Cleaning rimfire revolvers

September 01, 2025, 05:45 PM

I suppose this could also include semi-automatic pistols and long guns; however, my primary interest is my Smith and Wesson 17-9. What does the brain trust use to clean your rimfire firearms? No matter what I do the front of the cylinder is caked with carbon. The forcing cone is likewise covered with what I assume is carbon fouling. Am I just supposed to put "elbow grease" and accept this as the norm for rimfire revolvers or is there some special compound or gadget used? Any advice would be appreciated.

September 01, 2025, 05:50 PM

YooperSigs

I give mine a good scrubbing with No.9 and a brass bristle brush. I live with the carbon rings.

September 01, 2025, 06:07 PM

92fstech

quote:
Originally posted by YooperSigs:
I give mine a good scrubbing with No.9 and a brass bristle brush. I live with the carbon rings.

Same. I used to get anal about it and use "Lead Away" wipes on the stainless ones (don't do it on blued or it'll eat the finish!), but I ultimately decided it's not worth it and just live with a little discoloration. Guns were meant to be shot, and it's not wrong for them to show evidence of use provided they're clean.

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September 01, 2025, 06:35 PM

Mustang-PaPa

I also learned to use a good lead and carbon removing cleaner. Makes clean ups so much easier.

My most recent brand I am using is Bore Tech Incs “RimFire Blend”

Stay on top of them makes it much easier as well.

September 01, 2025, 08:28 PM

captain127

Wipe off what you can don’t get overly aggressive in cleaning. Clean enough to run is clean enough end of story. Spotless white glove inspection clean is an utterly useless waste of time.

A few passes of a brass brush through each chamber and bore,followed by a couple dry patches. Careful cleaning under the ejector and lube the critical points. Done. About 3 minutes work if you take your time. Has kept my S&W revolvers going for a long time. My 17-2 bought used had over 100K through it when someone pretty much begged me to sell it to them, for over double what I had in it.

September 01, 2025, 08:30 PM

shovelhead

For nickel and stainless I use a small amount of Flitz on the cylinder’s carbon rings. Blued, I let those go.

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September 01, 2025, 09:56 PM

newtoSig765

The chore of cleaning the old thing was the reason I sold my K-22 Target Masterpiece just a few years after I bought it. It was probably a M-17 since I bought it new in the early 1970's, and I loved shooting it single-action at paper targets, but it was tedious to clean all those little holes after shooting the greasy .22LR's they sold back then.

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September 02, 2025, 05:35 AM

CLEANDEAN

For nearly 40 years MC 7 …. Now it’s Shooter’s Choice; It has been noticeably faster & more effective at cleaning than Hoppe’s 9. SC - Not being abrasive but it has a noticeable ammonia scent.

September 02, 2025, 01:01 PM

egregore

It is inevitable with revolvers that you'll get carbon buildup and burn rings on the front of the cylinder. Don't worry too much about it unless (very unlikely) it is so bad that it impedes cylinder rotation.

September 03, 2025, 12:51 PM

DeputyCG

Well I took the Smith 17 and my Ruger 10/22 out to the range yesterday. I am constantly amazed at how that little revolver makes me look good. Afterword's, I just used Slip 2000 to clean it. I only shot about 125 rounds through the Smith, but it was pretty easily cleaned. I'm still on the fence about weather or not to keep the Ruger (see my post in the rifle section), but the Smith is definitely a keeper. It really needs another set of grips though..... Maybe a pre-lock in the future for me? Thanks for the advice guys!

September 03, 2025, 08:34 PM

mike_jackmin

I'll horrify everyone here and say I don't clean either the front of the cylinder or the forcing cone, I just wipe with an oily cloth and let it be.

It won't rust if it's oiled, and it usually won't build up past a certain point.

September 03, 2025, 09:16 PM

MikeinNC

For stainless revolvers I soak or wipe the face of the cylinder with CLR-the acid removes or softens the carbon. You can’t do that with a blued cylinder. For those I just wipe them with a rag and move on after punching them out with a brush.

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September 04, 2025, 09:33 PM

Rodfac

quote:
Wipe off what you can don’t get overly aggressive in cleaning. Clean enough to run is clean enough end of story. Spotless white glove inspection clean is an utterly useless waste of time.

A few passes of a brass brush through each chamber and bore,followed by a couple dry patches. Careful cleaning under the ejector and lube the critical points. Done. About 3 minutes work if you take your time. Has kept my S&W revolvers going for a long time. My 17-2 bought used had over 100K through it when someone pretty much begged me to sell it to them, for over double what I had in it.

Yep...same for me...for the past 55 years. Rod

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Politicians, Preachers, Educators, Journalists and Community Organizers are beneficiaries, not defenders of our freedoms.

September 06, 2025, 07:03 AM

egregore

Overly aggressive cleaning methods on cylinder faces can eventually start taking metal off, even rounding the edges and making the surface "wavy".

September 06, 2025, 01:41 PM

ThunTiger

Has anyone used the Flex-hone kit for 22 chambers?
I’ve been using nylon brushes and bore solvent to keep the chambers clean and not damage the anodized finish.

I have a 43C with the aluminum cylinder and it’s a bit tight. Figured the Flex-hone might polish it up a bit. The folks at the S&W forum recommend hand reaming the cylinder chambers but that’s a no-go on the aluminum cylinder.

September 06, 2025, 09:45 PM

coffee_cake

If it’s a range gun and there are no malfunctions, I just get them to a good enough state. Usually just a wipe down (inside and outside) and maybe a boresnake.

If you just want to give it a deep cleaning for its own sake, Hoppe’s, a bronze brush, and a good podcast.