Maintaining and Cleaning SAA Revolvers

How do I clean my SAA revolver?

One of our specialities is working on Single-Action Army revolvers. We use this as a broad term to encompass not just the iconic Colt SAA, but also the Uberti Cattleman, EMF Great Westerns, USFA SAA, and the Ruger Vaquero/Blackhawk. Here at Nelson Gunsmithing, we travel to local Cowboy Action Shooting competitions and perform on-site maintenance of competitive firearms. So our approach to care of these revolvers is informed by seeing them immediately live-tested in the crucible of the arena.

We have found that single-action revolvers tend to run very dirty. There are lots of cavities in the action where dirt, lead and grime can accumulate, but not a lot of ways to easily evacuate the buildup. Taking off the grip panel and removing the cylinder is as far as we recommend most users going.

A lot of shooters like ultrasonic tanks. These work very well but trap moisture inside the action. Stainless guns are more tolerant of rust buildup but there are still internal parts that can corrode. The most effective cleaning solution we have found is Simple Green. Care should be taken to not leave older blued guns in the solution as they can damage the finish.

We recommend using a good expanding foam lubricant/cleaner, like G96. Use a combination of forced air and G96 to purge trapped moisture and distribute the oil, which will displace the water. Placing the gun somewhere warm with lots of air flow (such as under a fan or hair dryer) will accelerate the evaporation process.