When I first acquire a S&W revolver ( nearly all used), I do a detailed disassembly, inspection, cleaning, any necessary repair, possible trgger tuning, and lube. After that initial cleaning, I never disassemble it again ( unless for repair ), and that includes removing the cylinder. I've never had any issue in over 50 years and many thousand of rounds shot. IMO, non-essential disassembly of a fine lock work is like having a mechanic disassemble your car engine every time you change the oil; just results in premature wear and tear .

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John

All it's Say,same to me

It depends on the usage. If kept in the safe all the time and only taken out on a perfect sunny day to run half a box of premium ammo through it, then I don't see a reason to remove the cylinder/yoke assembly more often than once a decade. But if you carry it every day in humid or dusty environments, especially in an ankle holster or IWB (Some appendix rigs can get a little, uh, "swampy" on a hot, muggy day), then I would pull the cylinder on more frequent schedule. Here's a link to a very good blog post on the topic: Guns vs. The Environment | Active Response Training

As an aside, check all of your screws for tightness before the gun heads to the range or the holster. I usually check over and clean all new guns, but the one time I was too impatient and just took a brand-new 625 fresh out of the box to shoot it, the darned cylinder/yoke fell on the ground when I went to reload because the crane screw had backed out. Of course, I was standing on a big, flat piece of coarse sandstone when it happened

I remove it, but not every time-- maybe every fifth shooting session or so. On my stainless revolvers, I polish the front of the cylinder every so often, and taking it out makes it easier. Also, taking the cylinder off the yoke allows for a clean/lube of the axis tube, which seems to always need it.

Only when needed.

Just very carefully clean when Cylinder and Crane
are attached.

Attached Images

SW MG 629 44Mag cleaning.jpg (47.9 KB, 55 views)

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SD social distanc'n since 1889

I recently found an old article by Skeeter Skelton about the K22. Early in the article he talked about a friend who never cleaned his. After many years it developed a bulge in the barrel and he simply gave it away and bought another one.
Just a little something to think about.

I've been shooting S&W revolvers for 40 years and always remove the cylinder. As long as you have a proper fitting screwdriver it does no harm.

I also like to chuck it up in a padded vise, both the cylinder out of the frame and the barrel of the cylinderless frame. This keeps my hands cleaner and helps prevent solvent from draining where I don't want it to go, like down into the lockwork.

To clean the chambers on .38/.357s I use a long .375 cailber brass rifle brush. The vise makes it a whole lot easier.

I just bought a new 617 and it is now my favorite one to shoot. I treat it just like my other S&W revolvers. I remove the cylinder and separate it from the cylinder crane/yoke. I place the cylinder muzzle end up. Then with a small stainless steel brush and some solvent, I scrub the muzzle end clean. It removes all the carbon build up and staining. Been cleaning my stainless revolvers this way for years. Never had any problems with any of it. I use q-tips to get down into the inside of the crane/yoke and scrub the breech side with the same stainless steel brush, and a bore snake through the chambers a few times. Put a drop of gun oil on it before reassembling. I plan to keep cleaning my 617 this way each time.

Just be careful and set your screw, yoke and cylinder onto something that will hold them, or keep them from rolling and falling, like a clean shop rag. And take your time.

Good luck

I use one of those small stainless magnetic parts bowls to hold those parts.

I don't know why, but I've always put a drop of that black silicone gun grease on the yoke to lube the cylinder. Not saying that's necessary just "the way I've always done it".

I generally clean out the yoke tube with a .22 rod and patch as I usually clean the .22's first and have the stuff out.

But it matters not, as long as it's clean.

I've been removing my cylinder to clean every time I shoot my 586. Been doing it since '84. Just easier for me. Screws only strip if you over tighten them. As stated, use the correct size hollow ground driver. None of the screws have to be really tight. If you damage the screw then you've damaged the threads in the hole also. I screw it down till it stops and then a tad more. You mentioned that the replacement screw is only a couple bucks, but it'll cost 8 bucks to ship it to you.