Cleaning a revolver

[pikemaster11]

I know this is not kahr related, but i have received some great advice on here when I bought a cm9, so I was hoping for some more.

I just bought a 686-6 plus with a 3 inch barrel. This is my first revolver and I was wondering about using non-chlorinated brake spray to help clean and degrease the revolver. I use it on my glock and kahr because I had read it was safe for plastics and have had no problems.

If it is safe, I was also wondering about where to lubricate on the gun. I watched a video where a guy cocked the hammer and put a small drop down in the internals. Is that okay? Is there a lube chart anywhere like on how to lube a kahr?

Is gun oil or grease better? Thank you for your time.

[Bawanna]

In my mind there's no place on a revolver that needs brake cleaner or any aerosol for that matter. Hoppes or Elite or Mpro7 and a good brush are all you need. Unless you pop the side plate and go deep which I never do.

I also only use oil, a drop on the crane, an occasional drop by the hammer, I wipe oil on the spindle and call it good.

[jeepster09]

However brake cleaner is ok for cleaning.

[jocko]

what Bawanna said is about right. I love the bore snakes for wheel guns. not alot of lube neeedin a wheel gun

[Yogi 117]

In my mind there's no place on a revolver that needs brake cleaner or any aerosol for that matter. Hoppes or Elite or Mpro7 and a good brush are all you need. Unless you pop the side plate and go deep which I never do.

I also only use oil, a drop on the crane, an occasional drop by the hammer, I wipe oil on the spindle and call it good.
I would agree, although non-chlorinated brake cleaner won't hurt anything IMHO. Hoppes #9 is all I use on my Ruger SS SP-101, cleaning the barrel & each cylinder chamber real good to get rid of all the residue. I very lightly oil the entire revolver, to include the barrel (I do not oil the cylinder chambers unless I'm storing for a long time), and wipe down real good. I run a couple dry patches thru the barrel to remove any excess oil. I then put a drop or two of Hoppes Oil on the ejector rod & push it forward & back a few times, which makes the cylinder spin really well. The cylinder will spin quite a few times very smoothly if you've oiled the rod adequately. When all done, since my revolver is Stainless, I wipe the entire exterior down with a silicone cloth & she shines like beauty that she is! :D

[Flincher]

I shoot S&W revolvers a lot, and agree with Bawanna. What ever you do, DON'T over lubricate a revolver. Except for the hammer, none of the parts move with the intensity or speed of a semi-auto. About every 750 rounds a tiny drop of good "thin" oil, like Rem-Oil down the hammer channel, and in behind the trigger is all you need--the oil will migrate to where it's needed. About every 1000 rounds I'll remove the cylinder/crane assembly and clean real good. And except for when I do an action job on my revolvers, I never remove the side plates.:)

[Double3]

I just picked up a S&W 686 last week.

Haven't shot it yet but I have cleaned it and looked at it many times.

I like Ballistol for cleaning/lubing.

[DeeDubya]

I just picked up a S&W 686 last week.

Haven't shot it yet but I have cleaned it and looked at it many times.

I like Ballistol for cleaning/lubing.

A product like Ballistol will wash away burnt powder and dirt and still leave a lubricating film. Brake cleaner, Gun Scrubber and other non-lubricating solvents can wash oil out of trigger linkage, etc. leaving it dry. Unless you re-lube you might have a problem. I would never use a drying solvent on a revolver except for a total cleanup and re-lube.

I do use Gun Scrubber on actions like Kahr and Glock, blow it dry with an air hose and then re-lube.

[muggsy]

I wouldn't used brake cleaner on any revolver with wooden grips that are oil finished unless you want to ruin the grips. Brake cleaner is also hell on painted finishes. The only thing that I use brake cleaner on is the striker channel of my Kahr pistols and brake parts.

[Bawanna]

The clear coating on many of the new Smith revolvers is also susceptible to damage with harsh cleaners too. There are several here at the dept that look like heck because they put something on them or left it too long.

Still functional but just ugly. I'm not sure if brake cleaner would do damage or not.

[muggsy]

Well there's only one way to find out, Pilgrim. Are you going to reach for those guns or whistle Dixie?

[getsome]

Glad to see another revolver shooter on board...Like said previously be careful of the brake cleaners or Gunscrubber stuff on wood grips as they will mess up the finish....I like to use Electronic spray cleaner to clean out the bore and chambers after Hoppes #9 and a brass brushing and then an all over spray to clean off any oil on the stainless finish...The Electronic cleaner isn't as strong a chemical as brake cleaner and is totally safe for any plastic and most any painted surfaces...(some folks have removed the painted white line on their Kahr pistols rear sight using brake cleaner but Electronic cleaner won't hurt it)

After cleaning use a drop of Rem oil or similar gun oil down the hammer and back of trigger and all is good to go...Gotta love how low maintenance wheelies are and almost 100% reliable to boot....

One word of caution on mixing brands and types of lubes that I found out about by accident when cleaning a 686 one time....I cleaned her up real good and had used Rem oil but for some reason I felt the need to try some CLP spray I had in the cleaning box so I shot a little blast of CLP in all the nooks and crannies and put the gun away to go shooting the next day...

At the range I got the 686 out and the thing was locked up...I could c.o.c.k the hammer but the cylinder wouldn't rotate because the cylinder hand was gunked up so bad...What I learned by accident was that while both Rem oil and CLP are great products by themselves they DON'T like to be mixed with each other and turn into a sticky goo...

I took it home and pulled the grips and side plate off and blasted it out with spray cleaner then when totally dry I just used a little Rem oil on all the mating parts then put it back together and all was well, no more problems...

Moral of story, Be careful using different brands of cleaning/lube products together as the chemicals sometimes don't like to mix up so well....Another gun cleaning chemical I had a problem with was Shooters Choice Bore cleaner...Nothing wrong with the product but I was using an old plastic toothbrush and dipping it into the cleaner and it totally dissolved the plastic and bristle brush end and all I was left with was a plastic nub...:eek:...Shooters Choice is a great bore cleaner but is some mighty strong stuff that will eat some plastics...Use with caution!!!!

[jeepster09]

Brake cleaner is safe, it is designed to not harm metal or rubber, so as not cause any problems on brake wheel cylinders or master cylinders when cleaning components doing a brake job. It is also safe on expensive anti-lock controllers in your brake system. [These controllers cost more than most hand guns.]

[les strat]

Get you some Mothers aluminum and mag polish. It will become your best friend. Easily removes those "raccoon eyes" from the front of the cylinder. Keeps a SS wheelie looking good, but don't use it on a blued or aluminum framed pistol.

[DeeDubya]

Glad to see another revolver shooter on board...Like said previously be careful of the brake cleaners or Gunscrubber stuff on wood grips as they will mess up the finish....I like to use Electronic spray cleaner to clean out the bore and chambers after Hoppes #9 and a brass brushing and then an all over spray to clean off any oil on the stainless finish...The Electronic cleaner isn't as strong a chemical as brake cleaner and is totally safe for any plastic and most any painted surfaces...(some folks have removed the painted white line on their Kahr pistols rear sight using brake cleaner but Electronic cleaner won't hurt it)

After cleaning use a drop of Rem oil or similar gun oil down the hammer and back of trigger and all is good to go...Gotta love how low maintenance wheelies are and almost 100% reliable to boot....

One word of caution on mixing brands and types of lubes that I found out about by accident when cleaning a 686 one time....I cleaned her up real good and had used Rem oil but for some reason I felt the need to try some CLP spray I had in the cleaning box so I shot a little blast of CLP in all the nooks and crannies and put the gun away to go shooting the next day...

At the range I got the 686 out and the thing was locked up...I could c.o.c.k the hammer but the cylinder wouldn't rotate because the cylinder hand was gunked up so bad...What I learned by accident was that while both Rem oil and CLP are great products by themselves they DON'T like to be mixed with each other and turn into a sticky goo...

I took it home and pulled the grips and side plate off and blasted it out with spray cleaner then when totally dry I just used a little Rem oil on all the mating parts then put it back together and all was well, no more problems...

Moral of story, Be careful using different brands of cleaning/lube products together as the chemicals sometimes don't like to mix up so well....Another gun cleaning chemical I had a problem with was Shooters Choice Bore cleaner...Nothing wrong with the product but I was using an old plastic toothbrush and dipping it into the cleaner and it totally dissolved the plastic and bristle brush end and all I was left with was a plastic nub...:eek:...Shooters Choice is a great bore cleaner but is some mighty strong stuff that will eat some plastics...Use with caution!!!!

I agree. I had lubed a Rem 541S trigger assembly over a few years with (no telling what latest-greatest lubes) everything, only to later find that a varnish-like film had locked the trigger like super glue. It required total disassembly to pick out all the crud. Now, I'm totally convinced that one of the best trigger linkage (any gun) lubes is MP-5 made by Beeman. It's also sold under another MP-5 name. It stinks but it's good. Those air gun guys know lubricants.

[Barth]

I just picked up a S&W 686 last week.

Haven't shot it yet but I have cleaned it and looked at it many times.

I like Ballistol for cleaning/lubing.

+1
Ballistol is non toxic.
And safe for rubber, wood, leather and most importantly you.
Also agree with don't over lubricate a revolver.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/thumbnail/photo54/53/69/c1d61ca140f7__1341750491000.jpg?tw=0&th=720&s=true&rs=false

[Flincher]

Get you some Mothers aluminum and mag polish. It will become your best friend. Easily removes those "raccoon eyes" from the front of the cylinder. Keeps a SS wheelie looking good, but don't use it on a blued or aluminum framed pistol.

Since we're talking revolvers, here's what a little Mothers Mag and some nice custom maple grips can do for a 686:)

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag46/3482jl/008_zps325bca72.jpg

[el_presidente]

Clean a revolver to protect it, don't ever "lube" it. There's no reason at all to do so, so rest easy ;D

[TheTman]

I've had revolvers for many years now, since I was 16, and never used more than some Hoppes #9 and gun oil on them. Had the chance to take a Dan Wesson Pork Barrel Revolver apart and get the crap out of it, and put new lighter Wolff Springs in it for a smoother double action. Amazingly, it still shoots! LOL