I recently purchased a new S&W Model 617 with 4" barrel. This is my first revolver, as I have been shooting a Model 41 with CCI Standard Velocity ammo. Cleaning the S&W 41 has never been a problem. I would like to be able to say the same thing for the 617, but I can't. Using the same CCI rounds, there is, what seems to me, an extensive amount of gun shot residue that builds up around the breech area and the front of the cylinder. After the first 100 rounds, it started becoming more difficult to extract the spent shells and easily stage now rounds in the cylinder. The use of a bore snake through each of the chambers alleviated these two issues.

 

Cleaning the fronts of the breech area and cylinder, however, are proving to be a more difficult challenge. I have tried 2 bore cleaners to date, Outers and M-Pro 7 Gun Cleaner. Following the instructions, leaving the cleaners on for about 5 minutes and using a tooth brush doesn't seem to help very much in removing the built up residue. Is stainless steel that much harder to clean than blued carbon steel? Is the search for a good bore cleaner going to be as elusive as finding a good car polish? Can anyone recommend a product that does a more effective job at removing the residue?

 

One thing that I have found works, but it takes effort, is Maas metal polishing creme and a good supply of cue tips. I am hoping there is a better (easier) alternative, else I'm not going to enjoy shooting the 671 as much as I have the 41 from a maintenance perspective.

I have a guaranteed solution:

 

Lead-away cloths

 

Tada. USE ON STAINELSS ONLY they will rub it to bare stainless super quick, through lead, fouling, anything. They will also "clean" the blueing on a steel gun right off if you use it on a steel gun so dont do that lol. It is a chemical, not abrasive cleaner.

 

They even smell good lol

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/210159/kleen-bore-lead-away-gun-cleaning-patches

Welcome to the world of revolvers. You'll need a brass toothbrush too.

Welcome to the world of revolvers. You'll need a brass toothbrush too.

 

Not with the cloths. I can get the front of my S&W 500 cylinder clean with just the cloths. When you are pushing 60k PSI loads out of it it really cooks that fouling on, and it just wipes off...never needed a brass brush

Not with the cloths. I can get the front of my S&W 500 cylinder clean with just the cloths. When you are pushing 60k PSI loads out of it it really cooks that fouling on, and it just wipes off...never needed a brass brush

 

Ever had a double fire with that? Some guys were hucking it up Sunday at CR "needed heavier springs to bring this one in"...about the 3rd shot, boom boom...then they were wide-eyed and white as a ghost. The RO came and spoke to them. Idiots. Pansy grips and leaning backwards.

Ever had a double fire with that? Some guys were hucking it up Sunday at CR "needed heavier springs to bring this one in"...about the 3rd shot, boom boom...then they were wide-eyed and white as a ghost. The RO came and spoke to them. Idiots. Pansy grips and leaning backwards.

 

Pansy grips. I shoot it one handed half the time with above-max loads (350 grains at 1900 FPS) and it has never doubled.

 

Try simple green, no foul smell, and it works great.

I've tried so many bore cleaners from foams to homemade Ed's Red, along with unusual ones like Kroil. Testing cleaning/maintenance products is kinda like a sub-hobby for me.

 

They all seem to do a do a decent job at removing carbon fouling. No matter what, a few passes of a brush either platic/synth or brass is almost always needed to do a really good job in my experience.

 

My favorite currently is G96 bore solvent gel (smells bad), followed by G96 Gun Treatment CLP (smells great). I'm very impressed with the G96 products, even though their marketing style looks like something from the 70's. I use the Gun Treatment spray along on my brush and patches if I just need a light bore cleaning, it does a great job. The spray removes surface grime/fouling as well. The gel solvent I use once in awhile if I really need to go to town on it. Spray all the metal on the gun with the Gun Treatment, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe down. It leaves behind a non greasy protective coating that smells good also.

 

For stubborn deposits, I'll soak the bore with Kroil and let it sit for a few hours, brush with Kroil, then patch out. I'll then move to the G96 bore gel / Gun Treatment routine.

 

For copper buildup, IMO nothing beats KG12 Copper Remover. Only need to do that once in awhile after you remove carbon build-up.

 

Oh and, G96 is a New Jersey based company.

The best that I have used is Ballistol. I also use Kroil, but I think the Ballistol is a little better.

Pansy grips. I shoot it one handed half the time with above-max loads (350 grains at 1900 FPS) and it has never doubled.

 

 

That's BEAST!

 

I use a bore snake, but I think for lead you do have to get in there with a

brass brush if it's been a while/lots of rounds. Never tried the cloths though.

 

Kroil works well for me.

 

GlennP channeling the Human Torch...

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'm going to give some of them a try. My latest acquisition, which was used to fill out an Amazon order to reach the $25 level for free postage, is S&W's Synthetic Safe Bore & Action Cleaner (14 oz aerosol). This is a volatile petroleum based product that is proving much more effective than the Outer's or MPro-7 cleaners at removing the carbon and lead desposits. The downside is that it has to be used in a well ventilated area.

I promise nothing will work as well as lead-away...and it's not volitile smelling either

Elbow Grease

That picture is absolutely ridiculous lol. It looks like you are Hadukening (new verb, just made it) the target.