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Cleaning your revolver

3K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  flounder22 
#1 ·
Ok, I`m sure that this has been covered here mant times but I am now an owner of a new Taurus M85 Ultra-Lite stainless 38 SPL. First revolver that I`ve owned in 20 years, shoots great and I like it very much. What are the steps that you guys take now a days to clean your revolver(without pulling the side plate) and what products do you use? Thanks for any and all advice. Karl :)
 
#2 ·
Hello.

I use a .38-caliber bore snake or pull-through of late. They are really handy. If I use a bore brush, I always use a very short 9mm/.357 brass brush, because one has to carefully clean the bore from the muzzle end. Protecting the muzzle crown from the rod is very important. If the brush is too long, it won't clear the bore before the brush is near the rear shield of the revolver.

As for sequence, I always start with a clean dry rag and wipe all the powder and gunk off the exterior. I dry patch the cylinders to start with, and then use some CLP or similar product on the bore. Sometimes I use those silica/oil gun wipes that are packed like towlettes, but I suppose that product is probably more money than it may be worth vs. patches.
A toothbrush works well for cleaning around the forcing cone, top of the frame, and cylinder yoke.
I always keep my J-frame dry as I can to avoid dust, lint, etc. from concealed carry. So I wipe away excess oil with a dry rag or patch after it is cleaned. If the Taurus is anything like my Bodyguard Airweight, the aluminum frame will start to show some wear after a few years. I'm sure other folks have their cleaning product preferences.
Best of luck practicing with your new revolver.
 
#5 ·
For me, FP 10 is superior to CLP Break Free in lubing quality ( esp. firing mechanisms, lockwork ).

I have READ, that FP 10 is superior to CLP in cleaning barrels; as FP 10 is much more expensive for me, I never used it for cleaning; only for lubing.

But Break Free CLP is rust protection de luxe, beating any other gun oil!

So, for one - for - all, I use CLP.

H
 
#7 ·
I was a weapons training sergeant with a major LEO that was equipped with about 6,500 stainless S&W revolvers from 1977 until 1991. Prior to the Department issuing weapons in 1977, we had to buy our own, and were restricted to Colts and S&W's of certain models.

The point of all this is that the most common cause of total failures with service revolvers in my experience was bronze bristles breaking off of bronze bore brushes and getting underneath the extractor and elevating it just enough to jam the gun when the cylinder was closed. In many cases the cylinders would neither revolve nor open.

Since we were using stainless guns, the Department outlawed bronze bristle brushes for cleaning bores and cylinders and issued stainless bore brushes instead. The stainless bristles were less prone to breakage due to working them back and forth.

The Department required each revolver to be stripped as far as removing the cylinder, grips, and sideplate by a trained armorer once each year. This was attendant to a thorough inspection and series of mechanical functioning tests. Journeyman field officers routinely fired approximately 400 rounds per year in required practice shoots and qualifications.

Most of us kept our blued revolvers free of oils except for just enough to assure correct functioning of parts inside the sideplate. We wiped them down every day with dry cotton cloths and kept the bores and cylinders dry as well, even on the salty Pacific coast as long as it wasn't foggy or raining . About the only concession we made to coating them with a protective substance was to wipe them down on the outside daily with a very light coat of oil in rainy or foggy weather. Otherwise it was keep them clean and dry every day. The stainless guns required no such protective coating.

For most of my career, Break Free was the only substance allowed on Departmental rifles, pistols, and shotguns. It's excellent stuff. I still maintain my S&W revolvers pretty much along these lines. Best.

JayPee
 
#8 ·
I have a particular regimen...if it's a stainless revolver, the "Wipe-Away" lead removing cloths are non abrasive and I believe citrus based. They remove powder and lead fouling from the frame, cylinder face, forcing cone, chambers like nothing else. Caution not to rub too long on fragile blue finish; it will eventually rub it off. On stainless however, it's about the only way I've found to make the weapon appear near new again.

Solvents....I've been using M-Pro 7, a completely odorless and colorless pump spray. Originally developed, so the story goes, for the multi barreled aircraft cannon, it does a pretty good job without worrying about airborne toxicity...brush through after wet patching, let it sit for 10-30 minutes depending on how bad it is, brush through wet again, then dry patch. Usually does the trick.

If copper or lead fouling is really bad, the Wipe Away can be cut into small patches. Caution: the cloth is thick, and a smaller than normal sized patch is a good idea. I generally use an old worn out bronze brush, or a bore diameter brass jag, to push it through. You'll be amazed how much gets removed from what looks like a "clean" bore.

I finish (blued guns) with Tetra or EEZOX; stainless guns I usually leave pretty dry unless I know I'm going to be near the coast, which isn't often. It isn't real humid here in Oregon though ;-)
 
#9 ·
1) Wipe off all outside residue with a lightly oiled cloth.

2) Run a patch wet with powder solvent (CLP or Hoppes Elite) through all chambers.

3) Chuck bronze 38 cal bristle brush in cordless drill and go through all chambers.

4) Wipe chambers clean with patch moist in solvent.

5) Clean off reside from front of cylinder and under extractor.

6) Occasionally remove cylinder and wipe off interior portions of crane.

7) Remove all powder and lead residue from inside frame around cylinder.

8) Run several wet patches through bore.

9) Stroke several patches wet with Remington Bore Clean wrapped over a wrap-around jag through bore. Wipe clean between passes with Bore Clean.

10) Wipe bore with patches moist in CLP.

11) Dry bore.
 
#10 ·
I use CLP or Hoppe's Elite Non-Toxic Foaming bore cleaner.

My cleaning process (same for Blued and SS Wheelies)

1) Open gun and unload. Confirm weapon is unloaded.
2) CONFIRM WEAPON IS UNLOADED.
3) Spray cleaner into chambers and down barrel
4) Using brass jag with thick patch (I prefer .44 caliber patches, or big shotgun patches) and run through each chamber in cylinder, then through barrel (changing patches as needed).
5) Using double ended nylon brush scrub any surface with debris on it and then using patch damp with solvent, wipe area clean.
6) If necessary use a Bronze or Nylon bore brush and scrub chambers and barrel.
7) Use damp patch to clean any residue exposed by brushing
8) Soak patch lightly in Militec-1 lubricant and lightly lubricate each chamber, ejector rod (exposing the ejector rod for inspection, after cleaning), the area around the hand, and the barrel of the gun.
9) Use dry patch to soak up any excess oil residue.
10) Wipe gun with silicone cloth (this step is repeated daily, between cleanings)
11) Reload gun.

-Rob
 
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