removing cylinder residue without scratching...

[BrokenWheel]

I was shooting my my newly acquired S&W, and afterwards noticed some burned on residue on the outside of the stainless cylinder. I tried to use some break free powderblast spray but that did not seem to dissolve it. I finally tried a scotchbrite pad which cleaned it but left tiny scratches. Not wanting to damage the metal any more is there any solvent that would dissolve this burnt powder, without marring the stainless metal?

 

[41magsnub]

Birchwood casey lead remover cloth

I cleaned up a stainless N frame for sale using one and it was perfect. I wouldn't bother between range sessions though.

Note: keep it the heck away from a blued firearm unless you are trying to badly remove the bluing!

 

[gwnorth]

They're just going to come right back the next time you shoot it. Myself, I just use a little hoppes and scrub the cylinder face with a brass or bronze "toothbrush". Gets the junk off, leaves the burn rinngs, but I don't mind them - they indicate I actually do shoot my revolvers is all.

 

[BCRider]

Being sure that the metal has a film of oil before shooting will greatly assist with the powder residue not staining it as deeply.

On my blued guns I've had great results with using Ed's Red as a cleaning mixture. Google it for a recipe for making it at home. No abrasive pads needed. And yes Scotchbrite is highly abrasive and should not be used on a gun's finish unless you're using it to remove the finish or alter it. And of course a blued gun has an oil film on it so that is likely part of the cure.

 

[KJS]

Birchwood casey lead remover cloth

Last year I saw some Youtube video of a guy using that to clean the cylinder face of his S&W 686 and that thing looked factory new real fast. Sure looked impressive since regular cleaners sure don't get that black off.

I personally just leave the face of the cylinder black, as I gather many other do. It doesn't effect performance and it will be back to black after a session of shooting anyhow.

I bet many only feel the need to clean it ultra-shinny if trying to sell it. Sort of like how any used car was only driven to church on Sunday by granny (reality = grandson drove it like a lunatic, checking how fast it could go).

 

[ArmedBear]

Why would you bother doing this at all, especially using something like a bronze brush?

Now I'm seeing how people are removing the finish on their J-frames. I don't think I've ever used a bronze brush (apart from a bore brush) to remove anything but surface rust.

There will be black rings on the cylinder every time you shoot it. That's what a revolver looks like. Unless it's actually buildup, impeding the function of the firearm, I figure, if Hoppes or CLP on a patch don't clean it, the stain can just stay there.

Do you guys Armor-All the treads of your tires, too?

 

[gwnorth]

I only use a bronze brush on my stainless guns. And why? Well, why not? The bronze sure isn't going to hurt the stainless steel, and it quickly and easily gets the carbon and fouling off with a few strokes. Seems to me that is exactly what a bronze utility brush is for - I also use them on the inside of the top strap near the forcing cone.

I would never, however, use a lead-away clothe as it is actually removing surface metal.

 

[Walkalong]

Slip 2000 Carbon Killer & a tooth brush. Let it soak overnight.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // I hold three patches (stacked) over the open Hoopes#9 and tilt bottle to wet patches.

Wipe cylinder face with bottom patch, allow to sit for a few seconds and wipe again.

Flip bottom patch over and wipe, throw away bottom patch, allow to sit then wipe CF with new bottom patch (was middle patch). I also use this patch to wipe cone area and top strap.
Next use tooth brush on these areas, dry patch to clean, then use last Hoopes#9 patch to clean up the ends of the chambers. I put the patch over the end of a chop stick insert and spin.
Dry patch the whole area inside and out, wipe some oil over cylinder face ( like BCRider) and your ready for next time.

 

[SwampWolf]

Birchwood casey lead remover cloth

I cleaned up a stainless N frame for sale using one and it was perfect. I wouldn't bother between range sessions though.

Note: keep it the heck away from a blued firearm unless you are trying to badly remove the bluing!

What he said. The stuff does really work. And, to reemphasize, keep it away from blued surfaces.

 

[shockwave]

Birchwood casey lead remover cloth

Thank you for this suggestion. Yesterday I was cleaning the revolvers and could not get the cylinder face clean. While at the Birchwood Casey website, I also purchased a spare gun and reel silicone cloth, which I use for final wipedown prior to storage, and a can of Moly Lube Dry Film Lubricant.

I watched a disassembly video of a G-100 taking it complete apart, and I imagine the procedure for a .686 is similar. Does anybody clean a revolver to that level? I've never done it in 10 years and the guns look and operate new, so I was thinking just a shot of the Moly Lube is probably all I want to do. Comments?

 

[Drail]

Depending on how much you shoot it a revolver should be opened up and completley flushed out and relubed once a year. (more often for the guys who carry in their lint filled pockets ) If this is not done all of the crud mixed with the oil will become an abrasive lapping compound and accelerate wear. Eventually you'll stop worrying about the cylinder face. It really doesn't matter.

 

[Eightball]

Birchwood casey lead remover cloth

Yep.

Also....more damage has been done to revolvers by unnecessary stripping of the parts. Unless something breaks, or you're trying to grease up the action somehow, don't screw with the innards.

FWIW, I just like the cylinder face on my 620 to stay nice and shiny-clean. More of an aesthetic thing than anything else, but it makes it stand out to people looking.

 

[JaxJim]

Mother's Mag polish or toothpaste. Mother's will shine it up like new. Arm and Hammer toothpaste with Baking Soda will work too, just not as fast.

I use the toothpaste trick on brushed SS. Mother's will remove the brushed finish.

 

[gwnorth]

Thank you for this suggestion. Yesterday I was cleaning the revolvers and could not get the cylinder face clean. While at the Birchwood Casey website, I also purchased a spare gun and reel silicone cloth, which I use for final wipedown prior to storage, and a can of Moly Lube Dry Film Lubricant.

I watched a disassembly video of a G-100 taking it complete apart, and I imagine the procedure for a .686 is similar. Does anybody clean a revolver to that level? I've never done it in 10 years and the guns look and operate new, so I was thinking just a shot of the Moly Lube is probably all I want to do. Comments?

You mean a Ruger GP-100 versus a S&W 686? Taking the two apart is quite different. Ruger DA revolvers are designed in sub-assemblies (so, for example, the trigger and all it's associated parts - transfer bar, cylinder pawl, cylinder latch, springs, etc - is one subassembly) for easy field stripping. S&W's are designed and assembled very differently - you must remove the side plate and then disassembly them piece by piece.

FWIW, I know people with heavily used S&W and Colts that they've owned for decades, and they've never opened them up and cleaned the internals. Depending on how you use it and the kinds of things it's exposed to, it may well never be necessary. If you do decide to do it, do your homework beforehand and know what you are doing so you do not inadventantly damage something (like just improperly removing a stubborn side plate and unwittingly doing damage).

P.S. A good S&W revolver manual

 

[10xforever]

Use Flitz metal polish, works great on the built up front of the cylinder and the forcing cone area. Use a soft cloth and work it in then clean it off immediatly before it dries. I read this in a gun mag some years ago and have been using it ever since.

 

[lloveless]

A large rubber eraser will remove the carbon without scratching.
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[rha600]

Birchwood casey lead remover cloth

I cleaned up a stainless N frame for sale using one and it was perfect. I wouldn't bother between range sessions though.

Note: keep it the heck away from a blued firearm unless you are trying to badly remove the bluing!

the lead removing clothes work great. I use it on my 500 all the time to get rid of the lead and the "burned" marks on the cylinder.


As for staying away from the blued guns, does anyone know about thenight guard series? They are a flat black, and i'm not sure of th finish or if I can use that cloth on it.

 

[Radaray]

I have a Taurus Mod# 445 .44 Spl. revolver that had a very tight cylinder/barrel gap, so tight I could not get a .001" feeler gauge in the gap. Thie caused a problem when shooting lead bullets, as the build up on the face of the cylinder caused it to jam up. It was imperative that I use a bronze brush to clean it off, and that was a chore. It only took a few rounds for this to happen.

I sent it back to Taurus and requested that they open up the gap some. They promptly opened it up to .0015", and that has solved the problem. Now just a bit of Hoppes #9 and a toothbrush cleans things up nicely. No need to get rid of the black rings. They add a little "experience" to the piece.

 

[Seven High]

Yup, I use a large rubber eraser also. Its cheap and works very well.