Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: marlin on October 08, 2011, 11:56:36 AM

Title: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 08, 2011, 11:56:36 AM: I never knew this was possible until it happened to me. So last night I was cleaning my AR chambered in 5.56, and I ran my .22 cal boresnake thru it as usual, well now its stuck bad and I think Im going to quit while there is still some string hanging out and take it to Olympic Arms and see if they can get it out. I guess this boresnake was ready to retire or something because I have been using it to clean my AR and my .22s for at least a year now with no problems.
I sprayed solvent into the barrel until it dripped out, and then tied the boresnake around my door knob and attempted to pull it out using my weight but that just broke the string between the door knob and my upper reciever.. :bash:
I googled stuck boresnake and saw all kinds of forums where this has happened to other people. Nobody really has any failsafe way of getting them out. At least I have string protruding from my barrel, where some people didnt. I guess Ill just take it to Oly and see what they can do. Maybe it will have to get rechambered to 7.62x39 or something lol.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: JimmyHoffa on October 08, 2011, 12:26:20 PM: Have you tried a wooden dowel of slightly less than .22 cal inserted from the muzzle? You can tap on it with a small hammer or just let the dowel drop on the obstruction a few times.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 08, 2011, 12:29:48 PM: Well the part that is hanging out is hanging out of the muzzle, because I insert the boresnake from the chamber end and pull it out thru the muzzle.. But No I didnt try that because I dont have any wooden dowels.. I tried the cleaning rod but Im pretty sure that just compressed the boresnake and jammed it in there even tighter.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: FC on October 08, 2011, 12:36:33 PM: You have just compounded my paranoia, I use bore snakes to dry the bore of my rifles when I get back home or to camp on a rainy day. I have no idea what to tell you to use to get it out of there! I always inspect mine carefully before use, do you think that it's come apart where the pull string ties on to the cleaning weave and wedged into your gas port or something?
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: dannysdaddy on October 08, 2011, 12:42:16 PM: never had a problem with mine. could it be stuck on the locks in the chamber?? sounds dumb but mabey. the only other thing i can think of is there was a twist in it that went down the barrel and jammed. try tapping a cleaning rod i dont think it will hurt since your already screwed and youl be tapping against a cloth surface... :dunno:
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 08, 2011, 01:04:50 PM: Nope.. Its fully past the chamber.. at least 4" into the barrel past the chamber.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 08, 2011, 01:06:21 PM: you might be able to see in the pic that it is past the chamber.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 08, 2011, 01:09:37 PM: btw the string wasnt all unraveled like that until after I tried pulling it out.. It was in good shape before it got stuck
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: demontang on October 09, 2011, 01:04:48 PM: I would try to drive it out with a metal cleaning rod or the dowel maybe have some one pull when you are pushing it out. I've never had a problem with mine and I've been using it for 5years.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: JimmyHoffa on October 09, 2011, 01:35:25 PM: Maybe pour some oil down from the breech and let it soak, then try a dowel/rod from the breech. I've got things stuck in barrels before and just use the dowel and small drops (half a foot) repeatedly on concrete to inch things out.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on October 09, 2011, 09:22:53 PM: Try using a 17 cal cleaning rod as well, to give it some room for expansion.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: addicted on October 10, 2011, 02:21:25 AM: 50lb test fishing line and a really tiny hook :chuckle:

Its gonna have to be pushed out with something.....I wonder if you could burn it out...hmmm
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: winshooter88 on October 10, 2011, 03:21:32 AM: Since you put it in the chamber end it is going to have to come out the muzzle end, otherwise you have to change the direction of the brush bristles. Which would make it even harder to remove. I agree, a small dowel or coated metal rod is what it will take to get it out. Good Luck!
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: coachcw on October 10, 2011, 05:49:48 PM: put it in the freezer the colder the barrell and snake the eayier it will move . a wooden dowll from the chamber while pulling the snake may work also spin the rope in case the rope is whats stacked up it will get smaller . Good luck
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: Heredoggydoggy on October 10, 2011, 06:41:51 PM: If the cord is still in reasonably strong shape, I'd tie it to a solid object and pull on the gun. If the cord breaks, so what? The boresnake is toast anyway. soaking with a light oil as suggested above first is a good idea. I have a real pet peeve about guys that try to get something apart without oil.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: whacker1 on October 10, 2011, 06:49:56 PM: I think your solution of the gunsmith is the best so far. I hope it works out for you.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: ICEMAN on October 10, 2011, 06:56:03 PM: Use compressed air to assist as you pull.

Oil the bajeezus out of it, put the air to the chamber side and pull. Good luck.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: whacker1 on October 10, 2011, 06:57:15 PM: I wonder if the lube and oil made it swell.

But the compressed air sounds like a reasonable idea.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: dirty24d on October 10, 2011, 07:03:04 PM: Its been a few times already but i'd go with the wooden dowel that way your not worrying about damaging the rifling in the barrel with harder items. Good Luck I'm sure you'll get it out with out spending much hopefully.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: whacker1 on October 10, 2011, 07:04:46 PM: I have never used one, but CO2 bullet dislodgers are made for muzzleloaders that get a bullet hung up. That may be a way to go?
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 11, 2011, 06:44:49 PM: I went ahead and took the upper into Oly today and they took care of it for me.. Not really sure how. But I have got my rifle back.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: sisu on October 11, 2011, 06:50:29 PM: I'd like to know what caused the problem? And how they got it out?
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 12, 2011, 05:33:11 AM: What caused it? I have no idea.. Maybe the boresnake was getting old and fat? lol. I took it to Oly with string still hanging out, after I had tried pulling it out attached to a door knob, only breaking the excess string and it not budging. I think they just had a big guy hold it and locked on the string with vise grips or something to get it out. It didnt take them long but I noticed a new scratch on the crown of the barrel that I didnt have before.. So they used some sort of tool. Hopefully my accuracy wont be affected.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: demontang on October 12, 2011, 07:40:48 AM: What kind of a scratch? I would ask them about it if that was my gun, They seem to be great people there from what I have had dealings with.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: jyerxa on October 12, 2011, 10:52:01 AM: The only thing that could make sense to me on how you did it would be that some how your got a kink in it. I make efforts to guide mine into the barrel when I use mine.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: jackmaster on October 12, 2011, 12:58:30 PM: just load it and pull the trigger :yike:... just kidn, how about a ramrod from a muzzle loader it might fit
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: CAMPMEAT on October 13, 2011, 07:41:39 PM: Have your wife try.................. :chuckle:
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: dirty24d on October 18, 2011, 10:20:13 PM: I know this is older and resolved now but i have a question for ya.

Did they give you the bore snake back and can you tell if just maybe somehow you accidentally put the wrong sized snake in?

I now i have several and if i wasnt paying attention it could happen.

???? Just a thought
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 19, 2011, 05:54:45 AM: Dirty:
They didnt give the snake back, but it was the proper size one. It was the .22 caliber snake. I only have 4 and its easy for me not to get them mixed up. .22, .30, 12ga, and 20ga. Well now I have 3 lol. Anyways theyre all different colors and sizes..
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: h20hunter on October 19, 2011, 06:19:53 AM: Have you had a chance to run some rounds to know if the rifle was affected?
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: dirty24d on October 19, 2011, 06:49:47 AM: Quote from: marlin on October 19, 2011, 05:54:45 AM
Dirty:
They didnt give the snake back, but it was the proper size one. It was the .22 caliber snake. I only have 4 and its easy for me not to get them mixed up. .22, .30, 12ga, and 20ga. Well now I have 3 lol. Anyways theyre all different colors and sizes..

Right on, well note to self boresnake do have a shelf life i need to check mine out.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: seth30 on October 19, 2011, 06:49:52 AM: Glad you got the snake out.
Title: Re: boresnake went in, wont come out..
Post by: marlin on October 20, 2011, 05:46:11 AM: "Have you had a chance to run some rounds to know if the rifle was affected"

No, Unfortunately not yet. When I get a chance I will go out and re-confirm my zero, and see if group sizes have been affected. I dont really think it should be. I easily and consistently can get groups smaller than 2" with the cheapest steel cased crap ammo. .223 ammo when I have a 5.56 chamber. It will do much better with quality ammo. I think to see the best results I would need to reload some 5.56 brass so there is no slop in the chamber. Too busy with .308 ammo recipes lately