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Old 01-14-2010, 03:05 AM
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gboling gboling is offline
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S&W Revolver cleaning as taught by LAPD circa 1970

Ensure that the gun is unloaded.

Remove the stocks.

With a well fitting and hollow ground screwdriver, remove the yoke retaining screw.

Remove the cylinder and yoke.

Replace the yoke retaining screw in the frame to prevent its loss.

In a small jar (baby food or?) soak the cylinder in Hoppe’s #9 (or your favorite solvent.) overnight if possible.

Run a solvent saturated patch through the bore several times.

Dip a Q-tip or pipe cleaner in the solvent and wet the areas inside the frame around the barrel throat, top strap and bottom strap. Wet inside the forcing cone and let set overnight if possible.

Remove the cylinder and yoke from the solvent soak.

Insert the yoke into the cylinder. (To prevent broken bronze brush bristles from falling into the cylinder while cleaning the face of the cylinder.)

With your favorite bronze tooth-type brush, (A 12 awg bore brush mashed flat in a vise or with pliers works well,) and plenty of solvent, scrub the face of the cylinder to remove lead or powder residue.

With the same brush and solvent, scrub the face of the barrel throat and the frame around the forcing cone. (This will eventually remove bluing from the areas cleaned with a bronze brush. The use of stainless brushes was discouraged, as stainless brushes are much more abrasive.)

(Personal note: Many S&W revolvers have insufficient clearance between the barrel throat and top strap to permit cleaning with a brush or even a rag. I have found un-waxed dental floss to be useful in cleaning this area.)

Saturate a bronze bore brush in solvent and clean each chamber. Occasionally run a dry patch through each chamber and look for lead or powder residue. If residue is present, repeat the application of the saturated brush followed with a dry patch. (Never use a drill motor to spin a bore brush in the chambers, as any lapse in attention will permit some spinning metal to contact some part of the gun with permanent damaging results.)

Saturate a bronze bore brush in solvent and clean the barrel.

Run a clean patch through the barrel and look for lead or copper residue. If residue is present, repeat the application of the saturated brush followed with a dry patch.

Wipe the entire exterior of the gun with a solvent dampened cloth or patch.

When clean, pass a lightly oiled patch through each chamber and the barrel.

Lightly oil the entire gun.

Remove the yoke retaining screw, replace the cylinder, and yoke on the frame.

With the afore-mentioned well fitting screwdriver, replace and tighten the yoke retaining screw. (Use caution to prevent over tightening or slipping of the screwdriver.)

Replace the stocks and ensure the retaining screw is firmly seated. (Inadvertent loss of the stocks has been known to cause embarrassment.)
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