New to Revolvers... I have a question

[22WMR]

I just picked up a S&W 637 and never had a revolver before.

How do I clean it? Does the cylinder come apart from the gun? Do I just use the brush for the barrel in the cylinder? How do I stop the cleaning rod from scraping the sides of the cylinder.

What about the barrel? Does it come apart? Do I clean from the muzzle end? I'm a little lost here.

I just have a bunch of autoloaders and rifles... they are easy to clean. This is new and looks to be a little more difficult.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Remove the cylinder by:

1. Make sure the gun is unloaded.

2. Remove the screw above and slightly in front of the trigger on the right side of the frame.

3. Set aside the screw in a safe place. You can buy a replacement from http://www.brownells.com, but it's easier just to keep the one that came with the gun.

4. Push the cylinder latch forward to release the cylinder, then gently push it leftward through the window in the frame.

5. Push the crane—the part that connects the frame and cylinder—gently foward until it slips free of the frame. The cylinder will slide off the crane. Let the cylinder soak in a good cleaning solution while you clean the rest of the gun.

6. Once all the parts are clean, put the cylinder back on the crane, and gently insert the crane in the frame. If you try to force any of these parts, you'll end up paying for a new crane and gunsmithing services to fit it.

 

[SASS#23149]

The brush that fits the barrel will be a loose fit in the cylinders' 'charge holes',so I go one size bigger for those.
Clean from the muzzle end,and pad the recoil sheild so the rod doesn't bang up the inside of the gun as you push it through.
Don't try to open the gun ujp for lubing unless you have a schematic and a six pack handy.Things will go BOING!! and that's a fact.
dont ask me how I know this.:banghead:

 

[SmithShooter]

Check out the link below for the parts drawing. The screw Standing Wolf is referring to is the Yoke Screw, P/N 33A. Make sure you use screwdriver that correctly fits the screw and do not overtighten when reinstalling. Don't remove any other screws on the Sideplate or try to remove the Sideplate unless you have some experienced help.
http://www.again.net/~steve/ipb-sandw-general.html

 

[wheelgunkid]

Better yet, get an Otis system so you can clean the bore from the breech end, instead of having to insert the rod into the crown. I alternate between the Otis or a bore snake when I clean mine.

 

[XavierBreath]

Let me toss in a couple of pointers....
When you buy the bronze brush, get a short one that will clear the forcing cone of the gun after you run it down the barrel. The reversing of the bristles in the forcing cone or rifling wears out the brush and barrel. You do ram it from the muzzle end. Buy a brass rod to lessen the risk of muzzle damage. You can also buy guides, but I have found them unnecessary myself.
I will often just boresnake the barrel and the chambers. If you boresnake the barrel, start from the forcing cone end.

There is no need to remove the yoke/cylinder unless it does not work properly.
Tornado brushes work great in the chambers. Just open the cylinder and brush each chamber, then run a patch through each one. Alternatively, use a boresnake. The front of the cylinder usually has some pretty tough deposits on it. I don't worry about that, I just wipe off the stuff I can. As soon as the gun is shot again, you will replace the deposits, and leaving them there does no harm. Trying to remove them can cause damage.

It will help greatly to watch how an experienced wheelgun man manipulates a DA revolver in his hands for cleaning and inspection. The key is using two fingers of one of your hands going through the frame and grasping the cylinder. It's hard to describe, but easy to imitate once seen. Handling a DA revolver in this manner makes the entire process much easier. Obviosly, to brush the barrel, you get your fingers out of the way.

My two cents.