$325. It's kinda worn and needs a good barrel and cylinder cleaning, plus the Bianchi holster is a little worse for wear - the brass snaps are all nasty blue and crusty. Serial numbers match and SN indicates it was made in 1977. Some days I just want to shoot 38 Special and 357 mag and leave the auto loaders at home.
Range report in couple weeks. Private party so I could just walk away with it.
First of all the action and the cylinder are pretty clean, not up to my cleanliness standards, but acceptable. It's a bit odd - barrel neglected, action fairly clean. I just spent 1.5 hours cleaning the barrel and cylinder, I'll focus on the barrel, because the cylinder just came along for the ride. I removed the grips which have a nice dark patina and a ton of gun oil soaked into them. I gently cleaned the loose dirt and sweaty hand grime with Murphy's oil soap and warm water. They are clean with rich patina still there. I will oil them up just a bit with some wood oil.
Last night I left it wetted/soaking in Ballistol. The barrel was so filthy, I went straight to the wet bronze brush. I went at it for a bit - wow lots of junk came out, including small copper bits and flakes. The Ballistol was foaming a bit. Then I swabbed, and blew it out with MP, swabbed dry. Barrel now roughly cleaner with all loose material gone but plenty of rust/orange colored material packed in the grooves.
Next I get out the Sweet's 7.62 Bore Cleaning Solvent and patches. Soak and repeat. Vigorous swabbing. The patches never got very much blue on them - curious this. Dry out really well, then hose down well with more MP. Repeat and dry. For sure it is cleaner - making progress, but still this reddish stuff in the grooves.
Next some 25 year old Hoppe's #9, soak and brush and soak and brush - the very last of my stash. The grooves are now more prominent, but still stained. Dry and swap with oil and blow out again with MP, repeat.
The barrel is now cleaner than when I started, but I still cannot ID the fouling. It's almost like it's surface oxidation on non-passivated stainless steel. (It could be!). It's now shootable, but I would appreciate some input. Plus I will research more.
Gun reassembled and it's that very sweet New Model Blackhawk love action. Very nice for the price.
Range report in couple weeks. Private party so I could just walk away with it.
First of all the action and the cylinder are pretty clean, not up to my cleanliness standards, but acceptable. It's a bit odd - barrel neglected, action fairly clean. I just spent 1.5 hours cleaning the barrel and cylinder, I'll focus on the barrel, because the cylinder just came along for the ride. I removed the grips which have a nice dark patina and a ton of gun oil soaked into them. I gently cleaned the loose dirt and sweaty hand grime with Murphy's oil soap and warm water. They are clean with rich patina still there. I will oil them up just a bit with some wood oil.
Last night I left it wetted/soaking in Ballistol. The barrel was so filthy, I went straight to the wet bronze brush. I went at it for a bit - wow lots of junk came out, including small copper bits and flakes. The Ballistol was foaming a bit. Then I swabbed, and blew it out with MP, swabbed dry. Barrel now roughly cleaner with all loose material gone but plenty of rust/orange colored material packed in the grooves.
Next I get out the Sweet's 7.62 Bore Cleaning Solvent and patches. Soak and repeat. Vigorous swabbing. The patches never got very much blue on them - curious this. Dry out really well, then hose down well with more MP. Repeat and dry. For sure it is cleaner - making progress, but still this reddish stuff in the grooves.
Next some 25 year old Hoppe's #9, soak and brush and soak and brush - the very last of my stash. The grooves are now more prominent, but still stained. Dry and swap with oil and blow out again with MP, repeat.
The barrel is now cleaner than when I started, but I still cannot ID the fouling. It's almost like it's surface oxidation on non-passivated stainless steel. (It could be!). It's now shootable, but I would appreciate some input. Plus I will research more.
Gun reassembled and it's that very sweet New Model Blackhawk love action. Very nice for the price.
