Cleaning BP revolver after conversion cylinder use

Erich · March 7, 2011, 05:32 PM

Bought a Howell's conversion cylinder for the ROA last week. I'm quite happy shooting the gun with 777, but it's difficult to pour powder on windy days (of which our range has its share), so I figured the .45 Colt cylinder would help me enjoy a new favorite gun more often.

Had a bit of a conundrum about how to clean up afterward, as the wisdom goes that one should not use petroleum-based products on BP/BP-substitute barrels because they tar up. But there was some leading from the hardcast/smokeless loads I'd used (one thing about pure lead and BP-substitutes - no leading at all, so far). So, I used Kroil and regular solvents to get rid of the lead, then I used WD-40, a clean patch, and then brake cleaner and another clean patch to remove them and hopefully take it down to dry metal. Then I re-lubed with Ballistol. Hope that was the right thing to do.

Any of you experienced people have thoughts on this? I'd love to hear them.

Thanks in advance, erich

Fingers McGee · March 7, 2011, 05:55 PM

Easiest way is to load your cahtridges with T7 or BP. You can forego all that smokeless cleaning mumbo jumbo and just cleanup with water or balistol. Another nice thing about subs is you can use smokeless lubed bullets with no adverse effects - cleanup is still with water.

You probably didn't need to go to all that trouble; but you shouldn't have any problems doing it that way.

Erich · March 8, 2011, 02:49 PM

Thanks - I might try some 777 cartridges down the line, but would probably want to use pure lead bullets with them. Just wanted to see how some favorite .45 Colt loads did from it.

March 7, 2011, 05:32 PM	#1
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	Cleaning BP revolver after conversion cylinder use Bought a Howell's conversion cylinder for the ROA last week. I'm quite happy shooting the gun with 777, but it's difficult to pour powder on windy days (of which our range has its share), so I figured the .45 Colt cylinder would help me enjoy a new favorite gun more often. Had a bit of a conundrum about how to clean up afterward, as the wisdom goes that one should not use petroleum-based products on BP/BP-substitute barrels because they tar up. But there was some leading from the hardcast/smokeless loads I'd used (one thing about pure lead and BP-substitutes - no leading at all, so far). So, I used Kroil and regular solvents to get rid of the lead, then I used WD-40, a clean patch, and then brake cleaner and another clean patch to remove them and hopefully take it down to dry metal. Then I re-lubed with Ballistol. Hope that was the right thing to do. Any of you experienced people have thoughts on this? I'd love to hear them. Thanks in advance, erich

March 7, 2011, 05:55 PM	#2
Fingers McGee Senior Member Join Date: March 19, 2008 Location: High & Dry in Missouri Ozarks Posts: 2,113	Easiest way is to load your cahtridges with T7 or BP. You can forego all that smokeless cleaning mumbo jumbo and just cleanup with water or balistol. Another nice thing about subs is you can use smokeless lubed bullets with no adverse effects - cleanup is still with water. You probably didn't need to go to all that trouble; but you shouldn't have any problems doing it that way. __________________ Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee - AKA Man of Many Colts - Alter ego of Diabolical Ken; SASS Regulator 28564-L-TG; Rangemaster and stage writer extraordinaire; Frontiersman, Pistoleer, NRA Endowment Life, NMLRA, SAF, CCRKBA, STORM 327, SV115; Charter member, Central Ozarks Western Shooters Cynic: A blackguard whose faulty vision see things as they are, not as they should be. Ambrose Bierce

March 8, 2011, 02:49 PM	#3
Erich Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Albuquerque, NM, USA Posts: 2,543	Thanks - I might try some 777 cartridges down the line, but would probably want to use pure lead bullets with them. Just wanted to see how some favorite .45 Colt loads did from it.