Two revolver questions

cote_b

cote_b

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Just a few questions regading some issues I`m having with two of my revolvers.

1. I`ve noticed that after only two or so range trips and maybe 100 rounds through it at a time, the cylinder starts to get bound up and becomes really stiff. So stiff that after probaly 300 rounds before I cleaned it the first time, the cylinder would not budge at all. I`ll take it out, clean it, oil it and itll be great again, but then back to the same after 100,150 or 200 rounds. Im using realods that arent the cleanest ammo Ive ever come across. Thoughts, ideas anyone. EDIT** This is happening with my Colt Trooper .357

2. After each range trip with my S&W 629, I notice that the cylinder gets pretty black and charred on the outside, even after just 20 rounds sometimes. I`m shooting old UMC lead .44 mag. Its quite the pain in the ass to clean off. Does this happen to everyone. What is the best way to clean that stuff off, especially if its been sitting overnight like that.
 
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I learned my lesson on buying reloads and having the cylinder bind after a few rounds. For my own reloads I use a lighter charge of 700X and jacketed bullets as this burns clean. I also put grease on the front of the cylinder to make clean up easier.
 
For #1 check the cylinder gap. On S&W revolvers the gap is best if it's somewhere between .005 to .007 inch. If it's much tighter than .004 then you can run into the fouling buildup on the front face of the cylinder causing drag. If this is the problem you are running into it's pretty easy to see if this is the cause. The fouling buildup on the front of the cylinder will form a crusty layer that you can chip away in hunks and you'll see drag lines on it from the forcing cone of the barrel. If it's not this buildup producing the jamming then you'll need to analyze for other possible causes. For example if it's a SA revolver check that the cylinder bushing is able to turn freely in the cylinder. The bushing's job is to re-direct the blast and fouling away from the arbor. But at the same time it also acts as a secondary rotational point so the effects of any fouling is delayed.

#2- A Lead Away cloth is one method that lots of folks like. However it does say not to use it on blued guns as it can thin and eventually remove the blueing. That suggests that the active ingredient built into the cloth is a mild abrasive. And ANY abrasive will remove some metal with repeated use. So I'd say it's fine to use on the outside but remove the worst of it with a regular solvent first. Flitz is a cleaning/polishing creme that I see recomended a lot. But again Flitz is a super fine abrasive. So regular use will eventually round over the edges of the chamber throats on the front face. If you really must use these things to get that last little bit off the gun then use Hoppes or some other lead and powder solvent to remove the worst of it first. That way you only need to rub away the last marks which minimizes the effect of the abrasive products on the metal.

I've had decent luck getting most of the stuff off my own stainless revolvers using Ed's Red mixture and a brass bristle brush. It takes the stains off the outside neatly but it can't quite get it all off the front face of the cylinder. A light "grey" stain is as far as I can get without resorting to crazy amounts of effort. So I don't even bother anymore. I brush the outer surfaces clean and just get that nasty front face clean to where it's only slightly marked and call it good enough. It'll just get crusty again soon enough anyway.
 
Something is likely building up an affecting the front to back clearance of the cylinder. I've had this happen more often on guns that have a tighter fit. Powder and residue can build up under the ejector star and close up the clearance. A tooth brush at the range can be used to quickly brush the rear of the cylinder in this area. On some stainless revolvers the front of the cylinder fouls and reduces necessary clearance. A stiffer brush, such as brass or stainless can be used periodically at the range to keep it clean and rotating smoothly.
 
Thanks for the info, guys! I forgot to mention that problem #1 is with a Colt Trooper .357 and only #2 is with the 629. Looks like I have some work to do tonight.
 
I use a common pencil eraser on my Ruger .454 to remove the black charring on the outside on the cylinder ... works like magic!

Max
 
1. Excessive endshake may be causing the cylinder to drag against the rear face of the barrel. This is measured at full lockup, with the hammer down and trigger pulled fully rearward. I'm not sure where you could get this fixed on a Colt.

2. Lead removing cloths work well on SS guns. I would not worry about getting the cylinder perfectly clean every time you shoot.
 
cote_b said:
1. ...the cylinder starts to get bound up and becomes really stiff... I`ll take it out, clean it, oil it and itll be great again,... Thoughts, ideas anyone.
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Occasionally while shooting, just use an old toothbrush to clean under the ejector. Use less oil.

cote_b said:
2. I notice that the cylinder gets pretty black and charred on the outside,....
Click to expand...

Use the Lead Away cloth from KleenBore.
 
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