Best way to clean revolvers?

Revolver cleaning

I have a 2' snubbie that is blued. No matter what I try, the exterior always has that "rainbow" effect. What can I do to get that off. I miss that new shine.

Thanks guys!
 
SLIP 2000 Carbon Cutter works good to take carbon off stainless steel revolver cylinders and carbon build up on the bolt and bolt carrier assembly of an AR-15 or M-16.

I've used various brands of "Lead Away" cloth for years on blued steel guns without a problem.

The best way I've found to reduce leading is to shoot FMJ bullets. My normal practice session with one of my little revolvers (J-Frame S&W) is 150 rounds. I usually take 100 rnds of lead reloads and 50 rounds of generic GI Spec 130 grn FMJ-RN. Every few cylinders full of lead reloads gets followed up with a cylinder of the FMJ bullets (most of my practice courses are 30 rnds, so it's actually pretty easy to keep track) and that REALLY reduces the leading problem.

Shooter's Choice also makes a specific solvent formula for Lead Removal that I've had VERY good luck with, but you have to let it soak in for a while and then brush enthusiastically. (In the old days guys used to fill a pint canning jar with Hoppe's #9 or GI RBC and soak the cylinder over-night before cleaning. I've done that too with good result and no damage to the cylinder, but I believe you CAN'T do that with a solvent containing ammonia)

I would only use a stainless steel brush in instances where I had VISIBLE and HEAVY leading. A regular bore brush (brass or bronze or whatever it is) is SOFTER than the metal of the barrel, whereas stainless steel will be just as hard and might cause scratching.
 
The easiest way I've found to clean revolvers is to tell my kids that if they want me to keep buying them ammo to shoot they better clean the guns, including the ones I used. One of them is now in the Army. If the other one ever moves very far away I'm screwed. I'll have to lay the guns in the back of my pickup and go through the car wash.
 
Thanks for this...

As a newbie to handguns, Bill's explanation was extremely helpful.
(In fact, I hope it's okay that I saved it to use as a reference later.)

In the past, have found the leading inside the cylinders of my .357 Ruger to be especially burdensome to clean, despite using jacketed rounds and a .40 copper brush. Thanks so much for the new info!!
 
One of the best products I have found in 40 plus years of shooting is
FP10, used in bore and on any moving parts guns stay clean and lubed,
it doesnt hold dirt like grease and some oils, makes barrel easier to clean.
With my guns I now use an aircompressor to blow out/off dust, dirt, etc
run a patch with fp10 thru bore, wipe down with same product and good
to go. My guns stay new looking and shoot as well.
 
Avoiding "rainbow" smears

AdamGrier,

The "rainbow" effect is the same thing you see when hosing down the driveway and the water pools -- oil & water mixing. Some solvents contain water as a base material. If you don't get it all off you can get that rainbow effect when oiling the outside of the gun.

You can clean your gun and before lubricating it, spray it with Birchwood-Casey gun scrubber or Brake-Kleen or similar degreaser. Wear gloves, eye protection and have plenty of ventilation. Use compressed air to remove degreaser or simply let air dry for 1 hour. Now lubricate your gun and put a film of oil on the exterior -- no rainbows unless your hands are sweaty! ;)
 
Gypsy,

Thanks for the kudos. You're welcome not only to keep the posting for reference, but you can copy it and send it to friends too. :D

For those shooting .38 specials in .357 cylinders (or likewise .32L/.32H&R or .44Spl/.44Mag) and seeing leading at the cylinder mouth there are a couple of ways to treat this and all involve a bit of elbow grease;
  1. Remove cylinder & soak in Hoppe's or other solvent for at least 1 hr. Overnight will also work well. Protect from freezing. Then scrub briskly with a bronze bristle brush. If you have old worn down brushes, try using them with a twisting motion then resume normal fore/aft motion to loosen the lead.
  2. Use a Lead-Away cloth (by Kleen-Bore) cut into a patch of appropriate size. Scrub with patch in each chamber then follow with bristle brush. Repeat as needed.
  3. Use a Lewis Lead Remover screen (brass screen cut in a circle) either on a jag-tip (push thru tip) or in patch-tip folded over. Insert and twist at the mouth of the chamber using a drop or two of CLP or solvent. About 4 turns then repeat on other chambers. Follow up with a bristle brush.

For really ugly, stubborn leading in chambers only, use an aluminium potter's tool with a rounded tip. You can often "peel" the lead off with light scraping (this is like a dentist scraping tartar off your teeth and about as much fun).

Before firing again, lightly lubricate the chamber mouths with a good quality product -- Tetra lube, CLP, FP-10, etc. About 3 drops on a patch run through all chambers, followed by one stroke with a dry patch. This puts lube between the lead & steel to make it easier to clean next time.
 
Question: I started removing the cylinders in my guns this weekend to clean them. It works great.
However, I've read somewhere that doing this all the time can damage or weaken the screws or threads. Is this true?
 
Dave R, Your cleaning method will work but you didn't say if your .22 is blue, stainless or aluminum. I always use a solvent soaked patch to clean the frame and cylinder because burned powder is hygroscopic and will absorb moisture against a nicely blued frame. Likewise, a light coating of oil on a patch or cloth will help protect the finish (I've found that Breakfree evaporates and doesn't prevent rust as well as a good oil).
Click to expand...

Bill, good points. My .22 revolver is blued.

Have you had a chance to try cleaning your revolver with your bore snake yet? I believe bore snakes and revolvers were made for each other.

I think the cleaning method I described covers all the issues you've raised. I use a rag spritzed with G-96 or CLP to do the same things you describe doing with a solvent-soaked patch. The G-96/CLP will remove powder residue, and leaves a protective lubricant behind.

Give it a try. Its fast, and I'm curious to know whether it would meet your standards for firearms cleanliness.

I'll repeat, though, I don't think a bore snake will do very well with leading or copper fouling.
 
So I can't just stick it in the dishwasher and then dump it in a 5 gallon bucket of 10w30?

I knew I was doing something wrong. :)

Sorry guys, I am a bit demented at times. I learned bad habits about cleaning guns in the Army, go figure.

Everyone have good night.
 
PayleRider,

Yes. You can wear out the screws/threads by removing the cylinder screws every time you clean the gun. Reserve this procedure for those times when the gun is filthy dirty from a long session of firing lead bullets, when the gun has been degreased with Gun Scrubber or Brake cleaner, or if the gun has been subjected to sand, dirt, mud, etc. I should have made it clear that it isn't necessary to remove the cylinder/crane to clean the gun.

To avoid excessive wear, tighten the screw until it makes firm contact. Then turn about 1/8th of a turn so that it's snugged down.

DaveR,
The only reason I don't like using a CLP product as a cleaner is that it leaves behind an oil mixed with powder fouling. I prefer to use solvent soaked patches until they appear clean, wipe with a clean patch or cloth, then lightly oil. This leaves behind clean oil with minimal powder/lead residue.

Bore snakes work! I'm pretty impressed with a bore snake received for Christmas. The only fault I have is that it's more difficult to "scrub" any barrel leading and that the cotton "rope" gets the hands pretty dirty.

FYI: The 1903 Rifle's field cleaning kit included a "bore snake" cleaning rope with an embedded brush. So this idea isn't exactly new.
 
Thanks for the info Bill.

I was using a CLP to clean and lube. I was using FP-10 or Breakfree.
However, last weekend I decided to use Shooter's Choice to clean, and man was I impressed at how much better it is than these other two for removing the fouling.
The only thing it has going against it is the fumes.
 
I happen to have a friend that makes his own 'shine.
Every time I see him, I get a bottle of heads and tails from him, it's mostly rubbing alcohol, but I'm sure there's some ethyl and methyl in there for good measure. (It's also good for starting the grill!!)
I just add a little naptha/mineral spirits/kerosene to it, and let my guns soak in it for a few hours first with the grips off.
I used to have access to an ultrasonic cleaner, and that worked well with 1 gallon HOT water, 1 gallon heads and tails, and 2 quarts of murphy's oil soap.
In 3-4 hours, I could detail clean my entire collection!!!
Before you wreck all of your guns, make sure they have the grips and anything wood or plastic removed before dipping in highly active solvents.
Using the active solvents and the ultrasonic cleaner, they must fan dry for 15 minutes then make sure they get re-lubed/re-greased prior to reassembly.
The hot activated solvents+ ultrasonic cleaner strip every bit of dirt, grease, oil, etc off.
I only leave each batch in there 15 minutes, any longer, and I worry about it stripping off the finish.
I suspect that my method is more environmentally friendly than using can after can of brake cleaner/wd-40 to do detail cleans.
Fortunately, I only detail clean guns once a year, late in the fall.
 
Like Wingman I use FP10. I've had great luck with it. I follow this procedure:

1, Attach cotton patch to one-piece palstic eyelet. Sprinkle a few drops of FP10. Run it through the barrel and let it soak.

2. Run another patch of FP10 through the cylinders.

3. Run a Bore Snake through barrel and cylinders.

4. Run dry patches through barrel and cylinder, alternating with wet FP10 patches if needed, until they come out clean.

5. Rub frame and outside of cylinder, etc., with patch soaked in FP10. Scrub around insid of frame, around firing pin hole and ends of cylinders and under extractor star with nylon brush.

6. Wipe extractor rod til clean.

This whole prcess is quick, effective and leaves the gun lubed and ready to go. It also is very easy on the gun itself. Cleaning can be harder on a gun than shooting; I avoid abrasives as much as possible.
 
Good Thread

a lot of help and suggestions, and ideas exchanged. a suggestion, useing the thin rubber gloves keeps the solvents off the skin. you`ll be amased how certain solvents almost seem to melt the gloves. they are a pain to use. but like most chemicals they will be asorbed into the skin. even though most of our hands are rough. also a bore snake is handy in the back pack, just in case the barrel gets mud or something else in the barrel. rich
 
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