To Clean or Not to Clean?

[Im4NDU]

What are your thoughts/opinions on cleaning a competition style revolver? I have heard from people both ways on cleaning the barrel. Some do some don't; if you do clean it why, if you don't why not?

 

[sbcman]

I probably put 9k-10k rounds down my 625 each year in practice and matches. I NEVER clean the barrel. Why? It has never indicated to me that it needed it. If bullets started tumbling or accuracy went south and the usual suspects were ruled out I might consider putting a cleaning rod through it. Plus, when you're pushing that many rounds down a barrel, any way you can reduce wear, such as cleaning, is a good move. Of course, these are all lead rounds. If I was putting copper through it, I might touch it up ever now and then.

In the interest of full disclosure, the only barrel on any of my guns that I clean is my rifles after deer season or after a match. I find that a cold, dirty barrel on any weapon gives me the best accuracy.

 

[sv40sw45]

I clean the barrels on my Open ,Limited and Single Stack STI's before every match.

 

[Bosshoss]

625 with major power factor 230 lead bullets.

I clean the recoil shield area of fouling after every match and brush the ratchet area and under it for residue making sure its clean. Then I run a .357 wornout brush wrapped in copper chore boy on a drill thru the chambers to clean them up.
I pull the side plate off every 2000-3000 rounds to lube and usually run a brush thru the bore at the same time.
Unless you run into a batch of soft bullets that lead the barrel I wouldn't worry about it. Just give it a look after every match and shoot it.

 

[rvb]

I won't speak for a revo, but both my open gun (~50k on it) and my last production gun (also about 50k on it) only saw bore brushes maybe twice! Fully jacketed bullets.

Haven't cleaned the bore of my new production gun yet (~5k).

-rvb

 

[sbcman]

Unless you run into a batch of soft bullets that lead the barrel I wouldn't worry about it. Just give it a look after every match and shoot it.

What about green moly-coated bullets

 

[Grelber]

I clean the barrels on my Open ,Limited and Single Stack STI's before every match.

Sort of a psychology thing I think. If you have a sharp corvette you will tend to keep it shining, in other circumstances, well, you can't polish a turd.

 

[Bosshoss]

Unless you run into a batch of soft bullets that lead the barrel

What about green moly-coated bullets

I spent several hours looking for my Lewis Lead Remover that I haven't seen since we moved a few years ago. Ordered a new one before I tackled that barrel.
To be fair that barrel was messed up before I got the gun and I'm looking for replacement for it. Those bullets also leaded my main gun but not any where as bad, so I will have to try them in the bottomfeeder some day.
Could be a revolver thing with those bullets but until they harden them up some more I'll have to stick with what I have been using for the past 18 months.

 

[Im4NDU]

I appreciate the help. I had one guy tell me if I shoot lead (which I do for competition) to just shoot some FMJ's to clean out the barrel afterwards.

 

[Im4NDU]

To be fair that barrel was messed up before I got the gun and I'm looking for replacement for it. Those bullets also leaded my main gun but not any where as bad, so I will have to try them in the bottomfeeder some day.

If you're looking for a guy who can change out your barrel I can recommend Joe Leininger of Brush Creek. He custom built my Model 64 and he can do several Gunsmithing things.

 

[Mike Elzinga]

I appreciate the help. I had one guy tell me if I shoot lead (which I do for competition) to just shoot some FMJ's to clean out the barrel afterwards.

I bulged a barrel this way.

Don't mix lead and jacketed without a quick clean between. A bore snake through the barrel 1 time is plenty, other than that, I never clean pistol barrels.