I used to hate cleaning the black powder cap and ball revolvers. But since I changed over to Jim Shockey Gold 3f powder, it really has gotten a lot better. I load that powder and use a natural castor oil solid lube to seal the cylinders. I find come cleaning time, I take the nipples off the back of the cylinder, the wood grips off the handle and them make up some good hot dish water using grease free Dawn. Then I take the bore brush cleaning brush for my muzzleloaders and use that in that hot water to scrub the cylinders and the bore of the revolver. In no time at all I have all the fouling off it, and the grease and powder residue is all gone. An old tooth brush cleans up the nipples real good.

Then I rinse the thing in real hot water and kind of shake it dry. After that I spritz it with isopropyl alcohol, wipe it all dry, and then oil it back up..

Without argument these revolvers are a PITA to clean. But they sure are fun to shoot. Lonewolf.. sounds like you have a real good shooter.