How important is it to clean the black rings INSIDE the cylinder of revolvers (by were the case and bullet meet) and what is the most efficient way to do this? I'm also having a hard time cleaning the same black ring you get on the forcing cone. How important is that and what's the best method of cleaning that area? BTW, it's a stainless gun. Thanks in advance for your help.
Help! cleaning question
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hitnthexring
New member
If you scrub the cylinders with a chamber brush & solvent, then patches until a patch comes out clean, that's all you need to do. The black rings on the face of the cylinder (only visible on a stainless or nickel gun) are carbon & very difficult to remove unless you use a strong chemical. They don't interfere with functioning in any way.
No fancy chemicals, waiting period or excess elbow grease.
Wrap some Chore Boy (bronze scouring pad you pick up at a supermarket) around a worn bronze bristle brush. This gets the lead out with the minimal of effort.
What's even better was my father's technique: "Son, clean the guns."
Wrap some Chore Boy (bronze scouring pad you pick up at a supermarket) around a worn bronze bristle brush. This gets the lead out with the minimal of effort.
What's even better was my father's technique: "Son, clean the guns."
Frustrated with the ineffectiveness of a number of solvents, I once cleaned those carbon deposits using a bronze brush and some go-jo without pumice, the creamy stuff...came out great, but have lately desisted because of growing paranoia that I might be using a verboten chemical...anyone know if that was ok?
Read the mfg warnings and instructions on any product you use. Best thing you could do for yourself.Bronze chamber brush, solvent (I use Hoppe's #9), patches, cordless drill at low speed. Put brush in drill and run it through the chambers. Finally, run patches in and out by hand (no drill) until they come out clean. Very easy and thorough. Don't use the drill when cleaning the barrel bore.
The lowest abrasion method to get those rings out is: use chrome polish and a Q-tip to rub it on the rings. Use a NYLON bore brush on a 3" rod in a hand drill and spin the brush moving it in and out lightly. It usually takes about 10 - 15 seconds of spinning (depends how much is built up).
Captain Bligh
New member
As hitnthexring suggests pristine clean may not be necessary. However, if you've been shooting .38 out of a .357, you better give the rings enough attention that you can easily chamber a .357 if/when you want to. Persons who neglect cleaning the cylinder chambers sometimes find the gun doesn't want to accept .357 anymore.
A good test is to keep an empty .357 casing near by. When you think "clean enough" slide in the .357 case and see how it chambers. If you encounter resistiance scrub some more. If you don't, you've arrived at "good enough."
RJ
A good test is to keep an empty .357 casing near by. When you think "clean enough" slide in the .357 case and see how it chambers. If you encounter resistiance scrub some more. If you don't, you've arrived at "good enough."
RJ
If you shoot ,38's followed by .357 magnum, best to keep that crud out of there. There is a small (but real) possibility that it can cause a magnum case to rupture and even damage the cylinder. The reason is the burn ring (carbon glaze) acts as a "clamp ring" around the end of the magnum case when it fires because it may not allow it to expand as much as it needs to. This can cause increased pressure in the case and it may explode. Best to keep the cylinder tubes clean if you shoot magnum loads.