Cleaning carbon out of 357 chambers

[MakeMineA10mm]

Was reading an article on loading for the 357 Magnum in the newest Amer. Rifleman and noted the author mentioned that he would always shoot 38s in a certain 357 Magnum pistol, because by shooting those, a carbon build-up would form and he implied it would be too difficult to remove it.

Well, I was in the same boat with my old duty gun, a S&W 686-3. We had carried 357s back in those days and qualified with 38s, so I naturally kept those chambers well cleaned so the 357s would feed and not stick due to any carbon build-up. Well, since converting over to autoloaders, I had been shooting almost exclusively 38s in that revolver, and there was a horrendous carbon ring build up in all the chambers. It was bad enough that 357s wouldn't seat without considerable pressure and they didn't eject very easily at all.

So I decided I needed to clean that cylinder up, both so I could use the longer brass again and to re-verify to my satisfaction that the Amer. Rifleman article was wrong.

I found a VERY easy way to do this, and thought it might be helpful to share:

First, I removed the cylinder from the pistol and took off the crane.

Second, I squirted a generous, but not ridiculous, amount of KROIL into each chamber.

Third, I sat the cylinder on a shop rag so two chambers were down. Let the Kroil sit for 8-10 hours.

Fourth, I turned the cylinder over so the two opposite chambers on the cylinder were sitting downwards. Let it sit overnight/another 8-10 hours.

Fifth, after that soaking in KROIL, I took a 40-cal. bronze brush, put it on a short cleaning rod (not with the handle, because I wanted to spin the brush while it was in the chamber), and then I turned the brush around inside each chamber about 30-40 times.

After using some patches to remove the KROIL, I looked inside, and the chambers were spic-and-span. Not a spec of carbon anywhere to be seen.

I'm sure other solvents would work as well, but I like KROIL, because the creeping action seems to give it some penetration under/into the carbon, and the creeping action means it's not necessary to soak the whole part in a can or bucket of solvent to cover the area that needs cleaned.

Hope this helps anyone who thinks they've permanently converted their 357 into a 38 due to a carbon ring build-up.

[Guesser]

I have used the spinning brush method since before we had cordless drills and screwdrivers. I used to keep a 1/4" grill on the cleaning bench ready to go. I never bothered with soaking, Hoppe's #9 on the over sized brush and go to work, done in seconds. The cordless tools make it even easier now!!

[MakeMineA10mm]

Hi Guesser,
Yes, the cordless drill route is easier, but mine was upstairs, while I was downstairs, so I just twisted by hand. Sorry I wasn't very clear on that point. I do prefer the drill/screwdriver method though!

You must be a more-responsible cleaner of firearms than I, because my carbon build-up wouldn't come off without soaking. That particular cylinder has probably seen a little under 10,000 rds of 38s without cleaning, so each chamber got at least 1000 rds of 38s. The carbon was hard, built-up, and aged (at least the bottom layers)...

I'm betting a soak in Hoppe's (or any other solvent) would've worked well, but the thing I liked about the Kroil is that I didn't have to fill a can with enough solvent to cover the carbon when setting the cylinder into the can. The wicking-action and creeping/penetrating action of the Kroil let me just squirt each chamber and roll it around.

[wildwilly]

Another member already offered this remedy that works super for me; flare the 357 case mouths and chamber them. Does a nice job of scraping that carbon ring from the chamber walls. Then proceed with soaking each chamber with Hoppe's.

[LongPoint]

I remember that thread about using a flaired case to remove the carbon. Someone also reported that a flaired case with a few notches cut into it with a small triangle file worked miracles. Sounds reasonable to me. Maybe thread a self tapping screw into the flashole to use with a drill. I try to clean my chambers a little more frequent so an oversized brush in a drill with Ed's Red does it.

Good Luck

LongPoint

[geneo]

I use a 204 case,grind off the shoulder. Ream till sharp, then use expander ball to flair out for a tight fit in cylinder. Two strocks ea. and its done. Also file 3 notchs in the mouth of case. It's the best thing I have found in my .357's.[smilie=2: Geneo

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g275/HIGENE_photos/DSC_3044Small.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g275/HIGENE_photos/DSC_3043Small.jpg

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g275/HIGENE_photos/DSC_3042Small.jpg

[9.3X62AL]

I've used the Spinning Brush Method to de-carbon my 357 chambers in the past. Hoppe's-soak overnight, then go at it.

I got tired of that, and started firing only 357 cases in 357 chambers, same story in 44 Mag. Life is too short to spend time on carbon ring clean-out.

[mroliver77]

Some Eds Red, old brush wrapped with Chore Boy and a drill. Very fast!
Jay

[ShinyPartsUp]

I must be OCD. I actually clean my gun after every session, though once I left it to the second. M .357 is always clean. I find breaking everything down and running patches and brush calming.

[NickSS]

+1 for me too. I never leave my guns dirty they get cleaned when I get home and usually cleans out with only a patch and bore cleaner through each chamber and barrel followed by a dry patch and i am done. Only takes a few minutes and then the gun is clean and ready for the next time I feel like shooting it.

[kelbro]

I run a boresnake through the barrel and each chamber after each shooting session.

[btroj]

I clean mine when they seem to need it. Might be every 1000 rounds or so. With cast bullets I find that cleaning may actually hurt accuracy for a few rounds. Tis certainly appears to be an individual thing- some clean every trip, some clean only when the gun seems to need it. I will say that I clean a hunting gun well before hunting then fire a dozen or so rounds to lube the barrel in a consistent manner. The barrel is left this way for the hunting season.
I have found that the ring of carbon left from shooting 38 special in a 357 magnum can be a pain but it can be removed easily with a spinning brush. I don't shoot many 357 loads so it isn't a big problem for me.

[Groo]

Groo here
I have used the brush, and flared case method but the one I like the best
is JB's bore cleaner and a tight patch..

[shooting on a shoestring]

The point I get is you gents need a .38 revolver to go with that .38 brass.

[leadman]

I bought a used Mossberg 410 shotgun that looked like it had a 2 1/2" chamber, but was actually a 3". Tried soking with Hoppe's, brass brush spun. Finally used the jag and 0000 steel wool and Hoppe's spun in the barrel. Took several application of Hoppe's and steel wool.
The steel wool will work also for the 357 chambers, but would want to reserve it for a bad case.

I use 357 cases in 357 guns, 38 in 38 guns. what is not to like about owning another gun??

[kshock]

Brownell's (and probably others) sell "chamber brushes"which are very stiff slightly oversized stainless steel brushes. I use mine on a short rod with handle, insert and hand turn a couple of times and ...Viola!. No soaking, no scrubbing. Seems to work best using the brush dry. I would not recommend using one of these brushes on the barrel though, just the chambers of the cylinder.

[mongo]

I must be OCD. I actually clean my gun after every session, though once I left it to the second. M .357 is always clean. I find breaking everything down and running patches and brush calming.

Yup, I have OCD also after shooting also. Two days at most,Thats if there is a snowstorm and it is 2degrees and I cant get into the man cave.LOL

[uscra112]

+1 for cleaning every session. Learnt this while I was racing motorcycles. After a weekend I'd go over the entire bike with a toothbrush, (yes, I said toothbrush). This was also a minute detailed inspection, and often and often I would find a loose wheel spoke, or an incipient crack in a cover, or chafed wiring, or a fraying cable or whatever which if not seen could have disabled the bike later on. Clean and inspect ! Clean and inspect !