Revolver Cleaning

[Grognard Gunny]

Recently I have had trouble with my 1970s vintage Hi-Standard revolver that I bought in 1981 from a friend, fired for a couple of years and then not again until a couple of years ago. I DID, however clean it at least once a year during those idle years it sat around unfired and, of course, after firing. Specifically, just in the last year the brass, at least one of the six, would hang up and get stuck (but good) about half way out of the cylinder. Took pliers to get it out of there.

I took it to a gunsmith and he "polished the cylinder chambers" and all works well with the weapon now. He said the chambers "were pretty rough".

Question: I have always run the bore brush through the cylinder chambers when cleaning, never having anyone tell me different. Could THAT have been the cause of my "sticking brass" problem? The cumulative "roughing" caused by the bore brush? (Remember we are talking about 30-40 cleanings over the years.)

Which brings up another: It the steel in the cylinder walls "softer" than that found in the barrell?

Anyone?

I ask because I don't want to cause any long term problems with my other three revolvers.

GG

 

[Bighouse Doc]

A soft bronze brush won't harm the steel. It might alter the polish a bit though.

A little JB might smooth things out.

-Doc

 

[hiwall]

Using the brush on the chambers will not harm them.

 

[NRA Lifer and Proud]

I typically use a nylon brush in my cylinders and bronze in the bores. The only time I have used a bronze brush in the cylinder is if I have fired a lot of 38 special lead rounds in my 357 or 44 special lead rounds in my 44 mag. They both cause some build up in the chambers that a nylon brush cannot remove plus using a stronger lead removing chemical plays havoc with the nylon brush!

 

[nraynes]

Just remember after you use the brush to run a patch threw after so get the little bits of junk out.

 

[Grognard Gunny]

But of course!

I just can't figure out why, after all these years, the brass would suddenly start sticking! Aside from the "rough" cylinder bore holes. If THAT was the case, what, pray tell, caused THAT?

I HATE unsolved riddles! LOL!

GG

 

[nraynes]

Cheep Ammo? Corrosive ammo? Dirty ammo/cylinders and the crap gets compressed by the bullets? Could be 100 different reasons.

 

[Grognard Gunny]

But if I thoroughly clean after using, that can't be the problem/cause. Can it?

You are NOT helping me solve my conundrum! LOL!

GG

 

[nraynes]

Sorry just throwing ideas out there. My only other question is what is the caliber?

 

[nraynes]

My friend has a .357 that he shoots 38 out of all the time, and thus it has worn a small ridge where the shell ends and so when he shoots 357 it binds up and doesn't eject all the way he had the cylinders polished and it fixed it for a bit.

 

[localgirl]

Oooh! I LOVE puzzles!

So, you've had the pistol for 30 years. You've been consistent with its use and care in all that time. What changed the past year? Did you clean it sooner or later after firing than normal? Did your storage conditions change? Did you start using a significantly different type of ammo?

 

[walt629]

Not sure about 'every' cylinder, but a couple of the more used 38specials I have (Ruger) has the start of a forcing cone configuration at the exit end of the cylinder. A rough ring where the explosion of the bullet separating from the brass case is first exposed to the confinements of the cylinder has developed in the cylinder. This is a form of erosion and can cause a minor increase in the ID of the cylinder exactly at the end of the cartridge length. Check the OD of the offending brass, See if it looks like it has a slightly fluted end.

The act of 'polishing' the cylinder will actually remove material and give you a larger ID bore in your cylinder (all that 'rough' material had to be removed to make it smooth). Check with your smith to see if he can gauge the ID of the cylinder with pin gauges to make sure the ID is correct and you are not over expanding the brass.

May be time for new cylinders.

 

[sgtbill]

The cylinder is not a problem as long as the forceing cone at the rear of the bbl. is in good shape you will not see any diffrence in accuracy . I typicaly clean all my cylinders out of the weapons and use a drill press and a shotgun bore brush depending on the calibre. I strip all the parts out of the cylinder and clean it with something like Hoppe's #9 and the shotgun brush on medium speed.

DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU CAN GET IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN PROPERLY.
Bill

 

[wizard]

Now that it is months later, Have you figured out what happened? My feeling is that after many rounds the cylinder wall did get a small groove in it, upon firing and the crimp unrolling it was hanging up in the cylinder, the chamber polishing removed this and smoothed out the entire chamber, making the problem go away. I do not think that the polishing would create a larger than normal chamber dimension, as it was done by a competent gunsmith, whom I am sure would not over bore said chambers. The OP has not mentioned any ill effects of the repair. So I hope your revolver is functioning without issue.