Best way to clean a blued pistol

jpmccr · Nov 19, 2008

Ok, silly question for the day. I have a 19-4, 28-2, and 48. I want to spend some quality time and give them a good cleaning. I have heard 0000 steel wool works as long as you don't apply enough pressure to take the blueing off. What do you fine folks think? I was wondering if there is a paste wax I can use on the grips as well. Thanks in advance. . . .

jpmccr · Nov 19, 2008

Ok, silly question for the day. I have a 19-4, 28-2, and 48. I want to spend some quality time and give them a good cleaning. I have heard 0000 steel wool works as long as you don't apply enough pressure to take the blueing off. What do you fine folks think? I was wondering if there is a paste wax I can use on the grips as well. Thanks in advance. . . .

shawn mccarver · Nov 19, 2008

Originally posted by jpmccr:
Ok, silly question for the day. I have a 19-4, 28-2, and 48. I want to spend some quality time and give them a good cleaning. I have heard 0000 steel wool works as long as you don't apply enough pressure to take the blueing off. What do you fine folks think? I was wondering if there is a paste wax I can use on the grips as well. Thanks in advance. . . .

Wool is bad in sweaters, and even worse on S&W revolvers.

To clean, you need Hoppes No. 9 Nitro Powder Solvent, a rag, a clean toothbrush (not the one you use to brush your teeth) and a cleaning rod with bronze bristle brush and patch pusher attachment, along with cleaning patches. You also need Breakfree CLP.

Dip the bristle brush into the solvent and pass it through each charge hole and the bore. Let the solvent stand in the barrel while you clean the rest of the revolver so it has time to work.

Clean the rest of the revolver by dipping the tooth brush in the solvent and gently scrub away the ash and burned oil and other residue and gunk from all the nooks and crannies, paying attention to the forcing cone area, the front of the cylinder, the ejector star and under the ejector star, and anywhere else you see powder fouling.

Wipe the outside clean with the rag, then use the patch pusher and push a clean patch through the bore and each charge hole to wipe out the solvent.

Then apply a VERY light film of breakfree to the exterior. You do not need to put more than a drop once a year or so in the action unless you drop it in water or otherwise subject it to a hostile environment. Too much oil inside attracts gunk which will interfere with proper smooth operation.

You will never get all of the burn marks off the face of the cylinder, and it is not necessary, so don't even try.

prefer_wheelguns · Nov 19, 2008

Or, just toss the thing to your wife when you get home from the range.

"Here Honey, clean this would you? And what's for dinner?"

durco · Nov 19, 2008

Yeah. Steel wool works very good. Or, you could just sandblast it.

stevieboy · Nov 19, 2008

I'm a fanatic about keeping my guns clean and I clean them thoroughly after each session at the range. I've also reconciled myself to the realization that I can never get my blued guns as pristine as my stainless without damaging the blued surface.

For what it's worth, here's what I do with my blued guns. First, I run a swab that's been impregnated with J & B Bore Cleaner down the bore and through each of the cylinders. I'm not sure what the chemical composition of this substance is, but it's excellent for getting powder residue and even lead out of bores and cylinders. Then, I spray a good solvent (right now I'm using Birchfield-Casey Gun Scrubber) into the bore and each chamber. Next, I run a bronze bore brush through the bore and chambers. The next step is to thoroughly swab out everything, starting with solvent-soaked patches and then, proceeding to dry patches, until the patches run clean. Sometimes, depending on how much I've shot, that takes a LOT of patches.

As for the gun's other surfaces, I wipe down everything with solvent soaked patches until they come clean. I find that the area below the top strap just above the forcing cone and the cylinder faces are carbon magnets. I just keep wiping until I get as much as possible off. I may use a dental pick to gently scrape off carbon deposits above the forcing cone. Then, I wipe down everything thoroughly with a Pro Shot Metal Care cloth (it's advertised as safe for blued surfaces, and it's never given me a problem). Sometimes, not always, I apply a very light coating of gun oil to the gun's exterior surfaces (not the bore and chambers) and then wipe it away with a clean swab. As a final step, I polish the gun with a clean soft cloth.

The entire process takes me 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the gun. A .22 is a lot harder to clean than a larger caliber revolver, because rimfire ammo tends to be dirtier than centerfire ammo.

shawn mccarver · Nov 19, 2008

Originally posted by stevieboy:

The entire process takes me 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the gun.

40 minutes to an hour is good for some things, but not for cleaning a revolver!

tjpopkin · Nov 20, 2008

Everything here, so far, works......
I tend to favor Shawn in this regard.....
NEVER use steel wool...
for removing rust, maybe, with some Militec, but ever so lightly.....

Any Powder and copper/lead solvent works....I use Shooters Choice...
I buy non-sterile gauze pads (if they are good enough for open wounds, they are fine for metal surfaces)...saturated with solvent and wipe down the gun. I use a toothbrush-like gun brush (Brownells- much stiffer and lasts for years) to scrub around the cylinder, yoke, forcing cone and generally any tight spots....
I run a patch with just solvent down the bore and another patch through the cylinder holes and let soak (assuming it has just been shot). The barrel is cleaned 1st,with a bronze brush in solvent, some patches with solvent until no residue is removed and a dry patch...it is then inspected with a bore light. If any lead or copper is seen in the bore...I use JB Bore cleaner, but on a patch that is wrapped around a bronze brush and stroked 15-20 times....this stuff is like a rubbing compound that dissolves lead. the patch will appear black and the bore warm.....repeat the initial cleaning process....that will usually be enough. Repeat the gauze treatment with solvent on the overall gun, wipe down with a cotton rag to remove solvent, run a patch with gun oil or "Militec"(I like this stuff) through the bore if you intend to store in a safe for a while (not necessary if you shoot the gun all the time), spray with a light oil (like Sheath), wipe with a silicone cloth and put away. It takes about 5-10 min. at most.

In 60 years, I have had no rust, no surface marring, and no bore pitting. The Colts & S&W's from the 40's & 50's, some of which were my dad's, look like they just came from the factory.....
Terry

REDTAIL · Mar 13, 2009

Iv'e beenusing a product that does it all it's called EEZOX great stuff.

Gun 4 Fun · Mar 13, 2009

Throw it in the dish washer

indiandave · Mar 14, 2009

I've always used hoppe's #9. It works well for me. To clean the inside of your cylinders use a chamber brush. It is thicker and stiffer then a bore brush. It really gets the crud out of the chambers fast. you can buy them from Brownell

On the outside I use gun oil wipes. I like to do this at the range. At home I wipe all the powder and lube once again before I start with the barrel and chambers. Just don't use lead away type cloths on a blued finish gun.

Jack Flash · Mar 14, 2009

Does anybody take the stocks off every time?

When I do a THOROUGH cleaning, I do. Otherwise, (normal cleaning) I put some SaranWrap around them to keep the solvent from ruining their finish. I think you can over-clean, just like you can over-oil. Just wondered if this is the norm...

I like Militec-1 also. I never followed the directions about conditioning the bore, etc. I will try this next time.

fyimo · Mar 14, 2009

I hate to disagree but I have to. You can use (4) 0000 steel wool on blued guns and it will not hurt the finish. You don't do this everytime you clean the gun but maybe once a year. I was taught to do this by a gunsmith back in the 80's and I do it to all of my shotguns, rifles, and pistols and they all look like new. The first thing I do when I buy a blued gun is to give it this treatment.

After I clean the gun and finish wiping the gun down I coat the gun and stocks with Renaissance wax and they look like they are brand new. I just sold two shotguns on consignment at a local gun store and I gave them this treatment before I took them. They sold and both buyers asked the gun store owner if the guns had been refinished and he said no this guy just keeps his guns in top condition.

donaldw870 · Mar 14, 2009

I guess I'm totally anal, but I don't consider my revolver clean when I've done what the other posters describe to the bore and chambers. Even after brushing for 20-30 strokes with a brass brush, my chambers and bore still have lead, carbon, and bullet lube buildup that has to be scrubbed and scrubbed until I can see the bare metal. I usually wrap some strands of a chore boy type brass pad around an old brass brush and work it back and forth to scrub the rest of it out. JB bore paste and Iosso helps too. Same thing goes for a the face of the cylinder, which I also scrub with a toothbrush-style brass brush. This all takes time. I'd say at least an hour for a gun that's been shot 100-200 rounds.

Like I said, either I'm anal, or doing something wrong. -Donald

duckloads · Mar 14, 2009

I'd say at least an hour for a gun that's been shot 100-200 rounds.

That's about right for me, also

Rugskipper · Mar 14, 2009

Originally posted by prefer_wheelguns:
Or, just toss the thing to your wife when you get home from the range.

"Here Honey, clean this would you? And what's for dinner?"

Rest in Peace.

Bullseye Smith · Mar 14, 2009

I gave up on Hoppie's when they changed it to being 90% KO. I use Mothers Mag Wax on all of the guns that I have. When I'm at the range and shooting them, I wipe them down with a soft rag. This will remove 90% of the crud on the cylinder face and the whole gun. Wax makes it easy to clean after the first coat. Best vabor barrier you can get.

bluetopper · Mar 14, 2009

I give my Smiths a good soaking for a while then wash them in a plastic tub of diesel. Great cleaner, very economical and is good for several cleanings before you have to change the diesel out.

Nframe_is_no1 · Mar 15, 2009

I use kerosene. It melts all powder fowling. Then I dry out the bore and chambers and coat with oil for protection.

Best way to clean a blued pistol

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