Bore Snakes

[Danield]

I've never used them but bought some at Turners for $12.99 each. What is your experience with them? Do they work well? Whats the best way to use them? Soak them in cleaner first?

[realmswalker]

Bore snakes work very well, do not soak them in anything. I use the bore snake on all my guns, i run the snake through for a couple passes, then I run a patch or two soaked with hoppes down the barrel. then i run the snake through one more time. the barrel will be very clean by then.

If you have some serious copper fouling or lead fouling, you may want to use a strong chemical cleaner for guns. I use gunslick foaming bore cleaner, that works great in conjunction with a bore snake.

[DeeL2003]

Bore snakes work very well, do not soak them in anything. I use the bore snake on all my guns, i run the snake through for a couple passes, then I run a patch or two soaked with hoppes down the barrel. then i run the snake through one more time. the barrel will be very clean by then.

If you have some serious copper fouling or lead fouling, you may want to use a strong chemical cleaner for guns. I use gunslick foaming bore cleaner, that works great in conjunction with a bore snake.

So basically just soak or spray the bore with CLP(or your cleaner of choice) then run the snake through it til it's clean?

[ocabj]

Running a Bore Snake through a bore and then running it through again without washing it is like reusing a dirty patch on a cleaning rod through a bore.

[realmswalker]

Running a Bore Snake through a bore and then running it through again without washing it is like reusing a dirty patch on a cleaning rod through a bore.

I haven't washed my boresnakes in probably two years, they look dirty but they work just fine, bore snakes get dirty with one pass, washing them every time is pointless.

Deel, when you get your gun home from shooting, first thing run a brore snake throught it a couple times, the copper bristles will break up and removed a lot of the dirt and crud in the barrel.

Then, take a bore patch, completely wet it with bore cleaner liquid of your choice, run that down the bore with a cleaning rod, that will help remove some copper or lead fouling. Then run the bore snake through one more time, your bore will be very clean.

No bore will fully ever be totally clean. You could go crazy trying to get a bore 100% clean.

If you feel like you have loads of fouling, The gunslick foaming bore cleaner works great, you get get it here at midway usa, and it has great reviews.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=474487&t=11082005

[ohsmily]

I see the bore snake as a quick fix in the field or at the range. I don't use them as part of my primary gun cleaning regimen except on my 10/22s and other rimfire guns.

[Prowler]

I see the bore snake as a quick fix in the field or at the range. I don't use them as part of my primary gun cleaning regimen except on my 10/22s and other rimfire guns.

I use one everytime I'm at the range. I keep it in my range bag. Works great and I have never washed it.

[Kelvrick]

I run a boresnake through my stuff at the range after I'm finished with them. I throw them in a sock for the next laundry load. Keeps them clean and me happy that I'm not rubbing stuff through my barrels over and over.

At home, I clean with the otis flexible rods, patches, qtips and weaponshield. Sweet's 7.62 when needed and slideglide lite for the rails.

[jazman]

Love the snakes, hate the patches. I put a little CLP right in front of the bristles and pull it through a few times until clean, they work great. Washing them in a sock works well, just make sure not to include them with clothes...trust me on that one. As stated, for really dirty bores do a foaming cleaner, wipe with patch or two, than snake. They also work great for revolver cylinders.

[Kelvrick]

Love the snakes, hate the patches. I put a little CLP right in front of the bristles and pull it through a few times until clean, they work great. Washing them in a sock works well, just make sure not to include them with clothes...trust me on that one. As stated, for really dirty bores do a foaming cleaner, wipe with patch or two, than snake. They also work great for revolver cylinders.

I've just been doing them with my regular laundry. What happened to yours that I should expect will happen to mine?

[bobfried]

I only use a bore snake on everything I own, I might run a rod and brush/patch once a year with some copper remover but that's about as more detailed as i will get. All my stuff is chrome-lined and are not geared towards super-duper sniper accuracy. That said, I have yet to see any of my sub-MOA AR uppers open up at all even after years of only using a bore snake. In my experience I have seen more rifles damaged with improper use of a cleaning rod than any problem using a dirty bore snake no a chrome-lined barrel.

The last time I use a jig and Dewey rod was on my SPR and that's well over 2 years ago. Bore snakes are nothing more than a barely acceptable solution, but that's all I need and have not seen any side effects of using them almost exclusively. Note that running a copper brush and patch through your bore will barely make it any cleaner, you really need some harsh copper solvent to really get in there and make a real difference.

[Citadelgrad87]

I flood the bristle area with Hoppes, and after 3 passes, I spray some CLP on the extreme tail, and run it one last time.

They shine like a mirror.

[jazman]

I've just been doing them with my regular laundry. What happened to yours that I should expect will happen to mine?

I must have had too much left over CLP on them, the oil leaked from the sock and ruined some clothes so I got a little heat about that...

[Kelvrick]

I must have had too much left over CLP on them, the oil leaked from the sock and ruined some clothes so I got a little heat about that...

Phew. Probably why I didn't have any problems. I just run them dry at the range, so I'd only get powder/copper residue over the clothes.

[cactuspete]

I use them on my revolvers after shooting at the range. Give a couple passes to the bore and cylinder chambers. Takes a lot of residue out - makes cleaning, once I get home, much easier. Though I've only been using them for a few months, haven't cleaned my snakes yet - everything still fine.