Nickel plated, smokeless frame, top break 38 SW. the finish isnt in the greatest condition. DA/SA, exposed hammer.

My 85 year old great aunt wants me to clean her sock drawer gun. Which was her fathers pocket pistol "way back in the day".

As its nickel plated, mainly, and hasnt been shot in perhaps i think 20 years, whats the best way to clean it? #9 and other copper eliminating chemicals are out due to the copper plate under the nickel.

Would remoil be the best means? I have a tin of that birchwood casey synthetic gun oil they claim "cleans" and lubes...

My one and only effort was a resounding success using Bronze Wool (0000) and oil-----any oil, as its function is only to reduce/eliminate friction, and to carry off debris.

The gun was a Registered Magnum which had been completely rebuilt and refinished by the factory, and was all frosty----looked terrible. It looked like new in about 30 minutes.

Ralph Tremaine

im not discussing trying to bring the finish back to life. im talking basic gun cleaning here.

I've always used Breakfree CLP followed by a couple coats of Renaissance wax on my 19-3. No problems whatsoever.

To make it look it's best, use Flitz Polish, it will blend the Nickel areas better with the bare areas. Cleaning with 0000 steel wool & oil is for blued guns. Yes, I have done both to guns that increased their value for when they were sold. Do not use Flitz on anything blued, it will remove bluing.

What ol777gunmner said, Flitz is a cleaning polish that will shine both the nickel and the worn area's so that they will blend together. For just light cleaning Breakfree has always done great for me. One or two drops of Breakfree as lubricant down inside the cocked hammer, then work the hammer several times. Then about 1 drop on the cylinder shaft then replace the cylinder and spin it to make sure it is nice and free. ( Make sure you remove the cylinder correctly, holding the top latch up and away from the cylinder when removing or replacing.) When it's cleaned and lubed, Renaissance Wax it great for keeping the nickel bright and any rust from starting. Or, a very light coating of a good auto wax.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

How do you know it is a "smokeless frame" Pictures and serial number would identify the revolver first, then members can tell you how to clean it.

The basics are always the same. CLean the bore, unscrew the cylinder and clean the chambers. If you are very familiar with stripping and reassembling the gun, take out each part and clean it. Clean the frame before reassembling. If you are not familiar with the workings of a top-break S&W, take off the stocks and get a can of Carb & Choke Cleaner. Spray it up inside the mechanism from the opening in the frame or remove the sideplate to do this, let it soak and reapply. Blow out the mechanism with compressed air. Use a synthetic aerosol lubricant and spray and work the mechanism. Use compressed air again to drive off all the excess lube and reassemble.

It is often said that S&W did not use copper plate under their nickel, and even if they did, I have never seen any change in the nickel finish using Hoppes in the bore. Hoppes is not something you would wipe your guns down with anyway and a small amount that might get on the nickel during cleaning will do no damage.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Cleaning with Flitz will retore the shine if that's what you want.
Flitz leaves a residue which I think protects the metal without further need for wax etc.

Do not use regular Hoppes #9 or any cleaner with ammonia in it. If the ammonia gets under the nickel it will allow the plating to peel or otherwise begin to come off.

Hoppes does make a cleaner with no ammonia as do others.

I don't know if he really meant to say "steel wool" or not, but don't go anywhere near a blued gun with steel wool!!!!

As has been said before, steel wool removes rust---along with pretty much anything else. Bluing is RUST!

The blue rust is called black oxide, but rust is rust! Blueing is blue instead of red because of the oxidizing chemicals used in the process. The bluing process is known as "controlled corrosion"-----note that word---corrosion.

Using oil along with the steel wool simply slows down the process of removing rust, but rust is still rust!!

Bronze Wool and oil is the name of the game. The oil reduces the effort, and carries off the crud.

End of rant!

Ralph Tremaine

True that
Bronze wool!!!!

I have cleaned over twenty guns using 0000 steel wool & oil removing grime & rust with zero removal of the bluing. I tried to bronze one time & quit, when light hit it just right it was leaving bronze on the barrel in the metal & had to use the steel wool method to remove it.

Smith and Wesson never used copper under the nickel, nor did Colt or any other firearms manufacturer to my knowledge. Copper plating is used under nickel and chrome when you are plating a bumper.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Again this is false. Made up from whole cloth.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824