Cleanning cylinders

[HiCap]

When I see pictures of forum members stainless steel revolvers I'm envious of the cleanliness of the front portions of the cylinders and how they are free of that little black line of burnt powder just behind the front edge of the cylinder. How does one clean that off without the use of steel wool, which I would never use.

HiCap

 

[WAYNO]

I use a KleenBore Lead-Away cloth. Works quite well.

WAYNO.

 

[Arokcrwlr]

There are several good youtube videos on how to do this. I use automotive chrome cleaner and a bronze brush as shown in this video - works great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__4PRsKiAOM

 

[farley]

I leave the rings alone. If you shoot it often, you will too.
As far as the little bit of powder burn that shows up on the side of the cylinder, I soak it with Hoppes for a while and it usually comes off. For faster removel, Flitz polish does the trick.

 

[Pal Val]

Whatever I can't remove with a soaking of Hoppes and a brisk wipe with a cloth, I leave alone. Only once or twice a year do I go over the black rings in the cylinder front with a brass brush. This is to make sure it's a stain, and not some buildup that could interfere with operation.

That's OK. My guns are shooters, not magazine models. For a photo session, I imagine the extra effort is worth the while.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I leave them also. No build up,just stain.

 

[HiCap]

Thank you for the responses; my Wiley Clapp gp100 is a shooter, so I guess I'll not bother for the pristine look.

HiCap

 

[rammerjammer]

Lead Away cloths work miracles. I was so happy at the results the first time I used one I was pissed at myself for not having figured it out earlier.

 

[WAYNO]

Thank you for the responses; my Wiley Clapp gp100 is a shooter, so I guess I'll not bother for the pristine look.

HiCap

You did ask a legitimate question. I don't normally clean the stain between shooting sessions, but very occasionally, especially when photographing or selling a gun, I do clean the stain. Or when I'm doing a cleaning on a gun I do not plan on shooting for a while I work out the stain. And as I said, the Lead Away cloth works wonders. And that's just for my stainless guns.

If ya never want to clean the cylinder, that's okay too. :mrgreen:

WAYNO.

 

[s4s4u]

pristine look

Save that for the magazines. We like a little patina. It shows you care enough to shoot your guns.

 

[Sacramento Johnson]

Howdy!
A bronze phosphorous bristle brush, and some sort of cleaner like remington bore cleaner, and lots of elbow grease...

 

[rammerjammer]

Skip the elbow grease and just get a lead away cloth.

 

[Hugh]

Soak in Hoppes #9 while cleaning the rest of the revolver, then scrub with my copper brush if it doesn't come off using a q-tip and toothbrush. Works every time. With single actions I remove the cylinder and turn it upside down in a little dish with Hoppes #9 while the rest gets cleaned, with double actions I paint the front of the cylinder using a q-tip.

 

[Rclark]

Save that for the magazines.

+1000.... What doesn't come off with a quick wipe of Hoppes #9, stays... Blued or SS revolvers. But as we say ... your gun, your call :) .

 

[6gun]

I use a KleenBore Lead-Away cloth. Works quite well.

WAYNO.

Yep the lead cloth is the secret answer wipes it cleans with very little effort, keeps all my cylinders clean as new wouldn't use anything else.

 

[Hondo44]

I also use the lead away cloth by Lyman. It's like a miracle cleaner and almost instant. But like WAYNO said above, stainless guns only! It will "miraculously" take bluing off!

 

[Walter Rego]

I have found that once the cylinder face is cleaned spotless, maintenance seems to be easier if a light coat of Corrosion-X is left on the face of the cylinder before firing. Most residue wipes right off. Also, as others mention, good old Hoppes No. 9 works well but does require time. I dab some on any carbon marks that didn't wipe off with the initial cleaning and let soak overnight. After that, there may still remain tiny traces of carbon and if so I hit that with a little Flitz and it's back to looking new.This method requires very little elbow grease or scrubbing with anything harsher than a nylon brush, at least for me.

 

[MCPO]

I do not spend much time cleaning blued cylinders. However, I do not buy a stainless gun so I can have 'burn marks' on the cylinder face. Those guns get cleaned back to 'factory new' condition.

If I have the time, a soak in Hoppes, otherwise a lead away rag.

 

[The Blackhawk Kid]

I clean the entire pistol with a coarse wash cloth soaked in Ballistol. I then scrub the cylinders with an Isso nylon bore brush. Then I swab the bore & cylinders out with dry patches. Wipe the outside of the pistol with a light coat of Ballistol and a coarse wash rag. I use a lead cloth after a few cleanings, but the more times you clean your pistol the easier & cleaner it gets. BHK

 

[Rodfac]

I'd opine that cleaning cylinder faces is a futile if not dangerous task...dangerous that is to the accuracy of your piece if you screw it up. Like the barrel crown, the cylinder throat openings, and the barrel's forcing cone; all are critical to the gun's accuracy. Nicking any of them, or merely rounding off the edges can ruin your gun. Cleaning rods and over use of super cleaners have ruined far more guns than are ever "shot out".

Cleaning a gun to ensure reliability is one thing, excessive detail cleaning is something else...a bit like a heavily chromed Harley that's kept in concourse display cleanliness...the question I always ask is, "do you ever get it out and get some bugs in your teeth."

Best Regards, (and forget about your cylinder faces), Rod

 

[HiCap]

Blackhawk, my query had to do with cleaning the stain/burn mark on the outside of the cylinder, nowhere near the cylinder chambers so that there would be no danger to the chambers, forcing cone or, at the other end, the muzzle crown. You are absolutely correct in warning not to bugger up those areas.

HiCap

 

[Alpo]

Whatever I can't remove with a soaking of Hoppes and a brisk wipe with a cloth, I leave alone. Only once or twice a year do I go over the black rings in the cylinder front with a brass brush. This is to make sure it's a stain, and not some buildup that could interfere with operation.

That's OK. My guns are shooters, not magazine models. For a photo session, I imagine the extra effort is worth the while.

Yup
8)

 

[750k2]

Whatever I can't remove with a soaking of Hoppes and a brisk wipe with a cloth, I leave alone. Only once or twice a year do I go over the black rings in the cylinder front with a brass brush. This is to make sure it's a stain, and not some buildup that could interfere with operation.

That's OK. My guns are shooters, not magazine models. For a photo session, I imagine the extra effort is worth the while.

Yup
8)

+2

 

[22/45 Fan]

Lead Away cloths work miracles. I was so happy at the results the first time I used one I was pissed at myself for not having figured it out earlier.

+1 I use one of these when I give my revolvers their annual super cleaning or when I want to dress up a gun for trade or sale. Otherwise I scrub the cylinder sides and face with a bronze brush and CLP to remove heavy crud but don't try to get them pristine. As noted, it will just reappear the next time you shoot it.

 

[jimd441]

Most informative thread - thanks all

Jim

 

[foilist]

I use CLP Break Free and a brass brush. With elbow grease, the burnt powder comes off.

 

[CraigC]

Never, it serves no useful purpose to remove it and does no harm to leave it. Complete and utter waste of time.

Despite the marketing, LeadAway is abrasive.

 

[wideglide]

I'll use a brass brush and Maas polish, it'll clean off most of the stain. I have 3 stainless revolvers and it bugs me to have the cylinder dirty even though it has no bearing on function at all. That said a little Maas and elbow grease won't hurt the cylinder at all. Ruger uses good stainless and a little cleaning done properly is a whole lot less stress on the gun than a couple dozen Buffalo Bores going down the pipe. One thing I have seen, and is totaly foolish, are the guys that think a Dremmel tool is a good gun cleaning device.

 

[CraigC]

There have probably been more good guns ruined since the invention of the Dremel than in the 200yrs prior. :shock:

 

[HiCap]

Since I started this thread I must now report that I got a lead away cloth and it worked as advertised, easily and removed the marks on the outside of the cylinder. And, as a newly waxed car will drive faster, the gp 100 Talo shoots straighter with its cylinder pristine. Cleanliness and Godliness?

HiCap