cleaning your revolver ?
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Bob Wright
New member
^^^^^^
Exactly!
Bob Wright
Exactly!
Bob Wright
T. O'Heir said:
I agree with everything up to here.
First of all, WD40 isn't a cleaner nor a lubricator, and it even tends to gum & varnish over time. A lot of folks seem to enjoy using it on their guns, but I see no reason to use it on a firearm.
Secondly, there's no need or reason to "squirt" anything inside your revolver for routine cleaning/lubing. Squirting stuff inside the gun moves crud around, gets grit into places it doesn't need to be, and doesn't really do a proper job of lubing anyway.
If the inside of a revolver was properly cleaned and lubed, it rarely needs another. When it really does need an internal cleaning & lubing, the side plate should come off (using the proper technique), the innards disassembled, cleaned and lubed correctly with an appropriate lube. FWIW & IME, I only go inside my revolvers for a good cleaning & lubing every 10k rounds or so.
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Its important to educate yourself on how to properly remove the side plate.
Once you have done that, yes, I remove the side plate on a used or a new gun when I first get it.
No, I don't squirt any cleaner into it ( and never WD 40 - its not a cleaner)...but neither do you necessarily have to remove every part in the gun either ...to make sure there is no mfg residue on a new gun ...or built up residue on a used gun / you can go in with a Q tip and lightly clean up any light residue / but if its got a lot of built up gunk in there, yes, it needs to be taken apart and everything cleaned.
Lube lightly and reassemble...
I have about 15 S&W revolvers...and on revolvers I shoot a lot ( a few thousand rounds a year, I would remove the side plate once a year - inspect, clean and lube). If I only put a few hundred rounds a year thru a gun a year ...I will only remove - inspect, clean & lube once every 5 yrs probably).
I recommend the Jerry Miculek video on doing a trigger job on S&W revolvers..about $20 from Brownells ...and it will tell you how to take gun apart, inspect, lube etc...even if you never want to do your own trigger job its a good addition to your gun hobby library.
Once you have done that, yes, I remove the side plate on a used or a new gun when I first get it.
No, I don't squirt any cleaner into it ( and never WD 40 - its not a cleaner)...but neither do you necessarily have to remove every part in the gun either ...to make sure there is no mfg residue on a new gun ...or built up residue on a used gun / you can go in with a Q tip and lightly clean up any light residue / but if its got a lot of built up gunk in there, yes, it needs to be taken apart and everything cleaned.
Lube lightly and reassemble...
I have about 15 S&W revolvers...and on revolvers I shoot a lot ( a few thousand rounds a year, I would remove the side plate once a year - inspect, clean and lube). If I only put a few hundred rounds a year thru a gun a year ...I will only remove - inspect, clean & lube once every 5 yrs probably).
I recommend the Jerry Miculek video on doing a trigger job on S&W revolvers..about $20 from Brownells ...and it will tell you how to take gun apart, inspect, lube etc...even if you never want to do your own trigger job its a good addition to your gun hobby library.
Carl the Floor Walker
Moderator
I have gotten away from conventional cleaning and just use Wipe-Out in the bore and cylinders. I clean the striker area good as well. I also use RAMRODzS. No more hard scrubbing the bore and cylinder with brushes. The bore is Shiny clean and the RamRodz are extremely durable and Fit the Cylinder and Bore Perfectly for which ever caliber you are using.
I then coat the cylinders with a very thin layer of "SLIPSTREAM", the slippery product I have seen, makes they ammo fall out easily.
For pistols it really makes the gun rack so easily and makes the racking so very quiet. Cleaning takes just a few minutes. No mess, no fuss. When finished I just coat the exterior with Ballistol.
https://ramrodz.com/barrel-breech-cleaners/
I then coat the cylinders with a very thin layer of "SLIPSTREAM", the slippery product I have seen, makes they ammo fall out easily.
For pistols it really makes the gun rack so easily and makes the racking so very quiet. Cleaning takes just a few minutes. No mess, no fuss. When finished I just coat the exterior with Ballistol.
https://ramrodz.com/barrel-breech-cleaners/
I don't "lube" but I do "oil."
To me lubing connotes grease but in my experience
and that of others you only need an occasional drop
or two of light oil.
I use RemOil. It's very runny and goes everywhere inside leaving
a very thin film. I put a little on each side of the hammer, some
at the front of the cylinder at the ejector rod and the crane and work the action and open and close the cylinder.
But as opposed to many autos very little oiling is needed if any.
While I'm not a Glock fan I do know it is advised for those guns
to use a Q-tip with a bit of light oil on one end and just rub
the "rails" and I think the "disconnect."
In that revolvers and Glocks are a wonder!
To me lubing connotes grease but in my experience
and that of others you only need an occasional drop
or two of light oil.
I use RemOil. It's very runny and goes everywhere inside leaving
a very thin film. I put a little on each side of the hammer, some
at the front of the cylinder at the ejector rod and the crane and work the action and open and close the cylinder.
But as opposed to many autos very little oiling is needed if any.
While I'm not a Glock fan I do know it is advised for those guns
to use a Q-tip with a bit of light oil on one end and just rub
the "rails" and I think the "disconnect."
In that revolvers and Glocks are a wonder!
Carl the Floor Walker
Moderator
Maybe I am just lucky but I have enjoyed the vast majority of my guns without failures. The Slipstream is so light on the contact points, is practically invisible and not grease or mess. Actually my bad, not a silicon but a synthetic. I doubt many auto engines get gunked up with a quality synthetic oil.
Using the product one thing is quite noticeable and that is how quiet the Pistols all sound when racked. Gone is that metal to metal sound. My last three guns that supposedly required break in's. One is a Pico that now has about 2000 rounds with out one failure, and a second Pico now with around 500 rounds and the other is the Kahr CW380 with about 500 rounds without failure. Maybe just the guns, but maybe the SlipStream aided. I also have a very finicky Bersa 22. and yes a major improvement for that gun.
I just cleaned my LC9S after shooting and before I even saw this post was commenting to myself how guiet the gun now sounds when racking. By the way never a failure for years with that gun. (only one, and that was with a Steel Case round from Freedom Munitions) it shot the rest well, but I do not like that ammo. (Steel case, otherwise love Freedom munitions)
Using the product one thing is quite noticeable and that is how quiet the Pistols all sound when racked. Gone is that metal to metal sound. My last three guns that supposedly required break in's. One is a Pico that now has about 2000 rounds with out one failure, and a second Pico now with around 500 rounds and the other is the Kahr CW380 with about 500 rounds without failure. Maybe just the guns, but maybe the SlipStream aided. I also have a very finicky Bersa 22. and yes a major improvement for that gun.
I just cleaned my LC9S after shooting and before I even saw this post was commenting to myself how guiet the gun now sounds when racking. By the way never a failure for years with that gun. (only one, and that was with a Steel Case round from Freedom Munitions) it shot the rest well, but I do not like that ammo. (Steel case, otherwise love Freedom munitions)
I agree with MrBorland and others. I never use WD-40 on anything other than spraying in carpenter bee holes in various structural timbers on my decking and carport support timbers. WD-40 will gunk up everything. Also never spray it on antique clock gears/pivots. Along with killing carpenter bees, it will also kill ultrasonic cleaning solutions. Rinse anything that has been sprayed with WD-40 in naptha prior to putting it in your ultrasonic.
Carl the Floor Walker
Moderator
I own some really nice high end English/German Spring Air Rifles. Most costing more than standard powder burners. $6-700 dollar range. I cringe every time I hear of some guy cleaning his gun with WD 40. Will eat a seal and cost a whole lot of time to fix it, or send to a Air Gun Smith. What have I used for years on my Airgun and Rifle collection?
Ballistol!! Prevents rust, the nice wood stocks love it, and protects seals and cleans the guns well.
Ballistol!! Prevents rust, the nice wood stocks love it, and protects seals and cleans the guns well.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
For routine cleaning, I never remove the side plate. Never. Not necessary.
For really old S&W or Colt Double Action revolvers, I will often take the side plate off and clean inside. I'm talking old here, 50 years old or more. I have Smiths that are over 100 years old. Yes, I will disassemble them as much as possible to remove any old hardened oil, then lightly lube with a light oil such as Rem Oil. Then put them back together again. Removing old hardened oil often smooths them up quite a bit.
I have Top Break Smiths that are well over 100 years old. I only shoot them with Black Powder. Before shooting them I take them apart and thoroughly clan every thing with a strong solvent, then lube with Ballistol before reassembling them. But that's for the really old ones that I intend to only shoot with Black Powder.
Anything built in the last 20 years, I don't bother to take the side plate off. Not enough time has elapsed for the oil to harden.
Brand new S&W revolvers? I don't buy them, so I don't clean them.
For routine cleaning, I never remove the side plate. Never. Not necessary.
For really old S&W or Colt Double Action revolvers, I will often take the side plate off and clean inside. I'm talking old here, 50 years old or more. I have Smiths that are over 100 years old. Yes, I will disassemble them as much as possible to remove any old hardened oil, then lightly lube with a light oil such as Rem Oil. Then put them back together again. Removing old hardened oil often smooths them up quite a bit.
I have Top Break Smiths that are well over 100 years old. I only shoot them with Black Powder. Before shooting them I take them apart and thoroughly clan every thing with a strong solvent, then lube with Ballistol before reassembling them. But that's for the really old ones that I intend to only shoot with Black Powder.
Anything built in the last 20 years, I don't bother to take the side plate off. Not enough time has elapsed for the oil to harden.
Brand new S&W revolvers? I don't buy them, so I don't clean them.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Here we go again-
WD 40 does not "gum" or "gunk" up when properly used-any more than any other oil will.
WD 40 WILL clean crud out of your gun. You must flush it thoroughly.
WD 40 IS a lubricant. It contains light mineral oil-the same mineral oil that is in 95% of the "gun lubes."
I have a squirt bottle that I filled with WD 40 about 4-5 years ago in my vault. The carrier evaporated within a few months. What is left is a light, very fluid oil. No "gum."
I have used WD 40 almost daily for well over 40 years on guns, knives, as a penetrating oil. I have never seen it "gum." I wonder why?
While there are heavier oils with additives, WD 40 is a good and useful product that is far too often maligned by people repeating old wive's tales.
Ballistol contains the same oil that WD 40 does- mineral oil.
Rem Oil contains-guess what? mineral oil.
There is almost never a need for the layman to remove a revolver sideplate.
WD 40 does not "gum" or "gunk" up when properly used-any more than any other oil will.
WD 40 WILL clean crud out of your gun. You must flush it thoroughly.
WD 40 IS a lubricant. It contains light mineral oil-the same mineral oil that is in 95% of the "gun lubes."
I have a squirt bottle that I filled with WD 40 about 4-5 years ago in my vault. The carrier evaporated within a few months. What is left is a light, very fluid oil. No "gum."
I have used WD 40 almost daily for well over 40 years on guns, knives, as a penetrating oil. I have never seen it "gum." I wonder why?
While there are heavier oils with additives, WD 40 is a good and useful product that is far too often maligned by people repeating old wive's tales.
Ballistol contains the same oil that WD 40 does- mineral oil.
Rem Oil contains-guess what? mineral oil.
There is almost never a need for the layman to remove a revolver sideplate.
BigJimP's comment:
That's, well, important. Let me put it another way 'THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT'!!!
And I apologize to BigJimP.
When I was growing up and shooting my father's and my uncle's revolvers they told me if I tried taking off the side plates I'd get hurt because they would hurt me.
When I got my own revolver my uncle actually said it would be okay to take the side plate off if I wanted to give up shooting and just stare at all the little parts on my work bench.
(Of course I did take the side plate off---without knowing how to do it correctly and THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE and I blessed my lucky stars that none of the parts came out when I did it, and I carefully put it back on where it has remained unmolested for over 35 years now.)
That's, well, important. Let me put it another way 'THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT'!!!
And I apologize to BigJimP.
When I was growing up and shooting my father's and my uncle's revolvers they told me if I tried taking off the side plates I'd get hurt because they would hurt me.
When I got my own revolver my uncle actually said it would be okay to take the side plate off if I wanted to give up shooting and just stare at all the little parts on my work bench.
(Of course I did take the side plate off---without knowing how to do it correctly and THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE and I blessed my lucky stars that none of the parts came out when I did it, and I carefully put it back on where it has remained unmolested for over 35 years now.)
Bob Wright
New member
There have been occasions in which I had to remove the side plate on both Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers. The innards aren't as complicated as one might think.
But the only times I did remove the side plate was for parts replacement. My Colt New Service had to have a trigger replaced, while my Model 29 required replacing the trigger and hammer. Also a broken hand on another Smith.
My first Model 29 required quite a few surgeries.
But most of my guns now have no side plates. Rugers and Colts after the fashion of the Single Action..............
Bob Wright
But the only times I did remove the side plate was for parts replacement. My Colt New Service had to have a trigger replaced, while my Model 29 required replacing the trigger and hammer. Also a broken hand on another Smith.
My first Model 29 required quite a few surgeries.
But most of my guns now have no side plates. Rugers and Colts after the fashion of the Single Action..............
Bob Wright