Carbon Removal From cylinder Flutes

[Retired W4]

I have a 1957, 4 screw K38 that has been shot quite a lot, but well cared for, EXCEPT for all the carbon in the flutes. I tried acetone on a q-tip but it's been pretty slow going. S&W did not polish that area as much as other places and the carbon is pretty stubborn. I thought of OOOO steel wool with oil. The acetone evaporates quickly but it does work, with a lot of work.

 

[rockquarry]

Try Hoppe's #9 (many other solvents will probably work as well, including kerosene) on a soft cloth.

 

[4barrel]

I have a 1959 I shoot often. Just wipe it off with Hoppe's when you get through shooting. Take the stocks -grips- handles off and soak in diesel a few days if it hasn't been cleaned in a while and blow dry with air.

 

[Retired W4]

The problem is a previous owner put a lot of rounds through it without doing just that. I'm meticulous with cleaning my guns after shooting them. Not everyone does it. This is years of build up.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I would use bronze wool rather than steel wool.

 

[rockquarry]

I would use bronze wool rather than steel wool.

Yes, steel wool would be out of the question. Bronze wool works well for many things, but I'm pretty sure you can wear the bluing off if not used very carefully.

 

[Retired W4]

Well, I did the bronze wool and oil thing and got about 90% of it. Finished off with simichrome and got a little more. Now to shoot it and clean it again.

 

[chief38]

I've posted this before. Always carry a Range Rag (100% cotton flannel rag soaked with a CLP) with you when you shoot. G96 Synthetic, Breakfree CLP, etc. all work well. As soon as you fire the last shot, wipe the gun down with the Range rag concentrating on the flutes and cylinder face and it should all come off easily. The longer the Carbon cools and remains there, the harder it is to get off. It takes seconds to do this and I've found that it works like a charm! You should never have to scrub or polish it off again. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure.

 

[SweetMK]

Hmmmmmm,,,
I never seem to get carbon buildup in the flutes!!??

Oh,, well,,,

 

[gwpercle]

Try this , gently scrub the flutes :

0000 steel or copper wool and Ed's Red Bore Cleaner.

Ed's Red Bore Cleaner - Equal Parts:
1.) GM Automatic Transmission Fluid - standard , non-synthetic type
2.) Acetone
3.) K-1 Kerosene
4.) Mineral Spirits (deoderized)

Store Ed's Red in a metal can with screw on top ...or in a clean Windex spray bottle ... the mixed cleaner will not dissolve Windex spray bottles ... other bottles , I don't know .

Ed's Red is a good general purpose cleaner for shop tools and firearms .
I use it as much as a general cleaner of shop tools & equipment as I do a Bore Cleaner .
It cuts through layers of built up grease and grime .
$22 will buy the 4 ingredients at wally-mart to make a Gallon of cleaner ! Warning ... do not use synthetic ATF , it will not blend and mix with the other 3 ingredients ... Use Conventional ATF !

Gary

 

[rockquarry]

Try this , gently scrub the flutes :

0000 steel or copper wool and Ed's Red Bore Cleaner.

Ed's Red Bore Cleaner - Equal Parts:
1.) GM Automatic Transmission Fluid - standard , non-synthetic type
2.) Acetone
3.) K-1 Kerosene
4.) Mineral Spirits (deoderized)

Store Ed's Red in a metal can with screw on top ...or in a clean Windex spray bottle ... the mixed cleaner will not dissolve Windex spray bottles ... other bottles , I don't know .

Ed's Red is a good general purpose cleaner for shop tools and firearms .
I use it as much as a general cleaner of shop tools & equipment as I do a Bore Cleaner .
It cuts through layers of built up grease and grime .
$22 will buy the 4 ingredients at wally-mart to make a Gallon of cleaner ! Warning ... do not use synthetic ATF , it will not blend and mix with the other 3 ingredients ... Use Conventional ATF !

Gary

I've used Ed's Red for years; virtually the same as Hoppe's #9 for all purposes. Maybe a little cheaper to make than buying Hoppe's.

 

[Oldbird13]

I just had an interesting experience with carbon buildup on some BMW fuel injectors. Mechanism charged $800 for a new pair and I asked for the “old” injectors. He wanted to keep them to show other customers. I went home, sprayed a small amount of brake cleaner on a Q-tip and in less than 8 seconds the head of the injector looked brand new. I plan on showing him. Don’t know why this wouldn’t work on a revolver cylinder.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Soak it and use a penny (copper) easy on it, after you get it clean, use RENAISSANCE on the total gun. When you shoot take a rag with you and wipe the cylinder face and all over and the black will wipe off easy. the wax won't hurt the blue. you will be happy with the wax.

 

[kev74]

Hoppes and a brass bristle brush.

 

[stansdds]

I second the motion to apply wax once the fouling is removed. You can use Renaissance Wax, Johnson's paste floor wax, or pure carnuba wax. Do not use a wax that contains any abrasives/polishing compounds.

 

[Retired W4]

Speaking of Ren Wax, while at The Blade Show yesterday I picked up a couple tubes of Simichrome $15/per. The same folks had the 200 ml can of RW for $30 + tax. I thought that was a pretty decent price. No shipping but it cost $30 to get in. I've got plenty so I passed.

 

[505Gibbs]

Speaking of Ren Wax, while at The Blade Show yesterday I picked up a couple tubes of Simichrome $15/per. The same folks had the 200 ml can of RW for $30 + tax. I thought that was a pretty decent price. No shipping but it cost $30 to get in. I've got plenty so I passed.

Shipping costs from England are pretty steep!!

 

[Engineer1911]

Bore Tech Carbon Remover is the perfect, no sweat solution. You get a spotless blue or stainless gun without harming the finish. Better cleaning through chemistry.

I have several blue or stainless revolvers that are favorite shooters with cast lead bullets. BT Carbon Remover is the easiest to use, wet a Q-tip, and proceed to scrub the smut off your favorite gun in 1 - 2 minutes. After the first thorough cleaning, the next time was 30 seconds.

 

[Racer X]

Try this , gently scrub the flutes :

0000 steel or copper wool and Ed's Red Bore Cleaner.

Ed's Red Bore Cleaner - Equal Parts:
1.) GM Automatic Transmission Fluid - standard , non-synthetic type
2.) Acetone
3.) K-1 Kerosene
4.) Mineral Spirits (deoderized)

Store Ed's Red in a metal can with screw on top ...or in a clean Windex spray bottle ... the mixed cleaner will not dissolve Windex spray bottles ... other bottles , I don't know .

Ed's Red is a good general purpose cleaner for shop tools and firearms .
I use it as much as a general cleaner of shop tools & equipment as I do a Bore Cleaner .
It cuts through layers of built up grease and grime .
$22 will buy the 4 ingredients at wally-mart to make a Gallon of cleaner ! Warning ... do not use synthetic ATF , it will not blend and mix with the other 3 ingredients ... Use Conventional ATF !

Gary

I was going to bring up Ed's Red, specifically because Dexron/Mercon III is essentially 10w-30 with loads of additives, especially detergent. It should really help break down the carbon. It works wonders in rimfire chambers with a carbon ring. I soak a bore mop in just Dexron III and let it sit in the chamber for a few days. Then a dry bore brush to scrape the soft carbon loose, and clean solvent on patches to clean it all up. Same basic thing for shooting special brass in magnum cylinders. You get a ring forming that messes with magnum rounds chambering properly.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

I'll second the Ed's Red suggestion. But Dextron ATF will also do. Soak the entire gun without the grip on it, for a couple days.

John