Cleaning revolvers -- what's best?

[Mastrogiacomo]

I'm getting the Colt Detective Special. Normally I use MPro7 on all my guns, which works very well. Is it safe to use on the Colt DS as well? It's a used gun and will need to be cleaned as it's been sitting around a lot but it looks to be in very good condition regardless.

 

[Mark whiz]

I haven't seen a gun yet that Mpro could hurt...................I like the stuff. Scrubb it up good.

 

[moxie]

Here's my standard cleaning info

Try this:

I've used this procedure on all civilian guns for over 30 years, except that I don't think I had Breakfree and Rem Oil for the whole time:
1. Clean entire gun with Hoppe's #9, one of the smells of freedom, the other being burnt JP 4, or Breakfree aerosol (carburetor cleaner works almost as good), depending on how dirty the gun is. Use a bronze bristle brush in the barrels and chambers to break up the crud, then cotton patches on a slotted tip until clean. Use a jag for a couple of swipes to get that last bit of crud out of the barrel. Use an old bristle brush to clean the bolt/breech face on rifles and autos and the cylinder face on revolvers. Scrub around the forcing cone with the bristle brush if shooting lead bullets out of a revolver.
2. Saturate with WD 40 (no, I've never had a problem) or Rem Oil, whichever comes to hand first.
3. Wipe off thoroughly with cotton rag and Q tips and slotted tip/jag with cotton patches. Get chambers bone dry (oil can kill primers).
4. Drip tiny drops of Hoppe's gun oil or similar on points of wear.
5. For autos, put a little dab of a good grease like Rig (or the old black Outers/Garcia stuff) on the slide rails and any bright spots. Ditto on friction and wear points in a rifle. Speaking of rifles, if a gas powered auto, clean the gas ports and tubes with a pipe cleaner. On M 16s and similar, make sure the key ways on the bolt rings are out of line.
6. Apply very thin coat of Hoppe's gun oil in barrel using a wool or cotton mop.
7. Thoroughly wipe off any excess.
8. Before a range session, run a clean patch through the barrel.
For magazines and moon clips, I use only Hoppe's #9 and dry thoroughly. Absolutely no oil, it can kill primers.
In the military we used milspec bore cleaner and LSA. Worked great. If you're on a budget get some of these at a surplus outlet and you'll be OK. Lots of guys have used thin motor oil or transmission fluid for gun oil with good results too.

 

[JNewell]

I agree with Mark. There are some things that the spray-on MP7 is not great for...I don't think it's as good a powder solvent as some of the "traditional" solvents, and it's definitely not as good at removing copper...and doesn't really touch lead...but it's good enough on powder residue and copper, and it doesn't require you to file an environmental impact report and get OSHA clearance before you use it. For lead, I watch what I'm shooting and use a Lewis lead remover for the rest. MP7 has a great deal going for it. (For stubborn fouling, I find that the gel MP7 works very well on copper...they say it's the same as the spray, but it seems to work better on copper fouling.)

 

[Marshall]

Hoppe's #9, one of the smells of freedom

Ain't that the truth!

 

[Quantrill]

Lewis Lead Remover and US Army bore cleaner

 

[christophera]

My routine is Hoppe's on everything external and breakfree on the inside. I'd use breakfree on the outside too but it doesn't get the cylinder as clean for my liking. Of course I scrub the heck out of the front until it looks new.

 

[tex_n_cal]

Mastro, are you getting a blued DS, or nickel?

Hoppes #9 is a healthy, all natural mixture of kerosene, alcohol, and ammonia which works pretty well for general cleaning in the bore of the gun and chambers of the cylinder. For a revolver it should do fine, though there are better cleaners for high powered rifles, like Shooters Choice, JB, or Butch's Bore Shine.

The ammonia in #9 tends to corrode brass, so it's not too good to clean the cylinders and then load the gun, if you plan to leave it loaded. I like to finish out the cylinder with a good oil, like Break Free or Rem oil, then dry it, to ensure that the corrosive cleaners aren't left in the chambers.

If you ever get lead in the bore a Lewis Lead remover (or a LOT of brushing) will get it out.

If you have a Nickeled or stainless revo there is a cleaning cloth sold which has a mildly abrasive paste on it, which works well for cleaning the powder deposits off the outside of the cylinder. I forget the make, and mine is packed away at the moment, but it works well on stainess. I haven't had a nickel revo in a long time, but use caution on them as I recall the nickel scratches pretty easily.

I really like Bore Snakes, as they are convenient to store, easily carried in range bags, or packs, and allow cleaning from the breech forward, which is a little better for the barrel.

 

[Bullet Bob]

I've used most of the products on the market for decades, and the one that works the best for me is Elbow Grease.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

This gun will be a blued Colt Detective Special. I HATE break free so I can't use that -- the smell alone damn near kills me. I'll be cleaning this indoors so I don't want anything that will knock me on my behind.

 

[christophera]

This gun will be a blued Colt Detective Special. I HATE break free so I can't use that -- the smell alone damn near kills me. I'll be cleaning this indoors so I don't want anything that will knock me on my behind.

As far as I can tell everything mentioned before should be used in a well ventilated area. Just open a window or two.

 

[sm]

Mastrogiacomo

Congrats on the new DS.

I respect the fact everyone's nose has its druthers...

Agree with Lewis Lead Remover, or the poor fellow's version- ChoreBoy or Brass wrapped around a brush.

Mineral Spirits, Zippo Lighter Fluid, works.

Overlooked often- but very good is G96 , and RIG #44 bore cleaner ( Dist. by Silenco).

You need to go outside to use CRC Brakleen - red can, ( less monies than Gun Scrubber).

Pipe Cleaners , long wooden QTips and the Pull through kits from Otis, or , OxYoke's "Zip Kit"...to Avoid going from the muzzle end.

You could be like me and use the round utility brush from the auto parts /hardware store. You "squish" the round end a bit...holds a patch real well. Cleaning them charge holes...push brush through and the patch finishes the pass

I still like to use a length of rawhide with a slit to put a patch through tho' .