How much cleaning is enough cleaning?

[Ronan24]

I have a 686 P 3" (Talo edition) and everytime I go to the range; I shoot about 150 rounds (combination of 38 special & 357 Magnum). Besides regular cleaning; I tend to use my rotary tool and felt polishing to make my revolver shine. Am I overdoing it? Will it damage the stainless steel?
Any response from the old-timers who know a lot more than I do, would be much appreciated. I want to make sure that I'm doing the right thing. I love this piece more than anything I've ever owned since it is such a sweet shooter.

 

[one eye joe]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM, Ronan24. YOU ARE NOT HURTING ANYTHING BY POLISHING YOUR 686 AFTER EACH RANGE SESSION--BUT--I MUST CAUTION YOU ! ! ! NOTHING CAN DO IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO A FIREARM AS QUICKLY AS A ROTARY POWER TOOL THAT IS OUT OF CONTROL….

USE AN OLD SOFT T-SHIRT, OR A MICROFIBER CLOTH, AND YOUR FAVORITE POLISHING MEDIA---I LIKE MOTHERS MAG WHEEL POLISH. TAKE YOUR TIME, AND DO IT AT A RELAXING PACE---LIKE WHEN YOU ARE WATCHING TV. THE CHANCES THAT YOU WILL HURT YOUR 686 ARE SLIM TO NONE. THE FINISHED PRODUCT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL…...

 

[Arik]

Over cleaning is just over cleaning. Obsessive but it won't hurt anything (without power tools).

I clean mine after some time and there is no polishing involved unless my life depends on it

 

[Dandecoteau]

Over cleaning is better than under cleaning. Over cleaning will never hurt anything. Ever.

Nice gun, might as well keep it that way as long as you can.

 

[Ronan24]

Oh, my gosh!! Thank you guys so much for the quick replies. I really love this forum because I'm getting a free education!
one_eye_joe: Noted, sir!! I use Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish (which I bought at Walmart) and use the dremel at slow speed to spread it on the stainless steel body. I had an old cotton T-shirt (which I tore into 4 pieces) and use that to wipe everything off. I do take my time and actually do it while watching TV (since it's such a time-consuming & tedious job!). This way, I take my time. As a matter of fact; I did it tonight after work (I must admit, it is relaxing after a long day). I will definitely make sure that I'm careful when using the dremel tool since the last thing I want is to damage this beautiful piece of engineering!!
Arik: You are right; in that, may be I'm too anal and should just clean it after each use and maybe polish it once a month.
Dandecoteau: I completely agree. I'd love to pass this on to my son when he's older. This beauty is not even comparable to the Springfield XD Mod II Polymer that I have. This is old-school and I truly appreciate what S&W does with each revolver.
Thank you guys so much for the quick responses. What a forum!!
You guys rock. I'm sleeping with a smile on my face tonight!! Cheers.

 

[S&W Rover]

Opinions probably differ on this topic. The advice already offered seems pretty good. I'd like to add that there is a difference between cleaning the outside of the revolver and the "insides."

Cleaning and polishing the outside is done to your preference. It makes sense to be extra careful with the dreaded Dremel tool - it can actually remove metal. I've read good things about using Mother's and I use Flitz - but both will bring the shine up a lot more than the revolver had when new. You probably want to avoid rounding off edges or blurring the logos and stamped markings on the frame - at least if you want to preserve the re-sale value of the revolver. Ironically, the outside of the revolver is one part that probably doesn't really need to be clean at all for the revolver to work just fine.

As to "inside" parts, such as the inside of the barrel, the inside of the cylinder holes, and the area inside the frame opening (forcing cone, recoil plate, etc.). These areas need to be kept clean for the revolver to function properly. Some sort of solvent and a brass bore brush are required to remove powder residue and -- depending on what type of bullets you shoot -- either lead or copper from the barrel grooves. (There are also special lead and copper removers).

The cylinders should be kept very clean. (If you shoot .38's, the powder residue in the cylinder can prevent .357 rounds from going in all the way). The barrel should be very clean, too; excessive leading or copper deposits will increase the friction of bullets and thus raise pressures -- and even potentially lead to a bullet caught in the barrel (in the extreme case).

The third area to clean is the part you cannot see -- inside the side plate, and inside the ejector tube. I think it makes sense to clean these, and oil them lightly, after -- I dunno -- three or four thousand rounds. Yes, they can get dirty and even rusty. But messing with them can lead to other problems. It may be worth having a certified gunsmith do that work, or even worthwhile to send a revolver back to S&W, for such cleaning. I don't foresee cleaning the ejector rod tube until I notice cylinder cramping (binding). That is a relatively easy job to access and clean. I don't foresee taking the side plate off for quite a long time (I do it once when I buy a used revolver, or when I buy a new revolver with the IL, which I neuter).

So there is one man's opinion.

 

[mrrick]

I don't do much cleaning, cuts into my range time of 2 or 3 one hour sessions a week.
For me, power tools are a No No.

If you are shooting .38s, cleaning the cylinder chambers is essential.

 

[Waywatcher]

I err on the side of undercleaning. Over cleaning can and does hurt guns--more guns are ruined by improper cleaning than undercleaning.

I wipe down my EDC S&W every day, but I most definitely do not clean after every range session.

Modern primers and powders are very clean and leave no corrosive salts behind. There's no point in cleaning after every range trip--it's a holdover from earlier times and more primitive ammunition that is also needlessly indoctrinated in the military.

For example, I cleaned my AR-15 once when it was new and once at the 2000 round mark. It's fine. Never malfed, always works.

 

[CH4]

I'll clean my firearms after firing a cylinder or magazine. Hunting rifles I'll clean after the end of the season.

 

[stantheman86]

I'm not an over cleaner, the only guns I clean carefully are my carry revolvers after I shoot them. I don't polish anything, I don't even use bronze or brass brushes. Nylon only, nothing aggressive.

I confess my range guns can be dirty, I have a lot of "beater" revolvers and at most I'll punch the bore and chambers once with a nylon brush then a patch moistened with Eezox. Maybe once every so often soak the bore, forcing cone and chambers with Hoppes Bench Rest to get the lead and copper out.

Lots of times I'll just wipe out the chambers and that's it, after a summer afternoon of shooting I sometimes just don't feel like sitting down right away and spending 30 minutes cleaning guns. They can wait a few days, it won't hurt them.

 

[ankona]

I err on the side of undercleaning. Over cleaning can and does hurt guns--more guns are ruined by improper cleaning than undercleaning.

Was going to say the exact same thing. A lot of unnecessary wear and tear from OCD cleaning.

 

[OKFC05]

Obviously the title of this thread is a misnomer. Obsessively polishing the outside of a 686 with a dremel tool has absolutely nothing to do with cleaning or proper care of the revolver.

If that's what you want to do, its your gun, but don't confuse that with cleaning and maintenance, which it isn't.

 

[Ronan24]

You guys rock! OKFC05: You are correct; in that, I should have been more specific. I really meant cleaning the outside. Nevertheless, I got some very useful advice for cleaning the inside as well!! I just wanted to make sure that I'm not obsessive with the polishing part, even though I'm very careful when I do it. All in all, I got some great advice and tips and am grateful for it. It saved me a few hours of research. I couldn't agree with S&W Rover more. I take everything he wrote as well as what everybody else wrote to heart and come back to this thread every time I sit down for a cleaning session. I just loved the way he broke the answer up into different sections. These are free instructional pieces, folks! I love this forum 'cause I'm learning from some of the very best and that in itself is priceless. Hopefully, I can pass what I learn here to my son & some other folks someday. Really appreciate everybody's time. Cheers!

 

[AgentM]

I offer the following idea for consideration, with the disclaimer that I don't know everything about gun cleaning - only what works for me.

I use bronze/copper bore brushes, and bronze-bristled "toothbrushes" for my revolver cleaning tasks. As far as chemicals are concerned, I use CLP-type products like Breakfree CLP (blued guns) and Eezox (stainless guns). I like Hoppe's stainless steel cleaning rods, and will have one set up with a brush, and another with a .38 patch pusher (or bore jag, if you prefer).

I'll use an "Austrian-made" nylon brush and polymer rod to wet the cylinder charge holes and barrel with CLP (two or three passes saturate everything and remove loose fouling). I'll let that chemical get to work while I attend to the cylinder face burn marks with the bronze toothbrush. I'll also get the forcing cone area, and the cylinder window corners while I wait. Then, 20 passes with a bronze bore brush down the barrel and each cylinder hole. I'll protect the firing pin bushing with a plastic block or a folded-over paper towel. I use 12ga shotgun patches centered on the bore jag to dry each charge hole and the barrel.

I don't insist on everything being spotless, but I try to get as close to that as possible. I also do NOT believe in removing the cylinder and crane for cleaning. I'm not a revolver armorer, but have found these techniques to work well for me.

I like CLPs on revolvers in particular because they do no harm if they get into the bolt, hand, firing pin, crane hinge, and ejector rod. They actually improve gun function and reduce wear. I'm not advocating over-lubing, mind you. I saturate my cleaning brushes, but then blot prior to use (it cleans the brush and ensures excessive CLP doesn't get on and into the gun).

I hope my advice here is useful. I maintain several J, K, and L-Frames, and my new (to me) 3953 in this manner.

NOTE: Always use the same CLP product on the same gun - don't mix. My "Break-Free" guns are always cleaned wit BreakFree CLP, and my "Eezox" guns always get cleaned with Eezox. That provides a consistent level of protection and lubrication.

 

[stantheman86]

My pet peeve is hearing about people scouring cylinder faces every time they clean a revolver to get the burn rings off.......also people who spend hours putting drops of oil, tape or other nonsense on cylinders to avoid turn lines. These are just normal effects of actually shooting these revolvers like they are intended

 

[THEWELSHM]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM, Ronan24. YOU ARE NOT HURTING ANYTHING BY POLISHING YOUR 686 AFTER EACH RANGE SESSION--BUT--I MUST CAUTION YOU ! ! ! NOTHING CAN DO IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO A FIREARM AS QUICKLY AS A ROTARY POWER TOOL THAT IS OUT OF CONTROL….

USE AN OLD SOFT T-SHIRT, OR A MICROFIBER CLOTH, AND YOUR FAVORITE POLISHING MEDIA---I LIKE MOTHERS MAG WHEEL POLISH. TAKE YOUR TIME, AND DO IT AT A RELAXING PACE---LIKE WHEN YOU ARE WATCHING TV. THE CHANCES THAT YOU WILL HURT YOUR 686 ARE SLIM TO NONE. THE FINISHED PRODUCT WILL BE BEAUTIFUL…...

Personally, if you are using Mag polish on a stainless gun, you should have got a Nickel one.... I would NEVER clean a stainless gun with Mag cleaner...My 02


thewelshm

 

[one eye joe]

Personally, if you are using Mag polish on a stainless gun, you should have got a Nickel one.... I would NEVER clean a stainless gun with Mag cleaner...My 02


thewelshm

SOME SHOOTERS, LIKE MYSELF, LIKE THE DURABILITY OF THE STAINLESS STEEL, AND THE ABILITY TO POLISH IT TO THE DEGREE OF BRIGHTNESS THAT APPEALS TO US. YOU CANNOT TAKE SCRATCHES OUT OF NICKEL LIKE YOU CAN WITH STAINLESS. WHAT YOU WOULD "NEVER" DO, IS COMMON PRACTICE AMONG MANY OF US. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG---JUST PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I DO NOT CARE FOR DULL, DINGY LOOKING HANDGUNS…..

 

[THEWELSHM]

SOME SHOOTERS, LIKE MYSELF, LIKE THE DURABILITY OF THE STAINLESS STEEL, AND THE ABILITY TO POLISH IT TO THE DEGREE OF BRIGHTNESS THAT APPEALS TO US. YOU CANNOT TAKE SCRATCHES OUT OF NICKEL LIKE YOU CAN WITH STAINLESS. WHAT YOU WOULD "NEVER" DO, IS COMMON PRACTICE AMONG MANY OF US. THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG---JUST PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I DO NOT CARE FOR DULL, DINGY LOOKING HANDGUNS…..

Like I said MY 02

thewelshm