Cleaning cylinder flutes

[rperyam]

Would you mind posting a picture? I've shot a lot of revolvers over a lot of years, and I've never really seen carbon and/or gunpowder residue "filling up the flutes." So, maybe I'm just not understanding what you mean.

Here are a couple of pictures. I probably didn’t explain it very well. Just old crap that is difficult to clean up.

 

[.308 Norma]

Here are a couple of pictures. I probably didn’t explain it very well. Just old crap that is difficult to clean up.

Thanks for the pictures!
Yeah, that is kinda dirty looking. If I was cleaning it up though, I'd just use a little gun solvent (Hoppes #9) on a soft cloth on my finger to wipe it off.

DO NOT USE A LEAD-AWAY CLOTH ON A BLUED GUN......It WILL strip the bluing right off and will also damage nickel finishes.
Use these on stainless or bare steel only.

As dfariswheel and others have said though - do NOT use those lead wipe-away cloths on blued gun parts. You don't want to wipe the bluing off your classic Model 19, and those lead wipe-away cloths will do just that.
It's not that I'm knocking those lead wipe-away cloths either. I really like them, especially for wiping the lead and gunk off the faces of the cylinders in my STAINLESS revolvers after running a bunch of lubed, cast lead bullets through them.

 

[JohnKSa]

Saw him years ago at an exhibition in Wisconsin and his guns were filthy

He makes sure they will run, but he doesn't spend much time on "cosmetic" cleaning.

As far as removing carbon fouling from a revolver, I've had good luck with Hoppes Elite Cleaner (not the foaming stuff) and MPro-7. Both of them work really well and have the added benefit of being non-toxic and very low odor. I was pretty skeptical when I first tried these cleaners but was really impressed with how well they work.

 

[AzShooter1]

Dip in in a glass of MPro- 7 for an hour and then use a toothbrush to brush it all away.

 

[dobedo]

View attachment 1190523View attachment 1190524
Here are a couple of pictures. I probably didn’t explain it very well. Just old crap that is difficult to clean up.

I use neverdull it works wonders.

 

[entropy]

Jerry's trick or using brass (I use old brass punches) to remove stubborn lead deposits works, though I usually reserve it for removing bloom rust.

 

[slickracer]

Pick ip a lead remover cleaning cloth by Birchwood Casey. It does wonders not only on the cylinder flutes but the cylinder face as well. Best $8.00I have spent in a long time.

No! Not on a blued revolver,

 

[CajunBass]

That's funny. I don't remember ever having a problem getting the crud out of the flutes on a revolver cylinder at all. Front of the cylinder yes, but I just ignore that. Maybe it's because I wax my guns with Ren Wax after cleaning and the wax makes it easier to come off, but Hoppes and a patch have always been plenty for me. Not shooting lead bullets seems to have helped with that too. I'm not even sure which helped more now that I think about it.

 

[vanfunk]

90% of my handgun shooting is with lead bullets and Unique and 2400, so I am used to that kinda crud! I have settled on Hoppe’s #9 to get rid of the powder (slather it on and let it sit for a few mins), followed by Kroil (I love the smell, lol) and light buffing with fine bronze wool for the lead deposits. Works beautifully and has never harmed bluing. I will join the chorus of those who warn against using a lead-away cloth on a blued firearm unless the goal is to destroy the finish.

 

[stonebuster]

I use neverdull it works wonders.

Isn't neverdull mildly abrasive?

 

[halfmoonclip]

I use a Hoppes soaked patch over a brass brush to clean breech faces.
Suspect it would work for the flutes as well.
rperyam, any notion how many rounds were through the gun, to foul the flutes?
Moon