Removing Burn Rings From The Cylinder Face Of A Revolver

[dieselmac]

I eat hopps#9 on my Wheaties.

[ninjatoth]

I use automotive chrome cleaner followed by a normal bore cleaner and oil to remove any residue.Works really well.

[beemerweasel]

Thankyou for this video. Very helpful

[MrJonny0004]

what is that yank a 38?

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@MrJonny0004 ,357mag Colt Magnum Carry

[MrJonny0004]

@TheYankeeMarshal nice :0

[MrJonny0004]

soak that shit in hoppiies hahah

[72twist]

Can i use this procedure on my blued GP100? Will it damage the blueing?

[Cabanas751Dunhill]

Or a good lube, and yes it works well - there's also a few pastes that will last you forever and a day by why spend the extra? --- Did I notice that you did not treat anything inside the ends of your cylinders?...Been thinking on trying something different - about to buy another disposable electric tooth brush - bet ya that may work but cost some batteries :-)

Problem is for those who shoot all the time - it's a hassle - easier to do it after a set number of rounds say 500 or 1000 or 2000 ?

[blatantevil7]

Haha, Hoppe's juice...

[snoozer987]

good information.

[skipwadoo]

Birchwood Casey Lead Remover & Polishing Cloth works great also.

[yoyoman1981]

Some soap and wather can do it :)

Just joking! 

[popcorncrow]

try some CLR ... you can get it at WalleyWorld..works with soft cloth

[blackdogxx]

the guy used Scotchbrite.... it says so clearly! It's a polymer pad for dishes, etc. No way it can scraqtch stainless steel. The Hoppes is dissolving the stains and the pad is simply scraping away the residue.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@blackdogxx You just have to ignore people they have no understanding of how things work. Or the fact that metal polishes on a soft cloth will actually do more damage since metal polishes work by removing surface material.

[bligrigs]

I use Meguires metal polish with a terry cloth towel, works way better and faster. Discovered it trying to remove a few scratches, that are still there..............

[14goldmedals]

MPro7 soaking for 5 minutes erases those rings. Easy and no scratching the metal. None of the petroleum based cleaners work without scrubbing.

[Balisong005]

how about a nice piece of bronze wool? a little hoppe's and your "gold". bronze wool will never hurt stainless as it is much softer.

[tubamonkey09]

Im glad your solution is pretty much "stop being a pussy and scrub the damn gun"

[rbelena]

I do this with flitz and my dremel comes right off.

[metalreign1]

ouch..Never-Dull works just dandy. no abrasives necessary. rub with a piece of the wadding til the black is gone. discard when the wadding is heavily soiled. wipe excess off with micro terry cloth. works like a charm on stainless. peace.

[GunBigotHater]

That's a dandy idea. Thanks, YankeeMarshal. One of the ranges I shoot at has the nastiest ammo; soft lead, and a dirty burning powder. Zero makes it. Part of it is prolly my gun, as a Python has a .355 bore and most .38 reloads are .358 inches. By the time I'm on my third box of 50, the bullets start key holing it's so nasty. My baby is so hard to clean up after 3 rounds of that!

I'll try this trick the next time I have to re-qualify.

[happyending3000]

I was trained never to do this to a cylinder face because it causes wear and increases the gap between the cylinder and forcing cone. I might use lead away but I don't think it is a good idea to scrub with scotchbrite or any abrasive. IMO

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@happyending3000 Whoever trained you needs an education is steel work. You could clean the cylinder face this way thousands and thousands of times before any measurable wear occurred. 

[happyending3000]

@TheYankeeMarshal

Me again. I took the question to MidwayUSA and they just responded to me today. They agree it is not a good idea to use any abrasive on the face of the cylinder. Here is a direct quote:

"A tough cleaner like Hoppe's #9 would most likely do the job for cleaning the cylinder but you will as you have mentioned want to be careful not to use anything that will change the specifications of your cylinder."

I specifically asked about scotchbrite pads. 

[NormNip]

@TheYankeeMarshal I've polished off scratches on a Ruger GP100 which is very, very hard steel, and it didn't take forever.. It does remove metal and in little time it will increase the cylinder-to-barrel gap. I advise people to try it out on a piece of very hard metal and prove it to themselves one way or the other.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@NormNip Ruger uses your basic 400 family of stainless steel. It is nothing especially hard. You could shoot your gun every day and clean it in this manner for 20 years before seeing a noticeable loss of surface material. A scotchbrite pad is not hard enough to damage the surface.

[NormNip]

@TheYankeeMarshal I advise your viewers to do their due diligence and experiment on a useless piece of hard metal. Use calipers before and after. They will discover it's wrong to call me a liar.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@NormNip I am not calling you a liar. I am calling you ignorant. Just as you were wrong about Ruger using some super hard steel. Still, you did not remove a scratch with a scotchbrite. If you stick to that story you are a liar. You may have buffed out a surface blemish, but not a scratch. Companies that make lead cleaning cloths, that are more abrasive than a scotchbrite, simulated 10,000 cleanings with no noticeable wear. That is cleaning your gun every day for over 25 years.

[NormNip]

@TheYankeeMarshal Twist words anyway you want I still advise your viewers to do their due diligence and experiment cheaply first on a useless piece of hard metal. Use calipers before and after. Take care which grade/color of Scotchbrite you use. Better to be safe than sorry. My experience shows that they will be thanking me - profusely and will want to write me into their wills.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@NormNip Do you even know what a scotchbrite pad is? They are made for cleaning non-stick cookwear without damaging the teflon coating. You assertion that you can easily remove steel with them is ridiculous.

[domco2525]

@happyending3000

If you scrubbed a stainless steel cylinder face with a scotchbrite after every shooting session, you might see a miniscule difference in the gap after 3 or 4 hundred years.

The real danger is letting residue build up to the point where the cylinder can't move freely. What happens then is the cylinder gets out of sync with the firing mechanism, and then you'll wish you'd have cleaned the cylinder face more thoroughly.

[62sugarbear]

Try rubbing the rings with a pencil eraser. You may have to shape it to get the nooks and crannies, Works for me

[x8541]

I follow the scotch pad with a fine steel wool. It cleans areas where the the scotch pad is a little too coarse to reach.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@x8541 You should use synthetic steel wool. Using real steel wool can cause pitting and surface rust.

[lamiabanca]

Birchwood cloth Lead Remover for my experience, work very good

[gooztala]

Sweeeet n easy. I always wanted an alternative to lead away! Thx for posting!

[JDPatriot]

Nice video! I usually use flitz and a dremel buffer which works wonders but requires a very deep clean in order to remove all of the flitz particulates. I love taking my revolvers apart, but there's a limit to what I'm willing to do :p

[hammerogod]

After 500 rounds the Burn Rings are really difficult to remove so this is a valuable video.

I have found that if you remove the Cylinder (carefully, using the correct size screwdriver) makes it easier.

And you can inspect & clean other areas easier also with the Cylinder out.

You folks with Alloy guns (like the featherweights) will reduce the risk of messing up the finish if you remove the Cylinder.

I have trouble cleaning that gap above the Bore Face on S&W, any suggestions?

[death2pc]

Go with Kleen Bore, light years ahead of anything and not abrasive. I break the entire gun down after any rounds fired and fully clean and re-lubricate. In so doing this allows the entire cylinder assembly to be taken apart and with the Kleen Bore cloth cut into small sections, with complete rubbing the front end comes out better than new. Phenomenal product.

I use Hoppes for the barrel, as well Kleen Bore. The combination is exceptional.

[Lookinformemarbles]

Yea i just got all that off on my new 686 with a lead cleaning cloth! I also checked out your scratch removal vids! Good stuff!

[hardluck808]

@Lookinformemarbles I have a 686 also and just cleaned it after the gun range. I have scorch marks on the outside of the cylinders , can you tell me how you were able to remove those marks?

[slinkydog2222]

Does this still work with nickle plated revolvers?



[viewingut]

@slinkydog2222 Hoppes has been known to get under and lift nickel plating, be careful.

[slinkydog2222]

Does this still work with nickle plated revolvers?

[DTesch357]

Mmmmm.... Hoppe's Juice....

[FireArmsResQ]

Good show sir! Now I know and knowings half the battle.

[opisex]

I don't even bother unless it binds up.. but most revolvers these days have pretty large gaps.

If it doesn't come off with a few wipe's it can stay there is my philosophy.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@opisex thanks to my military indoctrination...err..I mean training, I am one of those people that believe one dirty area on a weapon means you likely didn't properly maintain other areas either. I can't feel like a weapon has been thoroughly cleaned and maintained if any one part is ignored.

[opisex]

@TheYankeeMarshal

What about copper streaks in the bore? Do you scrub those out or use harsh copper removers? It's not worth it my friend, they never really build up.

If you wanna white glove the gun more power to ya, It's not really necessary, having cylinder carbon ring does not indicate the gun is poorly maintained, it's cosmetic.

Do you refinish your gun ever time it get's scratch? food for thought.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@opisex Yes, I do clean my bore and I do refinish my gun if it gets scratched. If you clean your gun after each use it is easy to keep it clean. It is when you let it build up that it becomes difficult.

[spanky44mag]

@TheYankeeMarshal Thanks for the tip man! Very cool. I bought the hard to find and priceyBirchwood Casey de-leading cloths. I will surely use your method also!

[p0pgunp00h]

That is one sweet looking Colt ;)

[GNut1980]

man thanks youre a lifesaver...this video is of much value to me!

[teddycanary]

I will drop a few guns off...do you think you can have them clean by Monday?

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@teddycanary sure, drop 'em off. I just hope I don't misplace them or forget who you are by monday. :)

[bigrob18772]

Well done :)

[voyager4520]

I've never tried it but I heard you can use a pencil eraser to get those burn marks off.

[rugerguy08]

nice vid!

[puffulufogous]

I just subbed to you from oilthegun. Great video man. I was wondering what the best way to get rid of the rings on my model 66 was.

[phishst1cks]

revolver-aholic at heart,,good stuff ..works good been doing this for years..a stiff nylon brush works to..good stuff hear...

[fire1777]

Flitz+dremel with buffing wheel 30 seconds and brand new

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@fire1777 I would not recommend a dremel with anything abrasive. I have seen some pretty messed up cylinders from doing that.The cylinder face can start to look wavey.

[GlockPunisher1]

Thank ya Yank! Ya showed me something new!! I asked my gun shop if there was anyhting I could do to take those ugly burn marks off the cylinder as I had tried relentlessly with the brush and oil but to no avail. They said there was no way to take that off and the rings would stay that color...... FOREVER!!! I did not believe him so I went on a search and have tried rubbin the heck out of it. I gots the Hoppes! So I cannot wait to go home and clean itl I will do a VR fer that

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@GlockPunisher1 Look forward to seeing it.

[krazy45cat]

Thats a great tip !

[supermaucat]

great info, great video, great editing!

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@supermaucat thanks...iMovie does all the real work. :)

[supermaucat]

@TheYankeeMarshal Cool! I guess that's what all the best channels on YT use. Very professional output! Keep on making great vids bro!

[KASPLARFO]

Excellent advice and demonstration. ✭✭✭✭✭

[23mrcowboys]

well dang...what about on blued finishes?

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@23mrcowboys sell them and buy the nicer stainless ones. :-p

[23mrcowboys]

@TheYankeeMarshal i have been doin gthat with my sp101 but you think i should sell my 442 in black? no ideas sir..i love that gun for pocket ccw

[23mrcowboys]

now this is a good topic and a good vid....those are tuff to get off and bother me

[wmd44110]

I prefer using a brass brush and I haven't had any problems even with the satin stainless finish.

[TheYankeeMarshal]

@wmd44110 brass brushes do the job, but I have found that over time they leave a heavy brushed look to even satin finishes.

[WheelchairDave1031]

Great vid. I will have to try it the next time I take out one of my revolvers.

[OilTheGun]

Great video, very informative. Thank you.

[MrCleanerNash]

pretty helpful thanks for sharing my friend

[canhuntincanuck]

O.K. you made me feel bad i'm going to clean there faces now that I know how to.

[TheRifleman336]

I started out using Mother Mag Polish the type you get at the auto parts store. One can will last damn near for ever, but it won't scratch the gun. It first wipe over the gun with gun cleaner then attack the hard stuff by a Q-tip with Mother's. I clean around the cylinder face, then the rear topstrap to frame area and the Forcing cone to frame area. Then I clean the gun as normal as when you do the cylinder it'll get rid of any mother than goes in the charge holes.

[TheHiddenPart]

What, you actually shoot your guns? I wouldn't do that, they get all used and shit..

I'd rather use candle smoke to give them cylinders that "shot" look. You know, I'm a perfectionist.

Just kidding!

[chaos311clarity]

ooo boy i love me some shiny revolvers. great video brother.

[Blk05titan26]

love a colt what a beauty