cleaning my S&W 686p

[peetee32]

first off just wanted to say thanks for a thread a while ago...i asked about why my home defense revolver was failing to fire, and you directed me towards the screw under the grip that puts tension on the main spring...after screwing it in tight it was good as new!

anyway...i was in a hardware store recently and saw a three pack of nice toothbrush type cleaning tools for grills. a nylon brush, a brass brush, and a stainless steel brush. i decided to buy it for gun cleaning purposes, but have not used them yet.

i am fine with cleaning the inside of the barrel and inside of the cylinders, the areas i have trouble with are (forgive me as i don't know the correct terms):

the area on the end of the barrel where the bullet enters (cone?)
the area above and below the cylinder (corners especially)
the area behind the ejector and the ejector "star"
the area where you can see the firing pin (again the corners)

i can never seem to get the crud out of these places 100% and they get pretty fouled up after a few hundred rounds. normally i soak a nylon brush in hoppes cleaning fluid and scrub constantly for what seems like hours to get it clean.

on a recent trip to the range the guy told me to use one of those above brushes on the areas i mentioned above. he also suggested a cleaning cloth that i ended up buying and gave it a quick rub down after the range and it did a pretty amazing job...it was kinda greasy and smelled like a pina coloda.

so...which brush (if any) would be the best to use on those areas i mentioned, and would there be any harm using any of them on the OUTSIDE of the cylinder as well.

 

[earplug]

A bit of crud in the joint between the barrel and frame is ok. I keep this area moist with a solvent made for firearms. As you an I brush and lube after each range session, This reduces the buildup.
If you shoot often, practice and compete. There are other things to worry about then a bit of bullet lube, lead splatter or such between the forcing cone area of the barrel and the frame. If your unlucky enough to have a yoke and cylinder that collects crud that binds the cylinder, you will have to dismount the yoke and remove the cylinder to clean. Keeping this bearing surface wet with a firearm solvent/lube will help.
There is no need to scrub it to death after each range session.

 

[Zeede]

Don't use the stainless steel brush. You can scratch up the gun really badly with it. The nylon one is probably too soft to really give it a good scrub, but the brass one should be good for your needs.

Cameron

 

[Mr.Revolverguy]

A Brass brush is the way to go.

the area on the end of the barrel where the bullet enters (cone?)

If I buy something used that someone has kept very clean I break out a dental pick. They are small enough to get in there and maneuver around. I little easy scraping then putting a few drops kroil. Then you should be able to take a nylon brush to it and keep it clean. Once I have mine clean like that I never need anything more than a nylon brush.

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

You can buy some nylon bristle brushes out of most shooting accessory catalogs such as brownell's or cabelas. I have been recycling my old tooth brushes, they work pretty good. As far as getting the crud out of tight places, try using some white scotch brite. It is soft enough that it will not take metal off when rubbing and you can cut it square so it will fit into tight places. If that doesn't work, wrap the scotch brite around a square dowel and try again.

 

[Highway_Star]

Try a Lewis Lead Remover for your forcing cone. I've not found anything to take leading out of my model 19 rifling and forcing cone like this product.

 

[peetee32]

thanks for the tips...my girl is nice and clean now.

the cleaning cloth i got is AMAZING...the guy at my range was right. i also used the brass brush and it got all the nooks and crannies.

another question...
is it possible to get the barrels inside the cylinder (all 7 of them) to shine like mirrors all the way through? mine show clean when i push a patch through and have been scrubbed and look crud free to my eye...but there appears to be a ring of a darker color around the spot where the shell would end when in the cylinder.

its not the crud ring the forms when switching between .38s and .357 and i am able to load both ammos in with no resistance...but i don't want to waste time scrubbing with a brush and running patches through if this is just a normal wear mark and won't go away with scrubbing.

as always...thanks in advance.

 

[SwampWolf]

Getting totally rid of the "dark color" you're concerned with is not that important. However, you can try wrapping a small section of Remington's "Lead Wipe" (or its equivalent) around a brass brush and scrub the cylinder walls. That should remove most of the discoloration you described.

 

[easyrider604]

mine show clean when i push a patch through and have been scrubbed and look crud free to my eye...but there appears to be a ring of a darker color around the spot where the shell would end when in the cylinder.

Peetee,
This is "ring" is the forcing cone. It is not crud or fouling.