Cleaning burn-rings off the cylinder face?? I just can't make much headway!

[SIGWolf]

Okay, I've posted this before and thought I'd try again since I'm trying to clean a revolver right now. I know some people here think it's absurd and unnecessary to clean the burn rings off the cylinder face. That's fine, to each his own. However, IF I was to want to do such a thing, HOW would it be accomplished??!!

I've tried just about everything! I've tried Hoppes #9, M-Pro7, "simple green" cleaner someone suggested, Gunzilla, and FP-10, all to no avail. I've allowed it to soak overnight, sometimes for days. I've scrubbed with tooth brushes and nylon gun brushes.

The only thing that works and this still takes a good bit of rubbing are things like Mother's Mag and Lead Cleaning cloths BOTH of which will polish and remove the matte finish on a revolver cylinder face. On "natural" stainless or polished guns it's fine. Otherwise I can't seem to get it off, the burn-rings that is. I expect these would absolutely RUIN a nickel finish (none of which I have, but this is just a thought).

So, here is my question. Why are they so difficult to clean? Every other part of the gun is fine, no problem even the barrel, but the blast rings just will not come clean or it takes hours and hours of rubbing, scrubbing and cleaning and even then they are not gone.

So, do anyone have a magic bullet here? What is the composition of the rings that they are so hard to clean? It is just impossible on a MATTE gun?

 

[28gauge]

My advice is for stainless revolvers/cylinders. It works very well. One of the major cleaning companies makes a chemically treated rag called lead away. It's used (as its called) to remove lead from barrels. I use it to wipe the cylinder. With little effort those rings come right off. It's not abrasive like scotch brite pads which I myself would not use. One rag lasts quite a while.

 

[Joni_Lynn]

Here's what I use to remove carbon.
http://slip2000.com/carbonkiller.html
I use a Q tip to get the part I want cleaned reasonably damp, let it sit for a minute or so and wipe or brush off. For areas where it is harder to remove, soak the part in a small quantity for a short time and then use a toothbrush to brush the carbon off.

 

[johnny3]

Thanks for info. about SLIP-2000, I've gotta have some. Johnny

 

[stevieboy]

I take a patch that I've saturated with some J & B Bore Compound and wipe the cylinder face. Then, wipe again with a solvent soaked patch. If all else fails, a little scrubbing with a bronze brush eliminates the residue. About two minutes' work renders the surface pristine. This works on both high gloss and matte stainless finishes without any apparent scratching or damage. Do NOT do this with blued finishes, however, the bronze brush will damage the finish.

 

[Jack Flash]

I suspect that the really stubborn "burn rings" are not powder residue at all but lead fouling.
That's why Lead Away type cloths work.

 

[Joni_Lynn]

I don't want to change the topic but for those of you with 1911's the Thumb Buddy from Slip2000 is a pretty neat little device.

***and now back to your regularly scheduled topic***

 

[TANZER]

Try Blue Wonder Cleaner.

 

[Jerry in SC]

Slip 2000 is the heat for cleaning stainless guns, works like a charm without scrubbing.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

Originally posted by 28gauge:
My advice is for stainless revolvers/cylinders. It works very well. One of the major cleaning companies makes a chemically treated rag called lead away. It's used (as its called) to remove lead from barrels. I use it to wipe the cylinder. With little effort those rings come right off. It's not abrasive like scotch brite pads which I myself would not use. One rag lasts quite a while.

It works. I wouldn't bother, except on a nickel gun*. I'm sure that some folks will tell you not to use it on nickel, and they're probably right, but using it carefully and sparingly, I have never had a problem. Afterwards, I clean the area with Hoppe's (another no-no, but I wipe up afterwards, and then use oil, and then I swab the chambers with a dry patch, because I don't want any oil anywhere near the chambers, and this all may sound obsessive, but not to anyone who needs to clean harmless deposits from the front of a cylinder).

*Actually, I wouldn't bother on a nickel gun, either, if I'm going to use it again soon. But occasionally I carry a nickel gun which I don't shoot that often, and that is what my comments apply to.

 

[Duke426]

Is Slip2000 safe for nickel firearms? It says for ALL revolvers but can't find where it says specifically safe for use on nickel. Anyone know, short of calling the company and asking?

 

[940lvr]

I have had great luck with a product called Flitz. It is a paste and I use a very small amount on a soft, damp rag. It is a polish and I suppose with enough effort you could damage the finish on a blued gun, but I have never had an issue.

 

[29aholic]

Never Dull works great for the carbon ring, and lead away is great for the lead. Neither one takes much elbow grease.

 

[snw19_357]

Originally posted by 940lvr:
I have had great luck with a product called Flitz.

+1. Picked it up originally for my nickel firearms but now use it on my SS and blued ones.

 

[X-RingDistroyer]

For my stainless guns I use Outers foaming bore cleaner. I put it in the barrel and charge holes and let it soak for a few minutes. I wasn't trying to mess with the front of the cylinder but those rings just wiped off.

I don't use it on blued guns because of paranoia that it would remove finish. I don't know if it would or not, just haven't done it.

 

[animalmother]

I have used two methods. One involves Flitz and a soft toothbrush. The other involves a Lead Away cloth. Both require plenty of elbow grease.

 

[Robert B]

It sounds like you have the same matte black finish that is on my M&P 360. I just used Hoppe's Elite that I purchased online from Brownell's and it took almost all of it off without hurting the black finish. I'm pretty obsessive about the front of the cylinder, and I'm happy with the Hoppe's Elite. It bubbles a bit like soap and water, but then it evaporates. It also cleaned the chambers of my cylinder with only running a cotton patch through them a couple of times. Magic. I didn't want to use a bore brush and ruin the finish inside the chambers.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by TenMan:
Why are they so difficult to clean? Every other part of the gun is fine, no problem even the barrel, but the blast rings just will not come clean or it takes hours and hours of rubbing, scrubbing and cleaning and even then they are not gone.

Because it is flame broiled carbon burned onto the finish.

Originally posted by TenMan:


So, do anyone have a magic bullet here?

Nope, I have searched for years. There is a product called Carbon Killer by Slip 2000 that claims to be able to clean the cylinder face without rubbing and it does NOT NOT NOT work.

If anybody ever comes up with a cleaner which removes burned carbon without harming the gun they will be a billionaire.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by Joni_Lynn:
Here's what I use to remove carbon.
http://slip2000.com/carbonkiller.html
I use a Q tip to get the part I want cleaned reasonably damp, let it sit for a minute or so and wipe or brush off. For areas where it is harder to remove, soak the part in a small quantity for a short time and then use a toothbrush to brush the carbon off.

I soaked my stainless cylinders in that stuff for three days and it did NOT remove the burned on carbon, either on the outside face or inside the cylinder tubes.

The ad on their website shows you just dip the cylinder in it and the carbon wipes off (leaving it shiny clean). believe me, I wish.

 

[enidpd804]

I use Lead Clean Gun Cloths by Pro Shot. I've heard negative things about them but they work well on my 629 and new 610.