How Do You Clean Your Nickle Plated Guns?

[carbine85]

My Father-in Law gave me (2) S&W Nickle Plated Revolvers. Both need a good cleaning and polishing.
Everything I read says to use Hoppes and don't use Hoppes, use CLP and don't use CLP.
So what are the best and safest methods?

 

[Loosedhorse]

Avoid all abrasives (including dirty cloths, which contain grit), all copper removers, and all penetratives (like Kroil). The last two undermine the nickel.

I like to finish with a thin coating of thick oil (don't reverse that! ), such as Break-Free Collector; or even a wax (like Renaissance wax).

 

[pendennis]

You can use Flitz or Mothers Mag Polish. The trick is to use your bare finger to apply. Both of those have a very mild abrasive in them. The nickel finish has probably oxidized a bit, and these polishes will remove the oxidization. Using your finger will insure you don't get too frisky. Polish out with a soft cotton flannel or microfiber cloth.

You can then apply Renaissance Wax or Johnson's Paste Wax to coat the revolver. The wax repels moisture, and keeps the oxidization at bay.

 

[carbine85]

I have some McQuirers Polish for show car finish. Will that work?

 

[BCRider]

That should work fine.

The Flitz isn't bad if only used on occasion. But you don't want to make a habit of it. As mentioned it IS somewhat abrasive so each time you bring back the shine it does so by removing the smallest amount of surface plating and leaves behind a thinner layer.

Also avoid any automotive waxes which have a milky thick creme like consistency. Most of those sort of car waxes have a measure of Flitz like fine abrasive content.

Note that waxes will be dissolved by most oils. So if you tend to wipe the gun down with an oily rag there's not much point in using any wax. This doesn't mean you don't oil the gun. Just that you only oil it where you've got running or sliding contacts. And try to use only enough so it doesn't run out of the places it's needed.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

I'm no chemist, but I have successfully used RemOil as a cleaner with no ill effects. It will not clean the carbon off the front of a revolver cylinder, and some tight areas around the barrel in the frame, but it cleans the chambers & bore and does not appear to harm the nickel in any way. I see no need to hard rub the cleaner exterior surfaces except with a light soft rag and some RemOil, and possibly drying it off with another clean soft cotton rag, and then occasionally applying Renaissance Wax, as mentioned above.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

There is a potential problem with any copper solvent on nickel plating. It can penetrate the nickel - which is actually porous - and attack the copper layer underneath, which will eventually cause the nickel to loosen and peel. But I just used Hoppe's in the bore and chambers (which are not plated), the same as I did with my others. Just be sure to wipe off any spatters. I did a wipedown of exterior surfaces with a lightly oiled soft cloth (a good last use for my old T-shirts).

 

[Dr.Rob]

My generalized confusion about this has made me pass on several nickel guns.

 

[trex1310]

I use Mother's on mine. Wipe down with a soft cloth.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I use Mothers to polish mine, too. To clean the front of the cylinder, I use a white ink eraser.

 

[Hk Dan]

Are y9ou asking about a modern gun? Nickel hasn't been done on new guns in a long time. It's likely stainless as opposed to Nickle if it was made inthe last 60 years.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Are y9ou asking about a modern gun? Nickel hasn't been done on new guns in a long time. It's likely stainless as opposed to Nickle if it was made inthe last 60 years.

What????Nickel was very common up thru the early 80's.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Just a few years ago S&W brought out a bunch of limited runs of N-frame gun with nickel finish (3" .44 Specials and .45ACP's, and some 4" M21's and M22"s, for instance). I think they offered the Model 1917's in blue, case hardened, and nickel, also, not to mention the newer .38 Centennial.

 

[BCCL]

Brand new Nickel EAA Bounty Hunter, bought NIB last month.

 

[Jeff22]

I believe that mineral oil used to be the recommended solvent to clean a nickle plated gun

 

[Loosedhorse]

It's likely stainless as opposed to Nickle if it was made inthe last 60 years.

Point of history: the first stainless gun (model, anyone? ) was produced in 1965. So, in 2025 they will have been around for 60 years.

Sorry to be a stickler. A guy once wanted to sell me a .41 Magnum at a significant premium, because it was a "classic made in the '50s."

 

[The Bushmaster]

And all these years I've been doing it wrong. I use Hoppe's #9 Nitro solvent, Benchrest #9 copper solvent, swab it out with ATF. Finish with a dry patch and wipe the weapon dry with an old [clean] T-shirt.

I bought this S&W Model 19 nickel plated .357 magnum new in 1986. I see no loss or deteriation of the nickel plating.