Do you remove the cylinder when cleaning your DA revolvers?

[desmobob]

Every time?
Only on occasional "deep cleanings"?
Never?

I worry about stressing the yoke when I'm scrubbing out the chambers on revolver cylinders. I never thought about taking out the yoke screw and removing the cylinder, but I just watched a video where the guy did that while cleaning his 317-3. I started wondering if I've been doing it wrong all these years...

 

[bmcgilvray]

Every time.

Always have. Always will.

 

[Baxter6551]

Every time on S&W. Not so on Ruger or Colt.

 

[rockquarry]

Only when the cylinder doesn't spin freely; about every three or four years or longer and I shoot my revolvers regularly.

 

[diyj98]

Only when the cylinder doesn't spin freely

That's generally the only time I do it. 

 

[Goldstar225]

Only when the cylinder doesn't spin freely; about every three or four years or longer and I shoot my revolvers regularly.

Same here. If the cylinder feels sluggish it gets a good cleaning.

 

[CH4]

Every time.

Always have. Always will.

Yep, me too

 

[nutsforsmiths]

Every time.

 

[chiefspecial357]

I disassemble and clean my S&W revolvers when I get them from the gun store to the last screw if I see them with some gunk or old oil. Then I test fire them. After that, I always remove the cylinder for cleaning because it makes your life easier.

Chief

 

[kbm6893]

When they're used guns bought by me, I do. After that, hardly ever, because I have enough that I don't shoot them often enough to require it. I've seen some real nastiness going on under the hood in used guns.

 

[StrawHat]

When I competed, I would do a thorough cleaning when the revolver felt sluggish.

After each match, a bore brush down the bore and through each of the chambers and I was good for the next round. At some events, that would happen 6 or 7 times.

Kevin

 

[Electraclyde]

Probably 75% of the time I do remove the cylinder. My 617 has such lead build up on the outside, topside of the forcing cone that the only way to get it clean is remove the cylinder.

 

[Rpg]

I can't remember the last time I removed the cylinder from a Smith revolver. I think it was when I got instruction from my gunsmith about 30 years ago.

He told me not to fuss with it unless the gun freezes up or it's been dropped in a mud hole. He said it was quite unusual to need to remove the cylinder for cleaning. He also said lots of gun owners like to remove the cylinder, primarily because they want an excuse to handle (play with) their revolver when not shooting.

 

[ZGrand]

Every time for me. Makes it easier to clean powder residue from around the frame window.

 

[Chrisj357]

The cylinder

I remove the cylinder/yoke probably once a year. If you are thinking about doing it regularly I'd advise you to get some quality hollow ground smithing screwdrivers. On my older M-19 I can remove the cylinder and take the ejector rod and spring apart to clean. On my newer revolvers the ejector rod is very tight. I clean and oil what I can but have never put the ejectors in a vice to disassemble. Works like new after many years of shooting.

 

[glenwolde]

Yes. Every time.

 

[Chrisj357]

Every time?
Only on occasional "deep cleanings"?
Never?

I worry about stressing the yoke when I'm scrubbing out the chambers on revolver cylinders. I never thought about taking out the yoke screw and removing the cylinder, but I just watched a video where the guy did that while cleaning his 317-3. I started wondering if I've been doing it wrong all these years...

To minimize stress on the yoke while cleaning the revolver with the cylinder in place, I hold the gun by the cylinder with my thumb and index finger and the other three fingers around the top strap. Works for me.

 

[JH1951]

When they're used guns bought by me, I do. After that, hardly ever, because I have enough that I don't shoot them often enough to require it. I've seen some real nastiness going on under the hood in used guns.

^^^ What kmb said exactly. ^^^
Always when it is new-to-me, and I will go deeper than that removing the sideplate too.
If you have the right screwdrivers it is a relatively easy job, and in the end you know exactly what you are dealing with.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Not every time..........Once in awhile.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Every time.

Always have. Always will. That is how they taught me at the Police Academy 50 years ago. Plus a "bore brush" to clean the barrel and a "cylinder brush" to clean each chamber of the cylinder.