Best way to clean ridge from revolver chambers?

[Bmi48219]

I have a 357 SA revolver that' appears to have seen its share of 38 special lead cartridges. Tried scrubbing the rings (of lead?) out with Hoppes #9 and a brass 357 / 38 bore brush to no avail. Not sure if it's a build up of lead or ? But in every cylinder at same depth. Whatever the rings are they don't seem to have effected the accuracy. Any non-abrasive solutions?

[Nueces]

I have had good results from a soak with Ed's Red bore cleaner, followed by a scrub with a 375 caliber bronze rifle brush spun with a drill/driver.

That's my standard revolver cylinder cleaning process.

[DougGuy]

I take them out with a small stiff brush in a dremel tool. Time consuming and hand cramping by the time you get all of it out. PITA.

Some guys are saying GM and Mopar have engine cleaner products that dissolve carbon.

[Texas by God]

Steel wool woven into a .40 cal brush chucked into a cordless drill works for me.

[BK7saum]

I've used a .410 bore stainless steel tornado brush in a drill to clean the cylinder chambers. Or as stated, steel wool on a .40 brush would work also. I don't mind using a more aggressive brush on smooth chamber walls of a cylinder, but I will not use those in the barrel or even an auto chamber where the leade of the rifling could be damaged.

[country gent]

Mercury ( Out board boat motors) had a spray cleaner desighned to dissolve the carbon and burnt on oils greases in small motors that worked real well for dissolving carbon deposits. Its been awhile but I think its actual name was Mercury quick silver. Was an aresol spray. I have used several solvents and mechanical means to remove carbon rings at times depending on the amount of carbon. For heavy rings deposits a long case 357 max for 38 spl 357 mag. drill out primer and tap 10-32 for a stud jam nutted in to turn by hand. Expand case mouth to a light snug fit just enters chamber with no wobble and very light pressure. ( this band only needs to be 3/8" long or so). Case mouth can be belled up to this dia also but not as good and trickier to get "just right". With a jewelers file cut 8-10 very fine saw teeth into the case mouth. Coat generously with thicker oil or grease ( this offers some protection to the chambers and its finish) and slowly easily run case into chamber turning by hand and scraping the hard build up out. this can be ran right up into the front shoulder in the cylinder. The oil / grease helps as does some solvent in front. I use brass cases not nickel as the nickel plating is hard enough to scratch the chambers used like this. Slow and easy is the way to go here.

[sac]

I had good luck with pure gum turpentine and a .45 brush.

[Hickok]

Only shot a bunch of 38's in a .357 mag one time. Never will do it again. Dang that carbon ring is a job to clean out.

[ghh3rd]

Try Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner http://www.big45.com/ -- a few passes and rings are gone.

[beemer]

Bought a Taurus 605 that had had the 38 ring, it had turned to cement it seemed. Like most here I soaked in solvent and used a new brush and a slow drill. Just take it easy and don't do anything drastic.

I shoot 38's in a 357 more than I do 357's, just clean after shooting.

Dave

[Outpost75]

When I worked in the industry, we used a chambering reamer having the sides of the flutes backed off so that they wouldn't cut, and used the front edges of the .357 reamer only, first brushing the chambers with Brownell's Do-Drill, then turning the reamer by hand on a T-handle to remove the greatest bulk of the carbon and lead, checking the chambers with max-cartridge Go gages.

Following that a trip through the ultrasonic cleaner with Brownell's Ultrasonic Cleaner and Oil http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/professional-cleaning-systems/ultrasonic-cleaning-solutions/ultrasonic-cleaning-solution-oil-prod26398.aspx always did the trick. Standard treatment for police turn-in revolvers being prepped for inspection, repair and resale.

When you have several hundred guns to do, believe me, this is the best way!

[junkbug]

I remember Clymer (I think) sold a t-handle tool specifically for this purpose. It was very much as Outpost75 described.

I have used a Lewis Lead remover for this, but never let it get too bad.

[Larry Gibson]

I have had good results from a soak with Ed's Red bore cleaner, followed by a scrub with a 375 caliber bronze rifle brush spun with a drill/driver.

That's my standard revolver cylinder cleaning process.

Cleaned many a 357 chamber this way except I use Hoppe's #9. The 375 brush does the trick.

I use a 45 cal brush in 44 Magnum chambers to remove ring from 44 SPLs. A 50 cal brush in 45 Colt chambers to remove the ring when 45 Schofield or 45 American are shot.

Larry Gibson

[Outpost75]

I remember Clymer (I think) sold a t-handle tool specifically for this purpose. It was very much as Outpost75 described...

Yes, Clymer made ours, having an integral depth stop at rim seat, so you couldn't go too deep, and the case body portion functioned as solid pilot. A spacer slipped over the depth stop to make up the difference between .38 Spl. and .357, Brownells sells them, or did.

[chsparkman]

My .357 Blackhawk got so bad that I couldn't load 357 cartridges. I took a brass rod and cut it at a slight angle and scraped the carbon out. Worked very well, and quickly.

[Char-Gar]

I have one of the Clymer de-leading reamers in 38/357 but seldom use it. I clean my revolvers after every firing so this stuff doesn't have a chance to build up. A normal cleaning with a good solvent and a bronze brush does the job.

I learned a long time ago, the best way to sharpen a knife is to never let it get dull. Touch up the blade with a few licks on a stone or steel every whip or stitch. The same is true about crud in revolver cylinders. The things become problems because we don't tend to them before they become problems. Many problems in life, won't show up with a little attention to the issues involved early on.

[Petrol & Powder]

This has NEVER been a problem for me. I clean my guns and even after shooting large numbers (over 300 rounds) of 38 Special cartridges in .357 mag. chambers, I've never had an issue with the so called "crud ring", "carbon ring" or whatever term people like to use.
Now, as Outpost pointed out, if a gun has seen a lot of use with little maintenance over years; a more aggressive approach may be needed.

[Thin Man]

I worked many years as a LEO armorer starting in the revolver days. When we got the S&W M-66 revolvers this problem appeared. I tried many of the answers listed above and some not yet listed, all with various results. The most satisfactory answer to this question I ever found was the Brownell's CHAMBER BRUSH. This brush looks like a bore brush but is built with longer bristles. The brush must be installed on a cleaning rod with a fixed handle - such that a turn of the handle also turns the brush. Start the brush into the rear of the chamber and rotate it continuously until you can push it slowly but completely out of the front of the cylinder. Remove the brush from the handle. Remove the handle from the cylinder, reinstall the brush and advance to the next chamber. This activity is easiest done with the cylinder removed from the frame. Do NOT try to withdraw the brush from the front of the chamber, and by all means DO NOT enter this brush into the barrel!!! If so, the brush must be pressed completely through the barrel and removed from the opposite end, usually requiring the brush being bent to facilitate this. (This will happen with you only once and you will remember it forever!) Of all the various other methods I have tried to remove the crud ring from a chamber this is the most satisfactory. After using the chamber brush you will want a few passes of a patch and bore solvent to clean up the residual carbon, wax, and any other crud remaining inside the chamber. Brownell's offers chamber brushes in various diameters. Make sure to separate these brushes from your routine bore brushes so they are not accidentally entered where they do not work well, such as inside barrels. Good luck with your project.

[williamwaco]

Steel wool woven into a .40 cal brush chucked into a cordless drill works for me.


+1 But even this takes some work.

[Outpost75]

When I worked at Ruger in the 1980s the Clymer de-leading reamer was used with Brownell's Do-Drill and was the Go-To method. When ultrasonic cleaners became available, that was the final step before returning to the customer.

[No Blue]

Go at it with some kind of metal scraper, then chemicals for the residue.

[fgabriel]

I have used an old 357 case flared a little at a time until it barely fits the chambers. The front edge will help get a lot of the crud out. Pretty cheap too. Worth a try

[robg]

Used the bore thingy from a lewis lead remover and lots of 009 .never let it build up again after that!

[Plate plinker]

Chore boy copper wrapped around a cleaning brush. works wonders

[lightload]

Lewis lead remover works for this task as does the above steel wool on a bore brush turned in a drill. J&B bore compound on the wool/brush combo helps. Cleaning after shooting is the best remedy.

[ShooterAZ]

I have a S&W 686 357 that has seen a steady diet of 38 Special wadcutters for years and years. No problems with build up here either. I clean after shooting and use a 40 or 45 Cal brass brush and Hoppes #9 to clean the cylinder. I don't allow it to happen.

[shoot-n-lead]

I just don't know why people insist on shooting special brass in magnum revolvers...I see no reason to do it.

[jeepguy242]

Use a stronger cleaner than hoppes

[Geezer in NH]

Mercury ( Out board boat motors) had a spray cleaner desighned to dissolve the carbon and burnt on oils greases in small motors that worked real .

Best solvent for bench rest shooting EVER. Used it for years in guns capable to see the difference by using it. For sporters nope would never see a difference sorry.

[curator]

The .38 special ring is easily removed from a .357 magnum chamber with a fired .357 mag brass case. First, soak the chambers with a good nitro solvent. Then, expand the case mouth of your .357 mag fired case with a pair of needle-nose pliers that will bell the case mouth. Insert the belled case and tap it home with plastic or rubber mallet. The belled case mouth will scrape the carbon ring right out of the chamber. Use a wooden dowel to tap the belled case out of that chamber and repeat for all five or six chambers. Simple, works every time. Follow up with bronze wool on a bore bruc=sh and your are good to go,

[Tokarev]

Remove cylinder, soak in:

If not nickel plated - 70% acetone and 30% janitor grade ammonia.
If nickel plated - acetone. Nickel plating would dissolve in ammonia.

If you have MEK, mix with acetone up to 50%.
As ammonia contains 77% water, do not let the cylinder rust, submerge completely.

[Shiloh]

Ed's Red is under rated.
This stuff will eventually creep under cylinder residue as well as lead splash on the strap by the front of the cylinder.
Found out about Ed's Red a few years before joining the board. Knew I made the right choice after reading about it on the forum.
I have a small bottle with some Kroil in it as well.

Shiloh

[Nueces]

After making my first batch of Ed's Red, I cleaned some revolvers that had been leaded up for 30 years or so. I say that ER gets under lead and old gunk right darn now, but have not claimed it before without being able to offer proof. The old guns cleaned up as new.

I make it without the acetone and with a somewhat reduced lanolin fraction, yet it works better than any commercial solvent I have used and the lanolin content makes it a fine rustproof wipe for the bluing.

I'm a big fan.

[jetinteriorguy]

I too use a slightly flared empty case, but I use a nickel case because it's tougher than brass, and I also use my reamer to bevel the edge and make it sharper so it scrapes better. Soaking it first with some cleaner also helps, I've used Balistol but it takes a while, but it sounds like I finally need to break down and make some Eds Red.

[Blackhawk Convertable]

Another vote for a belled and chamfered .357 case. Just place case into chamber and tap home with a hammer. Takes no time and does no damage to the cylinder. I shoot Cowboy Action and will clean up my cylinders after shooting 1000 rounds or so. Comes out to once or twice a year...

[rockshooter]

M-14 chamber brush works well, the one with the little ratchet on it. Its really stiff and cuts the crud well.
Loren

[azrednek]

Ive had some success using an overnight soaking with PB Blaster. Seems to melt away about 90+% followed by a good ol'fashion scrubbing to get the rest. The soaking alone will allow 357 to slide in like brand new with no felt resistance. Chances are though if you can still see it, it's going to bug you so either live with it or start scrubbing.

[firebyprolong]

I just keep a half pint mason jar full of ed's on the bench. Cylinder goes in overnight and gets a 40cal bore brush in a yankee screwdriver the next day. Just sit it face down in the padded vice and give each one a few strokes and it's gone. No batteries, no noise, no fuss really. I had a brass d reamer made up for a while and it worked great but it disappeared at some point.

[RSOJim]

Big 45 frontier metal cleaner will clean the rings out in about 30 seconds. Here is how I do it. Take a piece of cleaning rod about 6 or 8 inches long, screw right size cleaning brush into the end, then wrap a few strands of big 45 frontier metal cleaner around the brush tightly, it doesn't take much. Place other end of cleaning rod into drill press or cordless drill. I use a drill press. Remove cylinder from gun. Start drill press or drill. I hold the cylinder in my left hand chamber end up. Insert brush in each chamber for a few seconds. Let the drill do its magic. The cylinder does not have to be removed for this type cleaning. I do it to facilitate cleaning of the rest of the revolver. Hope this helps. It has worked for me for years.

[Speedo66]

I find the best way to avoid .38 rings is to avoid .38's. I load .357 cases to .38 specs, problem solved.

[DerekP Houston]

Took me forever, but a 40cal brush and soaking in ATF did the trick on mine, I try not to let them get so fouled now but Im a sucker for used guns in good condition.

[Rick Hodges]

I clean after each shooting and avoid the problem.

[JMax]

When I was an LEO armorer I made a clymer equivalent reamer. But one day I tried a tornado brush and that works wonders but never use the tornado brush in the barrel to not damage rifling.

[robg]

Soak in a solvent cylinder out of gun then brush in drill .after having to do this once always cleaned after any shooting .

[Nick10Ring]

I've gotten ridges out with a lead remover I got on line. It's metal shavings like those on a scouring pad. You wrap a few strands around a cleaning brush and
put the end of the rod into you drill and run it in each cylinder.
I believe it was call the Frontier 45 rust remover pad.

[opos]

I load my 38 special loads in 357 cases..never have a ring...works like a champ

[Wayne Smith]

I load my 38 special loads in 357 cases..never have a ring...works like a champ
I guess that works well for bullet jump - but 2.8-3.2gr BE in a 357 case?? It would get lost!

[opos]

I guess that works well for bullet jump - but 2.8-3.2gr BE in a 357 case?? It would get lost!
That's why I don' t use Bullseye in 38 special

[Cue]

Great tips, I was just searching for a way to remove this from my Revolvers.

[RSOJim]

I have been using Big 45 Frontier Metal Cleaner for years. The rings are gone in about 5 seconds. It will not damage your gun.