Modern Self-Defense Revolvers

[gato naranja]

I have a stainless 1911 and a 625. The muzzles look like hell even after I clean them. Somehow those matt finishes soak up the powder residue. It's like it just works it's way into the finish and is there permanently. It's just a cosmetic thing to me and I'm not real anal about how it looks as long as I know it's clean.

I once asked a friend of the family (a retired city PD officer) if he cleaned the burn rings off the face of the cylinder of his service revolver. He stepped to his car, got his .38 out of the glove box, unloaded it, handed it to me asked, "What do you think?" (The answer was "no.") All he ever did was use solvent and a "toothbrush" to remove anything built up; if he found any flakes of lead or brass still adhering, he used more solvent and a brass bore brush held sideways.

The gentleman I alluded to in an earlier post - the one who cautioned against "overcleaning" - was of the opinion that nobody really bothered themselves much about burn rings until stainless revolvers became common. The general consensus among older acquaintances who I talked with about gun care was that... I worried too much.

[Malamute]

I've never had an issue with the crud rings in the cylinder and I've shot many thousands of .38 Short Colts in my 686. A bronze brush and Hoppes #9 takes it right out. I never go more than 400-500 rounds without brushing. My OCD may be why but I've always been a little perplexed by everyone saying it's a problem.

I use the next size up brush for chambers, like a 40/10mm for 38/357 chambers, or use a worn 44/45 brush.

A few times I resorted to using a thin bladed pocket knife to carefully clean the lead and crud buildup from shooting 38s in 357 chambers. It worked pretty well, but having a decent chamber brush works well also.

The lead buildup seems more of an issue than carbon. I rarely shoot any jacketed loads in most revolvers, generally only factory full power 357s, which isnt often.

[Borderland]

I once asked a friend of the family (a retired city PD officer) if he cleaned the burn rings off the face of the cylinder of his service revolver. He stepped to his car, got his .38 out of the glove box, unloaded it, handed it to me asked, "What do you think?" (The answer was "no.") All he ever did was use solvent and a "toothbrush" to remove anything built up; if he found any flakes of lead or brass still adhering, he used more solvent and a brass bore brush held sideways.

The gentleman I alluded to in an earlier post - the one who cautioned against "overcleaning" - was of the opinion that nobody really bothered themselves much about burn rings until stainless revolvers became common. The general consensus among older acquaintances who I talked with about gun care was that... I worried too much.

I think most people clean their firearms too much. I read someplace that the Army/Marines destroyed the muzzles on a lot of rifles by being anal about cleaning the bores all the time using steel cleaning rods. I think I had an M-1 carbine like that. It had considerable muzzle erosion. The rifling looked pretty good but it patterned like a shotgun at 100 yds.

[Joe in PNG]

I think most people clean their firearms too much. I read someplace that the Army/Marines destroyed the muzzles on a lot of rifles by being anal about cleaning the bores all the time using steel cleaning rods. I think I had an M-1 carbine like that. It had considerable muzzle erosion. The rifling looked pretty good but it patterned like a shotgun at 100 yds.

Wonder how much goes back to the old black powder, blued steel, and corrosive primer days, where regular cleaning was needed lest gunk, rust, and corrosion set in.
And, it gave the troops something to do and get yelled at for.

With the rise of smokeless powder, modern finishes, and non-corrosive primers, we don't need to clean as much as we think we do (thanks ToddG for proving that over and over again). But old habits remain.

[Flamingo]

There was a time, when I was younger, when the only gun I had was a 4” NY-1 overrun from the NYPD. I paid $279 for it, plus tax. Still have the receipt.

I shot top score in LFI-1 under Mas Ayoob (using Speer’s “lawman” 158+P FMJ training equivalent), and competed in local bowling pin and Paladin matches (using Cor-Bon’s version of the FBI/RCMP load, a 158 LSWCHP driven to 1000fps from 4”) set up by Rob Leahy—the guy who would later go on to become “simply rugged holsters,” first in Alaska, and now in Arizona.

I’ve lived the “only one gun, beware of this kid...” lifestyle with an NY-1, and I know that not only can it be done, but it can be done well.

That 3” is my personal grail gun. If I find one in mint condition somewhere, I will move whatever it takes to put it into service.

Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but the price isn't too steep:

[HCM]

Wonder how much goes back to the old black powder, blued steel, and corrosive primer days, where regular cleaning was needed lest gunk, rust, and corrosion set in.
And, it gave the troops something to do and get yelled at for.

With the rise of smokeless powder, modern finishes, and non-corrosive primers, we don't need to clean as much as we think we do (thanks ToddG for proving that over and over again). But old habits remain.

Corrosive primers were a thing through the WWII/Korean war era.

[MandoWookie]

Corrosive primers were a thing through the WWII/Korean war era.

If I'm recalling correctly, .30 carbine ammo was the first issued non-corrosive ammo in the military, specifically because the M1 carbines closed gas system didn't allow access for cleaning the piston, so corrosion would render it inoperable quickly with conventional primers.

[Spartan1980]

I use the next size up brush for chambers, like a 40/10mm for 38/357 chambers, or use a worn 44/45 brush.

A few times I resorted to using a thin bladed pocket knife to carefully clean the lead and crud buildup from shooting 38s in 357 chambers. It worked pretty well, but having a decent chamber brush works well also.

The lead buildup seems more of an issue than carbon. I rarely shoot any jacketed loads in most revolvers, generally only factory full power 357s, which isnt often.

Yes same here. I'll use a .40 brush if it's been awhile. I just make sure they any brush I use is bronze/brass, SST brushes don't even get through the door.

I also found the lead buildup is actually easier to remove if you let it build up a little. Then you can get under it and it'll peel off with a scraper. The carbon tool on a Leatherman MUT works quite well around the top strap and forcing cone. I don't worry about it but a couple times a year (when I'm shooting a lot of matches) except for in the barrel itself, that has to get gone but if all the parameters are correct it basically never happens anyway.

Some interesting reading is the sheet that comes with Schuemann Ultimatch barrels. I had a AET gain twist in my custom Limited gun. He has some advice that really goes against conventional thinking. He basically says to never clean a barrel. A lot more to it but that's the bottom line.

https://szbarrels.com/Portals/0/Docu...MSqzGVYw%3d%3d

[Wheeler]

Wonder how much goes back to the old black powder, blued steel, and corrosive primer days, where regular cleaning was needed lest gunk, rust, and corrosion set in.
And, it gave the troops something to do and get yelled at for.

With the rise of smokeless powder, modern finishes, and non-corrosive primers, we don't need to clean as much as we think we do (thanks ToddG for proving that over and over again). But old habits remain.

Setting an absurdly high standard of clean takes quite a bit of time to achieve. It serves the very useful purpose of keeping young soldiers and marines busy lest they find mischief to cause their NCOs grief.

[spyderco monkey]

I fired ONE defensive shot, in 33+ years of LEO-ing, in 1993, with a GP100. (Instantly disabling hit, with a fatal result; no second shot needed.) I made the final transition to duty autos in 1997, but never had to fire again, for a defensive purpose.

Do you happen to recall the load used at the time?

Seem to hear similar results anecdotally about the 125gr SJHP.