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How often do you clean the front of the cylinder on your vaquero?


Last Call Saul

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after each match, the front of the cylinder on my SS vaquero is black

 

I clean it up every couple matches with the Birchwood Casey lead remover and polish cloth...  I know it can remove finish on the blued gun but allegedly safe to use on SS?

 

so question, how often is too often?

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  • Last Call Saul changed the title to How often do you clean the front of the cylinder on your vaquero?

I have a pair of SS OMV's in.38/.357 for the most part I shoot real BP in them so when they get cleaned the entire cylinder front and back get cleaned too. Same way when shooting smokeless. But I do it the same with my blued 44spcl pistols.

I am sure you will get other replies and opinions.

 

Hochbauer

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I do not shoot Rugers but I definitely clean front of cylinders on my FAs often, even during match, especially if shooting black.  Powder residue at front of cylinder and around hub & pin can hamper smooth rotation of cylinder.  This restriction can be especially noticeable to a duelist shooter and can, IMO, affect my thought, and/or cadence.

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22 minutes ago, Desert Pete SASS #42168 said:

I strip my SS OMVs once a year and throw the whole pile of parts into an ultrasonic cleaner.  The rest of the time  I just wipe them down.

 

I'd say two or three times a year but yeah, what Desert Pete said.  Occasionally I'll get froggy and take a wire brush to the front of the cylinders but that's only if I'm REALLY bored. 

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For SS guns only - soak the front of the cylinder in vinegar for 1/2 hr, then a nylon brush will remove black in about a minute. Wash with soapy water & lightly oil.

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43 minutes ago, Billy Boots, # 20282 LTG-Regulator said:

I do not shoot Rugers but I definitely clean front of cylinders on my FAs often, even during match, especially if shooting black.  Powder residue at front of cylinder and around hub & pin can hamper smooth rotation of cylinder.  This restriction can be especially noticeable to a duelist shooter and can, IMO, affect my thought, and/or cadence.

Clean weapons discourage stoppages  I follow Billy's routine also a Globe and Anchor guy.

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Usually just wipe them down with a rem oil soaked rag before the match.  Generally 2 times a year I'll pull the cylinder and deep clean.  

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I have two glass jars with lids just bigger than the K-Vaquero cylinders.  I use them as "vats". 

I soak them in C4 for a day.  In that time, all of the debris is softened up and just brushes off, both inside and out.

I finish cleaning them in very hot water and lightly lube them before putting them back together.

I do this about every other shoot or when I notice that chambering rounds gets stiff.

 

Mustang

 

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With my SS Vaqueros I take out the cylinders and give everything a quick spray with a water and liquid Balistol mix. Let it sit overnight and wipe down. All of the smokeless soot just wipes off. Once in a while I’ll wire brush the front of the cylinder. 

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51 minutes ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

Shanley used to clean right after 6 stages...

Once home...he cleaned once, then again for 2 more days!!!

Hard to break Marine habits!!!

We clean after match with APP.

Smokeless gets a patch, and a good wipe down before next match.

Oorah...

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After every 10 or so stages I clean the SS cylinder fronts and chambers until I can read the ssn point-engraved around the hub. I usually soak them for a few minutes in carburetor cleaner, then they clean easily with a nylon brush.  Spray carb cleaner works pretty well, but it usually takes a whole $4 spray can per each cleaning, so I soak instead. 

DON'T USE CARBURETOR CLEANER ON A BLUED OR PAINTED GUN !  The bluing will discolor and the paint will be stripped off.  

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Howdy

I use a wet tumbler    One cylinder at a time.  Often with nickel plated brass.  Outside and inside comes out like new. VERY easy

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I clean after I shoot it regardless of whether it was in a match or plinking.  This includes the face of the cylinder.  Some Remington Bore cleaner and a bronze phosphorus bristle brush combined with some 'elbow grease' removes all of the fouling from the SS cylinder face.  

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Well, I don't shoot Rugers.  I also don't shoot Smokeless.  'Cause of that, I'm no help.  I shoot Snubbies with APP.  Pull the cylinder to load every stage and wipe the cylinder face down with PAM.  I shoot Snubbies with Kirst Konverters.  Suppositories with APP,  Wipe the cylinder face down when I clean after a match.

 

I find Cleaning and Cleanup with APP to be easier and quicker than Smokeless.  MUCH easier and quicker.

 

When I use to shoot that Heathen, Fad smokeless stuff I just squirted the whole cylinder with Break Free and swabbed it down.

 

I also don't understand this reference by some to "A Deep Cleaning."  One either cleans the gun or one doesn't clean the gun.  Atz kinda simple.

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My SS Ruger cylinder faces s come clean with a little moose milk or PAM and a tooth brush. Takes less than 30 seconds per cylinder.

 

Benefit of shooting APP or Real BP 

 

Oh and there is never a carbon ring in the chambers.

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2 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

Well, I don't shoot Rugers.  I also don't shoot Smokeless.  'Cause of that, I'm no help.  I shoot Snubbies with APP.  Pull the cylinder to load every stage and wipe the cylinder face down with PAM.  I shoot Snubbies with Kirst Konverters.  Suppositories with APP,  Wipe the cylinder face down when I clean after a match.

 

I find Cleaning and Cleanup with APP to be easier and quicker than Smokeless.  MUCH easier and quicker.

 

When I use to shoot that Heathen, Fad smokeless stuff I just squirted the whole cylinder with Break Free and swabbed it down.

 

I also don't understand this reference by some to "A Deep Cleaning."  One either cleans the gun or one doesn't clean the gun.  Atz kinda simple.

 My deep cleaning is I pull the gun completely apart.   Not the barrel but all internals, springs,  everything.  Clean and go through,  stone any burrs replace springs as needed check the transfer bar for cracks or rub spots.  

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1 minute ago, Sedalia Dave said:

My SS Ruger cylinder faces s come clean with a little moose milk or PAM and a tooth brush. Takes less than 30 seconds per cylinder.

 

Benefit of shooting APP or Real BP 

 

Oh and there is never a carbon ring in the chambers.

Yep, it really does not take a lot of effort.  My choice would probably be Windex (W VINEGAR), then maybe use a brush of some kind if needed (old toothbrush or maybe something stiffer) then follow with a wipe of  Ballistol or any handy oil.  I would probably do a quick wipe of inside of breech while I'm at it with the Windex-ed patch and a brush.  Things I keep handy on my cart.  All good for getting residue, and a heck of boost to "peace of mind".

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I am more concerned with cylinder pin, chambers and parts that affect function of the revolver than with the front of the cylinder. As far as cleaning the front of the cylinder a little diluted simple green works as well as any of the commercial cleaners. Also shooting a couple of stages with BP will take off or make the removal of smokiless fouling much easier.

kR

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well, the reason why I haven't asked about inside of the chambers is that I always clean them after the match and would not change that... break free CLP and chamber brush....

 

but the front of the cylinder is a pita - CLP doesn't do anything to it, and the post was more to wonder if using the SS polish cloth/lead remover will damage anything if used too often?

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I'll wipe it off, of course, maybe even take a nylon brush to it, but I'm not concerned with the ring that inevitably develops. I've read of people taking a wire brush, steel wool, or a Scotch Brite pad to it to get every bit of the stain off, but I don't think these folks realize these are relatively aggressive abrasives, and they are scratching and abrading the steel in the process.

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19 hours ago, Singin' Sue 71615 said:

 

20210810_171124.jpg

SEMPER 
FI

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I clean everything with an 80% Windex with vinegar and water solution after 6 stages. I use a nylon brush.  then go over everything with Ballistol. I go over everything again the following day.

 

I also get into the nooks and crannies of my rifle and shotgun.

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11 hours ago, Last Call Saul said:

well, the reason why I haven't asked about inside of the chambers is that I always clean them after the match and would not change that... break free CLP and chamber brush....

 

but the front of the cylinder is a pita - CLP doesn't do anything to it, and the post was more to wonder if using the SS polish cloth/lead remover will damage anything if used too often?

I clean my guns before a big match, usually about 4 times a year. I use Hornady One Shot and a stainless brush on my stainless guns. Works well and fairly quickly, I shoot that heathen smokeless powder!  I always shoot them again before I head out of town.

 

Randy

 

 

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I’ve been shooting stainless steel .38/.357 revolvers for a long time.  I’ve never felt the need to clean the burn marks from the cylinder face.  It’s just going to happen again the next time I shoot it.

 

A few years ago I started shooting black powder and black powder substitutes.  At that point I switched from petroleum based powder solvent to Ballistol.  My regimen for the revolvers is to spray them with “moose milk” (Ballistol and water), let them sit awhile and them wipe them down, swabbing the bore and chambers.  I was surprised to find that the burn marks largely are gone.

 

All I have to do differently is to get used to the smell of Ballistol.

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