Does anyone have a good solution to the problem of properly cleaning a revolver cylinder for a .357/.44 magnum after special rounds have been put through it? I haven't found anything that works efficiently.
What kind of fouling? Is it lead, copper or powder? Try a good copper solvent unless the gun is nickle or chrome. Maybe a brush on a hand drill if it's lead? Powder should come out with normal solvents.
atsak:
If its Lead fouling go pick up a copper Chore Boy scrub pad from your local store. Cut off a strip and wrap it around your cleaning brush. Spray in some solvent and run the chore boy wrapped brush through it a few times. It'll clean the lead fouling right up. If its copper or powder try some Bore foam. Spray it in, let it set for 10 -15 mins and run a patch through it. It'll come out blue if there were any copper fouling and black if powder. Repeat till the swab comes out clean.
I have read that Sweets 7.62 is about the best solvent to remove copper. I have not used it myself. You do not want to leave it in to long though because it is pretty strong.
It's predominately powder fouling. The simple solution is to handload magnum cases with special charges and bullets so it's not an issue most of the time. However with factory special ammunition you have powder fouling which causes issues when using magnum rounds. Either the magnum rounds don't go into the cylinder chamber all the way or get stuck and don't extract properly.