My drill is to field strip the pistol down to handle and frame, barrel and cylinder. Take the wooden handles off the frame. Run a patch loaded with solvent down the barrel a few times. run a patch into each cylinder chamber a few times. Put the piece on half cock and scrub around the hammer with a toothbrush and solvent. Then put the works in a dishwasher, with the cylinders and the barrel vertical. Run it through a regular cycle with dishwashing soap and all. After the drying cycle, while the metal still is hot, take it out and douse it all with Rem oil. Wipe it off with an oily rag, smear some grease where called for and put it back together. Easiest weapon I have to clean. Don't forget and leave the pistol in the dishwasher, though, or you'll get some flash rusting. I've been shooting my 1860 Army Colt replica for about 15 years and cleaned it that way every time. No problems. :redthumb: graybeard