First day at the range and cleaning question

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TrakHack

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Today was my first day actually shooting my gun, which is a Colt Cobra .38 special with a 2" barrel. I practiced dry-firing earlier in the week, but today was the first day of live shooting. I've attached the target of my first twelve rounds, shot at 7 yards. I'm pretty pleased. :)

I've also attached a picture of the cylinder, which I'm in the process of cleaning. Most residue on other parts of the gun has come off with CLP and a little elbow grease, but this stuff on the cylinder seems to be very stubborn. Any suggestions of different products to use? This gun is nickel, if that makes any difference.

Sorry for the blurry pics and my red fingers. It was about 37 degrees outside and my hands are still freezing!
 
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Try a harsher gun cleaning solvent that dissolves stubborn powder residue.

I'd say go with some Hoppes #9. There's some other options but some of them involved solutions that can affect the nickel plating. The Hoppes may need to sit on the stains a bit longer but they'll cut through these deposits in time. If needed pack the front of the cylinder with some paper towel that is soaked in the Hoppes and then wrap the works up in some plastic stretch wrap. Go have dinner and watch a movie and perhaps even sleep on it (not literally :D) and unwrap it the next day or at least late in the evening. The deposits should come away with a slight wipe by that time.
 
I'd say go with some Hoppes #9. There's some other options but some of them involved solutions that can affect the nickel plating.
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IIRC, Hoppes #9 is one of those cleaners that damages nickel over time.

If you just have to get that residue off (you really don't), I understand lighter fluid is very effective and safe on nickel. I tried a regular ol' pink pencil eraser, and it works well to get the heavy stuff off. Flitz or simichrome would probably also work, though long term use might wear the plating.

To be honest, I don't think you should worry about the fouling on the front of the cylinder. Trying to get it off everytime you shoot will likely wear the plating. Just wipe it down after you shoot and let it be. It'll just show up again, and doesn't hurt anything while there. Gives the gun some character, too.
 
You worked hard to get that there in the first place.
No need to work hard getting it off, it'll just be back the next time you shoot.

Remember any of the chemical cleaners will be very hard on the finish.
It'll eventually affect the barrel/cylinder gap.
 
I can never get that crap off the front of my revolvers cylinder. I've just come to accept it. Don't apologize for the fingers. It's a nice to see a lady's hand on this board for a change!
 
Thanks for the replies, guys.

You worked hard to get that there in the first place.
No need to work hard getting it off, it'll just be back the next time you shoot.
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I like this philosophy. The gun and cleaning supplies have been put away, but I will pick up some Flitz.

I've got a .22 on it's way that I'm looking forward to using for practice. It doesn't have nickel so I'm hoping I won't feel quite so compelled to keep it looking pretty at all times!
 
You will increase the cylinder gap by constantly trying to remove the crud. What ever doesn't come off with simple cleaning is not worth messing with. Using abrasives and breathing fumes from carb cleaner is not worth the price. Concentrate on cleaning the bore and chambers. There's safe queens and there's shooters.
 
They sell cleaning cloths, Lead Away that I use to clean my stainless Ruger SRH. No scrubbing, no brushes, etc. Just a few wipes and the face of the cylinder is clean.
 
Don't use any of the lead wipe cloths on blued guns as it takes off the blue as good as the lead and carbon. Its great for stainless steel and nickle plated guns.

For the front of the cylinder on blued revolvers I usually brush with an old toothbrush dipped on bore solvent and if its really being difficult to clean I'll use some fine steel wool dipped in a bit of solvent. Usually I just use my finger tip behind the steel wool or wrap it around a Popsicle stick to do the scrubbing.
 
Watch how often you use the Flitz. It has a fine abrasive polishing powder in the mix that over time will wear away at the nickel. A couple of times a year won't hurt much at first but over a long enough time of steady use you'll wear out the nickel plating.

I think I actually remember reading about Hoppes not being good for nickel plating somewhere now that MrBorland brought it up. So in light of this I tend to agree with the others about not getting too caught up in cleaning the front of the cylinder. As long as it's not actually "crusty" and built up to the point that it's thick enough to rub the forcing cone and prevent the cylinder from rotating it's likely just fine.
 
I've found that guns really dont have to be sterile to function flawlessly. As a matter of fact, I have heard a lot of speak that a little bit of Carbon residue can be a good thing.

You used CLP and elbow grease, so it should be quite alright. I use Hoppes #9, but well ... mine aren't nickel.
 
It's carbon scoring, just leave it there. If it doesn't come off in normal cleaning, it belongs there. Any attempts to remove it, especially after every range session, will be far more likely to damage your nickel finish and does absolutely no good. This is ESPECIALLY true of abrasives like Flitz and lead removal cloths. Nickel is soft and not very thick, constant use of abrasives will wear through it. Then you've got a real problem.
 
Think of the carbon rings like the seasoning of a cast iron skillet. I just brush mine with a nylon brush and bore cleaner to get built up stuff off and leave the rings that just discolor the metal.
 
Think of the carbon rings like the seasoning of a cast iron skillet.
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I like that, a seasoned skillet, that is good.

I always looked at it like a pair of shoes, I clean the chunky stuff of the soles but I don't bother trying to keep the soles polished.
 
Rem Bore Cleaner

I've found that the Remington Bore Cleaner product, sold at most gun and Wally World stores does a vice job of keeping my revos clean with very little elbow grease.

It's cheap too. I just put some and let it sit for a few minutes, and then rub/wipe off with a lint free rag. Keeps the 642 looking new.
 
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