Clean Front of Cylinder

[44flattop]

Excessive build up can tie up the cylinder.

It's carbon scoring, it doesn't "build up". In nearly 40yrs of shooting revolvers, I've never cleaned the scorch marks off a cylinder face and it has never been an issue. Do you do this on blued guns? No. Why not? Because you can't see them. Is it a problem? Nope. You can see it on a stainless gun, therefore you "think" it's a problem but it really isn't. As usual, the reasons given are imagined.

[Hal]

Do you do this on blued guns?

Of course I do. I scrub the face with a bronze brush exactly like I mentioned above.

As usual, the reasons given are imagined.

Hardly.
Again, like I mentioned above, I shoot dirty loads. Nothing imagined about the crud they cause.

[44flattop]

Of course I do. I scrub the face with a bronze brush exactly like I mentioned above.

We're talking about the carbon scoring that does not come off with solvents through normal cleaning and you're talking about the powder residue that does. Two distinctly different things.

[KyJim]

Sheikyourbootie -- What kind of solvents were you using on that?

[Sheikyourbootie]

KyJim...it was just good old Hoppes #9. My second favorite smell in the world. The rounds used, just a few hundred, were the Remington 125 grain SJHP.

I had no idea there was ammonia in this solvent, as it's all I had ever used as a solvent in the past, and then followed up the cleanup with gun oil. Smith and wesson specifically warns against use of ammonia as it dissolves the protective coating on the cylinder. This, coupled with a load known for causing flame cutting of topstraps was not the best combo.

As you can see from the wear on this gun, it gets carried a lot... and has seen a few thousand rounds through it. If the erosion gets worse, I'll replace the cylinder, possibly with a moon clipped stainless one.

[mete]

"Scandium " guns are actually an aluminum alloy with about 1 % scandium !!
It always pays to read the instructions.

[elrojo]

I have found that a "Pink Pet" pencil eraser does a great job. Don't use an ink eraser or a gum rubber one. Be sure to brush off all residue from the eraser.

[Vireye]

Flitz metal polish and a microfiber cloth.

Gentle, and that carbon comes right off.

I did it to my GP100 all the time.

Why? Because I just wanted her to look pretty all the time, and it took all of two minutes to polish the whole cylinder.

[Bill DeShivs]

You can lead a horse to water-
but you can't make him read and comprehend the writing!

[KyJim]

KyJim...it was just good old Hoppes #9. . . .

I had no idea there was ammonia in this solvent,

A lot of us have used Hoppes #9 over the years. I've gotten away from it, though, and normally use BreakFree CLP for everyday cleaning. Works fine and doesn't have ammonia. It's also less work since it has the lubricant and rust preventive in it. I do use a different lubricant for the rails on my semi-autos as the CLP tends to migrate or evaporate somewhat over time.

[5thShock]

I see a space/time where/when ammo is scarce. So dear and rare it is that
not many ever actually fire a shot. They do, however, want their guns to LOOK like they have been fired, and fired often as that is a sign of wealth and competence with arms.
Brimstone Specialty Finishes give your nine shooter that just got back from the OK corral look, only the finest pure carbon black is used in a binder that stays where it's put, we dare you to take it off.

[kraigwy]

Hoppes and a tooth brush. Sooner after shooting the easier to clean.

[44flattop]

You can lead a horse to water-
but you can't make him read and comprehend the writing!

Yep.

[Dave Chuppa]

I use Flitz Metal Polish. My stainless looks better than new.

[Bill DeShivs]

Again.....

[fshfindr]

I just got my GP100 back from the local gunsmith. It wasn't indexing well and it would not fire about every fifth or sixth time. The problem was a carbon buildup on the face of the cylinder, and a little high spot that he stoned down. He said about .001 in. high. I had lightly cleaned it with a patch and Breakfree CLP. He also sold me a cleaning cloth to use to keep it clean. He told me that Rugers have tight tolerances around the cylinder. I believe him.

[Nick_C_S]

There was a time when I would polish/clean away all the black stain off the front of the cylinder. Aside from the fact that it's a lot of work, I got to wondering if I'm actually increasing the cylinder/barrel gap. After all, cleaning it is a process of abrasion. I realize the metal is very hard, but given enough time and enough rubbing. . .

Anyway, I got over it. I leave the front of my cylinders stained now (unless it's a safe queen that I almost never shoot) These days, I follow what JohnSKa said. . .

You and the revolver are better off if you stop cleaning after removing the actual fouling (carbon buildup and/or leading)

[2ndamd]

Yellow Lead-Away cloth like others have suggested is perfect for getting front of cylinder clean.

[fshfindr]

Yep, the cloth does work. Wrap the cloth around a popsickle stick and give the cylinder face a few wipes, don't bother looking at a clock to see how long it takes. You'll be done before you look at the clock, the cloth works great.

[MarkDozier]

With no damage, and less work(EFFORT) then a lead free cloth. Mothers mag polish is the nutz.

[Bill DeShivs]

My head hurts!