cleaning your revolver ? - Page 2

Bob Wright · July 28, 2017, 12:17 PM

JoeSixpack said:

Quote:

I do not take the side plate off to clean, I mean it really does not get dirty in there.

Well, I've opened up a few of my guns at times and found dust, grit, broken pine needles, leaf fragments and what might have been fur, and general lint. Even lightly oiled, this turns to gunk in time.

I've flushed it out and at times have soaked my revolver in a pan filled with lacquer thinner.

But for the most part, Hoppe's No. 9 and my 50/50 mix of motor oil and 3-in-One have served me well for nigh unto sixty years now.

Bob Wright

dahermit · July 28, 2017, 12:51 PM

Quote:

I do not take the side plate off to clean, I mean it really does not get dirty in there.

If you shoot a lot of grease type cast lead lube, it will get full of greasy black sludge.

Quote:

I dont' shoot my revolvers that much anyway.

Well, that is the answer for you then. But there are some of us who actually shoot a lot.

ammo.crafter · July 28, 2017, 12:58 PM

Never, ever use WD-40. It is a big no-no for guns.

Bob Wright · July 28, 2017, 01:25 PM

ammo.crafter said:

Quote:

Never, ever use WD-40. It is a big no-no for guns.

Well, as has been pointed out, I've used it around my shop both on guns and non-guns for a long time with no ill effects. I'll continue to use it until I do find a problem.

Bob Wright

**4V50 Gary** · July 28, 2017, 01:45 PM

As an armorer and gunsmith, I don't recommend removing the sideplate to clean the revolver for casual cleaning. I only did it once a year for firearms owned by the city (and personal firearms carried by officers).

Here's what can go wrong:

1) messed up screw heads. How many folks grind or file their screwdrivers to fit the screws?
2) messed up sideplates. Some folks are not mechanically inclined and can really destroy the finish or if they remove it incorrectly or reinstally it wrong, a bent sideplate.
3) Can't get it together. Now you have to pay someone to fix it and you've got some down time while waiting for it to be returned.

If you're going to disassemble it, attend some NRA summer school and learn how. It's more than watching U-tube videos or reading a book.

Let me join the chorus against WD-40. While at Rem Armourers' School, we learned of a lawsuit where a 700 discharged and injured plaintiff's foot. When the 700 in question was examined by Remington, it was learned that the plaintiff had used WD-40 for over a decade and had never taken it in to a gunsmith for cleaning. Gradually a film developed around the sear such that there was barely any contact between it and the striker. Poor muzzle control too didn't matter and Remington was held liable. Lesson: no WD-40. Use regular gun oils.

**4V50 Gary** · July 28, 2017, 01:58 PM

Driftwood - you've got the older S&W with its teardrop shaped sear. Those had great trigger pull.

Bill DeShivs · July 28, 2017, 02:43 PM

Again- for the 100th time- WD 40 won't hurt guns.
ANY oil will dry up over time and get thicker. Add residue from firing and old oil or grease and it gets thicker.
Properly used WD 40 will actually CUT this sludge and flush it out.
I have a small container of WD 40 with the carrier evaporated. It has sat for about 5 years. All that is left is a thin mineral oil- no "gum."
I have used WD 40 extensively for about 45 years- on guns, tools, polishing equipment, knives, and machinery. I have never had a problem with it.
You just have to know how to use it.

MrBorland · July 28, 2017, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

I have a small container of WD 40 with the carrier evaporated.

Well, technically, then, that's not WD-40 any longer, is it?

As far as I'm concerned, one can use what ever they like (on their own guns). I simply don't see why one would use something like WD40 when there are so many actual, proper and effective lubricants and cleaners available for firearms.

If cost is the issue, good ol' ATF is an excellent lube. Add some kerosene and mineral spirits to make Ed's Red, which is a good, proven and cheap cleaner.

Brian48 · July 28, 2017, 05:31 PM

I go as far as takin the grips off and maybe the cylinder if it's extremely dirty, but I've never had to take the side plate off of any of my revolvers. If I feel there's dirt or water in there, I simply blast the innards with Gun Scrubber or some other similar cleaner. Sometimes I use Ballistol as well.

Model12Win · July 28, 2017, 06:42 PM

Take the screws out and tap the GRIP FRAME with a rubber mallet till the side plate comes off. Then when you put it back on don't bend it.

It is NOT rocket science and some people absolutely have a cow when you say you did it. Just don't bend it and don't pry it off, that's all there is to it! I've done it a hundred times at least and never had a problem.

About every 2000 rounds I pop the sideplate and shower with brake cleaner. Let warm up and spray some rem oil in. Done.

gnystrom · July 30, 2017, 10:28 AM

You will notice there are a lot of differing opinions at to what to do under the sideplate. I personally remove the sideplate on every one of my new or used purchases. Oddly I find far more gunk and shavings under the sideplate in my new S&W revolvers than any used guns I have purchased. I spray gunscrubber to get out the crud and then use a spray dir-lube and close it back up. I assume it would also work if I removed the grips and followed the same procedure using compressed air to make sure all the cleaner had evaporated before using dir-lube.
My 2¢

g.willikers · July 30, 2017, 12:25 PM

To test WD-40 some time ago I sprayed a piece of steel.
It must have been close to a month ago, maybe more.
So far there have been none of the suspected problems.
It still covers well, little to no evaporation just sitting on the bench, and no signs of getting sticky or turning to varnish.

Cheapshooter · July 30, 2017, 01:04 PM

Quote:

WD-40® CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE MAINTENANCE TOOL FOR GUN OWNERS

April 01, 2001

To WD-40 or not to WD-40? That is the question. It seems that as long as there have been firearms, the debate on proper maintenance techniques has raged on. Staunch believers on both sides of the fence have strong opinions about which products are the best to protect their investment and keep their guns in perfect working condition.

WD-40 has been used in the gun industry for many years. It is not only safe to use on your gun, but comes highly recommended by many experts in the industry due to its cleaning, rust preventing, moisture displacing, penetrating and lubricating properties.

Joe Singleton, owner of Singleton’s Gun Shop in Dix, Neb., is a 20-year veteran of the industry. Singleton has been recommending WD-40 for as long as he can remember. "I use WD-40 as a cleaner. Its penetrating qualities help break down powder residues and clean out the build-up that inevitably forms in a firearm after use. This build-up could lead to jamming or misfiring, so I use the multi-purpose product to remove all traces."

Other professionals swear by the product for use in firearms restoration, cleaning and preventive maintenance. Brodie Gratiot, manager of Sievert’s Enterprises Ltd., in Pueblo, Co., the largest stocking gun dealer in the eight Rocky Mountain states, finds many uses for the product in restoring guns that come into his gun shop.

"When faced with a rusted gun, we spray it down with WD-40, let it sit for 24 hours, spray it again, and wipe off the rust deposits," said Gratiot. "This also works with deep pitted rust, we use a toothbrush and WD-40 to remove the deep-set rust deposits from the pitting without marring the finish." After gun handling and restoration, all surfaces are wiped with a rag sprayed with WD-40 to prevent rust caused by skin oil and salt.

During late elk and deer season, Gratiot recommends applying a light coating of WD-40 to the bolt, firing pin and trigger mechanism to displace moisture and prevent freezing in sub-zero temperatures.

Master gunsmith Jose Somarriba of Miami, Fla., uses WD-40 both on the equipment in his shop and to maintain firearms. Somarriba uses the product after the bluing process and on shop milling and grinding machines. After using a bore solvent agent to remove fouling he applies WD-40 to prevent rust and to lubricate the barrel.

In addition to the professionals, avid outdoorsmen like Tim Karpf of Killingsworth, Conn., uses WD-40 to protect recreational equipment from the elements: salt water spray, rain and snow. Karpf uses the multi-purpose product to protect exposed metal parts and to protect the bluing.

As for the weekend sportsman, everyone knows that the proper care and upkeep of your expensive equipment makes all the difference in its longevity and performance. "After using a solvent to clean the barrel, I always make a final pass with WD-40 to protect and preserve both the interior and exterior of the barrel," declared Karpf.

So what has changed since this was written in 2001?
More internet "experts"!
I remember seeing the guys on the line at Knob Creek with the big boy toys having gallon cans of WD40 to keep them running. But I guess tens of thousands of rounds in a weekend through an M60, MG34/42, M2, Mini Guns, and various full auto armament isn't really a fair test of WD40's cleaning, and lubricating properties!

Rob228 · July 30, 2017, 02:22 PM

I had a 642 that I would routinely keep in the back pocket of my cycling jersey when I rode (150 ish miles a week). I took the side plate off when I dry fired it and the trigger wouldn't reset. A few months worth of heavy sweating had somehow turned the lithium grease into lithium paste. A full cleaning to include taking the side plate off became a weekly thing.

Dave Chuppa · July 30, 2017, 06:33 PM

If I want to give it the super clean I Spray the heck out of it with break cleaner. After I let it dry for a while I then lube it. If I am just doing a normal clean I just flush it out with Ballistol. Warning on break cleaner. Do not get it near plastic or wood.

Bill DeShivs · July 30, 2017, 08:13 PM

It's brake cleaner.
Brake cleaner will remove ALL the lube from your gun-even in places that you can't get to.
This is where WD 40 comes in handy, as it will get into those dry, inaccessible places and they will have some corrosion protection.

Hawg · July 30, 2017, 08:38 PM

My dad used nothing but WD-40 on his guns for the last 20 years of his life. I got them after he died and they hadn't been cleaned in several years anyway. They weren't rusty, gummed up or anything else. They were dry and needed lube but that's all.

RKG · July 30, 2017, 09:08 PM

I suspect a few won't like my answers, but, since you asked:

1) Taking the side plate off a Smith & Wesson double action revolver is virtually never necessary for routine cleaning. There are very few paths for ingress of ordinary firing residue into the lockwork, and the lockwork is reasonable tolerant of "dirt" provided properly cleaned and lubed once (such as at the factory).

2) I have, in my years as a factory-trained armorer, been called upon to fix lots of untrained owner caused problems with Smith & Wesson double action revolvers. The overwhelming majority of them started with someone taking off the side plate who shouldn't have.

3) I counsel that one should never attempt to clean a Smith & Wesson double action revolver (and, probably, any firearm) by flooding it with sprayed solvent or lubricant. About as effective as the other form of "spray and pray."

4) I express no opinion about Colt double action revolvers.

Driftwood Johnson · July 30, 2017, 09:53 PM

Well slap my butt and call me Sally.

Just a couple of days ago I was messing about with a few old revolvers. Just messing around (playing really).

This nice old Colt Official Police was made in 1940. I picked it up a few years ago. I was messing about, and suddenly I couldn't open the cylinder. The action would work, but the cylinder latch (the part behind the cylinder) would not budge. Finally I took a screw driver and pried it back (yeah, you're never supposed to do that).

So to make a long story short, when I removed the side plate I discovered that the latch pin (the part in the center of the recoil plate that latches the cylinder in place) was frozen. It did not want to move. A small squirt of CLP on the pin and two seconds later I could move the pin. Old oil had hardened enough to jam the pin in place.

I took the opportunity to degrease everything, including 75 or so years of fouling, and applied a light coating of Rem Oil to everything. Buttoned it back up and everything worked fine.

Today I was knocking over tin cans at the 25 yard berm with it. From a rest of course.

JDinAZ · August 4, 2017, 10:13 PM

Yep remove the side plate and clean it out especially if you carry it all the time. Will it malfunction if you don't, prolly not but peace of mind is a big deal for me so I tear mine down now and then and get the sand that gets in thefe from the wind blowing out hefe in the desert and clothing fuzz from tucking it cleaned out from carrying my Smith 329PD as an EDC.

salvadore · August 5, 2017, 10:43 AM

Sally's post reminded me of a very nice Colt Marshal I purchased some time ago. The action was a bit gritty so I took the side plate off and removed the guts (technical term). Whatever the previous owner used as a lube had dried and hardened and could be chipped out of the frame. Cleaned it all squeaky and it turned out to have the nicest DA I've seen on a Colt.

dahermit · August 5, 2017, 11:58 AM

Quote:

There are very few paths for ingress of ordinary firing residue into the lockwork...

Except the hand and bolt "windows" in the frame. The greasy sludge from cast lead bullet "grease" type of lubes will ingress through those windows if one is a frequent shooter...unless that is not considered ordinary firing residue.

arquebus357 · August 5, 2017, 01:57 PM

I have been eyeing a few used S&W revolvers (not the really old ugly ones) but after reading this thread I think I will stick to Ruger double actions. I was able to detail strip and rust blue a sweet old Security Six recently. There was no problem but I admit to getting Kuhnhausen's Shop Manual Vol. 1 before proceeding.

I can do a timing belt job on a Honda Prelude, do you think I can handle a S&W teardown with a proper shop manual ?

MR.G · August 23, 2017, 08:00 PM

When I get a new or used revolver I remove the sideplate and everything inside is inspected, cleaned and lubricated. The shooters get the sideplates removed about every thousand rounds for cleaning and lube. I used WD 40 to clean and flush out the inside of revolvers and semi autos for decades without any problems. It was a reasonably priced cleaner and protector, but the price of it has really gone up over the years. Prefer other brands for lubrication.

Pep in CA · August 23, 2017, 11:04 PM

Here is an excellent video on how to disassemble and reassemble a S&W revolver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlyXs7QCu88

In the video, the host mentions that the first time he took his revolver apart, he found quite a bit of rust. I've had my revolver about a year and put many rounds through it. I think it is a good idea that I open it up and take a look at what is going on inside. That can't hurt, unless for some reason I can't put it back together again.

July 28, 2017, 12:58 PM	#28
ammo.crafter Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: The Keystone State Posts: 1,970	NO Never, ever use WD-40. It is a big no-no for guns. __________________ "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading". --Thomas Jefferson

July 28, 2017, 01:45 PM	#30
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	As an armorer and gunsmith, I don't recommend removing the sideplate to clean the revolver for casual cleaning. I only did it once a year for firearms owned by the city (and personal firearms carried by officers). Here's what can go wrong: 1) messed up screw heads. How many folks grind or file their screwdrivers to fit the screws? 2) messed up sideplates. Some folks are not mechanically inclined and can really destroy the finish or if they remove it incorrectly or reinstally it wrong, a bent sideplate. 3) Can't get it together. Now you have to pay someone to fix it and you've got some down time while waiting for it to be returned. If you're going to disassemble it, attend some NRA summer school and learn how. It's more than watching U-tube videos or reading a book. Let me join the chorus against WD-40. While at Rem Armourers' School, we learned of a lawsuit where a 700 discharged and injured plaintiff's foot. When the 700 in question was examined by Remington, it was learned that the plaintiff had used WD-40 for over a decade and had never taken it in to a gunsmith for cleaning. Gradually a film developed around the sear such that there was barely any contact between it and the striker. Poor muzzle control too didn't matter and Remington was held liable. Lesson: no WD-40. Use regular gun oils. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 28, 2017, 01:58 PM	#31
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,841	Driftwood - you've got the older S&W with its teardrop shaped sear. Those had great trigger pull. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

July 28, 2017, 02:43 PM	#32
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	Again- for the 100th time- WD 40 won't hurt guns. ANY oil will dry up over time and get thicker. Add residue from firing and old oil or grease and it gets thicker. Properly used WD 40 will actually CUT this sludge and flush it out. I have a small container of WD 40 with the carrier evaporated. It has sat for about 5 years. All that is left is a thin mineral oil- no "gum." I have used WD 40 extensively for about 45 years- on guns, tools, polishing equipment, knives, and machinery. I have never had a problem with it. You just have to know how to use it. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

July 28, 2017, 05:31 PM	#34
Brian48 Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2001 Location: Boston, People's Republic of MA Posts: 1,616	I go as far as takin the grips off and maybe the cylinder if it's extremely dirty, but I've never had to take the side plate off of any of my revolvers. If I feel there's dirt or water in there, I simply blast the innards with Gun Scrubber or some other similar cleaner. Sometimes I use Ballistol as well. __________________ Proud to have served.

July 28, 2017, 06:42 PM	#35
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	Take the screws out and tap the GRIP FRAME with a rubber mallet till the side plate comes off. Then when you put it back on don't bend it. It is NOT rocket science and some people absolutely have a cow when you say you did it. Just don't bend it and don't pry it off, that's all there is to it! I've done it a hundred times at least and never had a problem. About every 2000 rounds I pop the sideplate and shower with brake cleaner. Let warm up and spray some rem oil in. Done.

July 30, 2017, 10:28 AM	#36
gnystrom Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2006 Posts: 308	You will notice there are a lot of differing opinions at to what to do under the sideplate. I personally remove the sideplate on every one of my new or used purchases. Oddly I find far more gunk and shavings under the sideplate in my new S&W revolvers than any used guns I have purchased. I spray gunscrubber to get out the crud and then use a spray dir-lube and close it back up. I assume it would also work if I removed the grips and followed the same procedure using compressed air to make sure all the cleaner had evaporated before using dir-lube. My 2¢

July 30, 2017, 12:25 PM	#37
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	To test WD-40 some time ago I sprayed a piece of steel. It must have been close to a month ago, maybe more. So far there have been none of the suspected problems. It still covers well, little to no evaporation just sitting on the bench, and no signs of getting sticky or turning to varnish. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

July 30, 2017, 02:22 PM	#39
Rob228 Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2010 Location: Hampstead NC Posts: 1,450	I had a 642 that I would routinely keep in the back pocket of my cycling jersey when I rode (150 ish miles a week). I took the side plate off when I dry fired it and the trigger wouldn't reset. A few months worth of heavy sweating had somehow turned the lithium grease into lithium paste. A full cleaning to include taking the side plate off became a weekly thing.

July 30, 2017, 06:33 PM	#40
Dave Chuppa Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Posts: 448	If I want to give it the super clean I Spray the heck out of it with break cleaner. After I let it dry for a while I then lube it. If I am just doing a normal clean I just flush it out with Ballistol. Warning on break cleaner. Do not get it near plastic or wood. __________________ TWO HANDGUNS AND RELOADS, EVERY DAY ALL DAY

July 30, 2017, 08:13 PM	#41
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,985	It's brake cleaner. Brake cleaner will remove ALL the lube from your gun-even in places that you can't get to. This is where WD 40 comes in handy, as it will get into those dry, inaccessible places and they will have some corrosion protection. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

July 30, 2017, 08:38 PM	#42
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	My dad used nothing but WD-40 on his guns for the last 20 years of his life. I got them after he died and they hadn't been cleaned in several years anyway. They weren't rusty, gummed up or anything else. They were dry and needed lube but that's all.

July 30, 2017, 09:08 PM	#43
RKG Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 562	I suspect a few won't like my answers, but, since you asked: 1) Taking the side plate off a Smith & Wesson double action revolver is virtually never necessary for routine cleaning. There are very few paths for ingress of ordinary firing residue into the lockwork, and the lockwork is reasonable tolerant of "dirt" provided properly cleaned and lubed once (such as at the factory). 2) I have, in my years as a factory-trained armorer, been called upon to fix lots of untrained owner caused problems with Smith & Wesson double action revolvers. The overwhelming majority of them started with someone taking off the side plate who shouldn't have. 3) I counsel that one should never attempt to clean a Smith & Wesson double action revolver (and, probably, any firearm) by flooding it with sprayed solvent or lubricant. About as effective as the other form of "spray and pray." 4) I express no opinion about Colt double action revolvers.

July 30, 2017, 09:53 PM	#44
Driftwood Johnson Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2014 Location: Land of the Pilgrims Posts: 2,033	Well slap my butt and call me Sally. Just a couple of days ago I was messing about with a few old revolvers. Just messing around (playing really). This nice old Colt Official Police was made in 1940. I picked it up a few years ago. I was messing about, and suddenly I couldn't open the cylinder. The action would work, but the cylinder latch (the part behind the cylinder) would not budge. Finally I took a screw driver and pried it back (yeah, you're never supposed to do that). So to make a long story short, when I removed the side plate I discovered that the latch pin (the part in the center of the recoil plate that latches the cylinder in place) was frozen. It did not want to move. A small squirt of CLP on the pin and two seconds later I could move the pin. Old oil had hardened enough to jam the pin in place. I took the opportunity to degrease everything, including 75 or so years of fouling, and applied a light coating of Rem Oil to everything. Buttoned it back up and everything worked fine. Today I was knocking over tin cans at the 25 yard berm with it. From a rest of course.

August 4, 2017, 10:13 PM	#45
JDinAZ Member Join Date: August 4, 2017 Location: AZ Posts: 23	Yep remove the side plate and clean it out especially if you carry it all the time. Will it malfunction if you don't, prolly not but peace of mind is a big deal for me so I tear mine down now and then and get the sand that gets in thefe from the wind blowing out hefe in the desert and clothing fuzz from tucking it cleaned out from carrying my Smith 329PD as an EDC.

August 5, 2017, 10:43 AM	#46
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Sally's post reminded me of a very nice Colt Marshal I purchased some time ago. The action was a bit gritty so I took the side plate off and removed the guts (technical term). Whatever the previous owner used as a lube had dried and hardened and could be chipped out of the frame. Cleaned it all squeaky and it turned out to have the nicest DA I've seen on a Colt.

August 5, 2017, 01:57 PM	#48
arquebus357 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2016 Location: Atlanta, Georgia area Posts: 455	I have been eyeing a few used S&W revolvers (not the really old ugly ones) but after reading this thread I think I will stick to Ruger double actions. I was able to detail strip and rust blue a sweet old Security Six recently. There was no problem but I admit to getting Kuhnhausen's Shop Manual Vol. 1 before proceeding. I can do a timing belt job on a Honda Prelude, do you think I can handle a S&W teardown with a proper shop manual ?

August 23, 2017, 08:00 PM	#49
MR.G Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2001 Posts: 641	When I get a new or used revolver I remove the sideplate and everything inside is inspected, cleaned and lubricated. The shooters get the sideplates removed about every thousand rounds for cleaning and lube. I used WD 40 to clean and flush out the inside of revolvers and semi autos for decades without any problems. It was a reasonably priced cleaner and protector, but the price of it has really gone up over the years. Prefer other brands for lubrication.

August 23, 2017, 11:04 PM	#50
Pep in CA Senior Member Join Date: May 3, 2016 Posts: 191	Here is an excellent video on how to disassemble and reassemble a S&W revolver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlyXs7QCu88 In the video, the host mentions that the first time he took his revolver apart, he found quite a bit of rust. I've had my revolver about a year and put many rounds through it. I think it is a good idea that I open it up and take a look at what is going on inside. That can't hurt, unless for some reason I can't put it back together again.