Hi

A

adler58

Inactive
This is my first post in this forum. I am Italian and apologize for likely language errors

At my present 46 age, for various reasons, I am doing a lot of things for the first time

One of them is I am a beginner shooter, since January 2005.
I am enjoying such thing very much, I go shooting 2-3 times a week or even more.

My first purchase is a Smith & Wesson .22 revolver, 17-8 model, blued finish, 6" barrel, 10 shots. I don't like to tell you how much I paid for it: way TOO much.
I think the dealer easily realized I was a beginner when I entered his shop. That dealer made a mistake, because I have become very fond of shooting, I will sure buy some other handguns and rifles, but he will not see me anymore.

Still, I like my S&W very much. I like the American-style way it looks and the accurate way it shots even in a beginner's hand. I like revolvers very much and am considering to buy a inox 686 in the next few months.

My first post, my first question:
I suspect the 10-shots cylinder on my revolver is a light alloy (aluminium) one. What is the best way to clean its ten chambers? I think the brass bore brush could not be the better cleaning tool, it could scratch the internal aluminium surface. What do you suggest me?

Thank you in advance,

greetings from Italy


P.S.
BTW, my 2nd purchase is a black powder muzzle-loading pistol, a 19th century model replica by the Italian company Pedersoli. This one (first from above):
http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/ArmiCategoria.aspx?CategoriaId=40&lang=en
 
By All Means

let my be the first to welcome you to the International Firing Line Discussion Forum! Surf a lot and don`t be afraid to ask silly questions. Practice safe muzzle control and wear that hearing protection!
 
Howdy across the pond there. For the soft cylinder just keep it wet with solvent for a few days and wipe out with patch and jag.
 
Greetings From The Heart Of Old Dixie (U.S.A.)

And A Big Hearty Welcome To TFL. Looks like your first purchase was
a nice one, with the addition of the S&W model 17 to your household.
You are gonna like that firearm. For lubrication (preservation) may I
recommend Break Free CLP; as its the best stuff since sliced
bread. :D Oh! by the way, the S&W 686 is also a wonderful handgun.
I have one (S&W 686-5) without the intergal lock, and it is capeable
of shooting lights out at 25 yards (maybe further ?), if these old eyes
could see that far! :cool: At any rate, have a good one and enjoy
that S&W model 17. :)

Best Wishes,
 
Congratulations on the new gun(s)! Your English is a lot better than my Italiano.

A nylon bristle brush with a solvent like Hoppes #9 should be fine for cleaning your aluminum cylinder. I, too, like Breakfree CLP for general purpose cleaning and protection. The bore of the .22 will require very little cleaning if any at all. .22 Long Rifle rounds are wax-lubricated, and they tend not to lead or foul the bore of a target-quality gun, which your Model 17 certainly is. You should clean around and under the extractor of the revolver with a nylon bristle brush (or even a toothbrush).

Welcome to the forum and to a great hobby!

Clemson
 
Hello, from Texas.

Italian companies like Uberti and Pietta make some great War Between the States and Cowboy replicas out there. I own a 1851 .36 Navy made by Pietta. That was my first handgun. As it is a six shot muzzel load, it took forever to load but it is fun to shoot. About a year ago, I got my dad a Colt .45 Cimmeron replica made by Uberti and it is the most accurate handgun we have in our household. Might want to look for that.

Anyay,
as to your 22 S&W you might look for what I think they call a cleaning snake. If somebody else in this forum knows what I am talking about they can correct me or add onto this. I don't know if they make them for 22 caliber guns but what the snake is is a long cloth put together like rope with brass bristles in the middle a long string on the end and all you do is drop the string through your muzzel or cartridge chambers and drag the snake the rest of the way through. The cloth combined with the bristles rubbing back and forth in the chambers will completely clean out the gun perfectly. Depending on how dirty the gun is, you may not need any cleaning solution to do this either.

Welcome to the forum,

as we say in the South, Y'all (that is you and and your friends) come back now, ya hear :)

Doug
 
First off,welcome! :)
Second,you people are forgetting that this new shooter is in Italy and may not have access to Hoppes #9 or CLP.
Alder58,I would recommend a full synthetic motor oil for lubrication and general rust proofing.Im not sure how Italy rates motor oil,but over here a 10w30 weight oil works great on pretty much everything.Find a good cleaning solvent by asking your fellow shooters and get a consensus on what works and what doesnt.
 
Welcome :).

I, for one, would be interested in learning the gun laws that Italy has (I'm a sucker for wanting to hear first hand accounts).

I have a couple of black powder revolvers from Italy. I love them :)

Wayne
 
A big THANKS to everybody!

For my 22, I am considering to use the nylon bristle with nitro solvent (or the "snake" I have to look for) for standard cleaning after shooting sessions of 100-150 rounds, and the bronze bristle (only for the bore) for deeper cleaning to do once or twice a year.

I will search for Break-Free CLP in the gun shops in my area, I hope to find such good product because a lot of items are imported to Italy from US.

As for the gun laws in Italy:
- With my sport licence I am authorized to buy and keep up to 3 weapons catalogued as "common" (e.g. Glock 17, short-barrelled revolvers, etc.), plus up to 6 catalogued as "sport" (e.g. Glock 34, most 6" barrel revolvers, etc.). I can use my weapons only at home for defence purpose or at any shooting range in Italy, carrying them in my car in a key-locked case in the luggage compartment
- To carry a weapon with you (in a holster) you need a defence licence which is very difficult to get, you have to demonstrate your life is in danger due to your work or other reasons
- The muzzle-loading one-shot replicas of weapons build before 1890 are free-purchase, you can buy and keep as many as you want, shooting them only at the range. To buy black powder you need a sport licence
 
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adler58,
Welcome to the board, you're sure to get good answers to your questions. You'll find the shooting community is always glad to help out a newcomer.
I too use a snake for cleaning my S&W M-18 which is a four inch version of your gun as well as my other .22's. Whether true or not it has long been said more damage has come from overcleaning .22s than shooting them has ever done. Many wait until they're really dirty but I prefer to run the snake down them as it doesn't seem to be doing any damage but does a good job.
I'll use the brush and solvent on occation too just to be sure I'm getting lead out of the rifling.

I did a two year stint in your country in the early seventies at a site near Conselve, Italy. I loved your country and people and plan on a visit again some day. I had quite a time of purchasing and keeping a side by side shotgun in my apartment even in that day.
Actually it was in your country that I first learned to shoot the M&P 38's that we had to qualify with that started me out on revolvers. I've been buying and shooting them ever since.

Good luck with your new hobby. You've started with a good revolver that will help you to learn handgun shooting well.
 
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