I've been using Hoppes Elite and prior to that Hoppes #9 (switched after wife told me I was stinking the place up) to clean my Ruger GP100.  What cleaner do you prefer, about how long does it take you to clean your revolver.....and is it every really, really clean. 

 

I'm still fairly new but it seems I can never get the chambers and barrel exquisitely clean unless I spend a crazy amount of time (close to 2 hours) cleaning.  There is always some grey left on the cleaning patches.  Tonight I cleaned it and took me over an hour.  Used about 35 cleaning pads (the small ones) and at least 3 passes with the brass cleaning brush through barrel and each chamber.

 

The method I use to clean I learned from this Ruger video and I do it in a very similar manner......solvent moistened cleaning pad, followed by clean, dry pad or two and then moistened brass cleaning brush and repeat a few times.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_mtU4JZrfs

 

I also stumbled across this video on how to clean burn marks and was wondering if anyone has ever tried it.  Any risk of harming the finish or the gun?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__4PRsKiAOM

 

Also, how do I get the forcing cone area clean?  I think I'm going to have to purchase a brass scrubbing brush to really work the cleaning clone area over.  Someone recommended purchasing from Ebay what is essentially a dental pick/scraper to clean the forcing cone area.  I was told it was advertised as gun cleaning utensil but it is pretty much a dental pick/scraper. 

 

Thanks in advance for your advice and wisdom.

I sometimes also use a mild metal polish (happens to be Flitz) similar to the 2nd video, but i find the fastest way is using small patches of Birchwood Casey lead removal and polishing cloth (the white colored cloth). Not for use on blued guns! It's impregnated with a cleaner and does the job.  I don't use anything but Hoppes to clean inside the barrel or cylinders.

 

Cut little patches of the cloth and wipe over the forcing cone and cylinder face.Put the rest of the cloth in a ziplock for next time.  Does 5-6 cleanings easy.

And don't forget to use a .40 brush on the cylinder, not the .38 brush you use on the bore.

I use the Midway lead remover cloths on my S&W 66s

 

Remember, cleanliness is next to godliness, but obsession is a sign of a sick mind.

 

There are a bunch of lead remover pads out on the market, they are chemically treated with some goop that takes the lead off stainless guns in a few wipes.

 

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/solvents-degreasers/solvents/lead-remover-cloth-prod59702.aspx

 

DO NOT USE ON A BLUED GUN, WITH REMOVE BLUING !

 

This stuff is good, ...expensive...but works good if you want your gun to be super shiny and clean.

 

also, if you own a revolver and shoot lead bullets you should own a lewis lead remover kit, 

 

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/patches-mops/lead-remover/lewis-lead-remover-prod21587.aspx

 

 

and 100% copper pads are your new friend too

The burn marks on the face of the cylinder and the end of the breach just prove that it's for shooting and not just for looking at.  I don't know if it's possible to ever get those burn marks off.  It's sure not worth the effort to me.   I get the dirt off, keep everything lightly oiled, and occasionally put some effort into making sure lead isn't building up in barrel.   But other than that, my guns are for shooting.

 

Those black marks are just character. 

I use this to get rid of the burn marks on the face of the cylinder. Very effective on my Stainless Ruger SP101.

Dont know what it will do to blued guns but work very well.

 

 

http://www.simichrome-polish.com/

Looks a lot like "Flitz".  I know Flitz will take the marks off SS using a dremel tool and a soft pad.  Use www.big45metalcleaner.com for cleaning bores and chambers.  I use Tetra Lube copper solvent to help get the lead and copper out as well.  Final clean with brake clean and then let it dry and lube it up.  

Dishwasher

 

Sent from an undisclosed location.

 

 

Dishwasher

 

Sent from an undisclosed location.

Pot Scrubber setting? Lol....

The burn marks on the face of the cylinder and the end of the breach just prove that it's for shooting and not just for looking at.  I don't know if it's possible to ever get those burn marks off.  It's sure not worth the effort to me.   I get the dirt off, keep everything lightly oiled, and occasionally put some effort into making sure lead isn't building up in barrel.   But other than that, my guns are for shooting.

 

Those black marks are just character. 

Kind of like warning points?

I don't mind the burn marks on the cylinder so much. I ageee that it gives the gun a bit of character......kind of like scars with good stories. I shared the video of cleaning the burn marks more for others who may find it usefull.

 

I don't like the bore and the chambers being dirty after cleaning them for 45 min - an hour. I'm def going to look into some of the products mentioned here to improve the cleaning / cut down on my time spent cleaning.

 

Another NOOB question. Does shooting lead bullets result in much more fouling than shooting jacketed bullets? And I'm assuming that is what is meant when I read, "If you shoot a lot of lead bullets."........because my first thought was " Aren't all bullets made of lead?......What the hell are these guys shooting? Silver bullets?"

The burn marks on the face of the cylinder and the end of the breach just prove that it's for shooting and not just for looking at.  I don't know if it's possible to ever get those burn marks off.  It's sure not worth the effort to me.   I get the dirt off, keep everything lightly oiled, and occasionally put some effort into making sure lead isn't building up in barrel.   But other than that, my guns are for shooting.

 

Those black marks are just character. 

Sounds like something Rosie would say!

First off lead bullets are sold mostly two ways, cast or swaged.  Swaged are the softest and if pushed down the barrel will lead up your bore.  They are made by cutting a length off of a lead "rope" and pressed into shape and lubed.  Swaged are good for bullseye, cowboy action etc. where speed is not a factor here, just get it to it's destination as accurately as possible with the least amount of recoil. They have the lowest Brinell hardness. 

 

Cast is molten lead mixed to a specific hardness with tin and antimony and poured into molds and left to harden.  Then it is swaged to size and lube applied.  Brinell hardness is higher and it takes more to distort the bullet to get it to seal in the bore.  This hardness allows greater speed and less melting of the base.

 

Both are cheaper than any copper coated bullet and some have "gas checks" which are copper cups that are press onto the base to stop the heat of the powder from melting bits off of the base.

 

Plated are lead bullets that are made by swaging or cast and then dipped in vats where copper is added by an electrolysis. Completely incased in copper they reduce lead fouling because there base is covered in copper.  They can be shot at any lead bullet speed. 

 

Jacketed bullets are thin copper sheeting that are cut and formed with a dense metal center of lead or some other dense metal. The base is open and you can see the core if looking at the base. TMJ bullets are jacketed bullets that have a enclosed base.

 

Hope this helps explain bullet types.  

I've used frogslube on my SS GP100 and Beretta since new (the GP's still new, since I've only had it for 3 months). It's funny, but I shoot for 1 hr. then spend 2 hrs. cleaning both my guns. I find it relaxing and an opportunity to check for any possible issues (in my limited experience). On both, I use patches and the froglube, q-tips, then brushes, then back to patches until they come out white (probably use 10-15 patches each). On the GP's cylinder face next to the cone I use a scotchbrite pad, rubbing very lightly with the frogslube until I get most of the carbon off, same with the forcing cone. The cylinders and bore seem to come out pretty clean so far. 

+1 for froglube. I tried it on one gun, shot and post range clean up was much faster. I've switched to froglube on all my guns now.

EDIT: one caveat- it's supposedly not that great on copper fouling. So if you shoot a lot of fmj, some foaming bore cleaner every few hundred rounds might help.
In my experience though, I haven't noticed that it's any worse than hoppes on copper.
YMMV.

I've used frogslube on my SS GP100 and Beretta since new (the GP's still new, since I've only had it for 3 months). It's funny, but I shoot for 1 hr. then spend 2 hrs. cleaning both my guns. I find it relaxing and an opportunity to check for any possible issues (in my limited experience). On both, I use patches and the froglube, q-tips, then brushes, then back to patches until they come out white (probably use 10-15 patches each). On the GP's cylinder face next to the cone I use a scotchbrite pad, rubbing very lightly with the frogslube until I get most of the carbon off, same with the forcing cone. The cylinders and bore seem to come out pretty clean so far. 

 

I use ballistol on my Stainless GP100, started with Hoppes but I wasn't a fan.  It takes forever to clean, but normally the barrel and cylinder come out pretty well with patches and a brass tip for the cleaning rod.  I use a combo of a brass brush and green scotchbrite pads on the cylinder face and forcing cone, same as bennj.  Go really light with the scotchbrite, that stuff can be like sandpaper if you get too crazy with it.  I tried the blue pads that are supposed to be non-scratch but they didn't do the job.  The GP100 is a pain in the butt to clean especially if you like shooting .38 special and are meticulous about cleaning your revolver.