Cleaning Ruger Old Army

[ANDY T]

I am very new to this. I've recently bought a secondhand ROA (blued) and need some advice on cleaning it. I use Pyrodex P.

So far I've been removing plunger (is that what it's called?) and cylinder and soaking them in hot soapy water and cleaning with bronze brush and cotton mop. I do the same with the barrel, but haven't done anything with the lockwork.

Is this OK?

I am worried about putting the whole thing into soak, but I am also worried that gunk might be building up in the lockwork.

Been oiling with olive oil - is this OK?

Do I need to grease anything - if so where and what should I use?

Also I remove the nipples and give them a good clean, but been told that I shouldn't take them off as it causes wear - any views?

Thanks

[tim56]

I have the 51/2" stainless one and clean it pretty much as you do. Remove the cylinder and the grips. Drop the cylinder into hot soapy water to soak while i clean the gun with a round paint brush. I dont dunk the whole gun, just the barrel while i clean the frame with the brush holding the butt of the grip area. I do wash out between the hammer and the frame so i suppose some water must get into the action. I have a piece of round nylon belting with scotchbrite glued to it to scrub the barrel out. Then i clean the cylinder with the brush around the nipple area and internally with the nylon thingy. Nipples are only removed every 4/5th cleaning session.
I use a cheapy asda hair dryer (£4)to dry it out then scrub the bore with a dry swab, spray everything with a good soaking of wd40. The cylinder pin is greased, the cylinder and grips are refitted and the whole thing is wiped down with a dry rag. Job done. The Rogers and spencer i remove the grips and the cylinder and drop the whole thing in the water which has worked well for 8 years now but the Ruger is so shiny and new looking i figure if i look after it it will out live me!
Just as a foot note, i allways use a good lube over the balls. It keeps the fouling soft so aiding cleaning and i store the gun barrel down so as any crap or exess wd40 can drain out without staining the grips. Have fun. Tim

[lilguy43uk]

With my Remmy NMA (.44 and .36) I use Hoppes No.9 cleaning fluid as it seems to leave an oily deposit on the metal.

After removing the grips and stripping the cylinder, trigger guard, cylinder pivot and rammer, the whole lot goes into a bath of Hoppes and hot water.

The barrels are cleaned with a wire brush followed by swabbing with patches soaked in neat Hoppes.

Cotton wool buds get most of the gunk out of awkward places then the whole lot is bunged into a warm oven to gently dry for a while.

Then the barrel is wiped through with an oily rag and the trigger and hammer mechanisms oiled before re-assembly.

Nipples are removed every other time and I always fire off a cap on each empty cylinder, to burn off any oily deposits) before loading the gun. (At the range, obviously )

Jim

[tacfoley]

I am very new to this. I've recently bought a secondhand ROA (blued) and need some advice on cleaning it. I use Pyrodex P.

So far I've been removing plunger (is that what it's called?) and cylinder and soaking them in hot soapy water and cleaning with bronze brush and cotton mop. I do the same with the barrel, but haven't done anything with the lockwork.

Is this OK?

I am worried about putting the whole thing into soak, but I am also worried that gunk might be building up in the lockwork.

Been oiling with olive oil - is this OK?

Do I need to grease anything - if so where and what should I use?

Also I remove the nipples and give them a good clean, but been told that I shouldn't take them off as it causes wear - any views?

Thanks

My ROA, that gets shot most every weekend, was new when I bought it in 1986. Every time I shoot it, I clean up as most others do here, but I always remove the nipples and give them a good soaking in boiling water. A VERY small smear of Shakespeare PTFE reel grease on the threads, and then back again. They are the original items.

I've never heard of anybody lubing their handgun, or any other gun, with olive oil, but I guess that as long as it does what you want, it's good. Must smell nice for the first couple of shot, eh?

I'd try mazola next, it's sort of crispy/nutty with a lingering after-smell of the old-style fairground do-nut stand.

tac

BTW - Pyrodex P is at least twice as corrosive as good-quality BP - make sure you do it right.

[Jim McArthur]

[QUOTE=tacfoley;3518482

I've never heard of anybody lubing their handgun, or any other gun, with olive oil, but I guess that as long as it does what you want, it's good. Must smell nice for the first couple of shot, eh?

I'd try mazola next, it's sort of crispy/nutty with a lingering after-smell of the old-style fairground do-nut stand.

tac

[/QUOTE]


I never would have thought that reading about black powder shooting would make me hungry, Tac!

Jim

[ANDY T]

Thanks for the advice guys

Happy shooting

[Triumph]

I found the best way with stainless models was to take the grips off and put the gun in the dish washer.It's best to remove the cylinder and stand it 'muzzle' upward nipples out.

This should be done when you are alone in the house to avoid unwanted attention!!!

Experiment with different dishwasher tablets as sme work better than others..can't rmember which I used.

Dick.

[tacfoley]

I found the best way with stainless models was to take the grips off and put the gun in the dish washer.It's best to remove the cylinder and stand it 'muzzle' upward nipples out.

This should be done when you are alone in the house to avoid unwanted attention!!!

Experiment with different dishwasher tablets as sme work better than others..can't rmember which I used.

Dick.

My dishwasher is a bucket. You Brits and all your fancy gadgets.......sigh

tac