Cleaning an 1851 Colt Navy

[TheWall]

I just got a Pietta Colt Navy and have fired it twice. After both shooting sessions I took off the barrel and thoroughly cleaned the barrel, bore, cylinder, nipples and cylinder pin.

Tonight I also took off the trigger guard and gave the trigger area, mainspring and inside of the grips a good cleaning with Ballistol and a toothbrush. There was some powder residue on the trigger guard.

Should I take off the trigger guard every time I clean the gun or is it something that should be done only once every 3 or 4 shooting sessions.

Thanks.

 

[mykeal]

You can safely limit cleaning the action parts to an occasional basis. I personally clean them every 4 or 5, even 6 uses, or quarterly if the gun has not been used.

 

[Tommygunn]

I would clean the frame and the hammer, and the slot in the back where the hammer fits.
I don't think you really need to do a complete disassemble every time you shoot, especially if you don't shoot a lot at a session.
I happen to be a bit obsessive so I always break it down and clean -- even individual parts get cleaned and a coat of oil or preservative before reassembly and storage. BP residue tends to promote rust.
Some people argue whether BP is hygroscopic or the residue is. I don't feel like getting involved in that; I simply like the idea that my gun gets cleaned and stored that way.
I have found BP particles tend to get everywhere inside a gun, though, so I would clean it very thoroughly maybe not every session, but regularly.

 

[TheWall]

Thanks guys. Very helpful.

 

[razorback1010]

Once you managed to unscrew all the factory tightened screws without damaging the head, taking apart a Colt or a Rem is a child's play, that's why I always completely disassemble my guns for cleaning, there's always fouling going everywhere, but I agree with Tommygunn, it's not mandatory to do it each time.

 

[pohill]

I strip, clean and lube every part of a BP gun after I shoot it. Do you have to? I've seen guns that weren't completely cleaned and it ain't pretty to see what BP does to metal. I think 777 is different, but I don't use it.
Plus, I find things in the internals of the gun that shouldn't be there - mostly spent cap pieces. If you learn how to completely strip and reassemble the gun at home, it's alot easier when you're at the range and something jams - you can fix it in no time.

 

[Im283]

I don't always break down the action of the revolvers but I always remove the trigger guard and soak the assembled parts in steaming hot soapy water. The water is hot enough to evaporate fairly quick and witha good coating of olive oil I have seen no rust. I disassemble about every third shooting or so.

 

[scrat]

i try to break down my guns everytime i shoot them. If not i keep track of which ones have been broken down as it takes so long to clean them all. Or lets just say i spend a lot of time cleaning them.

 

[Pancho]

Pohill is so right. It is far better to learn how to strip your gun at home in an ideal situation just in case you need to do it out in the field or range. It will also teach you what minimum tools you'll need to have to perform the strip.
To add to Im283, after rinsing I give the gun a liberal bath in rubbing alcohol. Alcohol has a lower surface tension than water and will go places water won't go it will also speed the drying time.

 

[scrat]

Then after that forget the gun oil. i am now using graphite. So far the stuff works very well and unlike a wet lubricant it wont attract powder or spent pieces of caps.

 

[Pancho]

Scrat, are you using the dry lock lubricant graphite that comes in the small tube? Sounds like a good idea.

 

[scrat]

yep the dry stuff. Only lube i use is a small amount of molly lube on the shaft the cylinder rides on.

 

[Im283]

where do you purchase the graphite?

Years ago I had some in a tackle box and we would put a little on reels.

One thing about the graphite. As I remember it was a very fine powder.
Does it adhere to parts like a liquid oil will?

 

[Pancho]

Any hardware store should have it. It is sold as a lock lubricant and comes in a small tube. To look at it you'd think that it was some kind of grease but it isn't it is finely powdered graphite.

 

[razorback1010]

Do you just rub the parts with it ? Dip them in ? Blow some over ? Seems to be interesting.

 

[daleNabq]

Graphite a great lube, but not sure it prevents rust...

 

[scrat]

i purchased it at an auto parts store. they use it for lubricating speedometer cables. its in a tube. You squeeze and the powder comes out then i just work it in the works. it leaves a nice gray coat on the parts and it just seems to work very good. Best part like i say nothing sticks to it. So later on clean up is very easy. as opposed to liquid oil. i took apart a couple of my revolvers and used the graphite in one and oil in the other. after a lot of shooting the oil one looks like you normally see. Which leeds to believe if i do a lot more shooting it will just continue to stick and build up on the oil. The graphite though was really clean. I really could have just left it that way and just put it back together. So im going to be buying a couple more tubes and just stick with that. i know they do make a graphite spray lube too. im not too sure i would use that as im sure graphite will go over everything. but same time if you mask off the parts you dont want. THat might be a good idea too.

 

[Perk]

Sounds like that graphite idea might have some merit. The stuff is murder on locks, for the build-up. But, in this application - with cleaning occurring on a regular basis - build-up shouldn’t pose a problem.

And, its true; because it is a finely ground mineral, graphite tends to shed dirt and contaminants. This, as opposed to oils, which actually seem to tend to draw in such contaminants.

‘D be curious to hear of how it works, on down the line…

 

[mykeal]

I think you may be mistaking corrosion protection for lubrication. It's a good idea to reduce friction and thus improve part life, but a more important requirement is preventing oxygen reactions - oxide (rust) formation. Graphite does nothing to prevent atmospheric oxygen from reacting with the iron atoms in steel. You're going to need some sort of oxygen barrier.

 

[Im283]

What about a silicone spray as a lube and oxygen barrier?

Is it a dino base lube? I dunno really. I used to be in the printing business and it worked great on hydraulic paper cutters for sliding huge lifts of paper on the cutting bed.

 

[mykeal]

Silicone sprays are not petroleum based. I don't know if they provide an adequate oxygen barrier; they might.

 

[Perk]

http://www.graphitetrading.co.uk/55301.html (?)

 

[scrat]

Perk thats the stuff. That stuff is awesome. Best stuff ever. Rust prevention in the add too. Im hooked. i really like it. you guys need to try it. You will really like it.

 

[mykeal]

The 'rust prevention' comes from the 'light engineering oil'. Same as using gun oil.