Cleaning BP Revolver Innards

[GASCHECK]

Shooters:

My friend is going to shoot his newly aquired BP revolver shortly. I haven't seen it yet, but it is of Italian make he says. Pyrodex pellets.

My question is, how thoroughly must it be cleaned INSIDE after each shooting. Surely the residue gets into the mechanism itself, not just the barrel, cylinder and exposed parts.

I have a Ruger Old Army, stainless. I find that just cleaning the bore, cylinder and exposed parts etc. after each session is adaquate. At the end of the shooting season, I tear it completely down for cleaning. After ten years, this has worked out well. I figure it gets about 300 shots thru it each year.

BUT, his gun is not stainless. How often does it need to be torn down completely so no damage is done? Thanks!

Gascheck

[drdirk]

In my opinion once a year is fine. During the season I blow a large amount of WD 40 in the action and then a bit of Breakfree. It has worked well for me. I know most people would argue that WD 40 is not good for the action but these revolvers ares so simple and crude that it does not seem to be a problem, especially after blowing the WD 40 out with Breakfree.

[Raider2000]

All my C&B Revolvers simply get this type of cleaning after each time at the range:

Colt:
Remove the barrel.
Remove the cylinder & the nipples.
Remove the back strap screws & back strap to remove the grip.

Remington:
Remove the cylinder & the nipples.
Remove the grips.

I use a 5 gallon bucket with some Ivory dish detergent & hot water, put all the metal parts in to clean them using a plastic bristled bore brush & maybe a few Q-tips for those tight areas.
Use WD40 or Ballistol to spray into the action & the metal while still hot to displace the water then dry in my baking pan inside my grill @ 150-200*F for about 5-10 minutes.
Spray in some olive oil to lubricate it up.
Reassemble after it all cools.

Once a year I'll dissasemble my guns totally, but most of the time it's not needed, as long as it is well cleaned & lubricated "after all the moisture is gone" with some natural oil like Vegetable or Olive you should be fine, I've got a 25 year old Pietta 1860 Army & a 23 year old Pietta 1858 New Army & never had any issues from my cleaning method.

[long rider]

Could not have put it better.:D

[grymster2007]

Excellent, Raider. Haven't shot mine much, but looks like I'll be adopting you techniques to ensure reliability and longevity of by BP guns.:)

[long rider]

Well there will be a lot of you guys say overkill but i
do a total strip down every time i shoot my pistols, i
like to make sure all is well with my boys:D hey TLC.
I kinda like to do a total service i think it will make the
gun last a lot longer, like a oil change the more the better,
but then thats just me:D

[Hawg]

Well there will be a lot of you guys say overkill but i
do a total strip down every time i shoot my pistols

You're just wearing out the screws. :D I tear mine down about once a year if I think about it. I don't even remove the nipples. Hot water, dish soap, WD-40, balistol or olive oil and bore butter. I will use Remoil down inside an action but nowhere else.

[scrat]

Here are the ORIGINAL COLT Instructions on C&B Revolvers.
DIRECTIONS FOR LOADING COLT’S PISTOLS.
First explode a cap on each nipple to clear them from oil and dust, then draw back the hammer to half-cock, which allows the cylinder to be rotated. A charge of powder is then placed in one of the chambers, keeping the barrel up, and a ball with the pointed end upwards, washcut wadding or patch, is put in the mouth of the chamber, turned under the rammer, and forced down with the lever below the surface of the cylinder, so that it can not binder in rotation. (care should be used when ramming down the ball not to shake out the powder from the chamber thereby reducing the charge). This is repeated until all the chambers are loaded. Percussion-caps are then placed on the nipples on the right of the lock-frame. When by drawing back the hammer to the full-cock, the arm is in condition for a discharge by pulling the trigger; a repetition of the same motion produces the like results with six shots without reloading.

NiB-It will be safe to use all the Powder the chambers will hold, when loading with the flask, leaving room for the Ball weather the Powder is strong or weak. Fine grain Powder is the best. Soft lead must be used for the balls. The cylinder is not to be taken off when loading. The hammer, when at full cock, forms the height by which aim is taken.
To carry the arm safely when loaded, let down the hammer on one of the pins between each nipple, on the end of the cylinder
>The arm should be thoroughly cleaned and oiled after firing, particularly the home pin in which the cylinder turns.
DIRECTIONS FOR LOADING WITH COLTS FOIL CARTRIDGE
Strip the white case off the Cartridge, by holding the bullet end and tearing it down with the black tape. Place the Cartridge in the mouth of the chamber of the cylinder, with the pointed end of the bullet uppermost, one at a time, and turns them under the rammer, forcing them down with the lever below the surface of the cylinder, so they can not hinder the rotation.
To ensure certainty of ignition, it is advisable to puncture the end of the Cartridge so that a small portion of gunpowder may escape into the chamber while loading the pistol.
DIRECTIONS FOR CLEANING
Set the lock at half cock, drive out the key that holds the barrel and cylinder to the lock frame, then draw off the barrel and cylinder, by bringing down the lever and forcing the rammer on the portion between the chambers. Take out the nipples. Wash the cylinder and barrel in warm water, dry and oil them thoroughly; oil freely the base pin on which the cylinder revolves.
TO TAKE THE LOCK TO PIECES, CLEAN AND OIL
First-Remove the stock, by turning out bottom and two rear screws that fasten it to guard and lock-frame near hammer
Second-Loosen the screw that fastens mainspring to the trigger-guard, and turn spring from under tumbler of the hammer
Third-Remove the trigger-guard, by turning out the three screws that fasten it to the lock-frame
Fourth-Turn out the screw, and remove the double screw spring that bears upon the trigger and bolt.
Fifth- Turn out the screw pin that hold the trigger and bolt in their place.
Sixth- Turn out the remaining screw pin and remove the hammer with hand attached by drawing it downwards out of the lock frame. Clean all the parts and oil them thoroughly.
TO PUT THEM TOGETHER-Replace the hammer with the hand spring attached, then the bolts, then trigger, the screw spring, the trigger guard, the mainspring, and finally the handle: returning each screw to its proper place, the arm is again in for use.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Don't own one myself, but I watch a guy at the range shoot one pretty regularly. He does a field strip on his after shooting, and sprays the crap out of it with windex glass cleaner, and wipes it down and puts it in the case before going home. I don't know if the pistol gets any further cleaning at home, but it seems to get the pistol pretty clean at the range, just from my observation.

[Dusty Rivers]

I have discovered that if I spray down my New Vaqueros with WD40 and let them set for 3 or 4 days the BP turns to a gray loose ash. I just run a toothbrush over it and the ash falls off. Run a patch down the barrel and it is clean as can be. Then a light application of gun oil and it is ready to go. The trick is to wet it down and just let it set for a couple of days.

PS these are stainless steel, no experience on other finishes with this method.:cool:

[Hawg]

It doesn't take ten minutes to pull the grips and cylinder and clean it with hot soapy water, flush it out with WD-40, oil it up then reassemble. Why you wanna waste three or four days?

[scrat]

agree i do it all in one day. the main cleaning that is.

[Dusty Rivers]

I'm shooting two guns with BP blanks for cowboy mounted shooting. It makes a real mess of the guns. I have a horse to tend to also. I can only say that I have tried the clean it now methods, and the wet it down with WD-40 and let it set for 3 days. I am not using the guns for those 3 days. It is a snap to get every bit of BP off that bright stainless and make them look like new using this method. I have tried your method and find this one much more efficient and I don't have to use a brush on the barrells. Give it a try! If you like-great if not, never mind. I was only offering an alternative. ;)

[sundance44s]

I buy WD40 by the gallon ..I know there are those that don`t like the stuff ..but I`ve never had a problem with it , and have been useing it on my firearms since it first came out ...I`ve heard the reasons why I shouldn`t use it ..I just listen and go on useing it ..there`s never been any rust on any of my firearms .

[scrat]

i think it really depends on the firearm. i would imagine bp may be ok. However an autoloader may gum up after a period of time.

[hunter64]

I think it also depends on the humidity of where you live. I know some people by the coast have to have a dehumidifier of some sort in there safes or in a couple of days rust will start. I live in northern Canada on the prairies and it is drier than a popcorn fart here. I also have never had a problem with wd-40 .

[Fingers McGee]

I only strip my C&Bs all the way down once or twice a year. Normally, after a match, I spray Balistol on the hammer/frame/cylinder/chambers & down the barrel and let the guns sit for up to a week. This lets the balistol loosen up the fouling and residue. Then when I get around to cleaning them, I remove the barrel and cylinder, take the nipples out and soak them in Birchwood Casey BP solvent (dislovles the cap residue better than soap and water) while I wipe down the frame and barrel. A couple patches through the barrel get it clean. May have to use a nylon bristle brush on the hammer and frame to scrub stubborn deposits. I use 140 degree water in the garage utility sink to scrub the cylinder clean. Blow it dry,run some patches down the chambers, wipe down with balistol. Pipe cleaner in the nipples, brush the deposits off the outside, blow tham dry. Spray the nipple threads with Balistol and reinstall. Liberally lube the arbor with bore butter and reassemble the pistol.

The Balstol that gets down in the action when I spray the frame down, seems to turn the fouling into a grease like substance that keeps everything running smoothly.

All this takes about 20 min per pistol.

Your mileage may vary

[sundance44s]

I really don`t have many autoloaders that I shoot ..Just not my bag ..although I did once have a Colt 1911 that I shot and cleaned alot with WD40 , because when I bought it you could buy goverment surplus ammo at gun shows ...real cheap ..cheaper than reloading ......My Colt 1911 went for bills and baby diapers ...lol.. many moons ago . Wish I still had it now ..

[Hawg]

I used WD-40 for years on autos and pumps, etc. never had a problem with rust or gum and I live in the Humid South. It won't even remove bluing like I hear so many say. Having said that it is not a lubricant and you do need to go behind it with a lube on moving parts.

[scrat]

have any of you guys ever used graphite. you figure with its properties it should make a pretty good gun lubricant. Same time powder form would not gum up.

[Hawg]

Modern bp is coated with graphite, might do ok.

[4V50 Gary]

Get your club to buy an ultrasonic cleaner. Easiest way by far. When you pull it out, stick it in the oven to dry. :D