Carbon on cylinder

[rhodesengr]

I have both a 617 and a 686 Competitor that I most use with 38sp. I get carbon blackening on the front of the cylinder. What is a good compound to easily remove that blackening? It does not easily wipe off. I have tired several gun-specific and generic cleaners. Hoppes #9, MPro-7, Marvel Mystery Oil (which does a nice job in my shotguns), and miner spirits. They don't touch the blackening.

 

[SS336]

A Lead Away cloth will work on Stainless revolvers. Do not use them on a blue one.
Every time you shoot it will get black rings on the front of the cylinder. I just clean the face with solvent and not worry about it.

 

[Shark Bait]

I apply Hoppes #9 with a Q-Tip and let it soak for a few minutes, then go over it with a bronze brush. Cleans it right up.

 

[ImDrRich]

There's a product called "Blue Magic" which cleans and polishes stainless steel. I use it on all my SS guns and it works wonders. Amazon has it.

 

[Dave686]

I soak overnight in MPro-7, then use Happich Simichrome polish on a soft rag to remove the carbon. Makes them look like new.

 

[Papa-T]

There's a product called "Blue Magic" which cleans and polishes stainless steel. I use it on all my SS guns and it works wonders. Amazon has it.

Is this the correct product? It works well and doesn't scratch/harm the stainless steel? Thanks for your help!

 

[skwchock]

I use Hoppes #9

 

[ronbwolf]

I soak stainless cylinders overnight in this Slip 2000 product, then it wipes right off. The Lead Away works well also.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[rhodesengr]

Thanks all. Your replies are very helpful.

 

[3rdgeargrndrr]

Is this the correct product? It works well and doesn't scratch/harm the stainless steel? Thanks for your help!]

Polish compound will strip a tiny bit of metal off the cylinder everytime you polish. It may or may not contain abrasive but chemically strips it as well.
Some guys use Mothers but its all the same. How much it strips off, perhaps nobody will do a study on it but a lot of us avoid doing that.
If you want to have a really shiny cylinder face, thats all and good too. Its your gun.
Personally, I do not want to strip metal and I do not have the time or memory to get back to a soaking cylinder the next day.
Im ok with my carbon rings.
Some guys wash their trucks every week. I wash mine when I cant see out the windshield. To each his own

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Polish compound will strip a tiny bit of metal off the cylinder everytime you polish. It may or may not contain abrasive but chemically strips it as well.
Some guys use Mothers but its all the same. How much it strips off, perhaps nobody will do a study on it but a lot of us avoid doing that.
If you want to have a really shiny cylinder face, thats all and good too. Its your gun.
Personally, I do not want to strip metal and I do not have the time or memory to get back to a soaking cylinder the next day.
Im ok with my carbon rings.
Some guys wash their trucks every week. I wash mine when I cant see out the windshield. To each his own

I'm with ya. Rings no big deal. If you polish them off they come back with the next pull of the trigger.

 

[rhodesengr]

I'm with ya. Rings no big deal. If you polish them off they come back with the next pull of the trigger.

See this is why the forums are so helpful. I can live with rings and if they aren't a performance or long term problem then maybe that is the way to go for me.

I don't wash my car very often

 

[lihpster]

See this is why the forums are so helpful. I can live with rings and if they aren't a performance or long term problem then maybe that is the way to go for me.

I don't wash my car very often

They are present on blued guns too, just harder to see. I have a Mod.15 that I have had for 30+ years and have never did anything to try and remove them. The gun has functioned perfectly through tens of thousands of shots. The rings are a cosmetic issue only.

 

[deadin]

I just got my car out of the body shop. (Repairing a minor fender ding)
The shop told me not to apply any wax for at least a month.
I'm not sure if he understood my laughing.......

 

[SweetMK]

I just got my car out of the body shop. (Repairing a minor fender ding)
The shop told me not to apply any wax for at least a month.
I'm not sure if he understood my laughing.......

My wife purchased a "Foam Cannon" attachment for the pressure washer for me as a Christmas present ,,
It was very hot one day a couple weeks ago, so I tried out the Foam Cannon,, on my '99 Silverado,,

Well, we took it to a family 4TH of July gathering,,
EVERYONE wanted to know where I had taken it to get detailed,,
(The truck had a layer of some sort of "mold" all over it, the foam really made cleanup easy)

I think that was the first "wash" in over 2 years,, the rain does a pretty good job,,

The Foam Cannon was so much fun,, I might have to wash another vehicle!! - ` ~

 

[pete950]

Started using Slip 2000 this year
Stuff is great and smells like oranges

 

[SweetMK]

Started using Slip 2000 this year
Stuff is great and smells like oranges

Those SLIP guys offer everything else,, they need to offer a product that I can put into an ultrasonic cleaner to remove the carbon,,

I am getting lazy in my old age,, dunk, and reinstall sounds more like what I would like for carbon removal,,,

 

[smoothshooter]

I don't spend a lot of time worrying about it.
I make a few passes with some Hoppe's on a rag and a copper or nylon brush, and call it good. The black discoloration does not bother me in the least.

 

[ronbwolf]

Slip 2000 also makes a "Choke Cleaner," which works just as well. Removes the carbon ring, does not harm metal, no abrasives. Just do not use on blued guns!

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[ImDrRich]

Is this the correct product? It works well and doesn't scratch/harm the stainless steel? Thanks for your help!

Yes, that's it. Please remember NOT to use it on blued guns. Will take the finish off.

 

[burneyr]

Get a can of Never Dull - it is a non abrasive cleaner embedded in cotton wadding. I have cleaned decades old revolver cylinders to new in about fifteen minutes. No need to order as it is available at nearly every grocery store and Walmart.

Disclaimer - Never tried it on a blued finish.

 

[AveragEd]

I haven't tried it yet but a reader told me that CLR - Calcium, Lime and Rust - remover does a good job on those combustion rings without any abrasives. I have been using Flitz on a rag but while it removes the rings, it does polish off a little of that brushed stainless finish.

Ed

 

[cmj8591]

My wife purchased a "Foam Cannon" attachment for the pressure washer for me as a Christmas present ,,
It was very hot one day a couple weeks ago, so I tried out the Foam Cannon,, on my '99 Silverado,,

But does it get the carbon rings off the front of your 686 cylinder?

 

[VaTom]

Back in the day (1970's) as an LEO we carried nickle Model 10s. An old school 1st Sergeant of our platoon said to use a pencil eraser to clean up the front of cylinder. Won't completely remove but enough for passing his monthly revolver inspection.

 

[JimCunn]

The rings just let folks know the gun isn't a safe queen.

 

[stansdds]

I used to clean the burn rings from the cylinders of my revolvers, then I finally came to the conclusion that they would return every time the revolver got used. I gave up. I just remove powder fouling, lead, and copper, the burn rings just indicate the revolver gets used.

 

[pharman]

Tetragun solvent and lead cloth

A friend of mine just told me yesterday about a product he uses called Tetragun solvent...he applies the solvent to the end of cylinder and forcing cone area BEFORE he shoots...he claims this makes the gun extremely easy to clean with lead cloth (use for stainless guns NOT blue) when he gets done shooting...he says the stains come right off...I'm going to be trying some of this next time I shoot...Roger

 

[Taipan01]

As mentioned, polishing will remove some metal and the rings don't effect the operation. I normally just use Hoppes alone but every few years I'll get out my stainless revolvers, soak the cylinder faces for a bit in Hoppes, dry then lightly polish them with mothers with a soft rag. I do this rarely. I also use mothers on glossy stainless finishes to give them a deep luster like on my Vaqueros. I've done them a few times.

 

[jeffrefrig]

The only problem/issue I've heard about shooting .38s in a .357 is the small ring inside the cylinder, making it a small pain to load the .357s in. I no longer have a .357 but I have noticed it in my .327 FM if I don't brass brush the cylinder after shooting the assorted shorter .32s cartridges. But I like to keep a brush in the gun box in case I would need it at the range. But, I haven't lately been able to get any ammo for this gun so there's THAT! I do like to clean the cylinder face and cone areas on the stainless revolvers, when I'm bored, so I too appreciate the advice for the products mentioned above. For the blue guns it's stiff nylon brush with Ballistol and small amount of elbow grease. (The Ballistol I have from procuring it from my last employer before retiring, but, it's cheap so I can just buy a can now when I need some.)

 

[Hapworth]

See this is why the forums are so helpful. I can live with rings and if they aren't a performance or long term problem then maybe that is the way to go for me...

Rings aren't a performance or long term problem. Carbon (and other detritus from ignition) build-up can be.

A proper gun cleaning solvent and soft bristle brush to remove excess build-up is all you need; the stain can remain and have no deleterious effect, whereas needing to remove it (and the metal that will go with it) can have a deleterious effect done often.

Excessive cleaning has probably harmed at least as many guns as excessive shooting.