Cleaning cylinder face w/ bronze brush...

[AZRuger]

I've been out of revolvers for many years and just got back into them this past year.

I like to keep 'em clean and have a custom, bead-blast finished SRH I really like. I use a bronze brush, like this http://www.midwayusa.com/product/671244/hoppes-gun-cleaning-brush-double-ended-bronze, to clean the heavily leaded and carbonized face of the cylinder.

Im wondering if this will this do any harm to function or accuracy?

BTW: Yes, I'm looking into alternatives including a lead cloth.

 

[TucsonDirt]

For a stainless cylinder, a lead removal cloth works great!
I've been told it will remove bluing, though, so I use it on my SP101 but not my blued Blackhawk.

 

[RoninPA]

Cleaning the front of the cylinder face will not affect the accuracy or functioning of the SRH. A lead cleaning cloth will remove the black marks quicker and easier than scrubbing. If you want to scrub, a stainless steel brush will work a bit quicker than a bronze or brass brush but the easiest is the lead removal cloth. Just remember NOT to use it on a blued gun (unless you don't want a blued gun anymore ).

 

[SAJohn]

I have always used bronze brushes dipped in Hoppe's No. 9 to clean the cylinder faces of blued revolvers with no ill effects.

 

[powder smoke]

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[bayou5252]

To clean the cylinder faces on my SS Security Six and Redhawk, both 357, I've been using scotchbrite dipped in Hoppe's. Works good, but you have to scrub vigorously...

Haven't yet tried a bronze brush, but will do so for comparison...

 

[sliclee]

I use a tooth brush that is Not ruined by HOPPES #9 to clean cyl face occasionally.
Why you have so much lead you have to scrub,and yes,I hot shoot lead bullets BH 16- 18 no problem.
Maybe you find out what hardness your bullets are. My single action pistols practice I use lead but some times
around and on the forcing cone I do get some lead but Hoppes #9 I do with my nylon brushes.
I have never had to use a SS or bronze brush in any rifle bore. Occasionally a bit of copper cleaner .

 

[rugerguy]

you can use a bit of Flitz on an old 3 M Scotchbrite pad and rub it around the face of the cylinder on a stainless gun, also an old ,worn 22/32 cal brass brush helps cleans things up, smear some Flitz on it.....NOT to be used on a blued gun as it will remove the bluing, same with one of those Lead Away clothes, too aggressive and you can remove ,dull, the bluing.............

 

[Jimbo357mag]

There is a good reason for cleaning the cylinder face and the barrel face and under the top strap but getting rid of the black stains left over is a useless endeavor. I believe more guns are damaged by excessive cleaning than by shooting them. I am proud to have some black stains on my stainless cylinders.

 

[RUFFBIRD]

I use an "Orale B" electric tooth brush dipped in Hoppes. Hold it down in a garbage can as it splatters, but does quick work of cleaning up the cylinder & back of the barrel. Then blast it with gun scrubber, or WD-40 to rinse, so to speak! It doesn't get rid of the black rings completly, but I can live with it until next firing!