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Old December 3, 2018, 04:42 PM   #1
rshaw
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Colt SAA 3rd gen Model P1856- cleaning carbon deposits off the cylinder face?

Hi All,

Finally brought home a Colt SAA, Ni plate which turns out to be NIB according to the LGS from whom I bought this gun- their customer submitted it for sale under consignment. It was built in 1995, but... never shot until now.

After some debating in my mind, and reading a lot of posts about shooting "collector pieces" I decided to take this gun to the range... that's why I acquired it I had a Colt SAA in the US...but had to sell it when I came here in 1984 and I've always wanted one since then- a bit of nostalgia.....

But now my question:
What is the best way to remove the black carbon deposits and powder residue from the cylinder face without endangering the Ni plate? Ballistol, being nonacidic, seems to be OK, but I would rather not soak for any length of time. So I applied Ballistol sparingly to the face, wiped it off the sides where the Ni plate is, and scrubbed carefully with a nylon, and then a copper brush after 15 minutes. Most, but not all deposits were removed- was quite a lot of work.

Ammo is 45 LC, lead flat nose 250 gr.

Thanks in advance for any and all imput
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Old December 3, 2018, 07:24 PM   #2
Dfariswheel
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The cylinder immediately gets blast damage from firing that leaves a black or dark gray ring of stain around the chambers.

This is actual staining of the nickel or bluing and there's really no way to get all of it off without damaging the finish.
This is like driving a brand new set of tires. They're going to get marks and stains that aren't going to come off.

You could use a metal polish like Flitz to attempt to polish more of the stains off, but this will thin the plating.
Use a metal polish too often or too hard and you can polish right through the plating down to the steel.
All metal polishes are abrasive and they actually remove metal.

Bottom line, the stains are simply a sign the gun has been fired and you can't remove all traces.
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Old December 3, 2018, 09:45 PM   #3
tallball
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I would clean the cylinder face gently and leave it alone as much as possible. You will just wear the nickel off if you try to remove the fouling over and over again. If you decide to sell it, clean it thoroughly and carefully that one time.
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Old December 4, 2018, 11:36 AM   #4
rshaw
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OK... Many thanks!

Its a great gun to shoot... but I shoot it only sparingly...
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Old December 4, 2018, 05:22 PM   #5
RickB
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Don't spend any more time or effort on the face of the cylinder than the rest of the gun, and accept the rings as "honest wear".
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Old December 4, 2018, 06:53 PM   #6
2wheelwander
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I used this with great success on a 686

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Nevr-Dull...cb41dd2fef54e8
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Old December 7, 2018, 03:50 PM   #7
rshaw
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Thank you !! Should be able to find that Nevr Dull here....
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Old December 7, 2018, 11:22 PM   #8
Longhorn1986
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I have a P1856. Don't use Hoppe's 9! I did and flaked the finish on the cylinder and had to return it to Colt for refinishing. Since then, I have used a lead removal cloth, wiping gently, with no ill effects. Like you, I don't shoot mine all the time.
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Old December 8, 2018, 12:27 PM   #9
rshaw
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Hi Longhorn,

Yes I have heard the advice against Hoppe's #9 from different sources (slightly acidic?) Does the lead removal cloth remove all the residue from the cylinder face?

Another question- is the cylinder face itself also Nickel plated? or only the sides of the cylinder?
Many thanks!!
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Old December 8, 2018, 03:50 PM   #10
Driftwood Johnson
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Howdy

Hoppes #9 has ammonia in it.

Nickel plating does not bond very well to steel. So a layer of copper is usually laid down first. Copper bonds fairly well to steel. Then a layer of nickel is laid down on top of the copper. Nickel bonds well to copper.

Cleaning solutions with ammonia in them can attack the underlying copper plating, causing it to bubble and loose adherence to the steel. Then the nickel can bubble and peel off.

When cleaning nickel plating, avoid all cleaners that have ammonia in them.

Personally, I never try to remove the carbon rings that get laid down at the surface of a cylinder. It is a waste of time. Every time you fire the gun, the rings will reappear. And they will be just as stubborn to remove. So every time you clean off the rings you are removing a little bit of the plating.

Just leave them there.

I always say, once you own enough revolvers you will stop worrying about the carbon rings on the face of the cylinder. You obviously don't own enough revolvers yet.

Yes, the plating extends across the face of the cylinder. Unless the part is masked during plating, the plating covers the entire part. That is what you want, you don't want the plating to stop at the face of the cylinder. Then it would peel even more easily.

P.S. There is another solution to this non-problem. Shoot cartridges loaded with Black Powder. For some reason, I never have any carbon fouling left on the cylinder face of my revolvers that I shoot with Black Powder loads.
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Old December 8, 2018, 10:02 PM   #11
Longhorn1986
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I am able to get the vast majority of the rings off with the lead cloth.
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Old December 9, 2018, 12:56 AM   #12
Bill DeShivs
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Myth city- nickel bonds just fine to steel. I do it all the time.
Most nickel plated guns don't have a copper underplate anyway. IF you had a gun with copper underplate, you would have to literally soak it with Hoppes for a long time to damage the plating.

Using a Lead Away cloth will work great, until the time it eats through the plating to the steel underneath. They are abrasive. You can't polish without abrasion. And it won't take too many times to do it. They will work fine on stainless guns, but don't use them (or NeverDull ) on plated finishes.

Leave the rings alone. If you ever decide to sell the gun, you can use one of the abrasive methods once to clean it up.
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