[valor1]

Just would like to get inputs on how you clean your revolvers especially after a day in the range (about +/- 400 rounds or so). I both have a Smith and Ruger and I both find them a bit difficult to clean compared to pistols. Thanks for the valued inputs.

[gvf]

I've been using a bore-cleaning foam, forgot the name, it's a light blue can, spray it in the bore and chambers, leave for 15-30 min (I leave a bit longer), clean out residue with a cotton attachment to the long metal arm that holds pads etc. (Get a plastic extension for that arm in case you do need any pad use. Won't scratch the bore.)

The length of the cotton "swab" + the foam doing the cleaning mean you're not constantly putting the arm with many pads down the bore and unintentionally scratching it with metal arm. I shoot 50-100 at range, then clean, so the foam may work a little better for me than for you, but I believe most report the foam a good product. I also clean as soon as I get home from range.

Then oil the bore, chambers, use a new cotton "swab" again to get excess off but leave a bit of oil and either do the same with exterior or use a silicone cloth. For powder burns on surface, a lead-cleaning cloth works great and fast. O forgot, after the bore cleaner, put a little cleaning fluid on the "toothbrush" like brush enclosed in most cleaning kits, and go over cylinder face a bit (no need to get it all off as it will just come back the next time you shoot) and ratchet area at rear cylinder and also round the frame inside of which the cylinder fits.

Takes 40 min or so for me, but 30 is waiting time for the foam. Have a coffee and watch TV. Then do the rest of the cleaning steps for 15 min and you're all set. Do it after each range-shoot and it stays easy.

One last: buy a little fiber-optic bore-light, its 8 bucks or so, then use it in the bore and chambers to make sure they're clean when you're done.

[shoff535]

Is the Bore cleaning foam "friendly" to all finishes? I have blued, nickle and satin stainless. does it work on copper? thanks,

[valor1]

I also tried brake cleaners on all the steel parts and it seems okay. Some of my friends remove the grips and then dunk the gun to a can of kerosene.

[shoff535]

Thats funny, I also use Brake Parts cleaner and I think it works quite well (I like it on automatics). If I am right, Brake Parts Cleaner is primarily Hexane, it is effective in removing a lot of carbon based crap. Most (all?) Brake cleaner is paint friendly and I have not seen any ill effects on my firearms (blued, nickel or stainless). I would mention that it is probably wise to keep carburator clearn AWAY from just about anything. In addition to removing hte gunk that builds up in a carb, Carb cleaner will strip paint off in a heartbeat.

[sm]

1. Hand gun to gunsmith buddy(s) let them clean them while I go out back and shoot something that needs shooting.
Or just mess with the dawg, go get lunch, eat junk food, drink thier coffee or sodas...

2. Let the new folks I am assisting clean the things to learn about inspect, maintain and cleaning. Mentors did this to me...

Worked for my Mentors.
I done turned into my Mentors.

No wonder they grinned a lot...:D

[DWARREN123]

I have recently started using Rem oil with Rem 40-X bore cleaner. It cleans the revolvers very well especially the face of the cylinder. I like CLP as a lube.
Mine are Rugers so fairly easy to disassemble for cleaning.

[Matt Almeda]

Hi,
At the shop we do total disassembly so we use parts cleaners filled with Simple Green. It's great for removing gunk, dirt and old lube. There are table top parts cleaners you can purchase that are not too expensive and even cheaper are Rubbermaid wash bins. After a complete scrub down, we use compressed air to blow it dry. At the house you could use a hair dryer. We then spray everyting down using a light gun oil and let it sit for a few minutes. Bores and cylinders get rodded. Then everything is wiped down and a light amount Breakfree/CLP is applied where parts move and contact.
It's actually pretty quick to clean guns this way and it does a great job.

P.S. Don't put your wood grips in the simple green. Just a damp cloth and wipe them down.

Have a great day!

[EddieCoyle]

I have mostly S&W revolvers. I remove the grips, loosen 1 sideplate screw, and pull the cylinder off. Then I spray everything down with MPro7, let it sit for 20 minutes, spray it again, then brush the surfaces with a nylon brush, and wipe off with a rag. Then I run a bore brush through the barrel and cylinders followed by a couple of patches. Finally, I put some CLP on a Q-tip, put lube where lube needs to go, and reassemble. I can do about six revolvers in an hour.

[gvf]

Re: any finishes it's unfriendly to: not that I'm aware of. The one I use is "Gunslick" Foaming Bore Cleaner". Perhaps same info on the can is at www.gunslick.com. It has only one "not recommended": for gas-operated automatics; it is recommended for "recoil-operated automatics".

Best

[ArchAngelCD]

Take a look at these sites:
http://www.geocities.com/kemays/pistolclean.html
http://www.geocities.com/kemays/cleanrev.html
http://attrition.org/technical/firearms/357clean/

[valor1]

Those are good links ArchAngelCD. Thanks so much. Is it recommended that we disassemble the whole revolver prior to cleaning?

[ArchAngelCD]

No, you don't have to disassemble most revolvers before cleaning. That page is for the Ruger Six series of revolvers and even those don't have to be disassembled to clean them properly. He really doesn't disassembled the revolver if you look at each step so I don't know why there is a link at the bottom for reassembly. I posted that page because of the excellent pictures on the site. It's so much easier to understand what you see rather than just reading it.