IDPA SSR Cylinders Wet or Dry?

[Jeepster1]

I am curious what people think about starting an IDPA match (Stock Service Revolver) with cylinders dry or with a light coating of CLP or Rem-oil or other light lubricant. Will residue build up be less with one over the other? I am using spring loaded speed loaders. Maybe it makes little or no difference for the amount of rounds fired in a typical IDPA match? Thanks for replies.

[MrBorland]

I'm no expert, but I opt for dry. I figure less attractant for crud to stick on, and anything I can do to keep the chambers clean for as long as possible is a good thing. I can make it through our club level matches (75-ish rounds), but beyond that, I'll go to the safe area and give the chambers a quick cleaning.

Whether it matters and how much likely depends to some degree on how otherwise sound your reload technique is.

[MichiganShootist]

I shot SSR and ESR for 5 years and found a dry cylinder was less likely to fowl. In long matches I would brush out the cylinders a couple times during the match to keep that wheel clean.

[Carmoney]

Are you talking about actually coating the inside of your chambers with lube? If so--terrible idea. In fact, in high-pressure firearms, it's a dangerous practice.

Every time you fire a cartridge, the case expands and contacts the chamber walls. The friction and pressure momentarily holds the case in place, until the expanding gases escape the cartridge and flow backward outside the case, releasing the seal.

Oiling the chambers prevents that friction seal from occurring as designed, and this directs all the recoil energy directly backward into the breech face, instead of allowing the rest of the chamber to partially disperse the force.

[GrumpyOne]

Are you talking about actually coating the inside of your chambers with lube? If so--terrible idea. In fact, in high-pressure firearms, it's a dangerous practice.

Every time you fire a cartridge, the case expands and contacts the chamber walls. The friction and pressure momentarily holds the case in place, until the expanding gases escape the cartridge and flow backward outside the case, releasing the seal.

Oiling the chambers prevents that friction seal from occurring as designed, and this directs all the recoil energy directly backward into the breech face, instead of allowing the rest of the chamber to partially disperse the force.

Not to mention if the chamber is really wet with oil or any other liquid, as the case expands, it will press out the liquid, and if the cylinder or chamber is very smooth, it will get suctioned to the cylinder walls and be very hard to extract.

[Jeepster1]

Consensus is dry over wet. That is what I figured it would be and that is what I do. Thanks for the replies. Good stuff.

[Toolguy]

Another vote for dry. When you shoot and eject the cases, some debris always falls out with the spent cases. It the area under the extractor is oily, the debris will stick to it and cause the cylinder to bind up when closed, due to the extractor not being able to fully seat in the cylinder.

If it is very dry and clean, a lot of times the particles will just fall off while the extractor is still out, or worst case - you can open the cylinder, extend the extractor, blow it out and continue.

[MrBorland]

Curious timing, this thread. I was loading ammo for this weekend's Patriot Cup, and it reminded me to add to this thread: If you're concerned about dirty chambers slowing reloads, and you reload your own ammo, don't overlook the cases themselves.

I've been using 158gr LRNs and a Lee Factory Crimp die and noticed the FCD has been leaving a decent smudge of waxy lube on the side of the case. Seems the lube ring is a tiny bit bigger than the belled case, so a little bit gets extruded when the bullet is seated, then smeared on the case during the crimp step. It's waxy nature's gotta be another grime magnet when it melts and coats the inside of the cylinder, so it can't be good for reloads either. I wiped the cases clean then got inside the FCD and seating die - nasty!!! I'll find out this weekend if this matters, but if so, lesson learned: Clean my dies every so often.

Also, since I often recover my brass off a gravel & dirt surface, I'm concerned about abrasive stuff ending up in my cleaning media and/or gun, so after de-priming (with a universal de-primer), I'd hose them off and let them dry before tumbling. Though the outside of the case got clean, a decent amount of powder residue seemed to remain inside. Probably not very consequential, but eventually, I asked myself, Why blow it into the gun and maybe even make the cylinder dirtier than it needs to be if it's not necessary? Since they're getting wet anyway, I now get the insides clean as well by pre-soaking the de-primed cases in white vinegar. Afterward, they get liberally hosed with water while getting tumbled in a media separator, then sat in the sun to dry before tumbling. Not much additional time, but now nice and sparkly, inside, outside and primer pockets.

Tom

[DWFAN]

Curious timing, this thread. I was loading ammo for this weekend's Patriot Cup, and it reminded me to add to this thread: If you're concerned about dirty chambers slowing reloads, and you reload your own ammo, don't overlook the cases themselves.

I've been using 158gr LRNs and a Lee Factory Crimp die and noticed the FCD has been leaving a decent smudge of waxy lube on the side of the case. Seems the lube ring is a tiny bit bigger than the belled case, so a little bit gets extruded when the bullet is seated, then smeared on the case during the crimp step. It's waxy nature's gotta be another grime magnet when it melts and coats the inside of the cylinder, so it can't be good for reloads either. I wiped the cases clean then got inside the FCD and seating die - nasty!!! I'll find out this weekend if this matters, but if so, lesson learned: Clean my dies every so often.

Also, since I often recover my brass off a gravel & dirt surface, I'm concerned about abrasive stuff ending up in my cleaning media and/or gun, so after de-priming (with a universal de-primer), I'd hose them off and let them dry before tumbling. Though the outside of the case got clean, a decent amount of powder residue seemed to remain inside. Probably not very consequential, but eventually, I asked myself, Why blow it into the gun and maybe even make the cylinder dirtier than it needs to be if it's not necessary? Since they're getting wet anyway, I now get the insides clean as well by pre-soaking the de-primed cases in white vinegar. Afterward, they get liberally hosed with water while getting tumbled in a media separator, then sat in the sun to dry before tumbling. Not much additional time, but now nice and sparkly, inside, outside and primer pockets.

Tom

I agree about the lube and FCD.. thats why I tumble all my lead loaded ammo. 10-15minutes gets most of the gunk off. Then chamber checking match ammo, I can look for other big hunks if needed.

[GMM50]

I've been honing the cylinder walls. And keeping them dry.

This makes loading and unloading go so much better (faster).

It also reduces the amount of fowling that's picked on those cylinder walls.

I don't have the bullet lube situation as you described. My last problem is the loads are light enough that the case doesn't seal tightly against the cylinder wall. This causes a small amount on powder for accumulate. If I don't brush the cylinders out every 100 rounds or so the rounds will not seat properly and the energy of the hammer will go into pushing the round forward and not into setting of the primer. All of this is a combination of my cases, projectiles, dies, and so on. Yours will be different.

I also estimate it takes about 12 months to get a new pistol setup (gun, holster, bullets, power, power factor) working to perfection.

Club shooting couple times a month and major match every 2-3 months.

George

[Tom E]

I've been honing the cylinder walls.

This makes loading and unloading go so much better (faster).

Brownell's Flex-Hone? Fine?

[GMM50]

I've been honing the cylinder walls.

This makes loading and unloading go so much better (faster).

Brownell's Flex-Hone? Fine?

That's what I use