rickcr

Hi. Purchased a GP100 6'' barrel and shot about 75 rounds of 38 special+P through it for the first time last night. The ammo was 125g Remington UMC semi-jacked hollowpoint.

When I went to clean the gun later that evening, I noticed it was a lot dirty than I expected.

I have a generic cleaning kit and used some Hoppe's #9 solvent to try to remove the black build up, but it seemed way more difficult than expected. I would have thought it would have been easy to bring the stainless right back to spanking new looking but as you can see form this pic there still seems to be a lot of black residue left. (note the dark in the cylinders is a shadow.)

https://img.skitch.com/20121018-1nms...3gsnjxx3en.jpg

The brush I have is sort of like a hard toothbrush (not brass) and it didn't seem to remove it too well.

Also that hoppe's solvent sure left things very greasy. I thought it would have maybe evaporated by the next day but it was still greasy today.

So..
1) Do you guys manage to get that black completely off or is it normal for it to be tarnished like that?
2) Should I use a different solvent?
3) Should I use a different kind of brush?
4) Should I use maybe different ammo so it gets less dirty? (I guess a full jacketed 38 special would be better?)

Any other advice?

This is my first revolver. (I do own a Glock as well, but I sure do love shooting this GP100 much more than my Glock!)

Jtiv19

Get one of these and you will be very happy.

North country gal

No need to get it completely spotless. It's normal for that area to get black, though I always use a brass brush and solvent to wipe the heavy stuff off, as you have done. Unless the buildup is extreme, it only affects the looks.

From time to time, I will clean it completely with Lead Away Gun cloth or a dab of Flitz metal polish and a little elbow grease, though keeping the polish or paste out of the cylinder holes can be a hassle. The cloth works best.

opos

I'm like the others....don't get too concerned about a little build up remaining...it's very normal...you can spend hours and get it all purdy and fire one or 2 rounds and oops....it's sooty again...I use the "lead away cloth" now and then after a good solvent and brushingsession and after drying the gun off (use the lead away cloth dry) and never never never use a lead away cloth on a blued gun...takes bluing off slick as a whistle...I bought some cheap brass bristle utility brushes on Ebay...sort of like an oversize toothbrush with soft brass bristles....they sort of help..use them with Hoppe's or with Kroil and then wipe things down and then possibly use the cloth after drying the gun off. I don't leave Hoppe's on for more that a few minutes or so...it's a solvent and not a preservative or lubricant...it desolves and cleans then when you wipe it down and patch the bore and cylinder throats till clean and dry...then follow with a light (light!) lubrication...I often will use Hoppe's or Kroil for the harder and dirtier cleaning..get it all clean and dry and wipe it down and then go over the whole gun with Breakfree CLP as a final cleaner, a lube and a protectant...I never leave a wet residue on any gun...just a very light surface sheen is about it. If I'm not dealing with lots of soot or carbon or residue I often just use CLP..sort of wet things down...let it stand for a while and then wipe it all off...that leaves enough protection and lube if you will be shooting it in the next few weeks...I might put just a dab more on and not wipe it quite so dry if things will sit for a few months. Hard to tell from the pictures but it looks like you have some wet residue in the cylinder throats....don' t leave that all wet and gunked up...after you are done ... put patches through like the barrel until they come out clean...then a very very light bit of oil or CLP is all you need.

krwada

Hoppe's #9 with a scotch-brite pad. Or Hoppe's with a chore-boy pad, either will get that residue off of the cylinder. Both of these pads will mar the finish. If you really want to get the gunk off without marring the finish, then I suggest scrubbing it with a Teflon pad with some solvent. Then follow this up with a polishing compound like Flitz.

Doing this will take a lot of time and effort.

By the way, the main ingredient in Hoppe's #9 is kerosene, or something very similar to kerosene. The solvent in Hoppe's has a very low flash point, so it will not evaporate very quickly.

NY Ruger

If your 100 is a 357, and your shooting 38s thru it, cleaning of the cylinder bores is gonna be important, or your not gonna get your 357 rounds in there.

All very typical as others said above.. Flitz is good, or I also use Remington bore cleaner, it and flitz are mechanical cleaners. They work a lot better than the bore chemical bore cleaners to get the burnt powder off the SS.

Spike12

1) Do you guys manage to get that black completely off or is it normal for it to be tarnished like that?
>>> Like the other have said - totally normal regardless of what ammo you use.

2) Should I use a different solvent?
>>> Hoppes may not have the 'sex appeal' of newer stuff but I've not found anything much better. I use it for every bore. I use G96 for the clock works on pistols. I've soaked hard carbon stuff in a dish of Hoppes with great results.

3) Should I use a different kind of brush?
>>> You can buy packages with a brass, nylon & SS brush from Midway. I've never found any of them to affect that blacking on the front of cylinder. While the GP is SS, you can scratch it with brass and SS brushes.

4) Should I use maybe different ammo so it gets less dirty? (I guess a full jacketed 38 special would be better?)
>>> The problem is powder not the bullet. Some ammo is just cleaner than others. GPs are so strong and reliable I can't imagine shooting any ammo to the extent it gets so dirty as to just stop working.

Any other advice?
>>> The comment about cleaning the cylinder shooting .38SPL is very true. They, like every other caliber, leave a ring at their case mouth when fired. Shoot enough .38 and that ring can get so solid that putting in .357 (longer cases) won't work until you've cleaned the cylinder.

No comment on owning a Glock. You're on your own there.

Tater

Hoppe's No. 9 on a brush and let the rest stay.

mk34techrep

Congrats on your new gun and Greetings and Welcome from NE North Carolina.

gwnorth

Inside the cylinders, no, I'm not used to having that kind of residue left after cleaning. I use Hoppe's as well, and a bronze .40cal bore brush to clean out the cylinders.

As far as the front of the cylinders, I don't bother with getting rid of the black (it will just be right back the next time you shoot). On my stainless guns, I use a bronze "toothbrush" (get them almost any place that sells shooting supplies), some solvent, a few scrubs or swipes so there is no actual physical crud left and that's it. Never worry about the black stains - it just means you actually use the thing for what it was built for, to shoot it. On my blued GP100, I use a nylon brush and solvent.

3482jl

+1

Hokieman1987

Generally, I cleaned mine the best I could using conventional methods listed above and didn't worry about the rest. I'm sold on that video for the Birchwood Casey cloth. I'm going to get one today!

rdp357

I use a Kleen Bore Lead Away cloth on my SP101 after my main cleaning, it gets the rest of the black residue off, works great.

funkymonkey1111

the choice of ammo will not affect whether the black rings will form around your cylinder. i've got 20 years of crap on mine and it works just fine.

rickcr

WOW. It just came in today and I just tried it. What an amazing cloth! It seriously is amazing.. came off so easy with jus a coulpe quick wipes.

The Hoppe's 9 wasn't doing jack.. and then was with scrubbing with a brush (not brass though.) This cloth is a key part of my kit now.