Boresnake vs Otis for Ruger 10/22...No Straight Rods

[Patriotdoc]

I am looking for the best mix of time efficiency/performance to clean my upcoming Ruger 10/22 barrel. This will be my 2nd gun. My 1st is a Mossberg 930 that I clean with a Boresnake and CLP immediately after every range visit. I just received an Otis Military Deluxe cleaning kit which I will use with the included O85 solvent/lube every time I actually field strip the shotgun at home = every couple hundred rounds or few range trips. The Otis includes the parts for 9mm, 40SW, 45ACP, 5.56, 7.62, 12GA but per my emails with Otis it does not include the cable or brush for the Ruger 10/22. I have the option of getting another boresnake for $15 on Amazon, or the Otis .22 kit for $12 on Amazon. Do you guys recommend:

1. I get both and continue my shotgun regimen of bore snake/CLP immediately after shooting and Otis during field strip sessions?

2. Just the bore snake or the Otis?

3. Using something other than CLP with the bore snake or O85 with the Otis?

I am not interested in buying straight rods as I want something fast due to the limited time I have to spend on hobbies and my desire to spend more gun time on shooting and less on cleaning. I know I will never get it as clean as I could with straight rods etc. but I just want this to be reliable and perform well I'm not really interested in a picture perfect bore. Thanks for the help!

[wizdumb]

The boresnake will be faster than the Otis. You don't need to put a new patch on with every pass and you don't need to switch between patches and brushes.
Bonus points: AR-15 and other 5.56/.223 rifles can use the same boresnake as your .22LR.
Use of CLP should be just fine on the boresnake, but avoid anything with copper solvents, which will eat away at the brushes.

[Patriotdoc]

What solvents/lubes do you use on your bore snake?

[sholling]

I've never really liked boresnakes but whatever you choose don't over clean because 22s shoot better with the barrel a bit dirty. I clean the receivers in my collection fairly often but rarely clean the barrels. I have muzzle barrel guides for my 10/22s and Lucas bore guides for all of my bolt action rifles, and I use Tipton one-piece rods for everything.

[stockranger]

a bore snake is not enough to clean your shotgun or rifle properly. The bore snake is good for in between cleanings and at the range. eventually every gun needs to be scrubbed with a brush. I do not use any solvent or oils on the bore snake.

Many owners of the 10/22 drill a hole in the back of the reciever which lets you clean the action using a rod without taking off the barrel. Barrel torque is crucial for the 10/22 to shoot good so once you got it set you don't want to take it off. Some guys thread the barrel or epoxy it onto the action.

Do yourself a favor and get a proshot stainless .22 cal rod. Then get a good bore guide like a lucas. you will want to run solvent patches, then a brush, then more patches.

.22lr rarely needs clean. I just pull the bore snake before and after shooting. Then clean with brush and rod when accuracy drops off. usually 1,000 - 3,000 rounds depending on the particular barrel and ammo.

Just wait till you see how much lead, plastic, and powder is stuck in your shotgun barrel. Get a brush, patches, and solvent. Check out youtube with a video by midway usa on how to clean a shotgun barrel.

centerfire guns needs to be cleaned often and you need to remove copper fowling with copper solvent. This will ensure a long barrel life and maximum performance.

I recomend clenzoil or CLP for your last pass with a patch after cleaning any gun. This will protect it till next time. Make sure to pull a CLEAN bore snake or patch when you get to the range to remove any oil from bore and chamber. Take note that if you fire a shotgun with an oiled chamber it will accelrate wear and increase recoil as the shell can slide back when fired.

[Patriotdoc]

Thanks for the advice! I will start doing the clean boresnake upon arrival at the range. So your saying DRY bore snakes all the time or just at the beginning of a shoot? For now I will avoid the bore guides and the rods and will be using the Otis for deeper cleans when I field strip. Since I'm going with the Otis what solvent/lube do you recommend...a 2 in 1 or a dedicated solvent and a dedicated lube? How often would you remove copper fowling with the copper solvent? I am getting an AR15 soon that I will be cleaning with the Otis and am wondering what solvent on top of the CLP and O85 I already have I will need for that one?

[sholling]

.22lr rarely needs clean. I just pull the bore snake before and after shooting. Then clean with brush and rod when accuracy drops off. usually 1,000 - 3,000 rounds depending on the particular barrel and ammo.

Just wait till you see how much lead, plastic, and powder is stuck in your shotgun barrel. Get a brush, patches, and solvent. Check out youtube with a video by midway usa on how to clean a shotgun barrel.

centerfire guns needs to be cleaned often and you need to remove copper fowling with copper solvent. This will ensure a long barrel life and maximum performance.

I recomend clenzoil or CLP for your last pass with a patch after cleaning any gun. This will protect it till next time. Make sure to pull a CLEAN bore snake or patch when you get to the range to remove any oil from bore and chamber. Take note that if you fire a shotgun with an oiled chamber it will accelrate wear and increase recoil as the shell can slide back when fired.

Excellent advice! I agree completely.

[Patriotdoc]

For the bore cleaning portion with the Otis brush and patches do you think I should keep going with the CLP...switch to the O85...try some mpro7/Hoppes Elite? Can't smell like solvent as my wife and I live in a small apartment.

[stockranger]

hoppe's #9 for solvent. Yeah it smells so get a METAL can with a lid. Keep the dirty patches in there while you are working with it. Keep the place opened up. Its not that bad of smell, the neighbors won't think you are cooking meth lol.

Remember copper solvent is different stuff that is made with amonia and also stinks. You'll need a bottle with that AR.

[sholling]

I use M-Pro 7 cleaner and M-Pro 7 bore gel. It smells nice and does a really good job. For rust prevention I use CLP and for a lube I use CLP or a light grease depending on the needs of the weapon. It's 2012 and you don't need to stink up the place to clean your weapons.

[Patriotdoc]

Any of you use clp only for bore cleaning? That is what I'm doing with my new shotgun but If it's not enough I've heard #9 is great but in a little apartment with a pregnant wife I'm hoping to find something almost as good that is not as toxic...mpro7/hoppes elite?

[Patriotdoc]

Scholling,
How would you recommend using clp and the mpro7 products to take care of your weapons? That sounds like a good regimen.

[Patriotdoc]

What I meant is you clean the bore with bore gel and the rest of the weapon with cleaner and then lube everything with clp? Just want to make sure I get it right.

[Patriotdoc]

Ordered some mpro7 cleaner from amazon today. Will give it a try this weekend after I go shoot my shotgun. Saw the bore gel too....will I have problems with the mpro7 staying on my Otis patches...any reason for me to have the bore gel and the cleaner?

[roushstage2]

I use Boresnakes. Just don't get the Viper one. I run it through a few times with just the cleaner on the front. Then add some oil near the rear and pull it through one last time. The end of the boresnake will pick up excess oil on the last pull.