Cleaning a Revolver

[Hurryin' Hoosier]

How far do you disassemble a revolver for cleaning after a trip to the range - after, say, 100-200 rounds? Do you remove the grips? Pull the yoke and cylinder? Drop the side plate?

 

[icemn]

First I make sure the gun is not loaded. Then, I wipe it down with a clean cloth. Then I remove the yoke and cylinder and wipe them down. Put a couple of drops of CLP on a bore snake ( both ends ) and run it 3x through the bore and each cylinder. Couple of more drops on the yoke, reinsert on cylinder and give it a couple of spins, and remove yoke and wipe it off. Repeat. Also be sure to clean under the star. Also clean firing pin face with CLP on a soft tooth brush with gun pointed down. Reassemble and wipe it all down with a silicone cloth.

 

[OK Hog Shooter]

So thats what l'm supposed to do!

 

[Ranger98]

I always pull the yoke in order to clean the cylinder.BTW, a small strip of a green scrub pad dipped in Hoppe's #9 will do wonders for the burnt rings on a stainless steel cylinder..

 

[Dragon88]

Every three to four range trips, I will pull the grips and cylinder to make sure all of the metal gets some TLC. It is not necessary for regular cleaning though.

 

[GF1]

I very rarely pull the yoke/cylinder out, I run - carefully - a brush down the bore with Hoppe's #9 a few times, swab out. I also run tight patched with CLP through each cylinder twice. A drop of oil on the yoke/frame, I'm done. I make sure to get all the external powder residue off.

If I've been shooting lead bullets, even hard cast, I like to shoot several jacketed bullets through last to help scrub out the lead. Poor man's lead remover.

I occasionally break down as others here have said, just not every time.

 

[jepp2]

Do you remove the grips? Pull the yoke and cylinder? Drop the side plate?

Once I have put a very light coat of oil on the frame under the grips I don't remove them very often. The more often you take them off the looser they are going to be.

I clean the cylinder in place. I am very careful to drop the empties with the muzzle straight up to avoid getting any powder residue under the extractor.

When I purchase a used revolver I will pull it down all the way and clean, do the Miculek tune up and change the rebound spring. Lube up everything and the side plate will not come off again for several years.

 

[chief38]

Every time I am finished shooting I will pull the cylinder and grips from the frame. It makes things a whole lot easier to clean, and the reason I pull the grips is so I do not inadvertently soak them with solvent & oil while cleaning. It takes less time to remove the grips than to try and protect them from the chemicals by wrapping them up.

I also like the idea of flushing out the ejector rod channel with some Remoil which takes about 10 seconds. This way I never get any build up of crud and it's always clean and smooth.

Chief38

 

[S&W revolverman]

Just a thought Jepp2. While I agree with your posting, and holding the muzzle up while ejecting is good, don't you think sometimes there is some always a possibility of having some crud to get underneath the extractor. I think it is a great possibility and this area should be at least looked at while cleaning, especially with any .22 cal revolver, which that ammo is notorious for being dirty.

Hope this helps
chris

Once I have put a very light coat of oil on the frame under the grips I don't remove them very often. The more often you take them off the looser they are going to be.

I clean the cylinder in place. I am very careful to drop the empties with the muzzle straight up to avoid getting any powder residue under the extractor.

When I purchase a used revolver I will pull it down all the way and clean, do the Miculek tune up and change the rebound spring. Lube up everything and the side plate will not come off again for several years.

 

[S&W revolverman]

I'll just add my own.

Clean them good and totally, without any consolation, then they will be OK. Wipe off with oil cloth, then let them rest - for a while.

Hope this helps
chris

 

[jepp2]

don't you think sometimes there is some always a possibility of having some crud to get underneath the extractor. I think it is a great possibility and this area should be at least looked at while cleaning, especially with any .22 cal revolver, which that ammo is notorious for being dirty.

You are correct. I didn't state my logic very well. I didn't mean to give the impression I don't clean under the extractor. I do every time. When I clean the cylinders some of the solvent gets into that area. So I remove the solvent and with a soft brush clean out any residue.

The point I was trying to make is not to take the spent casings out, one by one with the extractor star in a raised position. An ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.

 

[brucev]

How far do you disassemble a revolver for cleaning after a trip to the range - after, say, 100-200 rounds? Do you remove the grips? Pull the yoke and cylinder? Drop the side plate?

I do not routinely disassemble my revolvers for cleaning. I use a good quality phosphor bronze brush of the appropriate size w/ Shooter's Choice bore solvent to clean out the bore and the cylinder. If there is a bit of soot/grease/lub residue in the cylinder from firing .38 Specials in a .357 Mag. cylinder, then I use a bit of copper Chore Boy or some very fine 0000 steel wool wrapped around a worn out rifle brush. Once I have everything nice and clean, I use a bit of oil to wipe down the surfaces of the revolver. The above is my normal routine. If however I have my revolvers out during inclement weather, I will remove the stocks, yoke and cylinder and clean it thoroughly. I don't remove the sideplate. Again this is just my own practice. I have however been shooting S&W revolver since 1979 and I have not ever had a single instance in which one of my revolvers ever had any issues as a result of my cleaning regiment. HTH. Sincerely. brucev.

 

[v-13]

I usually take the grips off, as well as the yoke and cylinder and place the frame, cylinder and yoke in an ultra sonic cleaner with solution. Set the timer for about 15-20 minutes. After that I rinse the solution with warm water and then blow out any excess with an air compressor. I then re submerge the parts in a lubricating solution so as to get into the action portion of the gun. Again set timer for 10-15 minutes and then remove and let drip dry. Re assemble, and gun is good to go. Ultra sonic cleaners are not cheap but are an excellant tool to have if you are fussy about your guns.