Revolver cylinder 'crud ring' cleaning methods

lanis

lanis

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I got GP100 in .357Mag with stainless steel finish and shoot 38 special with it sometimes.

Also, I got .44Mag blued and on occasion shoot .44Special with that one.

Both revolvers have developed cylinder 'crud ring' from being used with cartridges that are shorter than original ones.

I cleaned and cleaned, but it is still there. It does not impair any functions of the revolver, but it is visible.

There are different products out there that claim that can remove this lead rings, I haven't tried any yet, somewhat worried that I might damage my guns.

Some people even use cordless drill, insert bronze brush and use it at very slow speed to clean revolver cylinder.
That would worry me even more.

What do you guys use to completely remove 'crud ring' from your revolvers, and do you use different methods for blued or stainless steel finish?
 
Last edited:
Hi,

I would not worry about it in the least. Just give it a good cleaning after use and that's enough. I sometimes will use a chamber cleaning rod (a rod that does not rotate at the handle), and the appropriate size cleaning brush with some good bore cleaner/lead remover and give the brush a bunch of turns in the cylinder. You should use a new brush for this that has never gone down the barrel, this will size the brush slightly smaller than the chamber size and won't do as much good. Only let the brush go up to the ring and not all the way through or the resizing will happen. I only do this on my Ruger's and S&W about every 500 rounds or so of lead ammo. Hope this helps, but don't worry about it, and enjoy the guns.
 
A bronze brush and a whole lot of elbow grease will get them clean, eventually. (Once clean, if you then clean promptly after firing, rather than neglecting it (and letting the carbon harden), cleaning is fairly easy.)

I hear that Flitz metal polish works too, but I've never tried it.
 
Tuco Pike said:
Hi,

I would not worry about it in the least. Just give it a good cleaning after use and that's enough. I sometimes will use a chamber cleaning rod (a rod that does not rotate at the handle), and the appropriate size cleaning brush with some good bore cleaner/lead remover and give the brush a bunch of turns in the cylinder. You should use a new brush for this that has never gone down the barrel, this will size the brush slightly smaller than the chamber size and won't do as much good. Only let the brush go up to the ring and not all the way through or the resizing will happen. I only do this on my Ruger's and S&W about every 500 rounds or so of lead ammo. Hope this helps, but don't worry about it, and enjoy the guns.
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I have one of mine for sale, and want to make sure that I can get it as clean as possible.





Wendell said:
A bronze brush and a whole lot of elbow grease will get them clean, eventually. (Once clean, if you then clean promptly after firing, rather than neglecting it (and letting the carbon harden), cleaning is fairly easy.)

I hear that Flitz metal polish works too, but I've never tried it.
Click to expand...


I spent couple of hours today with bronze brush and Hoppes 9, no cigar.

Would Flitz be readily available in gun shops?
 
enefgee said:
Most PPC shooters I know use a short stainless steel brush, they are a bit tougher on the gun, but for occaisional use they work great.
Click to expand...

I know of stainless steel brush, but it is last ditch effort for gun that is beyond worrying about it.

From what I read, potential for damage is real.
 
Have you tried using an eraser the pink ones? Im fairly sure I read it takes it off.
 
I used to have that happen when I shot full .38 wadcutters in my .357.I couldn't break loose the accumulated "crud ring".If you reload,there is a trick you can try.One that worked for me.Take a magnum case,for whatever gun you are cleaning,trim the mouth just enough to put a sharp edge on it,flare the mouth so it is a tight fit in the cylinder and lightly tap it all the way down so it's completely chambered.Tap it back out with a wood dowel or cleaning rod.Soak the heck out of the cylinder first.Then do your regular cleaning routine after.See if that works.
 
lanis said:
I know of stainless steel brush, but it is last ditch effort for gun that is beyond worrying about it.

From what I read, potential for damage is real.
Click to expand...

Not according to the best Smith and Wesson revolver smith in the country, because the stainless steel brush isn't as hard as the steel the revolver is made from (either blued or stainless). I bought a couple of brushes there. Look up MD Charlton.
 
Dench said:
Have you tried using an eraser the pink ones? Im fairly sure I read it takes it off.
Click to expand...

Eraser is used for removing fouling on the outside parts of revolver, it would be helluva task stuffing it inside the cylinder.


puterbrother said:
I used to have that happen when I shot full .38 wadcutters in my .357.I couldn't break loose the accumulated "crud ring".If you reload,there is a trick you can try.One that worked for me.Take a magnum case,for whatever gun you are cleaning,trim the mouth just enough to put a sharp edge on it,flare the mouth so it is a tight fit in the cylinder and lightly tap it all the way down so it's completely chambered.Tap it back out with a wood dowel or cleaning rod.Soak the heck out of the cylinder first.Then do your regular cleaning routine after.See if that works.
Click to expand...


I read about that, I am not reloading at the moment, but could probably get one of my friends to make it for me.
One gunsmith has suggested using hand reamer and pretty much doing a same thing.
But, I've seen another gunsmith damage club members revolver using aggressive cleaning methods... which he repaired later.

Both methods kinda invasive, but I may have to try it in the end.


enefgee said:
Not according to the best Smith and Wesson revolver smith in the country, because the stainless steel brush isn't as hard as the steel the revolver is made from (either blued or stainless). I bought a couple of brushes there. Look up MD Charlton.
Click to expand...


Sounds interesting, and certainly worth investigating further.
 
You can try a lewis lead remover... its a great tool for those who shoot cast bullets make leaning a breeze... instead of spending 1 hour with a bronze brush pull this thing thru your barrel 5 times and its cleaned all that lead debrise out also works with cylinders too. You could try an ultra sonic cleaner but if its really caked on it might not work to well.
 
Take a copper wire brush and wrap 100% copper chor boy cleaning pad strands around the brush. Two or three swipes back and forth and the lead/crud buildup will be gone. I do this all the time with my GP 100 stainless. I use this method to remove lead from my barrels as well. It is easy, inexpensive and a whole lot less messy then playing with chemical applications that often don't work anyway.

Take Care

Bob
 
The correct tool for doing this is a "cylinder deleading reamer" they used to be available from Brownells. An option is to disassemble the cylinder, put it in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or so and rap it smartly onto a wood plank. The lead should just fall out, and 10 minutes at 400 won't affect the hardness or tempering.

Dr J
 
bollox said:
Did you try removing the cylinder and letting it soak for a day or two in solvent?
Might work to loosen the 'crud.
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That may just work well, but which solvent exactly did you have in mind?


msg.drew said:
You can try a lewis lead remover... its a great tool for those who shoot cast bullets make leaning a breeze... instead of spending 1 hour with a bronze brush pull this thing thru your barrel 5 times and its cleaned all that lead debrise out also works with cylinders too. You could try an ultra sonic cleaner but if its really caked on it might not work to well.
Click to expand...


I read about this tool, did anyone on CGN boards use this with success?


Canuck44 said:
Take a copper wire brush and wrap 100% copper chor boy cleaning pad strands around the brush. Two or three swipes back and forth and the lead/crud buildup will be gone. I do this all the time with my GP 100 stainless. I use this method to remove lead from my barrels as well. It is easy, inexpensive and a whole lot less messy then playing with chemical applications that often don't work anyway.

Take Care

Bob
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I think you meant Copper Chore Boy, where do you get this stuff?
Do you soak it in any chemical before swiping through cylinder?
 
T&G said:
The correct tool for doing this is a "cylinder deleading reamer" they used to be available from Brownells. An option is to disassemble the cylinder, put it in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or so and rap it smartly onto a wood plank. The lead should just fall out, and 10 minutes at 400 won't affect the hardness or tempering.

Dr J
Click to expand...


Yes, I heard of those reamers, but am wondering if using this on regular basis would actually ream out cylinder to larger size?
Never thought about oven idea.



DSG03 said:
It's at the end of part 1. I just bought one from Epps when I picked up my 686 last week. Look at part 4 for the cylinder. Works quick and easy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWnTAwtmVq4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp86o1Hp6jQ&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhyQsldz6SM&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weC7u-2Dv28&feature=related
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That cloth might not work as well going up the cylinder, but I would consider trying it.
 
lanis Saferway should carry it. Look in the kitchen cleaning section. Just cut some strands off the pad and wrap them around a copper cleaning brush. Make sure the pads are 100% copper and not just copper coated. It will say on the package what hey are. This method works great. I use this method to clean lead out of my barrels as well. Once you get the crud and lead out just finish up with some Hoppes #9. I sold my Lewis Lead remover after going to this method.

Take Care

Bob
 
i use nevr dull works like a charm pick some up at canadian tire

0392820_1
 
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