Is it ok to put a cleaning rod in from the Muzzle to run a patch down the barrel? I know it's a no no for a rifle.

What in the world do you use to clean the area where the barrel/cylinder gap is located, I guess it is the part of the frame between the barrel and cylinder? I used #9 and a bronze brush but still had areas on the top part of the barrel that I did not get completely clean of residue.

Thanks

Toothpicks,pipecleaners,some guys even use a dental pick.I must be getting old as I don't obsess on getting my shooters spotless anymore.I live in a dry climate so I get away with it.On a revolver you are pretty much stuck with going from the muzzle with a cleaning rod,just be careful.A bore snake is another option.

Going down the muzzle end is the only way to use a rod on this type of frame. Put a thick cloth or some type of stop against the recoil shield though. When pushing the rod through, especially with a brush on it, it will suddenly stop resisting as you clear the forcing cone and can push through suddenly, dinging the recoil shield or firing pin bushing.

Don't use steel picks or tools on the barrel. A toothbrush and q-tips will get most of the carbon out. The small area between the rear of the barrel and top strap is the hardest to clean. I use a cotton patch, work it up into the gap with ends exposed on either side, and work it back and forth with my fingers. Just like flossing your teeth. This isn't a critical area though and I rarely take the time to get it spotless, especially on my regular shooters.

I use a toothbrush wetted with bore cleaner. If the stains and deposits are stubborn, I use Iosso GunBrite polish on a toothbrush or a brass gun cleaning brush. I have found that the sooner after shooting you attack those stains and deposits, the easier they are to remove.

Below is a photo of my 617s after a bath. It doesn't show the area between the top strap and forcing cone but all they were cleaned with was Butch's Bore Shine and a CVS medium hardness toothbrush.

Ed

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I have a patch worm kit and use it for all my .22s. Google it if you're not familiar with the product. But I use a brass rod sometimes also, just slowly and carefully. For the forcing cone area build-up I use a brass tooth brush and I cut some pointed shims out of a brass sheet. Someone on the forum here in a similar thread suggested using the brass chor-boy pads and running the strands back and forth over the forcing cone. Oh, and a muzzle guide on the rod.

I never use a rod on my 22 revolvers--or rifles, for that matter.

I get about 20 inches or so of string trimmer (Weedeater) string, cut an angle on one end, and use the stove or a lighter to melt a ball on the other end.

Push the angled end through a patch, run it down to the ball on the other end, and feed the string through the barrel (I usually go from the frame end to the muzzle). Simply pull the patch through the barrel. The ball will hold the patch. I use Hoppes and let it sit for a while.

I clean my 22 rifle the same way. I used to use a brush on the rifle and cannot tell ANY difference with the method above. My bores look perfect. And there's no chance of damaging the bore/crown.

I don't think even 22 target shooters use a brush very often.

Most smallbore rifle shooters I know never clean their bores - they say their rifles shoot their best with a fouled bore.

Ed

I take a lead away cloth and cut a small square and run it through the barrel several times. I then take Gunzilla and run a saturated patch through it several times. What also works best is that you saturate the bore and area between the top strap and forcing cone and let it sit overnight. The next day run another patch through the bore. Overnight allows the solvent to work at breaking up the fouling. For the area between the top strap and forcing cone a poster suggested using an old shoe lace and going back and forth.
The lead away cloth does a great job of removing the lead and powder build up at the end of the cylinder. I also use an ink (typewriter) eraser (I know, I am dating myself here) and rub out the "racoon eyes" on the cylinder face.
I was told back when I was a kid (60's) that you should clean your firearm right after you shoot it and then again a few days later. Might seem like overkill, but when your life depends on it, take it seriously.

I own a 617-6 6 inch revolver and I tried to read all the techniques that others have used for cleaning when I first got the handgun. Here is what I have done. I thoroughly cleaned the gun when received to remove any manufacturers oil – grease, etc. That included spraying the bore and all cylinders with a solvent and then running a zillion patches through till they came out clean. I then lightly oiled the hinge areas and the extractor rod. I did not oil any bores or cylinders since we were to shoot the next day. After shooting sessions I do not clean the barrel, I have looked with a light and all seems clean and bright down the bore. (I try to use only copper jacketed 22s.)

For regular cleaning: I dip a Q-tip in Shooter’s Choice MC#7 and swab the inside of each of the ten cylinders, the front and back of the barrel, and the area around the forcing cone. I let it set for a while and then run a brass bore brush through the ten cylinders. I use a toothbrush around the forcing cone and front of the cylinder. I have some marine bronze wool pieces twisted together and use it like dental floss at the top and around the sides of the forcing cone. I have not had to use a brass brush – yet.

Now it is clean up time –I run patches through the ten cylinders till they come out clean. A microfiber cloth usually cleans up the areas at the front and back of the cylinder and around the forcing cone. I especially make sure the extractor has no crud at the trigger side so that it will seat flush at the cylinder. I clean off any black residue on the gun with a lead removing cloth.

Oiling with FP-10 – I Oil the hinges, and the extractor making sure to work the extractor action and that the cylinder rotates smoothly.

I then finish off the cleaning with a silicone cloth rub down of the entire outside stainless steel to remove all finger prints and shine it up.

My 617 likes CCI HP and they are always easy to extract. I also have used Winchester in the 555 pack and after a few hundred rounds they are harder to extract. After a cylinder cleaning there is no problem to extract the Winchesters.

Love the 617!

I must point out that there are no copper jacketed 22 LR rounds on the market. What you are seeing are copper plated lead bullets. That plating is only a few microns thick and is not worth the effort or price in my opinion.

Good old Federal 510 bought by the case shoots fantastic and is inexpensive...

I don't clean the bore every time--only when I'm not going to shoot the gun for a while. I won't put away a dry/unoiled gun for a long time in the humid conditions we have here.

I went plinking last week and took my 1949 Marlin 39A and my 22 CM--I was very surprised at how many "fouling" shots it took before the 39A started shooting where it should have. I had given the bore a good cleaning as I described above the last time I shot it which was mid summer. I shot at least ten times before it started dropping them in there like it should--after that it was fine.

Of course the 22 CM shot way better than I can from the git go, as usual.

So far my 617 has not displayed the sticky cylinders so common on Smith .22 LRs. So, I have decided to see how long I can shoot it before it starts getting sticky extraction. ;-)

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

i rarely clean a .22 bore. When I do, I use 80# test fishing braid and pull it through with a patch tied to one end. Use Hpooe's and that's about it-never saw a reason to use a brush on a .22 barrel.

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Forum consigliere

i agree with cajun.hoppe's 9,on a cloth a few times is good enough.

Hi Guys!
I have an Otis pistol & revolver cleaning kit! Handy as heck! It has two snakes, solvent combo, and it has a very small zippered circular case. Try this for cleaning around the back of the barrel and the firing pin surface--I bought a cheap, battery operated electric toothbrush. You can use solvent, oil, spray stainless cleaner. It is very handy. Just drape a small towel over the cylinder and barrel opening to avoid spraying stuff everywhere.
Give it a try! It cleans your teeth better, why not your gun?
Grigler

My advice to you and any "newer" people...go on Amazon and get the book "Gun Digest Book of the Revolver". It has 238 pages of all you need to know.

I usually give things a wipe down with a soft cotton rag before putting them back in the cases at the range. Once home, I'll break things down, bore snake the barrels a few times and then use either Hoppes 9, Elite or S&W synthetic cleaner depending on the firearm on the carbon and in the barrels.

While it's soaking, I'll pop the primers, stroke the pockets and put the shells into a dry tumbler with some walnut.

Once I'm done with that I go back to the firearms and wipe off/swab the barrels of the cleaners. I'll repeat both if necessary till they wipe/swab clean.

For any hard to reach places, I use Q-tips, nylon tooth brushes and nylon dental picks.

Most times I'll blow things out with my air compressor then a wipe down before oiling and lubing and final wipe.

I have all rifle bore snakes as I can use them for both. I also have multiple one piece cleaning rods, bronze brushes and jags. On occasion (every few years) I'll go to town on my stainless cylinder faces with mothers billet polish and a cotton t-shirt, just because.

+1on the Iosso GunBrite. This is great stuff for removing stains that other solvents won't touch.