CLEANING SOOT OFF A FIREARM

**WALTHERGUY** · February 11th, 2011, 02:21 PM

I have a Smith & Wesson blue steel model 29 revolver that was in a housefire. The gun didn't sustain any heat or water damage but it did get covered in soot. I know that the acid in the soot is going to cause some discoloration but how do I clean off the soot without damaging the bluing any more than it is? It seems to be "caked" on. Any suggestions? Also, any idea what it would cost to get the gun re-blued?

**em2b96p** · February 11th, 2011, 03:01 PM

Im sure soaking it in soap and water wont hurt.... followed by a through drying and oiling

**shortthrow50** · February 11th, 2011, 03:04 PM

rub your pipe with some hoppes solvent

**Xringshooter** · February 11th, 2011, 03:15 PM

Find someone with an ultrasonic cleaner. You can use soap and water, SimpleGreen, a citrus cleaner, etc. Pull the grips off, put it in and turn it on and walk away. Come back in a while and see how it's doing. If it needs more, let it go. When you pull it out, get it perfectly dry, and clean as usual making sure it gets lubed correctly.

Are you sure it didn't sustain any fire damage? Where was it in relation to the fire? How bad was the fire? How did it get covered in soot if it wasn't near the fire? Being a .44Mag I would want to be absolutely sure that nothing affected it before I shot anything out of it.

**39flathead** · February 11th, 2011, 08:19 PM

The cleaner that my smith has will take the blueing off if you walk away from the cleaner, it uses a citrus based cleaner, and I can't remember the name off hand.

I would try using some slightly diluted citrus based household cleaner.

**cephas** · February 11th, 2011, 08:45 PM

Ed's red would be my first choice. The original formula, found various places online, is an equal mix of tranny fluid, mineral spirits, kerosene and acetone. I've omitted the acetone lately as is can affect the finish on stocks. It was mainly included to clean plastic residue from shotgun loads. Like others I've found it to be equal if not superior to most products out there today. As a side note I was cleaning an old iron mold awhile back with a dilute citric acid solution. Let it soak longer than I should of. Really came out clean looking like an aluminum mold, all the oil baked finish from the factory was gone. Link about Ed's Red: http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=9 Exhaustive link on citric acid: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ghlight=citric

**39flathead** · February 12th, 2011, 11:08 PM

Talked to my smith today. He has cleaned up fire guns before and says that he had his best results with superfine 0000 steel wool and Hoppes.

Be very generous with the Hoppes he says.