Cleaning/Maintaing a revolver?

[stud40111]

Hi everyone. I just purchased my first revolver today (a snub nose Rossi .357). I was wondering if anyone could give me any direction (either in text or via links to websites or videos) about how to clean it after shooting it?

Anyone with any info, please do share.

Thanks in advance.

[PaBimmerGuy]

when i clean a revolver it is almost always a detail cleaning. i pull the side plate and clean and lube the action. i pull the cylinder and clean the chambers and the lube the moving bits. and i clean the barrel.

[synergy]

Hi everyone. I just purchased my first revolver today (a snub nose Rossi .357). I was wondering if anyone could give me any direction (either in text or via links to websites or videos) about how to clean it after shooting it?

Anyone with any info, please do share.

Thanks in advance.

Scrub the charge holes well, bore-snake the bore or treat it like you would any other pistol. Knock off the soot that builds up on the top strap (above where the barrel and cylinders join), the cylinder faces will need some love, and most other stuff just wipes off.

The only think I would worry about under the side plate (which I am not advocating removing unless you are absolutely comfortable doing so, and taking responsibility for it) might be dropping a touch of lube under the rebound (helps with trigger pull).

The rebound is the piece below with the spring in it that rides against the frame. That pic is of a S&W, but yours should be in a nearly identical location.


It is typically polished and lubed when a "trigger/action job" is performed.

A drop of thick oil between the block and the frame will last several months, or thousands of trigger pulls.

[harold63]

Rossi cylinder chambers have fairly tight tolerances, so if you are going to shoot a lot at any given time, have something with you that you can swab the cylinder chambers. They load up with residue and can cause a binding of the cylinder (when the brass gets pressed against the inside of the frame where the firing pin is from the "kick") in which it will not rotate. Anytime your cartridges are even slightly hard to get in or out, clean the cylinder chambers.

[harold63]

Synergy, we must have posted at the same time. I would not have over commentated had I seen your post, first.

[Hugazombie]

I keep it simple and just use some CLP, patches and a cleaning rod. Hoppes #9 solvent is good stuff too if you don't mind the smell. If you shoot lead you may need to use a brass bristle brush and some stronger solvent to scrub out any lead deposits from the bore. And don't forget a drop of oil down the action and on the ejector rod to keep things running smoothly and just a drop is all it takes! If it's a stainless model and the dark rings that form on the face of the cylinder bother you, a lead-away cloth works great at cleaning that up without much elbow grease.

[knight0334]

Its almost entirely unnecessary to open the sideplate to clean a revolver. Maybe after many many many years of use and carry, or if you go for a dunk in a body of water would you have to crack it open.

For the 99.9% of your cleaning effort of a revolver all you need to do is open the crane/yoke, clean each chamber individually. While the yoke is open, clean the barrel from the muzzle. After that clean the inside of the wheel opening and around the forcing cone. Close up the yoke and detail the exterior of the gun like you would any other gun. Occasionally drop a bead of oil down into the area where the hammer goes into the frame, and at any other moving part. ....thats it.

Excessively opening the sideplate only leads to worn screw heads, nicks in the finish, and the opportunity for something to pop out.

[FCRPhila]

I run solvent soaked patches through the barrel and cylinders, scrub the forcing cone with solvent on a brush. The rest I wipe with a cloth with more solvent on it, let it sit and do it's job, then wipe clean. I then run some rem oil through the barrel, cylinders, and drop some on the crane, trigger, hammer, and ejector rod. Rest of the gun I wipe with silicon rag and put it away.

[Delerius]

Congrats on the wheel gun! Since you purchased a 357 you will more than likely be shooting 38 specials through it as well. If you go to a range and decide to shoot both 38's and 357's, I recommend taking along a bore brush along on the trip as well. If you shoot 38's first at the range you will notice that a buildup will develop in the cylinders when you go and try to stick a 357 in. Just give it a good brushing and you'll be good to go...

[rwb1500]

Its almost entirely unnecessary to open the sideplate to clean a revolver. Maybe after many many many years of use and carry, or if you go for a dunk in a body of water would you have to crack it open.

For the 99.9% of your cleaning effort of a revolver all you need to do is open the crane/yoke, clean each chamber individually. While the yoke is open, clean the barrel from the muzzle. After that clean the inside of the wheel opening and around the forcing cone. Close up the yoke and detail the exterior of the gun like you would any other gun. Occasionally drop a bead of oil down into the area where the hammer goes into the frame, and at any other moving part. ....thats it.

Excessively opening the sideplate only leads to worn screw heads, nicks in the finish, and the opportunity for something to pop out.

^^^^^^^^^^^^
This.

There are just about zero reasons for you to open the sideplate. Please don't do it, especially if you're new to revolvers. Even if you aren't, there really isn't any reason you need to open it.

Aside from that, congrats on the new wheel gun. Go get some .38s and enjoy.