Any quick soak method around to clean SA revolvers?

[mannyrock]

Dear Guys,
 
    I was at the range the other day, and a guy let me shoot his stainless steel Stampede. It was a great gun and lots of fun.
 
   I have never been a handgun guy, though, and the reason is that I absolutely hate cleaning a revolver.  It has all of those danged chambers in the cylinder, and  trying to used a brush and wet and dry patches in each of them  (plus the barrel) is a super pain that drives be crazy.
 
   Years ago, a guy told me that he had a system, where he would just unscrew the wooden grips, set the revolver down in a small vat of something, leave it overnight, and the next morning it was totally clean and all he had to do was shake it off, put a few drops of oil in the right places, and screw the grips back on.
 
  Has anybody heard of this system?  Is it still around?  How does it work.
 
Thanks, Mannyrock

[jimster]

Well I don't know what that something was that he soaked his gun in, but personally if I got that lazy I would just not clean it at all, maybe just wipe off the outside or something rather than have puddles of solution inside the frame.  You'd likely have to wipe out each hole in the cylinder anyway to make sure it's dry so it doesn't contaminate the ammo, and you wouldn't want too much of anything in the bore no matter what it was, you'd wind up swabbing that out after soaking as well. I really can't see the advantage of tossing it into a bath of whatever.  I don't know what solution your talking about either but I can't think of anything where I could just "shake it off". I just decided to clean a 44 spl today that I've been shooting for a couple a weeks on and off, didn't take long at all, 20 minutes maybe.  How much time does it take to soak it, then swab out the barrel and cylinder and oil it after your done?  Your putting more time into it soaking probably.  Every year or so you can strip them down and clean everything, that doesn't take too long either really. 

[gcrank1]

Do you scrub and clean the chamber and bore of your rifles after a session. A bunch of us here (by me) dont do that but once & a while, then we have to shoot it enough to settle down again.
I wipe down my handguns and swab off the recoil shield and star (I HATE any grit in there) and look through the chamber(s) and bore for anything unusual. On .22s I sometimes run a solvent Q-Tip in each chamber if the cases are getting 'reluctant'.
The .22s and cast bullet load CFs kind of 'season' the bore with the lube and if you are not getting leading there isnt any reason to clean them up thoroughly. Even when I do run a solvent patch downbore (usually Ed's Red) a wet one or two then a dry one and they are done.
Regarding the method you question; I wonder if it was kerosene or even diesel fuel, they both act as solvents and have lube qualities (but after some years running heavy equip. I cant stand to be around diesel anymore).
 

[mcwoodduck]

I remember a Sonic cleaner that was that way.  You disasembled the gun into big sections put them on a tray with a rubber like lining and it went into what looked like a slow cooker for a few hours.  The machine vibrated the liquid and all the gunk got moved out of the gun.  The rack sit about an inch off the bottom and had a drain setting.  Quick wipe and a little oil and reassemble.  I used to get my buddy to stick my Sig P220 Sport barrel and the comp in it to get off all the carbon off that builds up due to the comp.  Worked well came out like factory new.

[Dee]

Go buy a can of aerosol carburetor cleaner if your lazy bout clean pistols. Spray it, oil it, wipe it down.

[GeneRector]

   Howdy! Believe it or not, I read an article somewhere about a hunting guide that would take the wooden handles off his stainless steel 44mag and wash the pistol in the dishwasher. Then take it out and oil it, etc. and put the wooden grips back on. I have never tried this, however.  Always, Gene
 
 

[hillbill]

I remember a Sonic cleaner that was that way.  You disasembled the gun into big sections put them on a tray with a rubber like lining and it went into what looked like a slow cooker for a few hours.  The machine vibrated the liquid and all the gunk got moved out of the gun.  The rack sit about an inch off the bottom and had a drain setting.  Quick wipe and a little oil and reassemble.  I used to get my buddy to stick my Sig P220 Sport barrel and the comp in it to get off all the carbon off that builds up due to the comp.  Worked well came out like factory new.

i remember those, they were said to work well but not on copper or lead fouling of course.always wanted one, not sure if they are still around or not.

[Lloyd Smale]

somewhere theres a product sold, do ask me where as ive seen the add but dont remember, that comes with a 5 gallon pail and solvent. You just stick your gun in it overnight and its clean and the solvent actually has lubricants in it too so it leaves a light coating on parts that lubricates and prevents rust. I can remember when i first heard of it some guys were really talking it up as a good product. Ill do some investigating and try to find a link to it.

[drdougrx]

Yeah Lloyd...Cylinder and Slide Shop sells it...it's called Dunk Kit.
 
Here's the link: http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=Dunk

[pastorp]

I know a couple of guys that work out in the salt spray and rain here in SE Alaska. They just use a shallow pan of automatic transmission fluid. Don't even half to oil it when you shake it off. Me I used to strip my carry gun and drop it in a pan of gas with a little motor oil mixed into it.    Then I would lay it on a towell and wipe it off after it dried.     It isn't rocket science...........Of course I only did that maybe once or teice a year.
 
Regards,

[mannyrock]

 
 
  I have in the back of my mind, from several years ago, a system where you hooked a six volt electrode to you gun, and set it down in a solution.  The other electrode was connected to a rod that was also set down in the solution.  Supposedly, overnight, your gun was totally clean.
 
   Of course, none of these systems are viable if they don't remove lead, burned powder, and copper, which is 99% of the reason you clean a firearm.
 
   I think I'm going to research the main catalogue of Brownells.  If somebody makes this, then they will have it.
 
Manny

[Lloyd Smale]

thats the one. thanks! A couple friend of mine use it and swear by it. Ive not tried it so i cant say for sure how good it works but they claim it does a heck of a job on the cast bullet crud and carbon.

Yeah Lloyd...Cylinder and Slide Shop sells it...it's called Dunk Kit.
 
Here's the link: http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=catshow&ref=Dunk

[Swampman]

Unless you're shooting blackpowder, there's no reason to clean a gun.

[mcwoodduck]

Unless you're shooting blackpowder, there's no reason to clean a gun.

UHHH what, I have had 22's that have just plain stopped after 2,000 rounds too much gunk. An yes it was a Remington and not a ruger that stopped first in the side by side torture test.  A budy had one o the 597 Remingtons and said how much better it was than my old 10/22 and we devised a torture test that included us locking each others rifle in the case between shooting.
The Sig P220 Sport I have will gunk up at 500 rounds.  The comp makes the gun so dirty it will flat out stop functioning  at about 500 rounds.  My other Sigs, all 4 others will go for years with out needing to be cleaned.  But why would I want to put that kind of torture to my stuff?  A clean gun is a happy gun, that will last three or four life times.

[Empty Quiver]

Unless you're shooting blackpowder, there's no reason to clean a gun.
[/quoteJ Just buy new.

[Swampman]

A clean gun is a happy gun, that will last three or four life times.

Cleaning wears them out.  They don't need to be cleaned.
 

[EdK]

One thing I really like about a single action over a double is the ability to drop the cylinder out in a jiffy. I save old amber plastic medicine vials to soak them in over a day or to removing them to brush once or twice.

[mcwoodduck]

A clean gun is a happy gun, that will last three or four life times.

Cleaning wears them out.  They don't need to be cleaned.

You clean guns for the same reason you change the oil in your truck/ car.  They just wok better and have less break downs.  Your engine ia a machine the same as your gun and keeping them clean and lubricated help them function properly.
I agree excessive cleaning is not needed and that using the wrong tools will ruin a good gun but anyone with a little mechanical aptitude and the willingness to purchase the propper tools to take down the firearm into cleaning groups and reassemble them properly will have a working machine that will last for decades.   

[mannyrock]

Swampman,
 
 
   I swear sometimes you are a laugh a minute.  Yes, too much cleaning will definitely wear a gun out, but I have seen double action revolvers stop rotating due to powder build-up and shooting crud.  And, I have had two .22 rifles that stopped ejecting rounds due to the burned powder built up on the bolt face.
 
  Now, I will admit that I don't know anything about single action revolvers.  Is there something special about them that makes them immune to the effects of burned powder, lead, copper, and other build up?  Can you just shoot them forever without ever cleaning them?
 
Mannyrock

[Swampman]

When corrosive primers and or blackpower were in common usage, cleaning was important.  Now you only need to clean when they stop running.  Cleaning is hard on your gun.

[mcwoodduck]

When corrosive primers and or blackpower were in common usage, cleaning was important.  Now you only need to clean when they stop running.  Cleaning is hard on your gun.

The problem is guaging when that firearm is going to stop running.  I can think of a few times when I really do not want to guess if the gun is going to work or not.  Self defence bing a primary one, hunting, and compitition being the others, not to mention the frustration at a range session of a non functioning gun. 
Granted I take a gun huinting that is "dirty" as I have shot it and made sure the zero is on after cleaning it, before heading out to the field or woods.
 

[drdougrx]

I admit that I don't clean until the groups open up...I have a 270 with a shilen premium barrel that shoots the tightest groups at round 8 or 9 after cleaning and stays tight until around round 18 or 20.  My Rem700 CDL is in 35Whelen and I'm shooting TSX bullets specifically for my upcomming Nilgai hunt and I'm cleaning it every 20 rounds because of the noticable copper fouling.  BTW...I'm becomming sold on the foam cleaners...squirt'm in...wait 30mins and wipe them out.

[mannyrock]

 
OK Swampy,
 
   But most of don't want to shoot a gun till it stops working.
 
   By the way, if you shoot a Remington 7600, that "stop working" number is only somewhere between 20 and 50 rounds.  If you don't clean that chamber alot, it is jam-o-matic time.  (It is the only rifle I know of where they give you a chamber brush when you buy the rifle!)
 
   Best to you,
 
Manny
 
 

[SHOOTALL]

Go buy a can of aerosol carburetor cleaner if your lazy bout clean pistols. Spray it, oil it, wipe it down.

That works well ,I think the guy was talking about "GUN DUNK" came in a plastic pail

[mcwoodduck]

I remember a Sonic cleaner that was that way.  You disasembled the gun into big sections put them on a tray with a rubber like lining and it went into what looked like a slow cooker for a few hours.  The machine vibrated the liquid and all the gunk got moved out of the gun.  The rack sit about an inch off the bottom and had a drain setting.  Quick wipe and a little oil and reassemble.  I used to get my buddy to stick my Sig P220 Sport barrel and the comp in it to get off all the carbon off that builds up due to the comp.  Worked well came out like factory new.

i remember those, they were said to work well but not on copper or lead fouling of course.always wanted one, not sure if they are still around or not.

I was watching the cooking chanell the other day, Alton Brown was makinging a smoker out of stuff.  Made me think about the sonic cleaner and could I build one.  Thought about a double hotel pan (deep roasting pan) and a perferated Hotel pan (standard roading pan with holes in it an lid and one of the disposable electric tooth brushes.  I winder if the used tooth bruch will creat the vibrations to break loose the gunk with a  cleaning solution.  I break out a new vibrating tooth brush the first of every month and most still have plenty of juice left in them to drop in over night.

[gcrank1]

As much as one of those might rattle your teeth, I dont think youll get enough out of it. Now if you put the pans on a turbo diesel and run down a rough road.........
Oops, kinda a 'Tim the Tool Man' solution  .
I guess I just dont shoot my handguns enough, keeping them 'clean' isnt that much of an issue. I do remember the days of having to use my Lewis Lead Remover after every weekend session, but that was before I found out about using a big enough dia. cast bullet.

[mcwoodduck]

I have a comp on my Sig P220 Sport that just gets gunky with powder and lead.  I figured the gentle adjatation for long a long time will just vibrate the stuff loose one layer at a time.  Easier than me tryiong with plastic dental tools to chip away for two hours to get about a 22 bullets worth of gunk out of the thing.
What can I loose, other than the $30 for the stainless steel pans that I can still use for gun cleaning after?

[SHOOTALL]

I remember a Sonic cleaner that was that way.  You disasembled the gun into big sections put them on a tray with a rubber like lining and it went into what looked like a slow cooker for a few hours.  The machine vibrated the liquid and all the gunk got moved out of the gun.  The rack sit about an inch off the bottom and had a drain setting.  Quick wipe and a little oil and reassemble.  I used to get my buddy to stick my Sig P220 Sport barrel and the comp in it to get off all the carbon off that builds up due to the comp.  Worked well came out like factory new.

i remember those, they were said to work well but not on copper or lead fouling of course.always wanted one, not sure if they are still around or not.

I was watching the cooking chanell the other day, Alton Brown was makinging a smoker out of stuff.  Made me think about the sonic cleaner and could I build one.  Thought about a double hotel pan (deep roasting pan) and a perferated Hotel pan (standard roading pan with holes in it an lid and one of the disposable electric tooth brushes.  I winder if the used tooth bruch will creat the vibrations to break loose the gunk with a  cleaning solution.  I break out a new vibrating tooth brush the first of every month and most still have plenty of juice left in them to drop in over night.

Just get one of the black disc that we tie to a duck decoy to make it vibrate 

[mcwoodduck]

Good idea.  Thanks.

[SHOOTALL]

A can of KROIL will clean a gun as well as anything else if you soak it well and use a brush .