erk
Member
Front of cylinder gets black from firing.
What do you use to clean it? Flitz chrome polish?
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Ernie
What do you use to clean it? Flitz chrome polish?
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Ernie
686 Front of cylinder is black
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Flitz works fine. as does Mother's mag wheel polish, and probably a dozen other polishes. I prefer one of the lead removal cloths available at any gun store. They run $5 or $6, do an excellent job on stainless guns (will take the blueing off of carbon steel) and can be cut into patches to do barrels and inside cylinders.
Maximumbob54
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I thought use of abrasives was frowned upon with the front of the cylinder. After too many uses you start to open up the barrel to cylinder gap. I'm not sure how long it would take but I have been told that repeatedly.
scooter123
Member
I spray mine with M Pro 7 and let it soak while cleaning the barrel. After 10 to 15 minutes a quick scrub with a nylon brush cleans off a good 80% of the carbon, then 5 more minutes with a small patch of lead away cleaning cloth soaked with the M Pro 7 is all that is needed to have in shining like new.
Note, M Pro 7 isn't at all cheap, last time I purchased a quart it was 35 dollars. However, the odor is very very mild and not at all objectionable. In addition it is without any doubt the best gun cleaner I've ever used.
Now a warning. Use of any type of abrasive on the face of the cylinder will cause the Barrel/Cylinder gap to open up over time because no matter how careful you are you will remove material from that face. Even those lead away patches I use have some mild abrasive compounds and even what I'm doing will lead to some wear. However, I'll probably be long feeding worms before it's a problem so I can accept that. However, if you can live with a slightly dirty cylinder face stopping with the nylon brush is probably a good idea. Unfortunately I just can't resist the urge to have a gun cleaned to the point where it looks brand spanking new when I'm finished.
Note, M Pro 7 isn't at all cheap, last time I purchased a quart it was 35 dollars. However, the odor is very very mild and not at all objectionable. In addition it is without any doubt the best gun cleaner I've ever used.
Now a warning. Use of any type of abrasive on the face of the cylinder will cause the Barrel/Cylinder gap to open up over time because no matter how careful you are you will remove material from that face. Even those lead away patches I use have some mild abrasive compounds and even what I'm doing will lead to some wear. However, I'll probably be long feeding worms before it's a problem so I can accept that. However, if you can live with a slightly dirty cylinder face stopping with the nylon brush is probably a good idea. Unfortunately I just can't resist the urge to have a gun cleaned to the point where it looks brand spanking new when I'm finished.
Ernie - the trick to keeping the cylinder face clean is to clean it after every shooting session.
I use a yellow rag that is specifically designed for carbon removal.
It's made by Birchwood Casey and the bag title says " Lead Remover & Polishing Cloth".
Once you have it clean, it takes seconds to clean it again.
I've been using the same cloth over and over for the last 5 years on numerous guns.
I have never had a change in BC gap after using this product.
* note * I use it on Stainless with no worries and am a litle cautious with using it on blue and nickel revolvers (because of the finish).
I use a yellow rag that is specifically designed for carbon removal.
It's made by Birchwood Casey and the bag title says " Lead Remover & Polishing Cloth".
Once you have it clean, it takes seconds to clean it again.
I've been using the same cloth over and over for the last 5 years on numerous guns.
I have never had a change in BC gap after using this product.
* note * I use it on Stainless with no worries and am a litle cautious with using it on blue and nickel revolvers (because of the finish).
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Someone else posted using a pencil eraser, don't know if it works as well as the lead removal cloth (my preferred method, with Break Free).
buck460XVR
Member
......I like mine black.
While the MPro 7 works very well, it in only really necessary to remove actual lead or metal deposits, the actual carbon color does not contribute to any operational issues.
C Islander
Member
I'm also a fan of the Birchwood Casey lead remover clothes. They don't take a lot of elbow grease like some of the other methods. As was mentioned SS guns only.
Wheelgun1of38
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Cape Cod Cloth. Works great
ab4ka
Member
It's not pretty but I don't worry about it. Embrace the dirty face!
That's me. The last time I tried to clean a cylinder face it was using a brass brush on a nickel plated Python cylinder
I've learned that a dirty cylinder is a happy cylinder 
ohiobuckeye
Member
Here's a link to a cleaner sold by Brownell's. I just bought a bottle and have only used it one time, and the results were impressive. It took several appliations, but this stuff cleaned the cylinder face so completely, it looks unfired. I applied it with a Q-tip and let it soak for a while between applications and scrubbing with a nylon bristle brush. I much prefer chemical cleaning methods and do not like to use abrasive cleaners...Even Flitz is mildly abrasive.
BORE TECH : C4 CARBON REMOVER - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools - BROWNELLS
BORE TECH : C4 CARBON REMOVER - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools - BROWNELLS
ab4ka said: I've learned that a dirty cylinder is a happy cylinder.
+1, except I don't like soot in the flutes. For that, on my 686+ stainless, I use a toothbrush to apply Hoppe's #9 (It and I go back a long way), let it soak while I clean the barrel and cylinders. I then scrub them clean with that toothbrush, and finish the job.
Cordially, Jack
+1, except I don't like soot in the flutes. For that, on my 686+ stainless, I use a toothbrush to apply Hoppe's #9 (It and I go back a long way), let it soak while I clean the barrel and cylinders. I then scrub them clean with that toothbrush, and finish the job.
Cordially, Jack
I agree. First time I cleaned my 617, I decided to use Flitz polish on it. After the first time using it, the cylinder face was already taking on a glossy shine. I knew that I was removing metal, so never used it again. If the face of the cylinder has black rings on it after cleaning, that's ok with me.
ambassador
Member
carbon removal
I just recently found out that mothers polish removes the black fron the front of my 686 much easier than the lead removal cloths ever could.
I just recently found out that mothers polish removes the black fron the front of my 686 much easier than the lead removal cloths ever could.
and also some of the metal.
