Questions about cleaning

Ryan22 · July 10, 2012, 10:54 AM

I cleaned my S&W 686 the other day after only firing 200 rounds. It took me over 2 hours to clean and I was using patches and rods and had to finally pull out copper solvent to remove the residue. What is the fastest way to clean out a revolver without using so many patches, or what technique do you use that gets it done quickest?

**Tom Servo** · July 10, 2012, 11:15 AM

What kind of ammunition were you shooting to get that much copper fouling?

What were the problem areas?

FoghornLeghorn · July 10, 2012, 11:41 AM

Can you be more specific? What do you mean by "residue?"

Were you pulling out slivers of copper? Or were your patches just coming out a little dark? Etc?

Maybe I'm a slob, but I get some "residue" no matter how many patches I put through. I accept some discoloration as normal. Not a lot. Certainly not black. But some.

gun nut · July 10, 2012, 12:09 PM

Flitz?

MrBorland · July 10, 2012, 12:29 PM

Quote:

What is the fastest way to clean out a revolver without using so many patches, or what technique do you use that gets it done quickest?

Unless you want it looking brand new, it needn't be cleaned that well. Matter of fact, in the long run, it's better for the gun if you aren't as fussy.

My technique:

1. A solvent (I use Kroil) patch through the barrel (from the breech end, using an Otis thingie). Let solvent sit as you move to 2.

2. A solvent patch through the cylinder chambers. Let solvent sit as you move to 3.

3. Wipe down the rest of the gun with a solvent patch. The wipe down includes the cylinder (front, sides, rear & under ejector star), frame window (including around the forcing cone), and the frame itself.

4. Run a brass brush (with solvent) a few times through each chamber.

5. Clean solvent patch through each chamber (usually done twice, i.e. 2 patches).

6. Dry patch through each chamber (under ejector star, too)

7. If needed, carefully and gently wipe the muzzle crown clean with a solvent patch.

8. Dry patch through barrel (from breech end, with the Otis thingie).

9. Final wipe with dry patch.

10. Lite lubrication (I use ATF).

11. Done. Time = approx 15 minutes.

Occasionally (say every 1k-2k rounds), I'll use a brass brush with some solvent in step #3. Even then, I don't try to get the gun like new, and the front of the cylinder is still stained dark.

Noreaster · July 10, 2012, 02:40 PM

I've had really good results with foaming bore cleaner in the chambers and barrel, (let it sit.) Then I use a Hoppes #9 solvent patch through the barrel, chambers and forcing cone and chamber faces. Finish off with dry patch and wipe down with light oil. Quick and works great. The only time I get the cylinder face and forcing cone squeaky clean is when I sell the gun.

Noreaster · July 10, 2012, 02:41 PM

My post was for a SS gun. With blued guns it takes half the time because you can't see everything!

FoghornLeghorn · July 10, 2012, 03:33 PM

Quote:

With blued guns it takes half the time because you can't see everything!

And if you do it in a dark room it's even faster.

j357 · July 10, 2012, 10:30 PM

I'm gonna go with MrBorland on this one, just shorter. Swab the barrel and chambers with solvent soaked patch. Wipe the front of the cylinder with a solvent patch let it sit 5 mins. Lightly clean under the star and the cone with a toothbrush. Run a solvent dipped brass brush in the barrel and chambers once or twice. Run another solvent soaked patch down the holes once. Then run a dry patch down the barrel and another down the chambers. Wipe the whole thing down with a light oil if you are storing it. In the end you are looking for 'clean', not white spotless patches here.

I'll assume you started with a pretty clean gun and the 1-200 rounds were factory loads or good reloads. YMMV otherwise.

rem1858 · July 10, 2012, 11:08 PM

I do this for rifle and pistol to remove copper.

Run a patch of Sweets 762 15-20 strokes down the bore.
Let it soak for 10 minutes.
Run a patch of Hydrogen peroxide one time down and out the barrel ever so slowly.
Run a dry patch one time down and out, recheck.
Repeat if needed.
Usually no more than three time of this and copper is gone.
When it is gone clean it all out with hoppes #9.
All done.
YMMV...

Clarence

Ryan22 · July 14, 2012, 11:29 AM

Thanks all for the replies. @MrBorland "it needn't be cleaned that well, in the long run, it's better for the gun if you aren't as fussy"

Yeah I agree man it doesn't need to be. I guess I just had the assumption it should be perfectly clean but that's not a requirement at any level. Thanks!

Peter M. Eick · July 15, 2012, 07:48 AM

Quickest?

30 minutes to a spotless gun.

Fire up the ultrasonic filled with mpro7, turn on the heat. Remove grips on gun.

Take gun out of case, wipe all of the loose crud off it with a patch and try to remove as much loose material you can with a brush or a patch. Run one patch soaked with MPRO7 through the cylinders and barrel. Total time 1 minute.

Dump gun in ultrasonic. Set timer for 15 minutes. Walk away as it will be loud and wash up.

(15 minutes goes by)

Take gun out of ultrasonic. Be careful, it will be hot! Drain MPRO7 into storage tank and filter. Fill ultrasonic with L&R gun oil, turn on heater. (1 minute)

Bore Brush barrel, cylinder, use lead removal technique if needed (chore boy, tornado brush or lead removal kit) Quick toothbrush to the ejector star. (2 minutes).

Dump gun in ultrasonic. Set timer for 15 minutes. Go have a beer.

(15 minutes goes by)

Take gun out of ultrasonic, Be careful, it will be hot. Drain L&R oil into storage container and filter. Put MPro7 back in. Wipe up the container and put away the L&R oil. Lube gun with appropriate gun oil in appropriate spots. Put on grips. Put gun away in safe. (3 to 5 minutes).

This approach results in an almost surgically clean gun. The difference between ultrasonic clean and clean by conventional approaches is night and day. I would not have believed it prior to owning an expensive ultrasonic. Now I would not go back.

newfrontier45 · July 18, 2012, 12:09 PM

Two hours??? Sounds like you're way overdoing it. I don't spend 2hrs a year cleaning guns. I own almost 100 and shoot nearly every day. Seriously.

After your average range session, just wipe them down. Clean the bores when/if they get leaded. Swab (scrubbing is usually unnecessary) the chambers and under the extractor on DA's, clean the basepin on SA's, every several hundred rounds. Any more than that and you're not only killing time better spent on something else but putting unnecessary wear on your guns.

July 10, 2012, 10:54 AM	#1
Ryan22 Junior Member Join Date: June 29, 2012 Posts: 4	Questions about cleaning I cleaned my S&W 686 the other day after only firing 200 rounds. It took me over 2 hours to clean and I was using patches and rods and had to finally pull out copper solvent to remove the residue. What is the fastest way to clean out a revolver without using so many patches, or what technique do you use that gets it done quickest?

July 10, 2012, 11:15 AM	#2
Tom Servo Staff Join Date: September 27, 2008 Location: Foothills of the Appalachians Posts: 13,059	What kind of ammunition were you shooting to get that much copper fouling? What were the problem areas? __________________ Sometimes it’s nice not to destroy the world for a change. --Randall Munroe

July 10, 2012, 12:09 PM	#4
gun nut Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2009 Location: midwest Posts: 303	Flitz? __________________ The only stupid question is the one not asked! (Unknown)

July 10, 2012, 11:08 PM	#10
rem1858 Member Join Date: December 12, 2010 Location: Surrounded by pines in Wi. Posts: 97	This is my copper removal process, ymmv. I do this for rifle and pistol to remove copper. Run a patch of Sweets 762 15-20 strokes down the bore. Let it soak for 10 minutes. Run a patch of Hydrogen peroxide one time down and out the barrel ever so slowly. Run a dry patch one time down and out, recheck. Repeat if needed. Usually no more than three time of this and copper is gone. When it is gone clean it all out with hoppes #9. All done. YMMV... Clarence __________________ B.E. Master indoor and out Distinguished Revolver Badge #99

July 15, 2012, 07:48 AM	#12
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	Quickest? 30 minutes to a spotless gun. Fire up the ultrasonic filled with mpro7, turn on the heat. Remove grips on gun. Take gun out of case, wipe all of the loose crud off it with a patch and try to remove as much loose material you can with a brush or a patch. Run one patch soaked with MPRO7 through the cylinders and barrel. Total time 1 minute. Dump gun in ultrasonic. Set timer for 15 minutes. Walk away as it will be loud and wash up. (15 minutes goes by) Take gun out of ultrasonic. Be careful, it will be hot! Drain MPRO7 into storage tank and filter. Fill ultrasonic with L&R gun oil, turn on heater. (1 minute) Bore Brush barrel, cylinder, use lead removal technique if needed (chore boy, tornado brush or lead removal kit) Quick toothbrush to the ejector star. (2 minutes). Dump gun in ultrasonic. Set timer for 15 minutes. Go have a beer. (15 minutes goes by) Take gun out of ultrasonic, Be careful, it will be hot. Drain L&R oil into storage container and filter. Put MPro7 back in. Wipe up the container and put away the L&R oil. Lube gun with appropriate gun oil in appropriate spots. Put on grips. Put gun away in safe. (3 to 5 minutes). This approach results in an almost surgically clean gun. The difference between ultrasonic clean and clean by conventional approaches is night and day. I would not have believed it prior to owning an expensive ultrasonic. Now I would not go back. __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

July 10, 2012, 11:41 AM	#3
FoghornLeghorn Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2011 Posts: 961	Can you be more specific? What do you mean by "residue?" Were you pulling out slivers of copper? Or were your patches just coming out a little dark? Etc? Maybe I'm a slob, but I get some "residue" no matter how many patches I put through. I accept some discoloration as normal. Not a lot. Certainly not black. But some.

July 10, 2012, 02:40 PM	#6
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	I've had really good results with foaming bore cleaner in the chambers and barrel, (let it sit.) Then I use a Hoppes #9 solvent patch through the barrel, chambers and forcing cone and chamber faces. Finish off with dry patch and wipe down with light oil. Quick and works great. The only time I get the cylinder face and forcing cone squeaky clean is when I sell the gun.

July 10, 2012, 02:41 PM	#7
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 1,449	My post was for a SS gun. With blued guns it takes half the time because you can't see everything!

July 10, 2012, 10:30 PM	#9
j357 Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2009 Location: Liberty Twp, OH Posts: 283	I'm gonna go with MrBorland on this one, just shorter. Swab the barrel and chambers with solvent soaked patch. Wipe the front of the cylinder with a solvent patch let it sit 5 mins. Lightly clean under the star and the cone with a toothbrush. Run a solvent dipped brass brush in the barrel and chambers once or twice. Run another solvent soaked patch down the holes once. Then run a dry patch down the barrel and another down the chambers. Wipe the whole thing down with a light oil if you are storing it. In the end you are looking for 'clean', not white spotless patches here. I'll assume you started with a pretty clean gun and the 1-200 rounds were factory loads or good reloads. YMMV otherwise.

July 14, 2012, 11:29 AM	#11
Ryan22 Junior Member Join Date: June 29, 2012 Posts: 4	Thanks all for the replies. @MrBorland "it needn't be cleaned that well, in the long run, it's better for the gun if you aren't as fussy" Yeah I agree man it doesn't need to be. I guess I just had the assumption it should be perfectly clean but that's not a requirement at any level. Thanks!

July 18, 2012, 12:09 PM	#13
newfrontier45 Junior member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Posts: 921	Two hours??? Sounds like you're way overdoing it. I don't spend 2hrs a year cleaning guns. I own almost 100 and shoot nearly every day. Seriously. After your average range session, just wipe them down. Clean the bores when/if they get leaded. Swab (scrubbing is usually unnecessary) the chambers and under the extractor on DA's, clean the basepin on SA's, every several hundred rounds. Any more than that and you're not only killing time better spent on something else but putting unnecessary wear on your guns.