My Cleaning Routine...........
First of all, I keep a pretty well stocked cleaning kit on hand. I keep flannel patches, 2 1/4" square, on hand, a thousand or so. Also two swivel cleaning rods and two fixed, slotted rods. Also stainless steel and fiber bore brushes of various caliber, jags and small bottles of oil and Hoppe's solvent, and WD-40. I buy Hoppe's in quarts which last nearly a year, and pour out enough to fill the 3 oz. bottle in my kit.
Upon returning from the range, spread out the cleaning mat on my workbench and take out the guns from their cases. Re-check to clear, and either remove the cylinder (from Single Actions) or swing it out (on double actions).
Using a jag one caliber smaller than bore diameter, run a patch soaked in Hoppe's up and down the bore a few times. Then, using a slotted non-rotation rod, coat each chamber with Hoppe's. Run an oversized brush through each chamber, and dry with dry patches. Clean out the bore using corect size jag this time, with dry patches. If leading appears, use a lead removing patch. After chambers and bore are clean and dry, spray entire gun down with WD-40, and wipe dry with paper towels. (I use those blue shop towels from AutoZone.) Now lightly oil the chambers and bore. Heavily oil exterior of gun, and place one drop into action. Reassemble, or close cylinder. The gun is now too oily. Wipe down with another paper towel, rotate cylinder to remove excess oil on it.
That's it. Every six months or so, rub a little linseed oil on the stocks and let that dry before replacing in the case.
Most of my guns are in exces of ten years old, many pushing thirty years, and one nearing fifty years old. All show no signs of excess wear and functioning is near perfect as a mechanical device can be.
Bob Wright
