I want to know what everyone uses to remove lead and carbon from there cylinders? I just got a 686-6 and the standard ballistol and hoppes isn't doing the job well enough, I ordered a couple midwayUSA lead remover clothes for now..will that do the trick?

Those lead remover cloths work well on stainless guns like your 686. But it takes an effort.

I'm told that if you use them on a blued gun, it will take the bluing off.

Also, I wouldn't use them on a Titanium cylinder or an aluminum frame either.

Dave

I've used Scotchbrite and some solvent - just enough pressure to lift the buildup off.

Carbon-X Stain Remover.
Made to remove carbon from aircraft engines and fuselages.
Wilson Combat sells a product that I believe to be repacked Carbon-X.
Whatever it is, it works well.

__________________
-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Carbon-X works for a lot of applications.
A lifetime supply can be had at Sporty's Pilot Shop.

The stain is a combination of lead, gilding metal and powder residue. Flitz makes short work of shining up the cylinder, frame and barrel extension without scratching the metal. It doesn't harm hot bluing either. However, it's more for photography than for maintenance. It's unusual for enough residue to build up to interfere with performance.

Scotch Brite is too abrasive, IMO. It will scratch metal and remove bluing. Follow S&W instructions for titanium cylinders. They're anodized, and anything which harms that coating will greatly shorten the life of the cylinder (due to gas erosion).

I just wipe off whatever will come off with normal solvent on a cloth/patch and leave the rest.
It's just going to get dirty again and I don't want to wear out the front face of the cylinder.
All my revolvers have a ring around the cylinder throats on the face.
Unless you are going to sell the gun, don't worry too much about over-cleaning the cylinder face.
YMMV, JMHO, Semper Gumby, and Tally Ho!

===
Nemo

I got a Birchwood Casey lead remover cloth from my local range, he gave me it for free..So I just used it on my 686 and it got everything completely clean, looks brand new now. Does take some elbow grease but not much, no need for solvents or anything either. Worked great!

I use that Carbon -X on both the guns and de plane. Works like a charm but wear rubber gloves when you use it. It is super soluble and will penetrate the skin.

It does not work on joint pain ! So don't be getting and DMSO ideas.....
$25.00 a gallon but you'll find it will be helpful about the house & garage.....

__________________
'I know nothing'.. Sgt. Shultz

I use a Dremel and a sanding drum... not really. The scorch rings don't hurt anything. I did remove them once using a Scotchbrite and some Firepower FP-10 just to see if it'd work.
I just do regular cleaning after a day at the range and leave it at that.

__________________
Keep on Chooglin'

I'm sure you have all been where I am though...brand new type of firearm, never owned a revolver and since it's something new...I feel like I should keep it looking good lol. For the first month or so, after a while I'm sure it won't matter to me anymore

I leave the stuff on the cylinder during normal "after shooting" cleaning.

Once and a while I moisten a patch with Shooter's Choice Lead Remover and scrub the stuff off with that.

My Stealth Hunter is stainless, but the cylinder is black so I am hesitant to use the lead remover cloth on it. I do use that cloth on my Ruger Bisley Blackhawk though.

For a SS pistol pick your favorite flavor solvent and a bronze brush
Amazon.com: Hoppe's Phosphor Bronze Utility Brush, Card: Sports & Outdoors@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/314%2BjGhXtdL.@@AMEPARAM@@314%2BjGhXtdL

For our Mdl 64 I pull the cylinder/crane and the big end of the brush makes short work of the cylinder face and the subsequent ooze of solvent helps loosen everything up for cleaning the cylinder bores. The short end cleans up the small gap between the barrel and the frame.

On revolvers that get shot on a routine basis I only remove the bulk of the rings with a pencil eraser ( I still have a few of the mechanically fed versions that have an eraser inside that is about 4" long but don't think they make them anymore ). I do not go all the way down to the metal on blued guns because I do not want to remove the bluing I just want to make sure that there is no interference with the forcing cone. On Stainless guns you can use the eraser, lead wipes, or pretty much anything as there is no finish to remove, but again on revolvers that get shot all the time it's futile because as soon as you shoot the first cylinder full the next time you are back to square one.

On guns that only get shot occasionally I get more detailed and do a better job on the cylinder face, but you still need to be very careful on blued guns.

Bronze toothbrush......

SUPER TOOTHBRUSHES | Brownells

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

First, removing the firing stain doughnuts from the front of a regularly fired revolver’s cylinder is silly.

That said it is easy to do with your favorite solvent and fine bronze wool. The key is to clean stainless revolvers with brushes and other tools made out of metal that is softer than steel.

It is a common misconception that stainless revolvers are not devalued by altering their surfaces with metal polishes or abrasives. All it takes for revolvers to acquire collector value is the passage of time and preserving their original condition including the factory’s surfacing.

I’ve taken a liking to M-Pro 7 solvent because it’s odorless and non toxic but many other solvents will do just as well. I like to swab revolvers with solvent the evening after they are shot then clean them the next day. That lets the solvent do its job and soften up fouling.

Beware of all metal wools around blued revolvers. You can get away with light pressure but eventually they thin or remove the bluing.

I have used a car product called 'NEVR-DULL'. it comes in a silver and blue container, has an impregnated cotton material bail inside. Take a small patch of the bailing, not much larger than your thumb width, rub it lightly on the fouling and it will come off rather easily. I'm talking about the cylinder, not necessarily the cylinder face, but it will clean that too with a little more effort.

It is a mag wheel polish that works great for this purpose and I have used it for many years without issue.

I actually bought a tin of that the other day from Walmart...I have that, and 3 lead remover clothes now. Should last me years to come