Cleaning dirty cylinder??

I shoot a couple of different S&W .357s and find that the cylinder gets some extreme powder residue buildup on top of each chamber just rear of the barrel. As the gun fires, the gas that makes it through the cylinder gap really makes a mess on the inside of the frame but is especially bad as it goes up and is diverted back down onto the cylinder.

I haven't had any luck using chemicals to clean this from my guns and wind up using my dremel with the buffing attachment and sometimes even a little buffing compound to get it off. This is effective but I wish there were a better way. Fortunately the guns have a polished stainless finish so I can't imagine what I'd do if they were blue or matte.

Is there anything that can be done to reduce the cylinder gap on say a S&W 686 or 66? My 66 is much tighter but that the 686 but I think it could be closer. IT seems like this would certainly reduce the mess.

My 686 never seems to get that bad. What kind of ammo are you using?

Have you tried soaking it in bore cleaner? I usually soak mine in the bore cleaning gel for about 10 to 20 minutes before cleaning if it is really dirty. It usually works wonders on it and even gets off some of the real tough stuff.

There should be no "powder residue" build up. Either lubricant/lead build-up or carbon. Carbon can be removed by soaking in carburator cleaner, or using a metal polish such as Flitz.

As to blued guns, this doesn't show up on mine. I did have a Smith & Wesson Model 625 that was stainless, but I just left that alone and let the cylinder face have black rings around the chambers. It was unsightly only when you were looking down the muzzle.

Bob Wright

I take and soak with Shooters Choice or Blue Wonder for abot 10 or 15 mintues. Then I take a brass brush brush and clean it up. You will not get all the blue color out but you will get all the gunk & powder residue off. If your going to make it shiney again you will have to use a polish of some kind.

I guess I never tried some of the products you guys mention. I've tried using the Hoppes 9 stuff but it comes in such small quantities that I have no way to soak the gun without buying several jars which is prohibitive the way our local store marks up their prices.

One of you mentioned a bore cleaning gel which I've never heard of. Who makes it? I've been using a bore cleaning foam for the bore of my guns and am amazed at its ability to clear copper in 15 minutes. I tried soaking the spots around the cylinder with that but it still took a good deal of work to get it clean.

Maybe I'm just not putting the necessary effort or wait time into the process and I might need to alter my practices.

http://secure.armorholdings.com/klee...roduct174.html

This cloth works well. Being careful on blued guns. I use it on my 500, which is stainless steel.

I don't know if this link will work or not. If not just go to your search engine and type in Blue Wonder.
(http://www.bluewonder.us/)

It sounds like that Lead Away cloth may be what I want to try. As these are all stainless guns it should be safe for the finish. I'm only interested in removing the burn rings on the side of the cylinder; I kinda like the black circles on the front of the cylinder around each chamber.

If I wanted to soak just the cylinder, how difficult is it to remove from the gun and to replace as well? I've never taken apart any revolver I've owned and only takedown my autos enough to clean most majow parts.

I never have problems like that with my Security Six or NAA mini revolver because I don't let the cylinders get that dirty. My nitro solvent cleans everything great.

Hoppe's #9 in such small containers?

Man, I buy Hoppe's #9 in half gallon cans! A half gallon of the stuff will last a year or more.

Bob Wright