Cleaning Chambers in 357 Magnum

[PAAiredale]

I have a S&W 686+ 357 Magnum and shoot a lot of 38 Special. Because the chamber has two diameters machined in it (larger diameter for the cartridge, smaller diameter for the bullet), and because the 38 cartridge is short I get a lot of gunk deposited in the chamber. This is extremely difficult to clean out.

Question 1: What sort of problems (such as safety, accuracy, erosion, etc.) can this gunk in the chamber cause?

Question 2: What method do you use to remove the chamber residue left from shooting 38 Special in your 357 Magnum?

 

[DMZ]

1. The gunk can make it difficult for a .357 round to fully seat in the cylinder chambers, which can bind the cylinder, cause a misfire, or worse.

2. Swab each chamber with a good solvent and let it set for a while. Take a bore brush, wrap a solvent soaked patch around it, and scrub out each cylinder chamber thoroughly. The quick way is to put a bore brush in a cordless, variable speed drill, and using low speed, clean out the chambers. I use and recommend the manual method.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

1. High pressures can result with heavy buildup, in extreme cases it can become dangerous.

2. Use a nylon 40 caliber bore brush with a cleaner that is good on carbon. Works like a charm.

 

[ogree]

This is why it is best to shoot .357 out of a .357, If you want to shoot .38.........buy a .38

Given enough time of shooting 38's out of your .357....eventually that's all you will be able to use in it due to erosion.

 

[Bush Pilot]

I spoke to one of the ballistics guys at one of the major powder companies recently about this exact subject. He said as long as you clean your gun you should never have a problem and he wouldn't give it a second thought.

 

[novaDAK]

a close member of my family has a colt .357 that has been shooting almost .38spl exclusively for the past 25 years...it has always been cleaned after shooting, and today it still has no problems shooting .357mag. No cases sticking, etc.

 

[Steve C]

I don't know why some make it out like its a big chore or something to clean the chambers after shooting .38's. Cleaning out the cylinder of residue left by .38's in a .357 mag, is the same procedure as cleaning after shooting magnum ammo. I've always used a 38 cal bore brush and a solvent like Hoppes, Shooter Choice or Ed's Red. Pushed through and pulled back out for each chamber and followed by a dry patch on a jag. If its really dirty or leaded it may take 2 or 3 passes with the solvent soaked brush. Once the chambers are dry of solvent I run a lightly oiled patch through for rust prevention.

 

[Ala Dan]

Before Using A Solvent, and

Besides other recommendations, always tote a spent .357 magnum
shell casing in your range bag. When the chamber's become dirty
from shoot'in .38 Special lead bullets; insert the .357 magnum case
into each charge hole, as it pushes all lead deposits and unburned
powder to the end of the chamber. Then, clean as recommended
above.

 

[gwnorth]

Simply because of cost, I shoot a ton of .38spl in my Ruger .357's, and I never have any problem (I shoot mostly WWB and Amer. Eagle .38spl FMJ). I really do not find it "extremely difficult" to keep the cylinders cleaned out, and I've never had a problem chambering .357 rounds when I want to shoot those.

Just clean after every shoot - use a .40 bronze brush, then swab the chambers down with a good solvent and let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then patches until clean. I honestly don't get why this is such a big issue for folks?

 

[StrawHat]

Similar to what Ala Dan does I keep a 357 case but I filed notches into the mouth to act as teeth. I also put a handle on it. When done for the day I ream the chamber area and clean as usual.

No big deal,

 

[Brian Williams]

Lewis Lead Remover, now owned by Brownells, this is the best way to remove lead build ups any where in your gun.
My next best, but most used is a slightly flared 357 case.

I rarely shoot 38s in my 357s.

 

[Master Blaster]

They make .357 chamber brushes which are longer and about .40 in diameter, Midway sells them.


You could also use a .40 brush to clean the chambers, I find Hoppes elite solvent, which used to be called MPro7 works great, and is non toxic has no fumes, and doesn't cause my fingers to peel.

 

[jjohnson]

Lewis Lead Remover

Lewis Lead Remover, now owned by Brownells, this is the best way to remove lead build ups any where in your gun.

The Lewis Lead Remover is probably the best piece of cleaning equipment in the past 46 years of shooting. An incredible scrubbing device, well worth the price of a box of ammo.

 

[ClemY]

I like to clean revolver chambers with oversize bronze brushes and a Dewalt portable hand drill. Works great.

 

[ojh]

Given enough time of shooting 38's out of your .357....eventually that's all you will be able to use in it due to erosion.

I just wonder, why would a .38 cause erosion in a .357 chamber, but not in a .38 chamber? The flame is the same!

 

[DMZ]

I just wonder, why would a .38 cause erosion in a .357 chamber, but not in a .38 chamber? The flame is the same!

I have always wondered about that. I would think that a .357 would cause more erosion than a .38.

This whole subject of shooting .38 in .357's (or .44 spl's in .44 mag) and cruding out the chambers has always been something of a moot point to me. My chambers get dirty regardless of what round I shoot in them. I clean them out after each trip to the range.

 

[Claude Clay]

my S&W 60 5" is dedicated to 357 and if i want a lower power level i will load it in 357 cases. the others i will use a flexi-extender with a brass brush at low rpm; dip in hoppes for each chamber and 6 chambers takes 5 minutes. no grunt work, comes out shiny new and still spec perfect after 20+ years. if the crud builds you may need dental picks (and band-aids) to clean the 'shelf' area in the chamber. the steel wound brushes are good only in chambers that are shelfless.

 

[spwenger]

+1 on the Lewis Lead Remover...

Lewis Lead Remover, now owned by Brownells, this is the best way to remove lead build ups any where in your gun.

...with a caveat:

When removing the crust just behind the step to the throat, that has not come out with normal cleaning, I take a fresh patch of the brass gauze and form it around the plug. I then unscrew the plug from the handle and insert the handle from the front of the chamber and screw the plug back on, at the rear of the cylinder. I then work the plug into the chamber, with a clockwise twist and bring it only to the shoulder of the throat, where I rotate it a few times. My experience has been that if you pull the plug through the throat, it will size it to the diameter of the throat and not work well on the next chamber. For this reason, I then back the plug out of the chamber, unscrew it and repeat the process with the next chamber.

As I rarely shoot cast bullets these day, I don't normally use the Lewis Lead Remover for the bore and forcing cone. So long as as I restrict its use to the chambers, as described above, I can continue to use the same brass "patch" for a long time.

 

[PRM]

.38/.357

I have been shooting 38s in a model 60, .357 for about 10 years now. Just clean it good and no problems. I chose the 357 so it would safely digest the .38+p on a regular basis. I have had no problems using either round.

 

[Deanimator]

An appropriately sized borebrush should do just fine. I never have any problems.

 

[Black Knight]

I remove the cylinder on mine and soak it in an old mayonaise jar half full of Hoppes. After I finish cleaning the rest of the gun I clean the cylinder. By soaking all that gunk it is so much easier to clean. It comes out relatively easy. After the cylinder is clean, back in the crane it goes then the whole assembly goes back in the frame.

 

[pdangeruss]

In my .357's I use a chamber brush. Part # 084-450-137 from Brownells.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/productdetail.aspx?p=1287&st=&s=4876

A little CLP, about 3 swipes in each cylinder then just a patch till clean. It gets everything and is fast and easy. It's bronze, oversized for the chamber and works quite well. Now the rings on the face of the cylinder, that's a different story.

 

[.38 Special]

The folks who claim that it's easy and that a couple of passes with a brush is all that's necessary have never encountered a truly fouled specimen. Those of us who have know that it's possible to iron a ring of lead into the chambers that's nearly as hard as the chamber itself. A "couple of passes" with that brass brush accomplishes exactly nothing.

ClemY has the right idea as far as I am concerned. Go ahead and try the brush and the soak and the Lewis tool. If one of those works, consider yourself lucky. If not, chuck up that oversize brush into the drill motor and spin away. I've had guns that even required a steel "tornado" brush to completely remove the fouling.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

For chamber cleaning, I use a well-used .45 brush and chuck it into my cordless drill. Generously apply cleaning solvent and then spin the brush in the chamber for 10-15 second, moving the drill slightly back and forth a bit.

It seems to work really well, and I don't worry about fouling in the chambers.

 

[.38 Special]

You might also consider chucking a brass brush into a drill motor and spinning it in each chamber.