Cleaning a Revolver

B

browndog

Inactive
I would appreciate some tips on how to properly and fully clean a revolver. I have a Ruger GP-100, stainless, 6 inch barrel. Love the gun but have not shot it in probably more than 14 years. In fact, haven't been around guns at all in about that long, but I'm finally getting cranked back up and can't wait to start hitting the ranges again.

I can't find the owner's manual. Would somone please go over the essentials of cleaning a revolver - cleaning for dummies, please (step 1..., etc) and does anyone have any comments on which products are most recommended, for example, Hoppes, Remington, etc. I know I've read threads on this before but of course I can't find them when I'm looking for them.

Thanks much.
 
MAKE SURE THE GUN IS UNLOADED

You need:

A rod to hold patches. I prefer brass.

Old Toothbrush

Brass "Toothbrush"

Brass brush for .38 caliber barrel

Flannel Patches for .38 or .45 about 2" square

Breakfree CLP Lube and Cleaner (I prefer the plastic bottle (4oz?)

Some old cut up T-shirts or flannel type cleaning cloths.

Some newspaper to spread out on the surface you will be working on.

Good lighting

You can get a manual by calling Ruger. 203-259-7843

If you are going to shoot lead than you are going to have more cleaning to do.

Carefully from the muzzle end work the brush all of the way through the barrel and then back out. Don't change direction in the middle of the barrel. You can take a look inside the barrel to see how much residue is inside by holding the gun with the barrel pointed up and resting your thumbnail below the forcing cone to reflect light into the barrel as you look in through the muzzle.

While cleaning the barrel I usually keep a rag in the frame (where the cylinder lives) to keep dirt out of the mechanism.

If you have been shooting jacketed bullets you won't have lead to contend with.

Put some drops of Breakfree onto a patch and work the patch through the barrel a few times. Do the same thing in each one of the chambers in the cylinder. Once you get the breakfee in there it sometimes pays to let the revolver sit for a few minutes.

Start using the brass brush working it carefully through the barrel and back out through the forcing cone. Be carefull around the muzzle to try not to cause wear there from the cleaning rod. Clean the cylinder chambers the same way but from the breech (back) end.

Put on a clean patch and push it through the barrel and through the chambers. Keep repeating using patches and the brush until the chambers and the barrel are clean. It is not necessary to get out every last speck and stain. In fact being less aggressive is better than over doing it.

You can clean the front of the cylinder with the brass brush to make sure you get off any build up that would interfere with function. Stains on the front of the cylinder can be left there. If you don't like the look than use either Flitz polish to clean it or a Lead Away type cloth that is made for that purpose.

You can use the brass toothbrush to clean under the topstrap around by the recoil shield and also around the forcing cone. On some revolvers where there is little room to clean above the forcing cone I use an X-acto knife.

You can use the old toothbrush to do general cleaning in places hard to get to and also you can use one drop of oil on the brush to get oil into hard to reach places. Don't overdo the oiling. ONE drop goes a long way.

You can also take off the grips and clean underneath them.

I find that it takes me between 30 minutes and one hour to clean a revolver. But I shoot lead and that is a little harder to clean.

Rugers can be field stripped, but you don't have to do that very often. I have put 2,000 rounds through a revolver without opening it up at all, just cleaning after each use. When I looked inside there was almost no dirt. If you do decide to oil inside use a tooth pick to apply oil only where necessary. I don't believe in spraying oil into a revolver.

Bill
 
Dot,
nice job.

Only 1 thing I'd add.

A lambswool pad. You can pick up packs of them sometimes at gunshows. They last a long time and hold on to oil forever. They work better than cloth for a final wipedown since they don't shed little fibers.

Just remember to use them only on a clean gun, since they will pick up and hold dirt, and that dirt may scratch.
 
Hey Dot,

Most excellent breakdown of the entire process. Thanks much, and my Ruger thanks you too. Thanks to everyone for the help and suggestions. Much appreciated.
 
I find that it takes me between 30 minutes and one hour to clean a revolver.

Dot_mdb:

It's obvious you've discovered how theraputic cleaning a revolver can be. In some strange way...I like the cleaning process as much as I like the shooting experience. Your description was excellent.
 
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