CLR Cleaner

[hoosier21]

I have a Ruger SS single six convertible revolver that has had a blackened face on the .22 LR cylinder since I received it years ago. Decided I wanted to try to clean it over the weekend. I tried my CLP cleaner, Never Dull, Dremel buffer, nothing hardly touched it. Then I decided to try a small piece of scotch bright and some CLR. Since it was a milled surface, I figured it couldn't do much harm. It cleaned up with very little effort, and now looks nearly new. I'm certainly not suggesting CLR for cleaning your firearms, but for this purpose on an unpolished surface, it worked great!

 

[1911ly]

CLR is acidic (corrosive). Make sure you neutralize the acid and oil the cylinder well when you are done. I am not sure about using it long term. Keep an eye on it.

 

[17 squirrel]

Look into buying a lead cleaning cloth from one of the gun cleaning supply company's. It will remove carbon and deposits asap.

 

[DRob]

We used to use a regular pencil eraser on the front of a stainless cylinder. Worked pretty good but the eraser didn't last long.

 

[Drail]

I would imagine that what took the carbon off the cylinder face was the Scotchbrite and CLR had nothing to do with it. If you use any kind of abrasive to remove the buildup you are increasing your barrel/cylinder clearance.

 

[9mmfan]

Second the lead cleaning cloth. I always keep one handy when cleaning my GP-100.

 

[1911ly]

I would imagine that what took the carbon off the cylinder face was the Scotchbrite and CLR had nothing to do with it. If you use any kind of abrasive to remove the buildup you are increasing your barrel/cylinder clearance.

I use Hoppy's and a small piece of pad on the face of my cylinders. So I am gonna say you are right.

 

[223 Gunner]

I just clean off what will come off with a solvent, as far as "burn marks" I just leave them, it's part of owning and shooting revolvers.

 

[Cet2survivor]

CLR is acidic (corrosive). Make sure you neutralize the acid and oil the cylinder well when you are done. I am not sure about using it long term. Keep an eye on it.

Great point. I second this^^

 

[Drail]

Cleaning off the cylinder face of a revolver every time you shoot it is just like cleaning out the inside of your tailpipe every time you drive your car.

 

[natdscott]

Cleaning off the cylinder face of a revolver every time you shoot it is just like cleaning out the inside of your tailpipe every time you drive your car.

Man. I KNEW it! No wonder I have been gettin' such good life out of my cars...all my work HAS paid off!!

Seriously though: you don't have to agree with his regimen to just keep your mouth shut and let him be happy with the result.

Also, on the "any use of abrasive will widen tolerances" part you said above, while I can't speak specifically for the hardness of Scotchbright pads--as I use them to wash dishes, not guns--I'd just retort that that is flat UNTRUE. The only ways that happens is if the abrasive used to clean the fouling is harder than the substrate itself (like using sandpaper to clean lead off steel), or if the fouling is harder than the substrate, and by the use of a cleaning compound, is itself mobilized to create damage (as in the case of rimfire barrels and the priming mixture's remnants).

-Nate

 

[1911ly]

Man. I KNEW it! No wonder I have been gettin' such good life out of my cars...all my work HAS paid off!!

Seriously though: you don't have to agree with his regimen to just keep your mouth shut and let him be happy with the result.

Also, on the "any use of abrasive will widen tolerances" part you said above, while I can't speak specifically for the hardness of Scotchbright pads--as I use them to wash dishes, not guns--I'd just retort that that is flat UNTRUE. The only ways that happens is if the abrasive used to clean the fouling is harder than the substrate itself (like using sandpaper to clean lead off steel), or if the fouling is harder than the substrate, and by the use of a cleaning compound, is itself mobilized to create damage (as in the case of rimfire barrels and the priming mixture's remnants).

-Nate

A Scotch Bright pad will remove metal. I use it all the time on the lathe to polish metal. But it's not akin to sand paper's abrasiveness. It would take a lot of effort to change the dimension of a steel cylinder. The carbon is softer then the steel it's stuck to. I doubt you could remove enough steel with an occasional carbon removal cleaning to do damage.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Cleaning off the cylinder face of a revolver every time you shoot it is just like cleaning out the inside of your tailpipe every time you drive your car.

^This^

There have been just as many guns worn out by cleaning too much as not enough.