Bore Snake?

[PA BEN]

Anybody use a bore snake to clean your gun? How do they work? And do you use solvent?

[Sagedawg]

 I used one for quick cleanups out on a hunt. IMO they are better than nothing but I still prefer a 1pc rod and bore guide for a good cleaning. I think they remove powder fouling but I dont think theyll pull copper out of the bore even with solvent. Just my  .


  Sage

[Gutpile]

I use them after a thorough scrubbing and for light cleaning. I think they are great but like sage said they wont get heavy fouling or copper buildup. Wish I invented them.

[Intruder]

I use them after a thorough scrubbing and for light cleaning. I think they are great but like sage said they wont get heavy fouling or copper buildup. Wish I invented them.

+1

[Curly]

I use bore cleaning foam name "Wipeout" and then swab with the boresnake.  Seems to work great.

[YukonMud]

i use one all the time.  I run it through while at the range and it has helped while out in the field too.  Does a good job of getting debris out.

[boots]

I use one on my 12 ga and it works pretty good but dont know about how well they work with rifles

[Oldguy]

I was a doubter when they first came on the market, but I've changed my mind after using them on my shotguns, pistols and rifles. I agree that they aren't the ultimate cleaning tool, but for the first cleaning at the range or in the field, they do a great job. I haven't used solvent on mine, but I know guys who do and I agree that the old rod, brush and patches as the final cleaning is still the way to go.

[runningboard]

I own one in every caliber of firearm that I have. they do the job as field cleaner when hunting far from home. convenient, easy to carry. reminds me of a "cleaning kit" that my uncle had for his 30-40 Krag rifle that he says was issue for the army back in the day. it had a "snake" made of links that fit loosely in the bore so it wouldn't scratch the bore, it had screw-on patch holder and brushes. all contained in a can that looked a lot like a prince albert tobacco tin. reinvention of the wheel continues.

[Oldguy]

I wonder how many guys have seen or know what a "Prince Albert" tobacco tin is? Makes me feel like my log in name!

[PA BEN]

I wonder how many guys have seen or know what a "Prince Albert" tobacco tin is? Makes me feel like my log in name!

Thanks for the input guy's, I'm going on a Washington St. moose hunt and plan on taking the month of Oct. off of work for this hunt. Thought a bore snake would be good to have while away from home. BTW, when I was a kid my Grandma would give us kids PRINCE ALBERT CANS to put worms in for fishing.

[runningboard]

Just thought I would show a picture for the "whippers-snappers" who've never seen one!

when I was a kid my Grandma would give us kids PRINCE ALBERT CANS to put worms in for fishing.

Your " GRANDMA"? gotta love those times, your grandma & mine were tougher than any "panty-waist" gangsta punk!

[PA BEN]

My Grandma had a double barrel, hammer style shotgun my her bed. I ask her why she have it there? She said "try and come in my window at night and you'll find out"

[scudmaster]

I swear by them.  An occasional one piece with 7.62 Sweets would clear any copper, but for regular cleaning, you can't do much better.  IMHO

[littletoes]

Well, heres something to think about....

While cleaning my guns, I never reuse cleaning patches, they go through the gun once, then get thrown away.

Tell me how you get all that crud off of a bore snake??? You want it going through your barrel again and again?

nuff said?

never used 'em, won't.
In an emergency I carry an Otis Sniper cleaning kit in my pack-emergencies only.

[scudmaster]

They make this stuff called soap and water...Yes you can clean them.

[demontang]

I like them for varmint shoots, its an easy way to give the bore a quick cleaning. My 22-250 needed it after about 10 rounds or the primers would start to flatten.
 To really clean a rifle takes a long time and the good old rod is the only way to do it.

[Curly]

I use Wipe-Out and a bore snake and it takes practically no time at all to clean the bore.  Just spay the foam in the bore and go do something else for an hour or so (like load up some ammo), then run the snake down there once or twice........you're done.

[demontang]

That works, but to truly get a gun bore clean it takes a lot more then that.

[deaddog]

only used them on the shotgun, keep in mind that if you use them, dont use any type of bore cleaner that has copper remover or it will eat the bronze brush

[littletoes]

Soap? I've never washed a patch yet....   

Brushes wear out too...I replace them quite often, how much do them bore snakes cost?

Heres what I use...

Dewey's cleaning rod, caliber specific, I own a couple...
Dewey's Jag, wrap the patches around 'em, loops are a waste of money and time..
Shooter's Choice Solvent
Phospherous Bronze cleaning brushes, caliber specific
***Rod Guide, if you don't use one of these, throw the rest away, your wasting your time.


First off, what I do after an extended session of shooting, put the rod guide in, then push a brush wetted with Shooters Choice through the bore, till it extends all the way through, and of cource the gun is leaning forward so any excess solovent will not run into the action. As the brush is out of the muzzle, I wet it slightly again and pull it back through the barrel, till it is all the way back inside the bore guide.

What you don't want is to try and force the brush to go the other way, when the bristles are all leaning in the opposite direction. This might cause damage to your bore, and we don't want that.
Another lesson is to not try and win any races as you push the cleaning rod back and forth through your barrel.
In and Out is "1", do this at least 10 times, then go do something else for a while, load some rounds, read a book, it doesn't matter, just let that solvent do its job. If you don't have time, continue....

Run a patch through, notice the "blue", thats copper, the black crud is powder fouling. Run patches till dry, this should only take a couple. Now repeat the above steps, and brush it again 10 times.

Clean-Patch till patches come out clean. You'll be surprised how dirty your barrel was when you "thought" you were cleaning it before.

When all done, your barrel will be down to bare metal, and there will be nothing in there to protect it from the elements. If its going in the safe, I'll wet a patch with oil, and run it through it for protection, if its going in the field, I'll oil it, then dry patch it for excess oil, don't want any "pressure" signs on my brass because of forgetfullness.

Now, I didn't get into action or bolt cleaning, this is just how I clean my barrels.
Tell you one thing though, you sure will learn fast what barrels you own are "Rough". Damn things will either take forever to get clean....or just "won't".
Picked up a Smith & Wesson 1500 (yep, a Howa) for my Dad, after 120-something patches, with scrubbing in between, I never got a clean patch out of it....might want to try Tubb's "Final-Finish" on that thing...sure woudln't hurt!