Gun cleaning 101 - Ruger Blackhawk revolver

[Toothpick]

Thanks everyone for the tips. keep em coming if you got em.

I think i'm going to do a light cleaning this weekend, tomorrow or sunday.

You can get the manual, and other info like year manufactured, from Ruger's web site. The manual will have an exploded view. Sorry I assumed you had the manual laying around somewhere.

http://www.ruger.com/service/productHistory.html

Pretty sure the following pdf is what you need.

https://ruger-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/_manuals/blackhawk.pdf

Don't know how sentimental this gun is being your fathers, but if you rarely shoot it I would highly recommend instead of using oil on the outside for protection before you put it away get yourself a RIG Rag. I got turned on to one of these over at Castboolits and they're great.

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleani...ag-universal-grease-applicator-prod31843.aspx



Me personally I would much rather clean a semi-auto than than a revolver. Frik'n seven holes to clean vs one.

Thanks for those links! My older brother bought the gun for my father YEARS ago. I've never seen a manual for it. Got one now tho!

Here is a fairly good video for you to look at.

I watched all of that video....the longest I've every spent watching a youtube video. Very helpful! Thanks!

 

[Toothpick]

Well that was pretty simple. I just did the barrel and cylinder. And some oil here and there on the moving parts, specifically the hammer, bullet ejector (still gotta learn proper names), and then a light coating on the gun itself.




The barrel looks pretty good




But the cylinder....has some weird rings on the inside. My guess is it's about right where the bullet ejects from the casing?
Hopefully you can see them in the picture. in every chamber there are the circles.
1. What is this? what is it from?
2. Should I do a better cleaning and try to remove these?



During the cleaning shot. I also picked up a gun cleaning mat.

 

[cb91710]

I understand. I would at least remove the cylinder. Good clean, not too much oil little goes a long way.

Take a white piece of paper and while cleaning hold that paper breach end and look down the muzzle. The white paper gives contrast and reflects light.

I use my thumbnail because it's convenient, but ya, paper provides better contrast.

A buddy of mine has a hook shaped piece of orange lucite that serves double-duty.
It is a "chamber open" flag for the range, but being basically a 1/2" fiber optic, it also brightly illuminates the bore.

 

[hillbilly pick]

I use my thumbnail because it's convenient, but ya, paper provides better contrast.

A buddy of mine has a hook shaped piece of orange lucite that serves double-duty.
It is a "chamber open" flag for the range, but being basically a 1/2" fiber optic, it also brightly illuminates the bore.

Nice!

My father taught me this trick.

 

[hillbilly pick]

Well that was pretty simple. I just did the barrel and cylinder. And some oil here and there on the moving parts, specifically the hammer, bullet ejector (still gotta learn proper names), and then a light coating on the gun itself.




The barrel looks pretty good




But the cylinder....has some weird rings on the inside. My guess is it's about right where the bullet ejects from the casing?
Hopefully you can see them in the picture. in every chamber there are the circles.
1. What is this? what is it from?
2. Should I do a better cleaning and try to remove these?



During the cleaning shot. I also picked up a gun cleaning mat.

Looks good Pick!

 

[MrMurphy]

A boresnake makes cleaning simpler. Remove the cylinder and pull it through from the cylinder end twice, barrel is clean.

 

[N1CK]

Well that was pretty simple. I just did the barrel and cylinder. And some oil here and there on the moving parts, specifically the hammer, bullet ejector (still gotta learn proper names), and then a light coating on the gun itself.

The barrel looks pretty good




But the cylinder....has some weird rings on the inside. My guess is it's about right where the bullet ejects from the casing?
Hopefully you can see them in the picture. in every chamber there are the circles.
1. What is this? what is it from?
2. Should I do a better cleaning and try to remove these?



During the cleaning shot. I also picked up a gun cleaning mat.

Nice job man, barrel looks good. Great pics as well.

Those are rings of carbon and other gunk, right at the chamber throats. They are difficult to remove completely. They make chamber brushes, as opposed to bore brushes, that are a little bigger and a little stiffer for that.

Don't worry about them. You could scrub and scrub and not make much of a dent. If anything find yourself a small glass, or other suitable container, barely bigger than the cylinder and soak those deposits in solvent for a while. You could also stick some solvent soaked cotton balls down each hole to try and soak those spots. You could let is soak for hours, Hoppe's isn't going to hurt anything. Then after soaking scrub it a bit with a brush and see if anything comes off.

 

[cb91710]

But the cylinder....has some weird rings on the inside. My guess is it's about right where the bullet ejects from the casing?

That is exactly where it is, and is why a .357 casing will stick and not eject easily after firing the shorter .38spl rounds.

I can not tell if that is flame etching (pitting), or powder deposits.
If it is pitting, not much you can do (also look at the top of the frame just above the barrel, that is another place flame etching is often seen).
Soak a patch in solvent and pop it in there, letting it sit for a while, then run the brass brush back through. If you see improvement, keep at it. If you see no change, then it is likely etching.

I do not apply oil to the exterior... I just use the silicone cloth. Enough oil is already present on the gun from CLP overspray and handling. Guns really do like to run dry for the most part (the AR15 bolt is one exception), excess grease and oil attract dirt, which causes wear and causes an inconsistent trigger feel.

Froglube

Damn... finally something we disagree on
Not that I feel there is anything wrong with the product, but the marketing is fraught with inconsistencies and exaggerations.
For what it is/does, I feel that it is not a good value. CLP and #9 work wonderfully... Mobil-1 for my AR bolt.

I don't what what the pawl is and transfer bar.

The pawl is the wedge that advances and indexes the cylinder.
The transfer bar is your safety, and nearly all modern revolvers have them.
When you pull the trigger, the trigger moves the transfer bar up to cover the firing pin, so the hammer drops on the transfer bar and the transfer bar actually presses the pin into the primer.
If you pull the trigger to manually decock, holding the hammer with your thumb, if you release the trigger while lowering the hammer, you will see the transfer bar drop back into the frame, and the "step" at the top of the hammer will come to rest on the frame, there will be an air gap between the hammer and firing pin.
This allows the revolver to be safely carried with a full cylinder and the hammer down. Impact on the hammer from dropping puts force on the frame, not the pin.
Be aware that if you find yourself acquiring any C&R single-action "cowboy" revolvers, they may not have a transfer bar, and should be carried with the hammer on an empty chamber.

I'd have to check again, but I don't believe my Heritage .22lr/.22mag single action has a transfer bar, but it does have a manual safety that raises the hammer a few mm... so be sure to know your gun, even modern guns, as some may still use designs from 1880. I know of a lot that still use designs from 1903 and 1911

 

[Toothpick]

Nice job man, barrel looks good. Great pics as well.

Those are rings of carbon and other gunk, right at the chamber throats. They are difficult to remove completely. They make chamber brushes, as opposed to bore brushes, that are a little bigger and a little stiffer for that.

Don't worry about them. You could scrub and scrub and not make much of a dent. If anything find yourself a small glass, or other suitable container, barely bigger than the cylinder and soak those deposits in solvent for a while. You could also stick some solvent soaked cotton balls down each hole to try and soak those spots. You could let is soak for hours, Hoppe's isn't going to hurt anything. Then after soaking scrub it a bit with a brush and see if anything comes off.

Great thanks! As long as they wont hurt anything I'm fine with it. I'll probably try the cotton ball trick though and see if that helps any. My patches came out clean. I also didn't oil the chambers or the barrel.

 

[Toothpick]

That is exactly where it is, and is why a .357 casing will stick and not eject easily after firing the shorter .38spl rounds.

I can not tell if that is flame etching (pitting), or powder deposits.
If it is pitting, not much you can do (also look at the top of the frame just above the barrel, that is another place flame etching is often seen).
Soak a patch in solvent and pop it in there, letting it sit for a while, then run the brass brush back through. If you see improvement, keep at it. If you see no change, then it is likely etching.

I do not apply oil to the exterior... I just use the silicone cloth. Enough oil is already present on the gun from CLP overspray and handling. Guns really do like to run dry for the most part (the AR15 bolt is one exception), excess grease and oil attract dirt, which causes wear and causes an inconsistent trigger feel.



Damn... finally something we disagree on
Not that I feel there is anything wrong with the product, but the marketing is fraught with inconsistencies and exaggerations.
For what it is/does, I feel that it is not a good value. CLP and #9 work wonderfully... Mobil-1 for my AR bolt.



The pawl is the wedge that advances and indexes the cylinder.
The transfer bar is your safety, and nearly all modern revolvers have them.
When you pull the trigger, the trigger moves the transfer bar up to cover the firing pin, so the hammer drops on the transfer bar and the transfer bar actually presses the pin into the primer.
If you pull the trigger to manually decock, holding the hammer with your thumb, if you release the trigger while lowering the hammer, you will see the transfer bar drop back into the frame, and the "step" at the top of the hammer will come to rest on the frame, there will be an air gap between the hammer and firing pin.
This allows the revolver to be safely carried with a full cylinder and the hammer down. Impact on the hammer from dropping puts force on the frame, not the pin.
Be aware that if you find yourself acquiring any C&R single-action "cowboy" revolvers, they may not have a transfer bar, and should be carried with the hammer on an empty chamber.

I'd have to check again, but I don't believe my Heritage .22lr/.22mag single action has a transfer bar, but it does have a manual safety that raises the hammer a few mm... so be sure to know your gun, even modern guns, as some may still use designs from 1880. I know of a lot that still use designs from 1903 and 1911

I was going to pick up a silicone cloth today when I got the gun mat! I should have darn it. I cut up an old t-shirt and used a light oiling on it to rub the gun down. I'm going to get the silicone cloth for future use though.

I was looking at this Heritage but it says not available in Illinois. No idea why. seems like all Heritage revolvers are not available in IL.

 

[N1CK]

Great thanks! As long as they wont hurt anything I'm fine with it. I'll probably try the cotton ball trick though and see if that helps any. My patches came out clean. I also didn't oil the chambers or the barrel.

I should add that I don't consider those deposits a problem....unless you notice cases sticking upon ejection, from the deposits not some other reason, like what cb91710 was talking about. Even with my Blackhawk, throats reamed to .4525, elimintaing those rings is almost a loosing battle. I can keep them in check but that's about it.

One lightly oiled patch down the barrel to finish after a bunch of dry's, some guys go with one soaked patch followed by a dry one, is pretty standard operating procedure. Unless your going to be shooting the thing in say.....90 seconds.

 

[cb91710]

I was going to pick up a silicone cloth today when I got the gun mat! I should have darn it. I cut up an old t-shirt and used a light oiling on it to rub the gun down. I'm going to get the silicone cloth for future use though.

I also like the gun socks for storage, particularly long-term storage in humid or salty environments. Right now, the only gun I have stored in one is my grandpa's 1903.

I was looking at this Heritage but it says not available in Illinois. No idea why. seems like all Heritage revolvers are not available in IL.

Could be because of the lack of the transfer bar safety.

Also something to keep in mind on rimfire, while you can generally dry-fire modern centerfire guns without risk of damage, you must not dry fire a rimfire gun without some kind of dummy round in the chamber.. either a plastic round, or a piece of spent brass. I'm not a fan of spent brass because it is not visually different from a live round, and I'm not a fan of painting spent brass because of contamination.
On rimfire, the firing pin hits the edge of the breech and pinches the rim of the casing. Hardened steel pinching soft brass. Without a round in the chamber, hardened steel against hardened steel.

Commercial dummy rounds are anodized and heat treated, and are not the same color. Making dummy rounds from unloaded and de-primed commercial rounds, or from empty reloading components and a dab of RTV in the primer hole seems to be a popular activity on some gun forums, and IMHO, it is stupid and just setting someone up for an ND.

 

[Toothpick]

One lightly oiled patch down the barrel to finish after a bunch of dry's, some guys go with one soaked patch followed by a dry one, is pretty standard operating procedure. Unless your going to be shooting the thing in say.....90 seconds.

Just did this. I think I'm all set for the range now!

I also like the gun socks for storage, particularly long-term storage in humid or salty environments. Right now, the only gun I have stored in one is my grandpa's 1903.



Could be because of the lack of the transfer bar safety.

Also something to keep in mind on rimfire, while you can generally dry-fire modern centerfire guns without risk of damage, you must not dry fire a rimfire gun without some kind of dummy round in the chamber.. either a plastic round, or a piece of spent brass. I'm not a fan of spent brass because it is not visually different from a live round, and I'm not a fan of painting spent brass because of contamination.
On rimfire, the firing pin hits the edge of the breech and pinches the rim of the casing. Hardened steel pinching soft brass. Without a round in the chamber, hardened steel against hardened steel.

Commercial dummy rounds are anodized and heat treated, and are not the same color. Making dummy rounds from unloaded and de-primed commercial rounds, or from empty reloading components and a dab of RTV in the primer hole seems to be a popular activity on some gun forums, and IMHO, it is stupid and just setting someone up for an ND.

I tried asking them but never got through to anyone. Next time I'm at the store I'll ask and report back. Since I've been handling this revolver I'm reconsidering my initial thoughts on a semi-auto being my first handgun.

I was going to get the gun sock as well. I have a J.C. Higgins 16 gauge bolt action that my grandfather gave me, right now is in the original sleeve. Needs to be put in something else.

 

[70GT6]

I was looking at this Heritage but it says not available in Illinois. No idea why. seems like all Heritage revolvers are not available in IL.

Just looked at this Heritage and they say they will ship to the Rockford IL store near me. Try a different store.

 

[Toothpick]

Just looked at this Heritage and they say they will ship to the Rockford IL store near me. Try a different store.

I just went through all the stores and it took me to the same screen on them all "this item can not be shipped to your location. please select a different shipping address."

I selected a TN store and it went through fine.

 

[Toothpick]

About the Heritage Arms revolver....

did some light web research and apparently the revolver has an alloy frame which is why it is not legal in IL. If you can find one with a steel frame you're good to go.

 

[70GT6]

Ah..IL doesnt allow the alloy frame. Sorry looked like when I checked it went through but ..nope.

 

[Toothpick]

Ah..IL doesnt allow the alloy frame. Sorry looked like when I checked it went through but ..nope.

bingo

 

[rblank]

A silicone cloth would be a good purchase. Something that no one has touched on, is the salt from hands deposited on the metal of a weapon. Any time a weapon is handled, salt from a persons skin is left on the metal. Anytime a weapon is put away (stored) in or out of a case, it should be wiped down with the cloth and put away with no contact of skin to metal. Failure to do this, especially on a blued weapon, will over time cause the bluing to rust, as the salt attracts moisture. This is why you will sometimes see permanent finger prints or discoloration of the finish on a blued weapon.

 

[Toothpick]

A silicone cloth would be a good purchase. Something that no one has touched on, is the salt from hands deposited on the metal of a weapon. Any time a weapon is handled, salt from a persons skin is left on the metal. Anytime a weapon is put away (stored) in or out of a case, it should be wiped down with the cloth and put away with no contact of skin to metal. Failure to do this, especially on a blued weapon, will over time cause the bluing to rust, as the salt attracts moisture. This is why you will sometimes see permanent finger prints or discoloration of the finish on a blued weapon.

I was sure to wipe it down with a cut up cotton t-shirt after handling today. Might not be as good as the silicone cloth but it's something. I'm going to get that cloth for sure.