I've had this CVA navy colt since 1987. I quit shooting it after a while, cause I found it too much of pain to clean what with full disassembly and all. Is it really necessary to fully disassemble it to clean it after every shooting session?
Navy colt cleaning question
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DOUBLEDEUCE 1
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I take my black powder revolvers down all the way for cleaning. That gives me a chance to inspect every part and make sure it is in top condition for the next range session. That is just the way I do it.
I built this one as a kit, and unfortunately didnt do the best job of finishing it (a problem i will one day rectify when Ive a decent workspace recovered to take my time and do it right). All that said, by "take my revolvers all the way down" do you mean complete disassembly down to the individual springs and parts or just take the grip frame off and spray clean / inspect while the guts are still in it? ( I assume down to the parts but i had to ask just to be sure)
arcticap
54 Cal.
Everyone does it differently. I use APP 3F powder which is easily rinsed away from the internals. So I don't completely break down the gun but throughly clean and lube it as well as possible considering the circumstances.
IMO frequent disassembly can cause some degree of wear on the parts which can be weighed against the need for doing it, as well as their availability and cost.
Folks make a personal choice about how to proceed that's based on their own judgement. It's just like when folks choose which powder that they want to shoot with. And even relative humidity and the amount of lubrication can be a factor as to whether microscopic powder residue will become problematic.
IMO frequent disassembly can cause some degree of wear on the parts which can be weighed against the need for doing it, as well as their availability and cost.
Folks make a personal choice about how to proceed that's based on their own judgement. It's just like when folks choose which powder that they want to shoot with. And even relative humidity and the amount of lubrication can be a factor as to whether microscopic powder residue will become problematic.
The originals were not likely taken down every time and a lot of them seem to be in good shape however those might be the ones that were never fired that much. I take mine down all the way but I am a fuss nut about keeping guns clean. Rather than look at the entire job (say 25 minutes) look at the difference- quick cleaning job 10 minutes, for another 15 minutes you keep the gun in top shape. Now let's say the drive time to and from the range and time at the range all add up to three hours. The extra 15 minutes then doesn't seem to be that more more time.
I do not fully dissassemble my C&B revolvers to clean them every time I shoot them.
My cleaning envolves removing the barrel, cylinder and nipples if it is a Colt style open top or, removing the cylinder and nipples if it is a Remington style.
I use a damp rag to wipe the fouling off of the frame, hammer and exposed parts of the cylinder pin, cylinder stop and hand.
To prevent corrosion of the steel parts down in the frame I spray some Barricade thru the trigger slot, the hand slot, the cylinder lock slot and into the area around the base of the hammer.
Once a year I will totally disassemble the gun to wipe off any oily fouling that may have accumulated inside the frame.
I have never seen any rust on these internal parts during this once a year cleaning and based on this I feel I can say that even cleaning them once a year is probably more often than is really needed.
My cleaning envolves removing the barrel, cylinder and nipples if it is a Colt style open top or, removing the cylinder and nipples if it is a Remington style.
I use a damp rag to wipe the fouling off of the frame, hammer and exposed parts of the cylinder pin, cylinder stop and hand.
To prevent corrosion of the steel parts down in the frame I spray some Barricade thru the trigger slot, the hand slot, the cylinder lock slot and into the area around the base of the hammer.
Once a year I will totally disassemble the gun to wipe off any oily fouling that may have accumulated inside the frame.
I have never seen any rust on these internal parts during this once a year cleaning and based on this I feel I can say that even cleaning them once a year is probably more often than is really needed.
some folk think i'm nuts, but i take off the wooden handles and break my 1860 army colt replica into barrel, cylinder and frame. run a patch with solvent through the barrel a few times and down into each cylinder. then run it through the dishwashing machine, a full cycle. make sure the barrel and the cylinder are straight up and down. take out while still hot, spray with oil and reassemble. I've been shooting that pistol for along time and lots of rounds and no rust at all. hot water works fine. doesn't bother the dishes, either. graybeard
I've been shooting these dirty things for 35 years. I just take the barrel and cylinder off and clean the bores and chambers with an aqueous solvent and saturate the whole gun with WD-40 and wipe down until the next time I shoot. I will occasionally maybe every few years take it down completely and clean out the WD-40/powder fouling MUD out of it and I have never found rust inside the guns guts doing this.
The way I look at it these Tally revolvers are cheap to buy and shoot and tinker with. They are handled so much by loading, shooting and cleaning that they will show wear quickly as the metal is on the soft side.
To learn how to shoot it good you will need to tune it and shoot it a lot. If I wear one out I buy another and save the old one for parts. Enjoy your Navy revolver.
Bob
The way I look at it these Tally revolvers are cheap to buy and shoot and tinker with. They are handled so much by loading, shooting and cleaning that they will show wear quickly as the metal is on the soft side.
To learn how to shoot it good you will need to tune it and shoot it a lot. If I wear one out I buy another and save the old one for parts. Enjoy your Navy revolver.
Bob
DOUBLEDEUCE 1
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I know the others have responded about how they clean their revolvers. But to answer your question to me, yes. I disassemble my revolvers completely for cleaning. I probably don't need to do that each time, but I do. Old habit...
I have just purchased a sonic cleaner that usues sound waves to clean brass. I take out the cylinder and remove the nipples. I put the cylinder and the nipples in the bath and turn it on. While it is running I clean out the barrel and lightly oil. I then wipe off the frame and shoot some WD40 into the guts. When I pull out the cylinder and nipples they are completely white glove clean. I oil the nipple threads and instal. Wipe down the cylinder and chambers with oil and put it together. This is the best method I have found. I wish the barrel would fit in the little tub too.
Flash Pan Dan
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No one has ever given me a logical reason why a percussion revolver has to be disassembled for cleaning after every use. It’s always; “that’s the way I’ve always done it” or “I’ve always done it and never found any rust.” A little bit of research has revealed that black powder fouling contains salts. If these salts can be neutralized then the fouling is harmless. This can be empirically tested and found to be true. So, if you can introduce an agent in to the works of your revolver that will do that then your revolvers are safe.
When I acquire a new revolver I disassemble it and clean out all the factory lubricant, and apply straight Ballistol to the entire gun and anti seize grease to the threads on the nipples and other screws. After every outing or competition I use moose milk, one part Ballistol to 9 parts distilled water to clean the barrel, cylinder and all exposed metal. I wipe off and dry everything. Then I wipe everything down with Ballistol including a few drops into the various available openings in the frame. With a few other little tricks I can clean a revolver in 15 to 20 minutes, quicker if the need arises.
When I acquire a new revolver I disassemble it and clean out all the factory lubricant, and apply straight Ballistol to the entire gun and anti seize grease to the threads on the nipples and other screws. After every outing or competition I use moose milk, one part Ballistol to 9 parts distilled water to clean the barrel, cylinder and all exposed metal. I wipe off and dry everything. Then I wipe everything down with Ballistol including a few drops into the various available openings in the frame. With a few other little tricks I can clean a revolver in 15 to 20 minutes, quicker if the need arises.
