Residue on Cylinder Flutes

[loplop]

I picked up a nice 28-2 Highway Patrolman (~1966) and other than a few very, very small areas of rust to address, it is in sweet condition save seemingly impermeable residue on the cylinder flutes. At least impermeable to gentle persuasion with bore cleaner and a cotton rag.

Before I try some chore boy or something, I thought I’d ask here for ideas. Or maybe just leave it alone and shoot it?

Speaking of which, other than a bit of trouble with the black blade front sight which I struggle to see nowadays, it’s a hell of a shooter! I put about 100 rounds of everything from HBWC to full house magnums and it seemingly couldn’t miss, just one steel ping after another. I’ve only owned one other N Frame—a Model 1917 I wish I never sold—and I really enjoyed it!

Edit for link to image. And to add: the powder residue on the barrel is from firing that day, and wiped right off. The residue on the flutes is hard and impenetrable.

Model 28-2 Highway Patrolman - Album on Imgur

 

[Truckman]

Could it be lead residue from years of shooting?...The color indicates so...Try some Flitz, or even careful application of a Leadaway cloth......Ben

 

[handejector]

Could it be lead residue from years of shooting?...The color indicates so...Try some Flitz, or even careful application of a Leadaway cloth......Ben

I thought the leadaway cloths would remove blue???
I have not used them.

It usually helps to let the cyl sit a day or two wet with solvent.
Another way is as Ben said- use a good gentle polish like Simichrome or Blue Wenol, rubbing GENTLY with just your bare finger.
I keep all three handy: Simichrome, Blue Wenol, and Flitz. Flitz is the most abrasive of the three.

 

[ken158]

As already noted, never seen that much lead on a cylinder and I would try a lead wipe away cloth before I got too aggressive with a liquid cleaner. Looks like many soft lead rounds have been fired without proper cleaning.

 

[Retired W4]

Otherwise a fine looking 28-2.

 

[taz666]

Are the stains rough to the touch?

 

[gwpercle]

Leadaway cloth will remove blue ... So Be Careful using it .
I would go with 0000 copper wool and a good bore solvent ...
or J-B Bore Cleaning Compound on a cloth ... or Turtle Wax Rust Remover and Chrome Polish on a cloth ... these are very mild polidhing compounds .
Gary

 

[rct269]

If---IF it has the so-called "Satin Blue" finish, the funky finish used starting in the immediate post war years, the Renaissance Wax folks have a surface cleaner called Pre-Lim which removes rust, rust you can't even see until it shows up on your rag.

I don't know the truth of this, but I'm told this invisible rust is invisible (before it gets going good) because of the surface prep prior to bluing---media blasting which leaves an irregular surface----little bitty hills and valleys---and you can't see this incipient rust in the valleys. All I know for a fact is there were rust stains on the rag that weren't there at the outset.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[stansdds]

I'd coat the cylinder in Hoppes No.9 solvent and let it sit, then gently clean with copper Chore Boy (brand name, not cheap, copper plated steel pads) pads. Soaking it would also work, but for a soak, might as well go for something even more effective, like Ed's Red solvent.

 

[lkabug]

Lead away is a great way to find the natural color of carbon steel.

 

[Truckman]

Lead away is a great way to find the natural color of carbon steel.

Hah!...Good one, and true...My reference above was meant to suggest using the cloth gently and selectively only on the leaded surface, not to be wrapped around a buffing wheel attached to a bench grinder......Ben

 

[BE Mike]

If it were me, I'd take the cylinder off the revolver and let it soak for a day or two in a gun solvent and/ or penetrating oil, like Kroil. Eventually it the solvent or Kroil will penetrate between the grime and the metal. Avoid using a Leadaway cloth on a blued gun.

 

[glenwolde]

I'd soak it and then try a bunch of scrubbing with solvent and a toothbrush before I went to anything even remotely abrasive.

 

[Beecherkid]

To remove the lead vapor accumulation on the cylinder I just use a few drops of any bore cleaner with a bronze "toothbrush". It's quick and easy to do as a normal part of after shooting gun care.

No soaking or using abrasive products are involved.

 

[JackM]

If the previous owner shot a lot of lead bullets, what you’re seeing could be residue from bullet lube. Some of it gets vaporized upon firing and some of that exits via the barrel/cylinder gap and sticks to the frame and cylinder. It can be pretty tough to remove, especially on a satin or brush finished gun.

 

[T44spl]

I think removing the grips and soaking entire gun in Ed's Red is the best way to go. The gun will be one uniform color, the internals will be cleaned of gunk and it's the most safest method without any abrasive element. The "bath" is the way to go...

 

[Dvus]

Be wary of the lead removal cloths. Not only will they remove bluing, but also those pretty case colors, especially if they are of the acid wash variety.

 

[T112-4]

I had the same problem with a K22 I acquired recently. I tried every gun solvent I had and nothing touched it, I gave up and took it to my gunsmith. Returned all nice and look like new. He said that was some tough stuff on the cylinder. I asked what he used to get it off and he just smiled. Cost me $70.00 dollars for the complete cleaning.

 

[glenwolde]

I had the same problem with a K22 I acquired recently. I tried every gun solvent I had and nothing touched it, I gave up and took it to my gunsmith. Returned all nice and look like new. He said that was some tough stuff on the cylinder. I asked what he used to get it off and he just smiled. Cost me $70.00 dollars for the complete cleaning.

That was worth it. My gunsmith's shop charge is $175/hr.

 

[Nightowl]

We had some old model 15s that seemingly had not been cleaned since they left the factory, that looked just like that in the cylinder flutes! I was like a baked on finish, difficult to remove. A result of thousands of lead bullets. I finally just gave up as they were no longer being used for anything.