How To Clean A Revolver

 

Locate a flat surface free from debris or anything sharp or jagged that could mar the finish on the revolver. I prefer working on higher surfaces for gun cleaning as it's easier on your back and further away from any unwanted contact with the firearm.

Unless you are working on an old workbench that has as many stains as the floor at the local oil change facility, you're going to want to liberally lay down newspapers or rags. This is going to prevent ruining the surface you are working on and will help protect the gun's finish.

Get all the materials and tools needed before grabbing the revolver(s). You wouldn't start to work on your car without making sure you had everything you needed to do the job, so why would you do it with a firearm?

Once the area is prepped and all the cleaning equipment and supplies are ready with extra rags for those "oops!" moments, grab the revolver. This pre-cleaning planning will make the cleaning an easier process!

Gun Safety While Cleaning

Make sure the safety is on (if applicable) and finger off the trigger. While holding the revolver gun in a safe direction, open the cylinder. With the cylinder open, you can look in the bore and the remaining cylinders to make sure that there are not any rounds in the gun. Treat every gun as though it's loaded, and show every single firearm the same respect as a loaded weapon.

Things to Remember:

If you have taken the gun out of a safe with other firearms in the safe, be sure to immediately lock the safe after removing the gun(s) to be cleaned. This will keep your other weapons safe from any undesired entries and also protect against the enemy that is humidity.

Gathering Gun Cleaning Supplies

For cleaning a revolver a universal gun cleaning kit will meet all your needs. Besides maybe just a few items, it will have everything you need to easily clean your revolver. With the addition to an old rag or sock to protect the cylinder, and some solvent along with lube, you will be ready to go. Get the cleaning solvents together; this part really comes down to user preference and what brand and types of cleaning products that you like to use. I know myself and many others like me grew up and became accustomed to that good old brown bottle of Hoppes No. 9.

Things to Remember: Be Ready

Make sure that you have ample patches and rags ready just in case there is a spill or the gun is dirtier than you expected. Having all the required gear ready will make the cleaning process faster and more efficient. This ensures an easier process due to the fact that will not have to open that tool box or gun cleaning kit again with dirty, oily hands spreading the mess around even further.

What Can You Clean a Revolver With?

 

Solvents break down all the nasty residue left behind from firing a gun. Specific compounds and chemicals are designed to safely remove these leftovers without harming the firearm. Today, technology has evolved to offer the consumer a variety of different options based on their needs and applications.

Hoppes No. 9 is probably the most well-known and highly sold gun cleaning product in the country. Generations have grown up using the old brown bottle of Hoppes No 9 and many more will continue with is low price point and effectiveness in cleaning a firearm. As time and technology have changed, especially with the new powders available, Hoppes worked and developed a newer product called the M-Pro 7.

M-Pro 7 is a great cleaning line that is 100% biodegradable. Not only is the M-Pro 7 biodegradable, it is also scent-free. So if you want to keep the wife happy and maybe avoid a headache, this might be the way to go for you. Just be sure to remember that just because the human nose cannot smell it doesn't mean it's not there, so always work in properly ventilated areas.

Rem Oil is a product produced and sold by Remington that is a one-stop-shop when it comes to cleaning products. In fact, this is what I carry with me when I head out on a hunt. A solvent and lubricant in one package that will make short work of getting that dirty revolver clean and shiny is what makes Rem Oil a great option in my opinion.

Oil or another form of synthetic lubrication is going to be required to protect the working parts of the gun. It's essential, especially with revolvers in order to keep those moving parts lubricated at all times. Even guns that have been sitting in the safe and will continue to sit should be cleaned and re-oiled somewhat frequently. I use RemOil for this purpose but if you're looking for a little heavier oil with some more weight consider looking into products such as Hoppes Elite Gun Oil, or the M-Pro line of lubricants and oil.

Gun Cleaning Patches

Cleaning patches are usually provided with most universal gun kits. The size of the patch is really going to come down to the caliber that you are cleaning. Patches can be made from old shirts and rags if needed - just be sure that the fabric doesn't leave behind any material or lint as it cleans.

Gun Cleaning Rods

It's important to use rods when cleaning a revolver, as they will provide you with more control and less chance for accidental marring of the finish or cylinder. The cleaning rods for the revolver need to be simply aligned with the correct caliber to ensure a proper cleaning.

Things to Remember: Protect the Cylinder

Take an old rag or sock and tie it around the cylinder. Tie an overhand knot over the grip with the sock covering the cylinder to protect the cylinder from the brush as it's pushed through the barrel. This is important to do before cleaning any other part of the gun, as cleaning the barrel etc., can cause a slip and the rod might get rammed too quickly causing damage to the cylinder.

How to Clean the Bore & Muzzle of a Revolver

 

With the proper rod size selected for the caliber, attach the barrel brush and dip it in the solvent or spray solvent into the barrel. The size of the brush will be printed on the side of the brush to make aligning sizes easy.

Insert the rod and push towards the cylinder and allow the brush to twist with the rifling all the way through the end of the barrel. Repeat this process several times depending on how dirty the gun is.

Take the brush or a good stiff muzzle brush with solvent and clean the muzzle, removing any hard stuck on residual materials.

Now that you have completed the cleaning with the brushes and solvent for the larger materials, it's time to clean out any fine remnants that might be left over from the brush with patches. Many people have their own opinions and reasoning as to how many times to do this. I find that 1-2 solvent covered patches followed by a dry clean patch will usually do the trick. Now this will be needed to be done more times if the gun is very dirty and needs lots of love.

How to Clean the Cylinder of a Revolver

Using the same gun brush you used to clean the muzzle, take to the cylinders and give them a good cleaning. Look at each cylinder as though it is a just another bore and clean accordingly. Make sure to clean the cylinders both inside and out to ensure all materials are removed that could prevent the gun from cycling correctly. A few passes with the brush in each cylinder should be more than enough to clean them. Just like the bore, run a few dry cleaning patches through the cylinders.

How to Clean the Extractor

 

Cleaning the extractor rod is easy and fast. Take the same brush you cleaned the cylinders with and wet the end of the muzzle with solvent and brush the extractor. When you have completed the end and the outside of the extractor, push the rod out of the cylinder which is housed in and clean the rest of the rod.

Things to Remember: Put the Caps Back on the Products

Putting the caps or lids back onto the cleaning process is a must. When you are cleaning a gun, have towels or newspapers below the gun and cleaning surface, as spilling can happen very easily, causing solvents and oils to run off the table and all over the place, costing you time and definitely money.

Do Revolvers Need to Be Oiled?

Yes, any gun with moving parts should be oiled for proper functioining. Take a clean rag, douse it in some oil, and rub the entire gun inside and out but do not oil the grips. Be sure you oil the barrel and cylinders completely. With the oil, drip a couple of drops into the hammer housing and also along the extractor rod inside the cylinder; any moving part should receive some oil. Gun oil will ensure that the firearm operates perfectly, while at the same time, protect the gun against rusting and other elements that can damage the gun.

Things To Remember: Don't Over Oil!

Over oiling a gun can lead to the collection of dirt, more so than normal. Too much oil can find its way into areas that shouldn't have any oil, and that can lead to the firearm not operating correctly. It can also be a safety concern when shooting with spraying potential for burns.

Clean Up and Safe Storage

Now that the gun is clean and the oil is in place to keep the moving parts moving, it is time to wrap up this cleaning process. Once you have completed all of your required cleaning steps, put the revolver back in the gun safe right away. By putting the gun back in the safe, you can clean up the area much more effectively and safely, as you can now focus on getting the rags and patches thrown away without worry. Proper disposal of rags will prevent fire hazards and also cut down on the dispersion of fumes. Having the gun put away prior to packing everything back into its spot will also limit the possibility of dropping something on the now-clean gun, damaging or marring the patina.