I've read about how shooting .38 specials can lead to lead build up in the forward cylinder chamber. How would you go about cleaning it out?; the same way as you would do the barrel, bronze brush, solvent?. The only dumb question is the one not asked is my motto.

For a blued cylinder (don't do it for a nickel plated part) the easiest way to do this if you are lazy like me is remove it and soak it in Hoppe's #9 for a day or two. After that the residue will come out easily and quickly with a bronze or stiff plastic bore brush. For my revolvers and the amount I shoot them, this is usually no more than an annual event that is part of a detail strip, clean and lube.

You can buy specific sized brushes made to clean the chambers or just use an oversized brush, i.e. use an 40 cal brush in your 38 or 357 chambers. If you have a lot of lead and/or carbon build up wrap a strip of bronze wool around the brush and mount the brush in a power drill using your favorite cleaning solvent as lubricant. GO SLOW.

Class III

Brownell's brand CYLINDER (not bore) brushes work well. If you still have lead after that, the Lewis Lead Remover is the best and will do no harm to the cylinder charge holes, barrel and/or forcing cone.

Chief38

Yep, the above works just fine! Normally only one pass with the Brownell's CYLINDER bush through each chamber will do. Ditto for the Lewis Lead Remover, which is also from Brownell's.

I really don't want to ever consider resorting to a drill powered brush, especially when the previous two options are there.