1979 Ruger New Model Single Six

[dks7895]

I have a well used 1979 Ruger New Model Single Six.  It's a 6.5", blue finish, with rosewood grips.  The gun is in perfectly working condition, but the bluing is worn and the grips are filthy.  No rust at all.  I need suggestions on what to use on it to clean it up.

My plan is to blast the heck out of it with Gun Scrubber then a nice wipe down of BreakFree CLP.  Will Gun Scrubber hurt the grips?  Should I remove the grips and clean them seperately?  I am not looking to refinish them, just clean them up.

[Graybeard]

Almost certainly BC Gunscrubber will damage the finish of the grips. Take them off. Why not send it to Ruger and let them reblue it. They'll go thru it and make it like new at same time at no extra cost. Now they will put in the parts to make it a new model but will return old parts you can reinstall as I recall. They do it amazingly well and cheaply.

[dks7895]

I removed the grips and cleaned them up with Murphy's Oil soap.  They were pretty nasty.  I kept the moisture to a minimum and let them dry overnight.  I used Pledge furniture polish on them this morning.  They look much better, but they are rough.  The gun is clean now and nicely wiped down with BF CLP.  I'll shoot it this summer and send it off to Ruger for a re-bluing in the winter.  It is really worn off from being holstered.  The 22LR cylinder has a little play in it too.  The 22WMR cylinder is practically brand new.  I am thinking of replacing the rosewood grips with white/pearl ones.