Revolver cleaning

[bry@n 195]

Okay so Sunday after shooting with Shane45 and Tactical Monkey at CJ I went home to do a marathon cleaning session. In doing so, I realized that the revolvers took me very long and I didn't feel like I knew 100% how to clean one.

 

So is there a tutorial? I could go to youtube and probably will but I was looking for opinions here on how to do it.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

I could give you a phone call to go over what I do and how I do it, since it would take too long to explain some of my "tricks".  So shoot me a PM along with the best time to call and I'll spend some time on the phone with ya.

 

Just as a "teaser", I can tell you that using an over-size brush in the cylinder's chambers (.40 brush that's new or a beat-to-piss .45 brush) works wonders with Shooter's Choice or Hoppe's #9.  So does a .40 Bore Snake.........

 

Take care fellow Wheelie Man!

 

Dave

[mark_anthony_78 0]

The worst areas, I've found, are the face of the cylinder and the forcing cone area.  CLP barely makes a dent there, and Hoppes #9 is marginally better.

 

I've found (on my stainless guns) that Kleenbore "Lead-Away" cloth and a bit of elbow grease seems to do the job.   Not sure if that cloth is a good idea on blued guns though...

[Bully 749]

Oh...  They're supposed to be cleaned??

 

C

[bry@n 195]

I will admit that the 625jm was brutal. The cylinder chambers were a PITA and didn't get too clean. I mean they are okay but not squeaky.

 

Smokin50, pm on the way and thanks for the teaser, great idea.

[bry@n 195]

Also, I used hoppes and scrubbed real well. I ended up using one of the lead clothes that helped but my main concern is the barrel and cylinder chambers.

[Sixtytwo327 14]

I used Hoppes #9 a long time ago. Then I went to CLP, then some trendy, science-based foaming products, then Ballistol (a better smell) and now I'm back to #9.

 

I let my 617 sit over night, then use a brush the face and forcing cone. One of Clint McKee's books details the different ways NM shooters clean their rifles, and this was one. I like simple.

[illy 1]

Dave's oversized brush tip is a must.

 

 

Make sure to clean under the ejector star. Many a wheel gun issue starts and ends with just a little but of carbon under that sucker.

 

Re: Cylinder face. I don't bother much with it. I give it a good brushing after every couple of hundred rounds to keep the build-up to a minimum, but I don't try to get it shiny. It's just going to get dirty a again next time out and has no effect on function (unless you get so much on there that it starts rubbing against the forcing cone!)

 

I'm a big fan of frog lube. It's more work the first time, but after that cleaning is much easier/faster. And a small container lasts forever*.

 

Some guys swear that fireclean is even better, but I haven't used it myself.

 

I also use a foaming cleaner in the bbl only, if i get a lot of copper fouling.

 

*I bought the 4oz liquid and 4oz paste almost 2 years ago.

I've detail stripped and applied to 6 handguns, 2 shotguns, a .22 rifle and a cosmo-gunked Mosin and have used it as my only cleaner/lube since.

I still have half the paste and 1/3 of the liquid.

[tommyfeds 2]

Im using Hoppe's as well on my 686 and then coat with a bit of CLP but would like to hear what others have had success with. Ill agree, the forcing cone area is the toughest for me. I have some brushes that are just mangled form trying to get in between the cone and the frame. 

 

Would it be easier to remove that ejector star? How does that come out anyway?

 

FrogLube and FireClean are the two of the three products I was looking to try, the third being Ballistol. Sometimes I feel they need to be sprayed or rinsed to get all the gunk and dirty cleaner off. It seems possible with Ballistol...........well that and I watch a lot of Hickok on the youtubes lol. 

[NYMetsFan86 9]

Im using Hoppe's as well on my 686 and then coat with a bit of CLP but would like to hear what others have had success with. Ill agree, the forcing cone area is the toughest for me. I have some brushes that are just mangled form trying to get in between the cone and the frame. 

 

Would it be easier to remove that ejector star? How does that come out anyway?

 

FrogLube and FireClean are the two of the three products I was looking to try, the third being Ballistol. Sometimes I feel they need to be sprayed or rinsed to get all the gunk and dirty cleaner off. It seems possible with Ballistol...........well that and I watch a lot of Hickok on the youtubes lol. 

 

 

was cleaning gp100 on saturday, I should have watched a youtube video on how to remove that ejector. would have been much easier to clean. maybe next time though

[tommyfeds 2]

So I asked the google and it just told me the ejector rod is LEFTY TIGHTY RIGHTY LOOSY...........huh...........who knew? ;-)  Im gonna give that a whirl when I get home. 

[Michael2013 56]

Oh...  They're supposed to be cleaned??

 

C

Only in NJ, because it's PITA to get a replacement

[alec.mc 180]

So I asked the google and it just told me the ejector rod is LEFTY TIGHTY RIGHTY LOOSY...........huh...........who knew? ;-)  Im gonna give that a whirl when I get home. 

 

 

Yes, but get the proper tool to tighten and loosen it.  If you are going to use a pair of pliers or something, gaurd it with a peice of leather or something as not to gouge it, and keep it as close as to the yoke as possible as not to bend the extractor rod.

[alec.mc 180]

All these items should be in your cleaning kit for a revolver

 

lewis lead remover kit

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/patches-mops/lead-remover/lead-remover-kit-45-sku516100045-21587-19645.aspx?cm_mmc=cse-_-Itwine-_-shopping-_-Lewis%20Lead%20Remover&gdftrk=gdfV21820_a_7c187_a_7c1021_a_7c516100045_d_516100036_d_10190

 

Lead Remover cloth ( ON STAINLESS GUNS ONLY, will remove bluing )

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/647492/midwayusa-rust-and-lead-remover-gun-cleaning-cloth

 

100% copper chore boy pads

http://www.amazon.com/Chore-Boy%C2%AE-Copper-Scrubbers-Pack/dp/B000RO5JC8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

Also, dont shoot cheap soft lead that will leave lead all over your barrel and forcing cone.

 

 

 

[tommyfeds 2]

ok, took care of it. righty loosey with a leather work glove and it worked like a charm, thanks.

 

So i like the lead removal kit, and the cloth is a no brainer for a few bucks..........but Im not following you on the chore boy pads. What are those for? Wouldnt they scratch the finish?

[alec.mc 180]

ok, took care of it. righty loosey with a leather work glove and it worked like a charm, thanks.

 

So i like the lead removal kit, and the cloth is a no brainer for a few bucks..........but Im not following you on the chore boy pads. What are those for? Wouldnt they scratch the finish?

 

 

No,

 

copper is softer then the stainless steel of the gun, so it will not do any damage.

 

 

I'll use them to scrub around the cylinder face and cylinder window.

 

I'll also ball it up and run it down my barrel or cylinder holes in conjunction with a cylinder brush.

[O-gre 7]

Mothers mag polish. Thank me later.

[GRIZ 3,369]

Its important to let whatever solvent you're using soak in for a bit to work well. Let tbe chemistry do most of the work rather than try to remove the deposits mechanically.

 

I have been firearms instructor since 1976 and have been shooting for over 45 years. I have shot, handled , and inspected thousands of revolvers over that time. I have never seen so much crud under the extractor star that you had to take it apart to clean it. Toothbrush, solvent, gunscrubber, qtips, and compressed air will do all the cleaning without taking anything apart.

 

The lead remover cloth works well but you can use just about any metal polish on stainless guns to clean tbe face of the cylinder.

[illy 1]

Its important to let whatever solvent you're using soak in for a bit to work well. Let tbe chemistry do most of the work rather than try to remove the deposits mechanically.

 

I have been firearms instructor since 1976 and have been shooting for over 45 years. I have shot, handled , and inspected thousands of revolvers over that time. I have never seen so much crud under the extractor star that you had to take it apart to clean it. Toothbrush, solvent, gunscrubber, qtips, and compressed air will do all the cleaning without taking anything apart.

 

The lead remover cloth works well but you can use just about any metal polish on stainless guns to clean tbe face of the cylinder.

 

[bry@n 195]

Yeah mine wasn't so bad. Used exact what griz mentioned but I think Smokin's one size up on the brass brush is the ticket for the forcing cone.

[illy 1]

I just spent 3 hours on one of my GPs. Complete disassembly, polished & deburred internals, buffed out some scratches and scrubbed everything to near new condition.

I probably won't do that again for this gun, but the polishing did make a big difference.

The trigger pull is as smooth as (though still a little heavier than) any S&W I've ever tried.

 

I'm going to give my SP101 the same treatment (as well as shims and lighter main spring). But only after another thousand rounds. I've found that a couple thousand trigger pulls goes a long way toward smoothing the action, making the polishing a lot easier.

[Old School 611]

I've been doing the over sized brush thing for years well, at least since 1972 when I bought my Model 19 for $175 new.

 

Also the forgotten Lewis's Lead Remover.  It's mechanical!  Works only for lead obviously.