How do you clean a Charter Arms 38 special snub nose?

Answer 1

UNLOAD YOUR WEAPON! REMOVE THE AMMUNITION FROM THE ROOM! TURN OFF THE TELEVISION!!

You'll need a cleaning kit. Brushes, rods, patches, powder solvent, and oil. Depending on how dirty the gun is, you may need to remove the grips. (Solvent doesn't like pistol grips) Use solvent on a patch down the barrel, then move on to the cylinder, swab every part that could have been fouled by burnt powder. Let the weapon sit for a few minutes. Run a .38cal bore brush up and down the barrel a few times, then through the cylinder a few times. (NOTE: when using a bore brush, use only a brush made out of material softer than steel. Most are bronze or plastic) Purists will tell you to brush in the direction of the bullet's travel, but you're dealing with around 1" of barrel. Just scrub it. Scrub the chambers, and the nooks and crannies.

*TIP* That old toothbrush you're about to replace? PERFECT GUN BRUSH! You can also shave the tip of the handle to guide patches into the rails and grooves of semi autos.

Now you use patches and cotton rags through the bore and chambers... one at a time please. Use the rags to wipe down the frame and outside of the cylinder.

Once you have wiped the gun clean (and clean patches are coming out of the bore), put some good gun oil on another rag (a clean cotton one) and wipe down the gun. Be sparing with the oil A little is good, too much attracts filth. Put a drop wherever parts are moving and/or coming in contact with each other. Work the pistol....DO NOT DRY FIRE! Move it through the normal operations to work the oil in. Wipe up excess, put grips back on, and you're done.

That's cleaning 101 targeted at a small frame revolver.