revolver cleaning,theres got to be a better way!

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kingudaroad

New member
Just spent 6 hours cleaning my sbh hunter.44 mag. I had shot 60 rounds of 200 grain lead semi wadcutter then 40 jhp after that. The gun is fairly new having shot around 600 rounds total. The gun has been cleaned after every session however not perfectly clean. I was using hoppes #9 and was having trouble with the area at the back end of the barrell between where the barrell protrudes out the top strap.I picked up a lead removing cloth and some lead removing patches and told myself I was going to get it perfect. Well I still dont think its clean. There is still black stuff(carbon?)between the top strap and the barrell end and im still getting stuff out of the barrell even though it looks clean. Not sure what brand cloth I bought but used the entire thing and all the patches.Is there a better way or product or maybe I'm too anal.Thanks in advance all.
 
6 Hours!!! :eek: I imagine your gun is far cleaner than you think. Probably cleaner than any of my revolvers when they came out of the box! Revolvers will always have the tight areas like you mention that are extremely difficult to get to.
 
Easy solution....quit using lead SWC and switch to jacketed. I clean mine in 10-15 minutes flat. When I was using lead SWC it would take 1-2 hours to get the lead out.
 
I'm done with the swc.I think your right Bigbore. Those things leave behind some gunk. And yes the gun is very clean except some of that black.I think ther are still traces in the riflings of the barrell. I guess I'll chill out on the perfectly clean.My wife thinks I'm nuts also :confused:
 
M-pro7 gun cleaner and a brush gets everything out of my guns, and I have bought and tried every cleaner under the sun. It works great and is also sold by Hoppes now as Hoppes Elite cleaner. Just make sure you re-lube and wipe the gun down with a good oil or CLP as the cleaner will remove all the grease and oil getting your gun "squeaky" clean.
 
There's no need to stop shooting lead bullets.
Most older revolvers shooters all have a Lewis Lead Remover Kit.

These are available from Brownell's in most revolver calibers.

The Lewis tool is the only fast, safe, and effective way to remove lead from revolver barrels, AND the critical forcing cone.

The tool uses a cone-shaped device with a brass screen over it to remove the leading from the forcing cone.

Then a brass and rubber plug with a brass patch over it is used to remove all the lead from the barrel.

After using the Lewis tool, all you have to do is use a bore brush and some solvent to brush out any remaining particles of lead.

To clean the chambers of all fouling, lead or jacketed, buy a special bronze chamber brush from Brownell's.
This is the fastest, and safest way to completely clean a chamber.

For build-up on the front face of the cylinder and the rear barrel/frame area, use a Lead-Away type cloth, but ONLY on stainless steel guns. These cloths will strip bluing right off.

For any fouling between the barrel and frame, make a brass scraper from a flattened rifle case.

Using the above equipment, I can get my revolvers squeaky clean in less than one hour, and I'm a fanatic about CLEAN revolvers.
 
I have shot cast lead bullets exclusively in .357 mag, .44 mag, and .45 ACP pistols for 40+ years without severe leading problems or cleaning problems. Have never used a Lewis Lead remover. IMO major cleaning problems are a direct result of improper loads with cast lead bullets. Cast bullets are more finicky than jacketed bullets, especially regarding alloy used, cast diameter, sized diameter, length of bearing surface, barrel roughness/condition, lubricant used, etc. Never shoot lead bullets thru barrel following jacketed bullets without a thorough cleaning between. Seems the jacketed bullets leave copper scrapings which create a rough surface and increased leading from cast/swaged bullets. Also don't recommend shooting jacketed bullets following cast bullets in the notion of cleaning out the lead.

There is surely more than one way to get the job done but my solution uses bullets cast of wheel weights and sized to barrel diameter (.357, .429, or .451) with soft NRA formula lube (50% ALOX and 50% beeswax). My cleaning time is probably around 15 minutes per revolver using Shooter's Choice bore cleaner, old toothbrush, brass brush, and cotton patches. Also use small piece of Wipe Away cloth (ONLY on stainless guns) to fully clean front of cylinder and rear face of barrel. Final lube with RemOil for S&W revolvers and FP10 for 1911 pistol.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB
 
Shoot all the SWC you want, then shoot a few jacketed rounds through it ;)

I usually take half an hour to 45 mins to clean my sbh, but I take it mostly apart so... my range sessions are usually well over 200 rounds so.
 
revolver cleaning

I like hoppes elite line, maybe you could try a bore snake, old tooth brushes, spray degresser for small hard to reach areas, I heard tetra is soppose to also be good products. I like my Dan Wesson Pistol pack 15-2 Monson due to the fact I can unscrew the barrels making this the easiest revolver I ever cleaned though I will have to find a more durable coating than blue. :D
 
Lewis Lead Remover Kit certainly does get the lead out however having used one for several years I found it to be alot of intense pulling the screen through the bore albeit realtively quick. Just seemed so much easier and less time consuming to shoot jacketed all the time.

Someone also mentioned that if you pass some jacketed through the bore after you are finished with lead SWC that it will clean the bore out of the lead. I once believed (and practiced) that too however I found that the jacketed bullets in many instances tend to ride ontop of the lead in the rifling. This can causes an extreme rise in bore pressure. Also it doesn't get all the leading out.
 
Go down to your grocery store and buy a pack of Chore Boy copper scouring pads. Cut the knot off the end with some scissors, then unfold it into a sheet. Cut this sheet into 2" strips. Take one of these strips and wrap it into a worn out bore brush.

BAM!!!!! You have the best lead removal tool ever seen. It will cut leading FAR easier than the Lewis Lead Remover. If you can't get ALL of the leading out of the barrel and forcing cone in 3 minutes with this something is wrong. 6 hours to clean a handgun is ludicrous, 15 to 20 minutes for a surgical cleaning is all it should take.........
 
Shoot all the SWC you want, then shoot a few jacketed rounds through it
Click to expand...
Never shoot jacketed bullets after lead, if the lead has built up too much it can generate extremely high pressures with a jacketed bullet, besides the fact that it actually makes it harder to get the leading out.

Go down to your grocery store and buy a pack of Chore Boy copper scouring pads. Cut the knot off the end with some scissors, then unfold it into a sheet. Cut this sheet into 2" strips. Take one of these strips and wrap it into a worn out bore brush.

BAM!!!!! You have the best lead removal tool ever seen. It will cut leading FAR easier than the Lewis Lead Remover. If you can't get ALL of the leading out of the barrel and forcing cone in 3 minutes with this something is wrong. 6 hours to clean a handgun is ludicrous, 15 to 20 minutes for a surgical cleaning is all it should take.........
Click to expand...
That is the method that works far better than anything, I shot PPC for years and constantly messed with the leading from swaged wadcutters and the Lewis Lead Remover, I saw a video from Wilson Combat about how to clean the 1911, it suggested the Chore Boy method, it really works, far cheaper and far easier than anything else. If you want to try something, take one of your pistols that has a lead build up, lay down a clean white paper towel, then use the Chore Boy method and watch the chunks of lead coming out, it will blow you away!

I clean around the barrel and top strap with a brass bristle brush, like a tooth brush with brass bristles instead of nylon.
 
My Lewis walked away a long time ago. I went to the Chore Boy and never looked back as well.

I found an easier way tho'...

I visit my gunsmith buddy, hand him my revos, and new Chore Bore, and let him do it.
I do important stuff like shoot the Capsian Frame slide 9x23 he just built in Commander size and test the loadings. Last time some groundhogs made this testing more fun. ;)
 
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