Dishwasher to Clean BP Revolver? - Page 2

Gator_Weiss · March 4, 2010, 04:51 PM

Dishwashers will flush particles out of just about anything. There are obviously two factors that come to mind; Many dishwasher soaps are chok full of sodium hypochlorate, which is caustic and not acidic. It may be so caustic as to be a mild corrosive. All of us know what plain steam can do to iron and steal products. Just ask any machinist.

A third factor to consider would be the "human" element; dishwashers are made for the lazy person. Dishwashers are loaded with items, and turned on. They run and then they turn themselves off. The contents sit until someone feels like unloading the dishwasher, and that can be the following morning. It may be tempting for some to simply leave a gun in the dishwasher overnight, and it might just rust on you.

If you want to clean a black powder pistol or revolver, simply go to the dollar store and buy yourself a cheap plastic dish basin and a cheap plastic dish drainer. Buy yourself a mild dishwashing detergent and a can of lanolin hand cleaner without abrasives, just like garage mechanics use. Break that gun all the way down, lanolin the parts and the inside and outside of the barrel. Rinse the lanolin off under hot water. Fill up your basin, add your soap, (Ivory dishwashing soap works well) and wash the barrel and the parts the same way that you would wash dishes. Clean out barrell with a bore brush made of nylon, and a barrel mop. Use pipe cleaners on the nipple and flash hole. Rinse thoroughly with warm tap water. Pipe cleaner the nipple again and the flash hole. Dry the parts with a paper towel or rag. Get out the cooking spray - preferrably canola oil spray. Spray all of it. Put the barell and parts in the oven AFTER you spray them. Dry them in a low temperature oven. Oil them a second time. Wipe down the wood to remove any residue. Put your gun back together and put it away. Check on it a few days later for anything that bleeds out of the metal. Too simple to do.

Gator_Weiss · March 4, 2010, 05:01 PM

I knew a pawn shop owner that help a .38 caliber charter arms snubnose revolver crammed in his pants pocket - for more than twenty years. He had rubber grips on it. It was a satin nickle finish that looked like stainless. It was not stainless. He rarely fired the gun. When he did, it always fired well.

All he did with the gun was place it in his dishwasher along with his dishes, usually with his rubber grips still on it, but the cartridges removed. He did this about every three weeks or so. He did it whether he fired it or not. He would then spray the gun with aerosol gun oil after the wash and dry cycle, and he would simply put it back in his pocket.

I dont know that his method was a very good one. For him, it was good enough. The piece had no sentimental value to him. To him it was just his "work" gun. He did have occasions to pull it out in the store and make his point with idiots that wanted to threaten him from time to time. If he ever pulled the trigger, I am certain that it would have fired. That was all he cared about.

I had occasion to look at his gun, and I couldnt find anything wrong with it.
Apparently the dishwasher did not hurt it.

Noz · March 5, 2010, 10:43 AM

I think the dish washer is overkill. There is no need to clean a black powder gun this thoroughly ever. If you use Ballistol or an equivalent all you have to do is swab the barrel, swab out the cylinder, wipe away the excess fouling around the frame, spray or wipe with a rust preventative(Bore Butter, WD 40, REM Oil, unsalted vegetable shortening, etc) and you are done. Everytime you dismantle one you are taking a chance on boogering the screws, loosing parts and loosening fit.

PetahW · March 5, 2010, 12:16 PM

[So it does remove some bluing or it doesn't? I can't tell from that thumbnail pic.]

Some folks are never satisfied.

.

Wolfebyte · March 5, 2010, 12:50 PM

I wash my 58 in the dishwasher.. but not the same way as I did... once.

salty old cuss at the range told me that I could just "take the grips off and put it in the dishwasher" ..

so I did... once

after I cleaned the black ring from around the basin of the dishwasher, and ran several empty cycles using ammonia to clean it..

I now break down my pistol, remove the grips, wash it thoroughly in a plastic bucket

http://www.tractorsupply.com/livesto...-20-qt-2100628

(or similar)

Then it goes into the dishwasher to be cascaded.. I air dry the parts, then place on an old cookie sheet that I claimed for "ME" and dried in the oven at 200 degrees for about an hour. Then oiled and put back together ...

no problems at all with it...

arcticap · March 7, 2010, 12:27 AM

Quote:

I think the dish washer is overkill. There is no need to clean a black powder gun this thoroughly ever. If you use Ballistol or an equivalent all you have to do is swab the barrel, swab out the cylinder, wipe away the excess fouling around the frame, spray or wipe with a rust preventative(Bore Butter, WD 40, REM Oil, unsalted vegetable shortening, etc) and you are done. Everytime you dismantle one you are taking a chance on boogering the screws, loosing parts and loosening fit.

I think that the nipples & nipple threads are important to clean & lubricate so that the nipples don't rust in place.

sc928porsche · March 9, 2010, 01:54 PM

I use the dishwasher for many things other than dishes. Mostly for a thorough rinse. I have my own in the garage (portable one) that I use for rinsing carburators (after a good soaking and quick rinse) amongst other items that need a good cleaning. Wish I could get cyl heads and blocks in it after using the boil out tank.

P.S. Wife does the dishes now since I headed out to the garage once to wash them.

madcratebuilder · March 10, 2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

I use the dishwasher for many things other than dishes. Mostly for a thorough rinse. I have my own in the garage (portable one) that I use for rinsing carburators (after a good soaking and quick rinse) amongst other items that need a good cleaning. Wish I could get cyl heads and blocks in it after using the boil out tank.

+1000

Poor mans industrial washer. Zep makes some great cleaning products for hot water washers.

zippy13 · March 10, 2010, 12:08 PM

I've been following this thread with interest; but, my last scrub down was done at the kitchen sink. Unlike sc928porsche, I don't have my own garage dishwasher -- I'm jealous.

ebr-lvr · March 16, 2010, 07:27 AM

I do remember some 20 years or so ago that Mr. Bill Ruger (R.I.P.) actually
referred to the R.O.A. stainless as "dishwasher safe".
Now, I did not personally hear the man speak those words, but I remember
hearing about the statement several times at different places.

March 4, 2010, 04:51 PM	#26
Gator_Weiss Member Join Date: December 12, 2009 Location: Southwestern USA Posts: 40	Dishwashers can work for certain things, but there are drawbacks. Dishwashers will flush particles out of just about anything. There are obviously two factors that come to mind; Many dishwasher soaps are chok full of sodium hypochlorate, which is caustic and not acidic. It may be so caustic as to be a mild corrosive. All of us know what plain steam can do to iron and steal products. Just ask any machinist. A third factor to consider would be the "human" element; dishwashers are made for the lazy person. Dishwashers are loaded with items, and turned on. They run and then they turn themselves off. The contents sit until someone feels like unloading the dishwasher, and that can be the following morning. It may be tempting for some to simply leave a gun in the dishwasher overnight, and it might just rust on you. If you want to clean a black powder pistol or revolver, simply go to the dollar store and buy yourself a cheap plastic dish basin and a cheap plastic dish drainer. Buy yourself a mild dishwashing detergent and a can of lanolin hand cleaner without abrasives, just like garage mechanics use. Break that gun all the way down, lanolin the parts and the inside and outside of the barrel. Rinse the lanolin off under hot water. Fill up your basin, add your soap, (Ivory dishwashing soap works well) and wash the barrel and the parts the same way that you would wash dishes. Clean out barrell with a bore brush made of nylon, and a barrel mop. Use pipe cleaners on the nipple and flash hole. Rinse thoroughly with warm tap water. Pipe cleaner the nipple again and the flash hole. Dry the parts with a paper towel or rag. Get out the cooking spray - preferrably canola oil spray. Spray all of it. Put the barell and parts in the oven AFTER you spray them. Dry them in a low temperature oven. Oil them a second time. Wipe down the wood to remove any residue. Put your gun back together and put it away. Check on it a few days later for anything that bleeds out of the metal. Too simple to do.

March 4, 2010, 05:01 PM	#27
Gator_Weiss Member Join Date: December 12, 2009 Location: Southwestern USA Posts: 40	Charter Arms revolver in dishwasher I knew a pawn shop owner that help a .38 caliber charter arms snubnose revolver crammed in his pants pocket - for more than twenty years. He had rubber grips on it. It was a satin nickle finish that looked like stainless. It was not stainless. He rarely fired the gun. When he did, it always fired well. All he did with the gun was place it in his dishwasher along with his dishes, usually with his rubber grips still on it, but the cartridges removed. He did this about every three weeks or so. He did it whether he fired it or not. He would then spray the gun with aerosol gun oil after the wash and dry cycle, and he would simply put it back in his pocket. I dont know that his method was a very good one. For him, it was good enough. The piece had no sentimental value to him. To him it was just his "work" gun. He did have occasions to pull it out in the store and make his point with idiots that wanted to threaten him from time to time. If he ever pulled the trigger, I am certain that it would have fired. That was all he cared about. I had occasion to look at his gun, and I couldnt find anything wrong with it. Apparently the dishwasher did not hurt it.

March 9, 2010, 01:54 PM	#32
sc928porsche Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2008 Location: now living in alabama Posts: 2,433	I use the dishwasher for many things other than dishes. Mostly for a thorough rinse. I have my own in the garage (portable one) that I use for rinsing carburators (after a good soaking and quick rinse) amongst other items that need a good cleaning. Wish I could get cyl heads and blocks in it after using the boil out tank. P.S. Wife does the dishes now since I headed out to the garage once to wash them. __________________ No such thing as a stupid question. What is stupid is not asking it.

March 10, 2010, 12:08 PM	#34
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	I've been following this thread with interest; but, my last scrub down was done at the kitchen sink. Unlike sc928porsche, I don't have my own garage dishwasher -- I'm jealous. Last edited by zippy13; March 11, 2010 at 01:30 AM.

March 16, 2010, 07:27 AM	#35
ebr-lvr Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Location: missouri hollar Posts: 56	Bill said O.K. I do remember some 20 years or so ago that Mr. Bill Ruger (R.I.P.) actually referred to the R.O.A. stainless as "dishwasher safe". Now, I did not personally hear the man speak those words, but I remember hearing about the statement several times at different places. __________________ Col. Jeff Cooper..remembered When a deadly situation presents,One will not "rise to the occasion" but will " default to his highest level of training"

March 5, 2010, 10:43 AM	#28
Noz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Posts: 643	I think the dish washer is overkill. There is no need to clean a black powder gun this thoroughly ever. If you use Ballistol or an equivalent all you have to do is swab the barrel, swab out the cylinder, wipe away the excess fouling around the frame, spray or wipe with a rust preventative(Bore Butter, WD 40, REM Oil, unsalted vegetable shortening, etc) and you are done. Everytime you dismantle one you are taking a chance on boogering the screws, loosing parts and loosening fit.

March 5, 2010, 12:16 PM	#29
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	[So it does remove some bluing or it doesn't? I can't tell from that thumbnail pic.] Some folks are never satisfied. .

March 5, 2010, 12:50 PM	#30
Wolfebyte Junior Member Join Date: June 21, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1	I wash my 58 in the dishwasher.. but not the same way as I did... once. salty old cuss at the range told me that I could just "take the grips off and put it in the dishwasher" .. so I did... once after I cleaned the black ring from around the basin of the dishwasher, and ran several empty cycles using ammonia to clean it.. I now break down my pistol, remove the grips, wash it thoroughly in a plastic bucket http://www.tractorsupply.com/livesto...-20-qt-2100628 (or similar) Then it goes into the dishwasher to be cascaded.. I air dry the parts, then place on an old cookie sheet that I claimed for "ME" and dried in the oven at 200 degrees for about an hour. Then oiled and put back together ... no problems at all with it...