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The Basics of Cleaning Your Revolver
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Several years ago my dad gave me my first handgun- a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver. It didn’t come as a surprise. I had grown up around guns and had hoped that one day my dad would pass a few on to me. Because of the value of this gift, both sentimental and monetary, I felt a real responsibility to take care of it so that it would last for many years to come. I learned how to clean it well and have done so ever since.
Any gun owner knows that properly cleaning and maintaining your equipment is not only key in increasing a weapon’s lifespan, but is necessary to ensure safe operation. Just like shining your shoes there are as many ways to clean a gun as there are stars in the sky. The following is a guide to cleaning a standard revolver.
*Quick disclaimer: I am just a gun owner, not an expert or instructor. Read your gun’s owner’s manual for specific cleaning instructions and if in doubt, consult a certified arms dealer. And ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR GUN ISN’T LOADED BEFORE CLEANING.
Cleaning a Revolver:
Step 1: Make sure your gun is not loaded.
Step 2: Get your cleaning supplies together in the same place. Below is a typical universal gun cleaning kit that you can buy at most outdoor stores OR here for around $50. Besides this, you need some gun cleaning solvent and gun oil. There are many different kinds and most work for all types of guns. Here I am using Hoppe’s No. 9 Solvent and Remington Oil.
Step 3: Tie an old sock or rag around the rear cylinder opening. This will protect the revolver from damage when the bore brush gets pushed through the barrel.
Step 4: Dip your bore brush in the cleaning solvent. There are different sizes of bore brush that correspond with the barrel size, so make sure you match the size accordingly. It should be imprinted somewhere at the base of the bore brush.
Step 5: Feed the bore brush through the barrel of the gun. The bore brush handle will naturally twist in your hand as it follows the rifling inside the barrel, don’t try to stop this. Make sure the bore brush goes all the way through the barrel, exiting at the other end. Then come back through the barrel in the opposite direction.
Step 6: Take a cleaning patch and dip it in cleaning solvent then feed it all the way through the barrel of the gun. There are many different opinions on how many times to do this, but I have always used 1 solvent covered patch followed by 2 dry cleaning patches. If your barrel is especially dirty you may need to do this a few more times.
Step 7: Using a brush (you can use a toothbrush if you don’t have a cleaning kit), clean around the muzzle of the gun; then, using a little cleaning solvent, clean the rear cylinder opening.
Step 8: Using the brush again and some cleaning solvent, brush the cylinders, both outside and on the ends.
Step 9: Continuing on, clean the extractor rod with the brush and solvent. Clean both the front side then push it out and clean the star and the rest of the rod normally housed between the cylinders.
Step 10: Using the bore brush and the cleaning solvent, clean each of the cylinders in the same fashion that you cleaned the barrel. Remember to go all the way through on each side.
Step 11: Use the cleaning patches in the same manner as you did with the barrel, taking the first patch and dipping it in the cleaning solvent before feeding it through an individual cylinder. Clean up by using two clean patches to get any excess residue.
Step 12: Using a clean cloth, take a small amount of gun oil and begin covering the gun with the exception of the hand grips, inside of the barrel and inside of the cylinders.
Step 13: Wipe off any excess oil with a different rag then polish up the gun with a silicone gun cloth. If it looks like your gun is greasy or oily then you need to wipe it off some more; it shouldn’t look like a fat guy covered in baby oil.
Finally, remember this is simply a standard cleaning that should be performed after every time at the range or in the field. If your gun is used heavily, a more thorough dis-assembly and cleaning should be performed. If you aren’t sure how to do this, contact a qualified gunsmith or expert to help you out. And of course, always make sure to drink a Hansen’s Natural Soda while cleaning your gun; it will keep you sharp.
I don’t even own a gun and this is by far my favorite thing I’ve seen all day.
I wonder how many people actually own a revolver. Interesting article, nonetheless.
First appearance of Hansen’s Natural Soda at “The Art of Manliness”.
Nice guide, this is how I take care of my revolver, too.
Revolvers? Is this the Art of Boyliness now?
Bemused in the UK
Right on target. Great instructions; exactly how I clean my pistol.
My revolver is a S&W .38 special, from my father as well. He refused to give it to me though. He sold it to me for $100, in the hopes that I would take it more seriously if I paid for it.
He was right. Way to go, Dad!
Nice article. I don’t own a revolver yet, but I do own a few semi-autos. I will keep this in mind when I pick up my S&W 442. Thanks…
Excellent review of a manly task!
I like the idea of the rag tied through the frame to protect against dings by the rod accoutrements. Even though I’m an instructor I hadn’t heard that one before.
One thing you might add for future reference is a brass cone that slides over the rod to center it in the muzzle and thereby protect the crown (where rifling meets the end of the barrel) from undue wear while working the rod. This is especially important with revolvers since you can only clean them from the muzzle-end. In my opinion it is an essential accessory to help keep your revolver accurate over time if you clean it faithfully.
Remember, speak softly and carry a big stick (or caliber)…
I urge everyone who has a gun to adopt these principles as well:
[b]There is no such thing as an unloaded gun.[/b]
If it’s taken apart and you can see the pieces, OK. Otherwise, treat it as a loaded gun [i]even after you just unloaded it[/i]. Mistakes happen.
[b]Never point a gun at anything you don’t want dead.[/b]
A high-school friend of mine lost her husband that way. No, we have no reason to think it was suicide. He killed himself cleaning his rifle. Please, [i]always[/i] point it at something you can afford to blow a hole in. Like the ground.
For all the people who wanted ‘manliness’ articles without ‘marriage’ can I just tell you how glad I am that you did in fact write this gun article without reference to marriage? Just saying…
Nice guide. However, you may want to check into flexible brush rods (they bend like pipe cleaners) which allow you to push the bore brush through from the cylinder side. They prevent the possibility of damaging accuracy by brushing from the muzzle end.
Semi-autos are great, I love my 1911, but there is no greater deterrent and protector than a snub-nosed S&W .38 that is easy to use and conceal as well. Hit your target with that and you do not have to worry about having more than six rounds in your gun.
Note: Cleaning your revolver regularly has another, perhaps unforseen, benefit. If you happen to commit a crime and want to scrub your gun to throw the coppers off the chase, doing so won’t arouse suspicion.
And cleanliness is next to godliness, as they say.
Regularly cleaning your revolver has another, perhaps unforeseen, benefit. If you end up committing a crime and want to scrub your gun to throw the coppers off your trail, doing so won’t arouse undue suspicion.
And cleanliness is next to godliness, too.
I normally think your guides are excellent, but this one is seriously lacking. Granted, you state that there are many different ways to clean a gun, your article illustrates the wrong way to do it.
You should always pull your cleaning rod through in the direction of natural travel of the bullet.
There is an excellent guide to cleaning guns, with instructions for different types, and videos, here- http://www.otisgun.com/crules.htm This site explains why you should always follow the natural direction of the bullet.
Please do more research and rewrite this post, we don’t want anyone damaging their gun or getting hurt!
@ David Barnes
At lest your soccer hooligans don’t have to clean there blood stained sticks.
Although I may never have need of a firearm, knowing how to clean one is still a good skill, especially if you ever have to enter Nazi infested Idaho or into back country.
Excellent post. I love how you make it feel like such a calm ritual. It really is, for me anyway. I suppose it appeals to those of us who are meticulous
But, imho, the handling/cleaning/shooting of a weapon is something every man should at least be familiar with.
Ironically, my father and I (the daughter) shoot guns together because my brother has no interest. One of my favorite things to do it sit around cleaning guns and chatting with him
Nazi infested Idaho…interesting notion. I live just across the Eastern border in Liberal infested WA and would love to move to Idaho….
Anyway, ALL men should know how to handle a weapon (not a gun) and a basic part of that is to know how to clean said weapon. I have to second the posts that state you should always runt he bore brush in the direction the bullet takes. Prevents many many nasty things from creeping up on weapon accuracy.
Another lubricant to consider is Break Free. This is what the Army taught me to use and I use to this day. You can use it as both solvent and lubrication and the heck the smell brings back some fond memories.
Thanks for the great article!
k
Do not dip either the bore brush (if used, it’s not necessary) or patches in cleaning solution. This can taint the cleaner. Pour or spray cleaner on the patch. Hoppes is OK, but Ballistol seems to work better.
Just love your site! Men have been wandering in the wilderness for several decades now not feeling comfortable as to what is kosher and what is not. I teach film students and have run into time after time that i need to set up a program for many of them to pass through rights of passage toward manhood. It has become a lost art.
So glad you are here!
Time to go clean my SIG 9mm!
Guns have a bad rap in the media, nice to see a neutral article!
Guys against guns beware, when an armed man/men burst through the door of your house to rob you/haul you away, you’ll wish you had paid better attention to disappearing gun rights. Not that I advocate killing people, but in the VAST majority of cases, the homeowner’s presenting a firearm causes the intruder to leave immediately, to go find easier prey. Do the wolves attack the strongest caribou? Nay, they go for the hornless weak! Buy yourself some damn horns, and learn how to SAFELY use them!
*steps off soapbox, cleans one of 7 guns*
SpiffyTexan (Who is young, but loves Texas!)
Am I the only one who doesn’t get this article? I really think relating guns with manliness is problematic. I think rather than a HOW TO clean the friggin gun, there ought to be discussion about the serious problems handguns can cause if not handled properly. How to safely protect your family and loved ones is manly, but with a weapon comes a HUGE amount of responsibility. I have very mixed feelings about seeing this article here. Sorry… (go ahead and *blast* me for saying it…)
A few considerations: one do not use steel cleaning rods: only aluminum or brass as you do not want anything harder than the weapon’s barrel to cause damage; and two, you can dump the cleaning rods if you use a BoreSnake device which works especially well in dirty environments.
As for the solvent of choice: there is nothing like Hoppe’s No. 9 to restore fond memories while you clean your weapons.
All in all, a very nice article, however one thing I should mention, quite surprised that nobody has pointed this out.
In the Army (5 years Infantry), we were taught NEVER to oil the bore of any weapon, and once again in gunsmithing school, which I now operate my own shop, I discovered the reason. There is a nasty little thing called a “barrel bulge” usually due to cheap or incorrect ammunition, or otherwise to liquid (oil) in the bore. The bullet comes out of the chamber at “mach chicken”, which fills the lands and grooves in the rifling, and leaves no room for that thin coat of oil to go anywhere, and as the steel in the barrel is relatively soft, the bullet will push that coat of oil in front of it and eventually build up and bulge the steel of the barrel in a nice even ring. This results in a new barrel, not a cheap procedure. Hence, unless you are storing your firearm for a long time (in which case you should clean it before firing it), leave the bore CLEAN AND DRY.
@ Caleb,
Unless I missed it somewhere, I only said to use cleaning solvent in the barrel, not gun oil. It’s possible that I didn’t make this clear and if so, I apologize. You are right though, a clean and dry bore is what you want.
@ Mike M.,
Good catch on dipping the bore brush, you are right that it can contaminate the solvent, bad form on my part and thanks for the correction. Still learning new things myself!
Nice post. This is why I come to AoM. Thanks!
Caleb Lee?
Being from the Netherlands, guns and owning guns is one of the weirdest things ever. Here, guns are used for hunting only. You need a hunting-licence and only a small array of models are accepted as “huntingrifles” even if you meet all those demands, a gun needs to be kept disassembled in a vault with the bullets kept in a different vault. I don’t know anyone who owns a gun and I can’t see why you need a gun in the house for any other reason then hunting, but hey…
I like reading the articles on this site, but I don’t think many european men would consider “proper gun cleaning skills” to be “manly”.
Great write up! You know, a lot of my gun buddies really prefer automatics but I prefer the simplicity and functionality of a revolver.
Good basic overview, but a few additions/suggestions…
A BoreSnake is good for a quick clean every hundred rounds at the range but is really no substitute for a proper cleaning. I have one for my M1 Carbine and recommend them for that purpose, but don’t fall back on them as a crutch.
If you’re going to be doing any sort of extensive shooting or you are shooting a historical firearm, I can’t recommend enough getting a muzzle protector like Rich Landers suggested, especially if that firearm is a revolver or a semi-automatic rifle, both of which can only be cleaned from the muzzle end. Nothing destroys the crown of a barrel (and subsequently, accuracy) faster than improper cleaning technique. Going along with that, if you are going to be doing extensive shooting (and therefore extensive cleaning) I recommend getting some sort of coated one piece cleaning rod. Much less likely to damage the bore than a segmented three piece standard aluminum or brass rod set that comes with most cleaning kits.
Finally, if you are interested in the holy grail of gun cleaning products, check these guys out. Sentry Solutions makes pretty much God’s gift to the firearms community in that their products enable you to apply it and forget about it. All you need to do to clean a firearm that has their stuff on it is run a brush through a barrel to loosen the debris that will be sitting on the surface and then run a patch or through two to clean it out. Voila, clean bore. Other than occasional reapplication, that’s literally all you need to do to have and keep a clean bore. As for the rest of the gun, they make an awesome anti-corrosion product called the Tuf-Cloth. All you do is wipe down the metal parts and they’re protected from rust.
I know it sounds too good to be true, but it really isn’t. It was designed for the military; in fact their stuff are the only lubricant and anti-corrosion products sold in PXs in combat zones. I’ve used it for over a year and have noticed results compared to my previous cleaning products.
Even if you don’t buy their whole line, at least get a Tuf-Cloth. It’s useful for all sorts of anti-corrosion activities, especially with knives. If you do that, I highly recommend using Break-Free as your CLP. That’s the only other CLP product that I own.
Cleaning my guns is akin to meditation for me.
A revolver is the first firearm a person should own if they are interested in getting involved with shooting. My first gun was a S&W .357 Magnum. They are easy to operate, easy to clean, easy to fire, etc. Their simplicity is almost mandatory when first becoming acquainted with a deadly weapon.
When i was looking into firearms I really wanted a 1911. My co-worker, who grew up with guns, suggested I start with a revolver. I’m glad i listened to him. As he put it “you’ll blow a hole in yourself if you don’t know what you are doing. Your first car wasn’t a Porsche.”
As for home safety, nothing compares to a pump-action shotgun. My house was broken into once. I was in bed, grabbed my shotgun from the closet and stood at the top of the steps, barren pointed down the steps. I never needed to fire a round, they ran away on their own. No one mistakes the sound of a shotgun being pumped
For David Barnes and Pieter (in the Netherlands),
Guns are manly, as is anything that deals with protecting and providing, the two most important manly tasks. Unfortunately for you, as many Europeans, your governments have taken on your duties, effectively emasculating you. If you are good with this, that’s your right, however, in my opinion, you are Nancies with a sore need for testosterone. To quote Mr. T: “Get your nuts on!”
Well written HowTo. However: All of the above should come naturally to someone who has the least bit of “mechanical sympathy”. “I have a machine in front of me, it has parts that have dirt on them but will also start corrosion if I wipe all the oil off, it has surfaces that are designed for very specific types of extreme forces and will wear out if scratched etc. etc.” If one thinks about this for a few seconds, everyone should be able to clean and service a gun and keep it in perfect condition.
Seriously, I don’t want to see the the car of a person that needs a howto on cleaning and caring for a machine with a relatively simple functionality like, well, a revolver. Or any machine, be it lathe or mill or whatever in their workshop, provided they have one. Which, imho, a man should
Because, well, imho you can’t really care for a mechanical device unless you have at some point in your life created delicate device from a 10kg block of cheap rusty steel 
James Lee Vann your statements can not be further from the truth. People have been cleaning their revolvers like this for years, including me, without any problems. Quit selling the Otis system. Their system is very expensive and works no better then any other system. There is nothing wrong with using aluminum rods, copper brushes, Hoppe’s #9 and Remington Oil. People have been using these for years and never had a problem. Just be careful and you will be fine. Some men have a tendency to over complicate things. Gun cleaning does not have to be one of them.
this was really helpful, thanks for posting
“I like reading the articles on this site, but I don’t think many european men would consider “proper gun cleaning skills” to be “manly”. ”
That’s because most European men are gay.