cleaning .357 to shoot .357s again

O

old_yout

New member
I've been shooting .38s out of my .357 for some time and now .357s won't fit anymore. I'm wondering if there's a good way to clean it so that it'll shoot both again. Anything faster than scrubbin' and scrubbin'?
 
One thing I do first is push a fired .357 case into each chamber before I use a brush. It scrapes the gunk out and makes it easier to clean. I do the same with .44. For cleaning a .22lr chamber, I use a fired Stinger case.
 
What they said above.

Or, you can invest in a Hoppe's Lead Remover. This uses a piece of brass screen to scrape lead fouling out of the barrel, but work very well on the chamber shoulders, as well.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
this isn't a suggestion but a thought...what about using a dremel tool with a brass brush or perhaps a mild sandpaper that won't tear up the cylinder?
 
You may want to try a 44/45cal Hoppe's Tornado brush. Keep it wet with #9 and in just a few passes 357 cases will fall out. A 44/45 bore snake works even better and can be taken to the range. Either makes short work of the job,just that the bore snake makes less of a mess.

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Be careful what you ask for..You may get it.
An unloaded pistol is a paperweight.
 
If physical means are necessary, try either the lead remover and/or JB's bore paste (from Brownells, a very mild polish that cuts alot of crud).
 
I find that if I pretend the chamber is square in shape and scrub about 4 passes on each 'side' all is good after 300 or so rounds of .38 spl. If I am not going to clean right away, I just dump the cylinder and extractor in a glass full of Hoppe's #9 until I get around to cleaning.

I have also switched to copper plated bullets which reduce the carbon associated with bullet lube and use AA#2, which seems to be clean burning.
 
I usually do the same thing that Guy B. Meredith does. Just remove the cylinder and let it soak in a jar filled with #9 for a day or two.

However, don't do this for a .22 that has an aluminum cylider like some of the S&W guns do. Hoppes #9 and aluminum are not compatible (at least that's what I've heard and I see no reason to test the theory for myself).

Good shooting.
 
I've taken C.R. Sam's advice, mostly because it doesn't involve doing much more than what I was already doing but with the addition of #9, and it works like a charm. I don't have to tell you how satisfying that sound of the round falling into place with a click is. Thanks for all of the advice, guys.
 
Best thing I've found is a stainless steel chamber brush, made specifically for chambers only (larger diameter than a bore brush, and longer). Brownell's has them in .38 and .45 caliber. They take quite a bit of force to push through, particularly when new. I either use a small rack to hold the DA revolver or put the SA cylinder in a small vise with leather jaws. One or two passes and you're done.

There is also a 'lead remover' by Clymer (also from Brownells) that is very much like a reamer--and will act like one if you're not careful. It also does the job but I prefer the above mentioned brushes.

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Great advice on all of the above posts, the only thing I can add, is that I run a patch soaked with Kroil thru the cylinders, and let it soak overnite. That Kroil gets under about anything, and seems to make the lead remover work more efficiently. Many times the lead will come out in one "sheet" with the lead remover.

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Good shootin to ya
Plateshooter
 
I'm with Ledbetter on the Lead Away Cloths--especially if the gun is stainless. Those things work wonders on cylinder faces and around the forcing cone. You can also wrap a strip around a quarter-inch or smaller wooden dowel and clean out the chambers in the cylinder. I don't shoot that many .38s in my .357, but when I do, I give the chambers a good cleaning this way. You can see just how much black crud comes off on the cloths.

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
Vote for your rights!!!
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Lead Away Cloths--especially if the gun is stainless[/quote]

You mean, only if the gun is stainless, right? ;-)
 
JNewell,

Right. Thanks for the catch.

Stainless or nickel I think are the finishes that are okay with these cloths. However, I wonder if they'd be okay in a blued gun if you just use them inside the cylinder's chambers. You don't exactly see this part of the revolver. Would the chemicals in the cloths have any adverse effects on blued steel?

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Guyon
NRA & GOA Member
Vote for your rights!!!

[This message has been edited by Guyon (edited September 15, 2000).]
 
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