DA Revolver Cleaning Poll

[NVcurmudgeon]

I always remove the yoke/crane and cylinder when cleaning a DA revolver. Does everybody?

[Bret4207]

Cleaning? You're supposed to CLEAN them?!!!:mrgreen:


No, I don't remove the cylinder assy.

[AZ-Stew]

Neither do I.

Regards,

Stew

[Larry Gibson]

Neither do I.

Larry Gibson

[dubber123]

Probably every 100 cleanings.

[lathesmith]

I guess it depends on how dirty the gun gets before the cleaning. I have removed the yoke/crane to clean, but only when the gun gets really dirty. Of course, I don't shoot as much as some people, so I am sure that makes a difference too. For a routine cleaning, I normally won't disassemble a DA revolver.
lathesmith

[nicholst55]

Not as a rule, but I suppose it would/might depend on the design. A Colt or Smith - no; a Ruger - maybe. Still I don't see a reason to remove it every time that I clean the gun.

[Swagerman]

My guns don't usually require removing the yoke from the frame, after shooting I clean the buggers quite thoroughly.

Jim

[FISH4BUGS]

I shoot cast lead with 231 powder, and after a couple of hundred rounds, it gets kinda funky in there. It is always a good idea to clean the gun thoroughly, including the cylinder and crane. It is just part of the deal.

[James C. Snodgrass]

I'm with dubber.[smilie=1:

[MGD]

I remove the cylinder and soak it in Eds Red after every time shooting

[slughammer]

Each S & W I have is an individual. Some get fouled up in there faster than others. When the cylinder spins slow, I pull it and clean it. And, I always pull it and clean it before a match so it won't let me down.

[500bfrman]

negative

[trickyasafox]

no- to be honest i'm not sure if i know how to get the cyl out even.

[454PB]

I remove the cylinder on S&W and Taurus, just because it only requires one screw to be removed. On my Rugers, it's only done about every sixth cleaning.

[MT Gianni]

If the powder is dirty yes, clean or mostly clean no. Gianni

[Ken O]

Occasionaly, with the Smiths its just loosing one screw and it falls right out, then dunk it.

[shooting on a shoestring]

So I'm the odd man out, or maybe just odd, but I seldom clean a Smith or Ruger without slipping the yoke out and cleaning it up. I pop the side plates on my Smiths every year or two. SP101 gets a field stripping/cleaning every time. Single action Rugers, stripped and cleaned every year or two. Cap and ball, completely stripped and cleaned every time.

[Whitworth]

Nope, not me........

[9.3X62AL]

The cylinder/yoke gets removed every 3-4 firings for more thorough cleaning. This might be over-kill. The sideplate comes off once a year and the internals get detail-stripped, and a thorough cleaning gets done at that time--if the revolver has been fired extensively. Both Colt and S&W revolvers stay remarkably clean internally during the year with moderate firing. The Model 617 gets DIRTY, and gets its sideplate removed a couple times a year.

[Bass Ackward]

When my revolvers are new, they get it every cleaning. Then as the break in process stops, I let the gun tell me when it's time. Plus, if you are using cleaners like say Hoppe's, it will be getting down in there and thinning the viscosity of what lube you are using. Hoppee's is better than nothing but a poor quality lubricant for this purpose.

But if you don't clean and the assembly collects metal fillings, then you essentially develop an abrasive that will give you more end play than you otherwise would which can shorten life of the gun.

Not only that, but you can monitor wear or break in of this area that will speak volumes about what can be happening and causing this wear if it's something that can easily be corrected.

As an example, my crane pivot / frame junction area on a new 625-8, had a slight burr that prevented perfect cylinder alignment with the bore. The cylinder was polishing the stem on the right front and left rear indicating that it was trying to turn in. This also wears the end of the stem to an angle which is responsible for end play control.

This was also wearing the forcing cone trying to correct the alignment. Once removed, closure was complete and this false wear was stopped before further slop was worn in. The pivot pin and the frame slot it fits into was showing the same wear pattern. This too was stopped.

The handgun will stay tighter now than it other wise would have. I disassembled this when I got it, but missed it until I saw the early wear pattern.

If you get a good gun right off, then this is less of an issue. But how can you be sure unless you disassemble and clean? I find the easiest way to handle problems is to prevent them altogether. But that's me.

[timkelley]

Smith & Wesson, yes it's easy.
Dan Wesson, no not so easy.

[ShrnShndl]

Maybe someone could give directions on how to remove the cylinder yoke for cleaning on S&W and Colt revolvers.

[HABCAN]

When I had 'em, I did like 9.3. Annually, everything got looked at/cleaned, but usually didn't really need it. I DO miss those -2's!

[JayinAZ]

S&W yes, it just makes it so much easier to clean and it's easy to do. Ruger no, it's more of a pain to me anyway.

[405]

The only DA revolvers I own are S&W. After each shoot, I take cylinder out and clean cylinder, bore and frame.

[gcf]

I try to shoot weekly, but only pull the cylinder every so often. Don't really find it necessary, & kinda hate to put the wear & tear on the screw hole threads.

[Ricochet]

Never have. Never thought of it or heard it suggested before, for that matter.

[trickyasafox]

does there get to be that much crud in there?

[gcf]

... Plus, if you are using cleaners like say Hoppe's, it will be getting down in there and thinning the viscosity of what lube you are using. ...

All good points, but this one especially. I use high quality synthetic lube, but the Hoppe's is bound to seep past the gas seal during chamber & cylinder face cleaning.

It's a pretty good solvent, but a piss poor lubricant!

[EMC45]

I'm also with Dubber!

[cbrick]

Nope, never have. In fact I don't clean a revolver barrel when shooting cast cept every 600-800 rounds. I clean the cylinder and cylinder pin because boolit lube builds up and can make the cylinder turn slower or rounds more difficult to chamber.

I used to use synthetic grease (mentioned earlier) until I realized that it gums up quicker than a good gun grease and causes the cylinder to require more effort to turn or more frequent cleaning.

Rick

[JMax]

I clean my cylinder & yoke every 1000 rounds or every other week. I shoot a lot of ICORE and one needs clean chambers for easy reloads.

[bobthenailer]

i take out the yoke and cyl after a couple hundred rounds and clean , on my smiths and on freedom arms i take out the cylinder , sometimes that base pin gets pretty tight. they are the only brand of revolvers i owen.

[jameslovesjammie]

Maybe someone could give directions on how to remove the cylinder yoke for cleaning on S&W and Colt revolvers.

I can't speak for Colt, but on any modern S&W, you just unscrew the foremost screw on the right hand side of the frame. Then open the cylinder and pull forward. Easy as pie!