootcamp. Clean it until it's clean with your issued cleaning gear, lubricate, back in the armory.

No white glove, Ft. Knox... 1981.

Wow must be nice. All we had on PI in '06 was CLP and our trusty AP brush.

CLP and your standard cleaning kit, and q tips, and a whole lot of elbow grease

I use to love working with VBSS, "hey there PO1 I need you to shovel ice." I was a USCG MSST Boarding Officer. They would talk shit all patrol then it was boarding time now I'm the boss . East-pacs were ok but Caribb trip were the best.

ETA- MSST BO's would go on these deployments when TACLET needed extra people

We did it in the laundry room. Soap the hell out of it and scrub with cleaning brush, not only the issued ones but the big ones for the floor. Washed it all off with hot, hot water.

Like another mentioned, the barrel extension screwed you everytime. Seems some oil always managed to get out of it.

No white glove in Benning in 1983 but did use white q-tips to keep us cleaning.

If you score perfect, the CATM folks (Air Force marksmanship trainers) have to clean the rifle for you.

No white glove inspections for me P.I. 1985, but god help you if you they used the wooden handle Q-tip and it came out with any color on it aside from white. Problem areas bolt carrier damn firing pin hole, and bolt carrier key and underneath the gas tube. Lot of CLP, brush and Qtips and pipe cleaners

Only 1911 training I had at Dix in '68 was one mag down range and then the next guy took it. I don't remember cleaning it.

Sure, MCRD Parris Island `95.

In the Fleet we had some white glove room inspections. One of those had my room ransacked by a Vietnam era Gunny who thought I was into "Voodoo shit" due to some silly skull head necklace I had. I had a notebook with a list of guns I ultimately bought and lists of mods/accessories. All the squad leaders had a look and they all thought I was some kind of crazy psycho

The armorer would do the Q-Tip thing if we got done cleaning early and he felt like being a dick.

I recall many inspections where even a smudge of oil on the gun got it rejected (army 1984-2009) I think this is why so many people mistakenly beleive an AR has to be spotless to work. It unfortunately encouraged lots of soldiers and later civilian gun people to keep little oil on guns which doesn't help reliability. it also encourages way too much cleaning and dissasembly to the point it accelerates wear on guns.

+1
San Diego '98

No white gloves at Harmony Church Ft Benning. But the armorers were pretty picky.
My Hydramatic got kicked back quite a few times for lint on the front sight post and silly shit like that.

when we turned in our guns after a deployment to afghanistan we tore down all of our guns and threw them in the parts washer... we use this parts washer for 30mm parts :D it was the best idea I've ever had. they came out as clean as they rolled off the line. then we prolubed the crap out of them and turned em in.

Same in 88

I went through in 94', Fort Benning, what it took to pass was about 6 and a half hours of scouring with anything you could find. There could be no carbon residue whatsoever in the star chamber of my M-16A2. They used white gloves, white pipe cleaners, and quetips to inspect every component. It was so tedious an inspection that they would send you back to the cleaning tables for something as simple as stray clp on the hand guards. I also got gigged on my fifth attempt to turn in my weapon system when my Drill Sergeant stuck a long wooden rod quetip down my buttstock/spring housing and found a build-up of carbon, I was doing monkey fu%kers for about 45 minutes after that incident...

It was good though, things like that taught attention to detail. I was on the trail in 2000, we had one hour to clean inspect and turn in all gear, weapons included.In 94, there was a whole day set aside for the turn in of your initial TA-50, and Weapons, it was done in a ceremonious manner and handle in a way that gave gravity to the ending of your initial training, and almost held the tools that were used to transform you from a civilian to a soldier as some sort of religious relics. As a Drill Sergeant I was disappointed that this was no longer the case, it was sort of a right of passage for the infantry to make a rifle like new, and in near perfect cleanliness, when I came up (we were never held to such an exacting standard again after basic training).

Its one more example of how todays training (Army At least) fails to instill discipline, fighting spirit, and basic soldiering skills in today's infantrymen, and support jobs. (because lets be honest infantry is the military everyone else just hands us the saw!)

Out side of boot, I would use brake cleaner. Scrub like hell with CLP and then wash it off with brake cleaner. On the first inspection, you are always going to fail by default. Usually the armorer has a "spot of the day" where you clean that a few extra minutes, and then it passes.

Son of a bitch, why have I not thought about using a parts washer?!?!

Thanks for kicking my brain into drive today!

I guess I should clarify, we didn't have such inspections in boot camp (MCRD '86) but in the fleet is where I had them, in particular at a barracks.

got into the showerroom and ran steamin hot water on that bitch! then oil..then wipe down. Basic was in FT Knox, KY. Cav scout!

FLD 2010. We used our cleaning kits w CLP as much as possible, but also started using "Hooahs" (field wipes) After a few times we got passed inspection

IMHO Boot camp rifle inspections in the Marines where easier than weapon turn ins in the Fleet.



At last in boot camp there is a schedule to adhere to. In the fleet all it takes is one pissy armorer to fuck everyone over.



The biggest blessing was we were told in boot camp, and then again in the fleet "Never stick anything in the gas tube, it will never be inspected to keep from people being tempted to clean it", and amazingly but true, it held true the 4 years I was in.


The way we cleaned M-16A2's would make people CRINGE. Using the cleaning rods to scrape carbon off of the muzzle crown, so on an so forth. Yet, even with years of people grinding away on the crown the rifles are still capable of hits out to 500 yards! That is astounding to me!

Same here...before we left A'stan.

If I don't have a solvent tank available, I use baby wipes.

Baby wipes are awesome and solvent tanks are the shit. The only problem with solvent tanks is if you don't have an air compressor to blow it out of all the little stuff.

Ft.Benning, Sand Hill 2005. My experiences mirrors yours to a T ! 300 push-ups each day plus 3 different company level smokings for a few days, then we were done. lol

[quote]Originally Posted By 1911smith:
So goes the scenario. This fella brings a 1911 in for trigger work. Nice guy, personable, intellegent and easy to visit with. Just an all around Missouri good ole boy.

We get to visiting, he's a cold war vet. In his fifties. He says, you know I logged on and joined one of them gun forums.

I closed one eye and cringed with the other and says. Yea, which one ? To my relief it wasn't this one. One with an average age higher than this one so most conversations are reasonably mature. Not picking on anyone here. I was surprised at how his story went GD like from here in a forum that's known for putting up with little bs.

He says yea. There was a question asked about cleaning guns. I told'em the way we cleaned ours to pass white glove inspections in basic.

He goes on for a while and says. You know it got so bad, people trolling and digging me. I just had to take a break. Then agreed, yep that's the way my son's group at Ft. Benning passed white glove inspections.

Works, don't it ? He says, yea. Sure as hell does. I just couldn't believe others reactions.


So here it is for those who lived the experience. What did it take to pass ?[/quote]

When it was time for the cadre for me to go home, then everything got "passed" as clean... Train to time, not to standard.

[reminder] add canned air to gun cleaning kit [/reminder]

U.S. Army, Fort Knox, 1980

As a Tanker, we shot the M16A1, M1911A1 and M3A1 SMG. Never the white glove, but plenty of white pipe cleaners and Q-tips, which in my eyes, was just as bad!!

I still remember my Drill SGT telling me in a somewhat pissed off manner that a Q-tip never lies... You sorry ass shit bird!!

We also fired the M85 (.50 cal.,) and M240 (7.62mm) machine guns, along with the M68, 105mm Tank cannon... No Q-tips or pipe cleaners, just a t-shirt and plenty of 10 weight oil for the 105mm gun.

Those were good days... As the years go by, I tend to forget all the BS and bad times... It couldn't have been too bad since I retired from the Army!!

At Benning in 88' for final turn in my rifle was spotless. They kicked me back anyways.

Then I figured out what was really going on. It was just busy work.

So I went over and sat against the wall, broke my rifle in half, and bullshitted with my buddies until they really wanted them turned in.


When I was an armourer many year later I kicked the 1st Sgt and the CO back once because they actually did a piss-poor job.

They were not amused.


You'd be surprised how many soldiers miss the dirt in the buttstock screw recesses.

Yeah, we had a bunch of guys in the showers using shaving cream on the A2 in 1996 at Sand Hill. We were the only ones to get a pass first go. Never used it agin, hope to never have to. No white gloves though.

I never understood the concept of white-glove inspections. It ensures that the weapon is oil-free and unserviceable. That way they rust and seize up in storage.

The key is to completely degrease the rifle. Brake/carb cleaners and any other harsh solvent are great for it. Soap and water also.

armorers are fucking pogues

I bought a lot of my own pipe cleaners and q-tips in the army. Fuckers would always be bumming the shot off me too. I never did any of the shit suggested thus far no shower r pledge) be did usually go through a lot of carburetor cleaner.

When I went to Afghanistan each Platoon was issued one big cleaning kit....and then supply took it back. I used my own supplies that I had brought to clean my rifle for a year. Fast forward to demob. They tell us to clean our rifles for turn-in. I says what the fuck do we clean them with? Well, whatever we can find I guess. So I clean mine and go to turn it in. The dickhead little amorer SGT inspects mine and shows me some crevice where I missed some dirt and tells me my rifle is dirty. I got mad and cussed him until he took it. White glove inspections are stupid and pointless, and fucking HQ fobbits who don't give you any cleaning equipment but expect a spotless weapon can suck my ballsack.

When we redeployed after Afghanistan they just told us to get it not gross, lube it a bit, and that was it. No inspection beyond "Do the serial numbers match the roster number?", just turn it in. And that's how it should be done.

There you go, let it out brother.


^Same. A few months later we spent half a day cleanin' 'em proper like.

When they first start inspecting no one passes. No one. As the day/night goes on and they get tired, bored, and itching to go home and have a beer its easier to get the rifle turned in. This is true at your permanent duty station as well. We never went downstairs (to the arms room) till later in the night. We'd get supper, clean the rifles, sort out the dirty clothes, boots, etc. and start getting the field gear cleaned up and ready to put it away. Along about 10 PM or so you could head on downstairs, they'd ask where the hell you'd been and you'd say this was the second time you'd been down there and you'd gone back and recleaned the bolt, or the trigger housing, or something just like they told you to. They'd look at you funny but take the rifle in and return your weapons card to you and the day was done.

Now the M60 was a different story. I kept it soaked with oil (yes, soaked - I'd go through almost a quart of light oil - PLS??, its been over 30 years). When we got back I'd take it to the showers, turn the water on full hot, flip the bipod legs down and the feed cover up and shove it under the very hot shower water. When the black crud stopped flowing out of the thing I'd turn the water off, take it back to the room (it'd be dry by the time I got there if the water was really hot) and tear it apart. I'd wipe if down with an oily rag, run some patches through the barrel, wipe it down with an oily rag and take it to the arms room. The armorers would accuse me of not shooting the gun it was so clean and I'd remind Hetzel he was there more than once when I was running belts through it. He look at me, nod his head and put it in the rack.

The good old days, not. Glad I did it once but I wouldn't volunteer to do it again.

I was active duty Army from 1992-96. Never any "white glove" inspections, but as a general rule, your gun was NEVER clean enough. It was simply a given that you'd have to attempt to turn your gun in 3 times to the armorer before it would be accepted. Regardless of how dirty or clean the rifle was.

In my experience the military tended to encourage over-cleaning the gun which, as most know, is not good for it.

I was out of the military for a couple years before I learned that, in fact, you really don't need to send a cleaning rod down the barrel 20 times before an acceptable level of cleanliness is obtained.

<––- GM

These days my AR's get a quick wipe, punch the bore, and a good squirt of oil on the bolt and carrier.

They are very "dirty" on the inside. And they always run.

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