Cleaning carbon build up

[skt239]

When cleaning my Vaquero, I pour a puddle of hopps in a small plastic dish, clean the chambers, scrub the front with a brush, and then set the cylinder face down in the dish. I leave it there while I go to work on the rest of the gun. Once I'm done, I take a rag wrapped around my finger and give the face another good scrubbing. For my non single actions, it's just the brush and the finger technique.

I've used led away cloths in the past but stopped some years ago. It was not the gradual metal removal that stopped me from using them (I just found out about that a few years ago) but the smell and the way it made my skin dry and itchy when I came in contact with it. If you've never used a cloth before, I'd recommend wearing gloves.

I think that if there is the slightest chance of altering dimensions they should be avoided. If you plan on shooting the gun once then putting it up for good or selling it, by all means get rid of the rings. However, I can't understand why people go to such lengths to get rid of something that's just going to be right back the next time you shoot.

The carbon rings won't affect accuracy or function but an a abrasive that removes metal and alters dimensions could. I'd rather have the carbon rings and the metal that goes with them than a squeaky clean gun.

 

[CraigC]

Soooooooooo!if I were to have a dozen kids I COULD PUT THEM TO BED DIRTY?.If I were lazy.

We're not talking about kids. Kids need cleaning every day. Guns don't. His point is that while it might be okay to obsess about these things if you have 2 or 3 revolvers and shoot once a month. When you have a few dozen and shoot all the time, you learn that having all your guns squeaky clean all the time is more trouble than it's worth. I don't believe in cleaning guns every time you shoot but scrubbing these carbon rings off cylinders of stainless guns every time you shoot is way beyond that. If you don't do it to blued or plated guns, then what is really the point in doing it to stainless guns??? All you're really doing is satisfying your own compulsion. It is unnecessary effort.

 

[TrueTexan]

"bar keepers friend" cleaning powder takes it right off.

BarKeepers Friend is great for my kitchen sink and stainless steel appliances but not my guns it is very abrasive .

I was told S&W says not to try and remove the dark rings .from the cylinder face as they have a titanium alloy on the cylinder face of the 7 shot.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Thanks Craig

 

[Jurist]

cleaning guns

All comments understood.Just kidding about the kids.

 

[Coal Dragger]

I know they don't hurt anything, but being a lazy man I will still use the ultrasonic cleaner with steel cleaning solution as offered by Lyman on my cylinders for my FA. Shot the .45ACP cylinder yesterday with some loads that should probably not be run through a semi-auto. At any rate a 255gr hard cast semi-wadcutter over a very stout (as in I'm not going to tell you how much powder!) charge of power pistol, left lots of carbon rings and unfortunately fairly heavy leading too.

All it took to get all the carbon off the cylinder face was running the cylinder in the ultrasonic with the tank heater on while I cleaned the rest of the gun. I then took the cylinder out, and dried it off (not real hard since the solution is pretty hot and it air dries quickly). Then I patched all the chambers out, and wiped the front of the cylinder off with a solvent soaked patch and all the carbon that was left came off.

Is it necessary to clean it off to that extent? No. Is it easy for me with the equipment I have? Yes. In fact it is probably easier for me to clean it this way than by hand, and it does a better job.

Now I need to consider the issue of leading in that barrel. I am considering an experiment with fire-lapping since there is a slight constriction at the threads, and I'm pretty sure if I got it out this barrel wouldn't lead at all.