cleaning cylinder face

[GFK]

I use a cloth called Lead Away. I think there are others. But, I have been using KleenBore
(https://www.walmart.com/ip/KLEEN-BORE-L ... H/37933503) since the early 90s.

[John E Davies]

Yes on lead removal cloth - I have used this forever.

https://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey ... B07VCGWP93

I have never tried it on blued steel, I am pretty sure it would take off the finish, but it is stellar on stainless. This is why I won’t buy a revolver in any material but stainless. Fold it and use the corner or edge until that spot is really black, then refold it and shift the cloth and continue. Use a small flat screwdriver to wedge it into corners like machined cuts in the frame. You don’t have to cut it into squares unless you want to use a piece as a bore patch to clean the forcing cone.

I just cleaned my SP 101 .327 Fed last week and the gun looks great. The cloth OTH looks really disgusting…. You should probably wear a rubber glove on that hand.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[John E Davies]

Thanks for info. Just ordered from amazon. Should be here by tomorrow. Will tackle my GP100 tomorrow.

Yer welcome. Post some before and after pictures please. I always do a good wipe down with a protectant afterwards.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Hatchdog]

I use a stainless steel tooth brush on the face of my stainless revolver cylinders. I use a solvent like Shooters Choice and after letting the solvent do a good soak I gently run the brush across the cylinder. I can do two chambers at a time and I’m careful to not get too aggressive. I may have to go around the entire cylinder 3-4 times to remove all the powder blast. Works great. Stainless revolvers only of course.

[BigAl52]

I also use lead cloth. Another thing I do is soak the cylinder in Hoppes #9 in a pint jar. Cover the cylinder with hoppes. I also save that jar as I use it over and over. It makes cleaning the cylinders easy and the black on the front will come of the next time with a toothbrush or one like it.

[John E Davies]

Another thing I do is soak the cylinder in Hoppes #9 in a pint jar. Cover the cylinder with hoppes. I also save that jar as I use it over and over. It makes cleaning the cylinders easy and the black on the front will come of the next time with a toothbrush or one like it.

That is cool, and fine for a single action, where you just pull the pin, but problematic on a DA, and I would not want to “dangle” a DA cylinder in the jar with the frame assembly perched in top of the jar, that could be nasty mess if tipped went over. Could you just wrap blue paper shop towels around the cylinder and soak them “in situ”? I guess you could strip the DA gun, but many owners don’t want to go that far for a cleaning. Like me. If I were going for a super deep clean I would use my sonic cleaner.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[BigAl52]

Another thing I do is soak the cylinder in Hoppes #9 in a pint jar. Cover the cylinder with hoppes. I also save that jar as I use it over and over. It makes cleaning the cylinders easy and the black on the front will come of the next time with a toothbrush or one like it.

That is cool, and fine for a single action, where you just pull the pin, but problematic on a DA, and I would not want to “dangle” a DA cylinder in the jar with the frame assembly perched in top of the jar, that could be nasty mess if tipped went over. Could you just wrap blue paper shop towels around the cylinder and soak them “in situ”? I guess you could strip the DA gun, but many owners don’t want to go that far for a cleaning. Like me. If I were going for a super deep clean I would use my sonic cleaner.

John Davies
Spokane WA

John
Most of my DA were S&W. The cylinder is easy to remove and take the crane out of the cylinder. Ruger is a different story. I bypassed it with a Ruger and just used the lead cloth more on those.

[Shakey Jake]

I use a product designed to clean brass after buffing to remove residual buffing compound. It's called DEOX-007. Label claims it's a degreaser, deoxidizer, and brightener. Seems to do a bang up job of cleaning cylinders without having to resort to steel wool, scotch brite, or other abrasive materials. Removes powder as well. I rinse with plenty of water and then use a generous amount of CLP. I use it on double actions by dipping a toothbrush in the diluted mixture and scrub. Doesn't take much. I dampen a hand towel and wipe generously before applying protective oil. I just decided to try it one day to see how it would work on gun parts. I figured if it would work on instrument keys and sax bodies it might just be okay for pistols.

https://timesavers.com/i-9994118-polych ... allon.html

Jake

[BrokenolMarine]

Don't forget to clean both under and behind the extractor star. Lead / powder buildup there can cause the rounds to drag against the frame during cylinder rotation, or in extreme cases prevent the cylinder from closing properly and locking up.

Most shooters would take a while to see this, but high volume competition shooters would brush behind that extractor during down time. On big match days I might shoot 300 rounds from each of my competition revolvers. Don't want to loose a match because the cylinder won't lock due to fouling.

[Hobart]

Why clean it? It’ll just come back next time you shoot the gun. It hurts nothing. The same thing is on your blued guns. You just can’t see it. If the gun isn’t a show piece, just leave it alone.

[John E Davies]

Why clean it? It’ll just come back next time you shoot the gun. It hurts nothing. The same thing is on your blued guns. You just can’t see it. If the gun isn’t a show piece, just leave it alone.

I am not really a revolver guy, but I think that buildup of carbon on the cylinder face and the forcing cone can reduce the small gap there, causing drag. I clean mine because I think the black gunk is really ugly. But I don’t shoot the revolver very often, or put many rounds through it each session.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[BrokenolMarine]

In moist climates, that buildup can hold moisture and encourage corrosion. It can also hold lubricant, which attracts additional buildup.

[GFK]

Why clean it? It’ll just come back next time you shoot the gun. It hurts nothing. The same thing is on your blued guns. You just can’t see it. If the gun isn’t a show piece, just leave it alone.

Interesting. Do you bother cleaning your firearms?

[BigAl52]

Im the same way PJM if its dirty I want to clean it.

[Hobart]

Been shooting revolvers for years, both blued and stainless. Always clean them right after shooting. But I don’t go nuts trying to clean the powder burn off the cylinder face. I hit it with some solvent and a soft toothbrush. What’s left after that stays. It’s never built up. It doesn’t attract moisture.

[GFK]

Oh. Okay. Just wondering. I can understand. Like others, I am one who tries to keep things are original as possible, even appearance. To me, it help retains function and value. I don't buy things to sell. But, one does not know the future. So, I try and keep options open.

[Kissmybrass]

My OCD won't let me leave it alone! I only have one blued handgun left, a ruger lcrx and believe me that is scrubbed with a stiff nylon brush dipped in hoppes.

I can relate! I just fired and cleaned my first SS revolver and did soooooo much cleaning research because I couldn't get that black off of the cylinder face and didn't want to ruin the gap by doing it wrong. I gotta get that cloth. I used Ballistol (for the first time and wow what a mess) and elbow grease with a brush worked with a tiny touch of mothers to get rid of a few stuborn spots. I couldn't put it away dirty lol

[Kissmybrass]

Hey that Amazon link was still live so I spent the 5 bucks and got one

[markiver54]

I've been using the cloth for years. Works great! like magic. Only way to go on SS. Don't get near blued surfaces though.

[Rifletom]

On the blued ones, I use a 50-50 mix of Hoppe's and Kroil. Apply, let sit for about 10 minute and wipe. Presto! Clean!