Cleaning a J frame?

G

grapeshad

New member
Ok guys....I just started recently carrying a 642. All my other guns are semis and I know how to break down and clean them no problem :)

I bought a bore snake for the .38 and know you have to clean out the cylinder.....

2 questions...does it matter in which direction you clean the 1 7/8 barrel? I know with the semis you have the barrel right in your hand so it is easy to put a cleaning rod right thru it from the chamber part. Doesnt look as easy to do with a revolver unless you have a pretty flexible clean rod :)

Also where do you apply oil to a revolver? The manual is crap as far as that is covered.
 
Clean from the front, be careful not to damage the muzzle crown, and make sure not to push the rod (brush) thru into the firing pin hole. Otherwise, have fun.
 
I hold a folded over patch in front of the firing pin bushing. That way, if I do get overzealous with the cleaning rod, I won't have the steel tip of the brush banging against the firing pin hole. I do try to use a patch tip with an enclosed eyelet. Pull the patches through from the throat toward the muzzle, rather than chance dinging the crown with the rod edge if you push the patch inward.
 
Here’s my process….

From the muzzle (as described by SlackO and VictorLouis)

Run solvent soaked patches through barrel
Swab with clean patch
Run solvent soaked patches through barrel
Run brush through barrel several times
Swab with clean patch
Run solvent soaked patches through barrel
Swab with clean patch until clean and dry
Lightly oil clean patch and run through barrel
Swab with clean patch

Repeat for cylinders

Use all oil sparingly. And, I don’t clean my revolvers until they’re really dirty or malfunctioning – I think many people “over clean” their weapons.
 
I think some people under-clean their weapons. I'd never let fouling and under-lubrication get to the point of malfunctions. I cean my gun after every range session save for my .22's which get cleaned once a season or when they are malfunctioning. I wedge a piece or cardboard in the cylinder window for the eyelet and brush to bang against. I clean the guns quickly. Just run a wet patch through a few strokes, a brush a few strokes, a dry patch, and then another wet one. One final dry patch before a range session or if I'm carrying or just leave the bore wet for storage. The cylinder gets the same treatment.

As far as lube goes, I oil the plunger at the rear of the cylinder that scrapes the recoil shield, the ejector rod (push it out and hold it while you lube it with a Q-tip), the cylinder stop and arm and corresponding notches, and finally the crane where it contacts the frame. No need to ever pull the sideplate off unless you are a gunsmith or know what you are doing. Just wipe the rest of the parts down with lube or clp.
 
Is using a bore snake ok?

I noticed that most of you said to go from muzzle end towards the firing pin with the brush...can you mess up the rifling going the opposite direction with a bore snake?

Thnaks for all the tips

(I need to go soak my hand in ice after 100 rounds....damn this thing hurts :) )
 
No. In fact, serious target shooters encourage you

to always go from throat, or breech, toward the muzzle. I am only loosely familiar with the snakes from seeing them marketed at gun shows. If you believe in the system, and it works on your autos, then have at it.
 
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