Brasspounder

Before fitting the new mainspring, be sure to burnish the edges/sharp corners on it with a smooth hard steel round rod of some kind so there are no nicks or sharp spots along the sides/edges of the curved part. This to remove any stressors that might result in future breakage.

I just use plain hot water, as hot as i can get it. After any match, C&B revolvers, get the barrels and cylinders taken off, Cylinders soak in a jar under hot water (no air gits to 'em so they don't rust) while I pour hot water thru the barrels and brush out the foulng, then dry 'em with a slug of paper towel shoved thru , wipe every surface dry while metal is still warm and you get no rust at all.. The water dissolves all the corrosive fouling (with either BP or Pyrodex), and washes it away. l Lghtly oil the bores with an oily patch. Clean and shiny. Set aside. Cylinders soaking under water, gets all the fouling dissolved, and when fished out still warm, the chambers are wiped dry with a short chunk of 3/8" cotton rope twisted down in there to clean the chamber bottoms,. Blow the water out of the nipple flash holes and nipple recesses (leave the nipples in the cylinders) and brush the cone areas with a stiff brush to remove loose fouling and dry them. Leave chambers dry if going to use them soon, otherwise LIGHTLY wipe the chambers with an oily mop. If gotten completely clean and properly dry while still warm, there is no rust. Revolver frames, hammer slots and hammers are wiped free of all visible fouling, lightly oil the lockworks ( I use olive oil) it soaks any fouling remaining in the lockwork and no rust will develop. Reassemble revolvers, good to go. About once a season, I do complete teardowns and inspect for wear, clean the oily goo off the removed interior parts and the frame interior, wipe with oily cloth and reassemble. No excessive wear has been found anywhere. Once a season, I remove all the stainless steel aftermarket nipples from the cylinders, clean them ,check the cones undamaged, reapply anti-seize to the nipple threads, and reinstall the nipples. I have been using this same pair of Uberti 1851 Navy .36 revolvers in cowboy shooting each season since 2004,( 18 years) . The blue and casehardened finishes on both pistols is still fine, showing only normal holster wear after the many years of this treatment. These revolvers have been used hard and are as reliable as any cartridge revolver. Misfires/cap-jams are practically nonexistent (I use only Remington or Winchester caps). The revolvers have not been modified in any way to avoid cap problems...With good aftermarket nipples and caps that fit them properly, I have found such modifications to be not necessary. The only springs changed have been to install piano-wire bolt-trigger springs, and new handmade hand springs. The mainsprings are stock. Bp