Is it really necessary to completely disassemble my navy down to every last screw to clean after shooting? And also, do most use a cleaning jag to run patches down barrel and cylinders? I'm familiar with cleaning my old half stock rifle. Been a rifle owner for over 30 years. Just need advice on the revolvers. thanks. I'm sure I'll have many more questions.
cleaning BP revolvers
- Thread starter zworld
- Start date
Model12Win
Moderator
No.
Generally speaking, you won't have to fully disassemble the revolver every time you shoot it. I usually fully strip my Navy down every 4th time I shoot the gun. However, you most definetly will want to use a good rust preventative all over and inside the gun. I recommend Ballistol, it's the go-to black powder lubricant/protecterant.
Not you WILL have to "field strip" your navy each time you shoot it with either real black powder or black powder substitute, both are highly corrosive and you must remove this or you will go back the next day and find a rusted pistol.
I recommend you take the barrel off, take off the rammer, take off the cylinder, and remove the nipples with a nipple wrench. Now, for those parts, spray them thoroughly with a mixture of 1 parts Ballistol sportsman's oil and 10 parts water. This will dissolve the corrosive salts that cause black powder guns to rust so badly. Scrub all these parts while still dripping with this mixture, and wipe everything clean. One everything is clean and all traces of black powder residue are gone, apply a light coat of Ballistol to the parts.
Now for the frame, I usually squirt some of the above mixture on the arbor and hammer/hammer channel. Scrub these as well and wipe clean, putting a thing amount of Ballistol on afterwards.
This was the quick and dirty of how I like to clean BP revolvers, and as for your original question NO you DO NOT have to fully gut the revolver each and every time you shoot it, but you absolutely must field strip it and get all the black powder residue off. I highly recommend you research methods of cleaning these guns, it's definetaly more involved than cleaning any smokeless powder handgun, but to me it's part of the fun that is going back in time with black powder shooting.
Generally speaking, you won't have to fully disassemble the revolver every time you shoot it. I usually fully strip my Navy down every 4th time I shoot the gun. However, you most definetly will want to use a good rust preventative all over and inside the gun. I recommend Ballistol, it's the go-to black powder lubricant/protecterant.
Not you WILL have to "field strip" your navy each time you shoot it with either real black powder or black powder substitute, both are highly corrosive and you must remove this or you will go back the next day and find a rusted pistol.
I recommend you take the barrel off, take off the rammer, take off the cylinder, and remove the nipples with a nipple wrench. Now, for those parts, spray them thoroughly with a mixture of 1 parts Ballistol sportsman's oil and 10 parts water. This will dissolve the corrosive salts that cause black powder guns to rust so badly. Scrub all these parts while still dripping with this mixture, and wipe everything clean. One everything is clean and all traces of black powder residue are gone, apply a light coat of Ballistol to the parts.
Now for the frame, I usually squirt some of the above mixture on the arbor and hammer/hammer channel. Scrub these as well and wipe clean, putting a thing amount of Ballistol on afterwards.
This was the quick and dirty of how I like to clean BP revolvers, and as for your original question NO you DO NOT have to fully gut the revolver each and every time you shoot it, but you absolutely must field strip it and get all the black powder residue off. I highly recommend you research methods of cleaning these guns, it's definetaly more involved than cleaning any smokeless powder handgun, but to me it's part of the fun that is going back in time with black powder shooting.
maillemaker
New member
I tear mine down completely about every 5th shoot.
Otherwise, I remove the cylinder (and barrel, on Colts) and dunk-wash them all in my utility sink using hot soapy water. I use a brass bristle brush in the barrel and chambers, followed by patches. A mop would probably be better and re-useable.
Then I take the gun components out to my air compressor and blast the ever-living crap out of every orifice until the gun is bone dry. I pay special attention to all openings into the action to blast out any moisture in the action.
Then, with a straw stuck in the nozzle, I squirt a liberal dose of Remoil into the action through all openings, particularly the trigger and hammer openings, making sure the inner lock mechanisms and springs are all well oiled.
Then I go over the gun with Ballistol, including down the barrel.
Steve
Otherwise, I remove the cylinder (and barrel, on Colts) and dunk-wash them all in my utility sink using hot soapy water. I use a brass bristle brush in the barrel and chambers, followed by patches. A mop would probably be better and re-useable.
Then I take the gun components out to my air compressor and blast the ever-living crap out of every orifice until the gun is bone dry. I pay special attention to all openings into the action to blast out any moisture in the action.
Then, with a straw stuck in the nozzle, I squirt a liberal dose of Remoil into the action through all openings, particularly the trigger and hammer openings, making sure the inner lock mechanisms and springs are all well oiled.
Then I go over the gun with Ballistol, including down the barrel.
Steve
Fingers McGee
New member
To answer the OP; No.
My process is pretty much the same as Model12Win's. I do a complete teardown after a eight or ten CAS matches. Sometimes less depending on weather. I've got three ten stage matches (around 800+ rounds per pistol)coming up in the next three weeks and will probably not tear my 1861 Navies down till I get back home.
Added: All my shooters have steel frames so striping threads is not an issue.
My process is pretty much the same as Model12Win's. I do a complete teardown after a eight or ten CAS matches. Sometimes less depending on weather. I've got three ten stage matches (around 800+ rounds per pistol)coming up in the next three weeks and will probably not tear my 1861 Navies down till I get back home.
Added: All my shooters have steel frames so striping threads is not an issue.
Last edited:
Ok so to address the issue of complete tearing down, one person on here said you will wear it out tearing it down too often. I was wondering the same thing. As we all know brass is soft, and it would seem that removing and replacing the screws often would result in wearing out the threads. Or stripping same screws. What's the thought on this? Are screw holes standing up to this? Just a thought, and question.
Our club had a three day shoot last weekend. I shot the three revolver matches
and a 10 shot practice which was a total of 40 shots. It was around 50 degrees
and I am a old man and get cold easley. I normally clean my pistols at the
range but I was cold so just put the revolver in the car. This was on Saturday.
Didn't get around to cleaning it until Tuesday . When I pulled it out of the case
I said to the wife "Did you clean this already". She said "No" I kid you not, after
40 shots it looked like it had never been shot. I won't be shooting it again for at
least 6 months with winter comming on. I did take out the cylinder and nipples
which are Tesco and ran a water soaked patch thru the barrel. Dryed it then
gave it a shot of WD-40 and I'm done. Took about 5 min. Spotless and ready
to go again. I only strip my revolvers down complete mebby every three years
or so. They get shot about 500 times a year. The revolver, Euroarms 1858
Remington . Load, 18 grs Swiss FFF, .454 ball with enough creme-of-wheat to
bring the ball flush with the face of the cylinder, Beeswax & oil lube over the ball.
CCI no. 11 caps
and a 10 shot practice which was a total of 40 shots. It was around 50 degrees
and I am a old man and get cold easley. I normally clean my pistols at the
range but I was cold so just put the revolver in the car. This was on Saturday.
Didn't get around to cleaning it until Tuesday . When I pulled it out of the case
I said to the wife "Did you clean this already". She said "No" I kid you not, after
40 shots it looked like it had never been shot. I won't be shooting it again for at
least 6 months with winter comming on. I did take out the cylinder and nipples
which are Tesco and ran a water soaked patch thru the barrel. Dryed it then
gave it a shot of WD-40 and I'm done. Took about 5 min. Spotless and ready
to go again. I only strip my revolvers down complete mebby every three years
or so. They get shot about 500 times a year. The revolver, Euroarms 1858
Remington . Load, 18 grs Swiss FFF, .454 ball with enough creme-of-wheat to
bring the ball flush with the face of the cylinder, Beeswax & oil lube over the ball.
CCI no. 11 caps
Wow--I shoot Goex 3f and Pyrodex P in the 1958 with 30 grains and Colt 1851 with 20 grains--don't any other filler cept a lubed wad and wax plug. After 24to 30 shots in either I need to do a quick wipe down. I clean the barrel and cylinders right when I finish and generally do a complete takedown the next day. I would be afraid to wait even until the next day to clean.