Bore Snakes

[perpetual otter]

How efficient are these? I currently use my .22 bore snake on my Ruger Mark III right after I shoot 200 rounds. I only do major clean ups when I really have to (owners of Ruger Mark IIIs know how much hell it is to take them apart). Am I screwing up my gun?

[ocabj]

If you use a Bore Snake in a 22 Rimfire, take out the brush (just squeeze it through the weave).

[virulosity]

I feel like the .45 bore snake doesn't clean the poly barrel on my HK as well as I would like.

[River Jack]

If you use a Bore Snake in a 22 Rimfire, take out the brush (just squeeze it through the weave).

Why? Just curious. Does it damage the rifling? Are bore snakes ok to use in other calibers (i.e., .308, 7.62x39, etc.) with the brush in?

[Fjold]

I have a hard time dragging the cloth tube packed with all the crud and deposits back through my barrel.

[grywlfbg]

http://patchworm.com/

I've been using one w/ my AR and 9mm pistol for 9 months now and I'm quite happy with it. Very simple to use and you only need one for multiple calibers (it comes with little donuts to increase the diameter based on the barrel size).

Buy an extra bag of patches and you're good to go.

[Mike 56]

Bore Snakes do a pretty good job. I pull one though the bore every ten shots at the range. At the end of a shooting session i pull my snake though two times then hose down the locking lugs and bore with CLP pull the snake though one more time. After a few hours when i get home it only takes a few patches to finish cleaning. letting the CLP soak in really softens the fouling.

Mike

[bear308]

Use em on all of my handguns, wouldn't use it on a high precision rifle. Outside of that it shouldn't be an issue. It has to be better than someone occasionally smacking the side of the barrel with the rod.

[1911man]

I had a bunch of bore snakes, just about one for everything I owned. Until one day when I was cleaning my most expensive rifle, a custom built sako, when the snake broke off in side the barrel. I could not pull it out through the chamber because it already was all the way in, it had broken off just behind the brush. I could not pull it through from either side because it was in about 3 to 4 inches on both sides. After about 3 days of trying to get the snake out without any luck a friend of mine took it and within a day he got it out. he had to heat up a long allen wrench stick it in their and let it cool , then it came out. I swore the snakes of for good.

[lawnrevenge]

I use one when I shoot corrosive ammo. I soak it's head with water and run it through at the range. It saves me from the fear of corrosive salts ruining my bore if I don't clean as soon as I get home. I used this method on a rifle and let is set a week (checking daily) and there was no ill effect from the ammo. This would not have been the case otherwise. So they serve a purpose for me, but I don't trust them for deep cleaning. I have been using one on my 10/22 for cleaning as a test to see if it will do a good enough job with CLP. So far 2500 rounds later the ruger is running like a champ with no other cleaning. (I bet I'll get flamed for that)

[ETD1010]

I use bore snakes in conjunction with my traditional cleaning measures. I usually throw a wet patch down the bbl, and then scrub it. After that I use the bore snake to pick up all the crap, and then run it down a few more times before putting an oiled patch through.. its' worked great for me thus far. I haven't used them on my handguns, though.

[StukaJr]

Definite Cons. Stays dirty and drags build up of crud through the barrel over and over. Does not store easily - the brass brush will fray whatever part of the snake it touches.

I started cleaning with "snakes" but fortunately discovered proper ways of cleaning the guns since - I "only" have 3 snakes, which make up in price for a deluxe cleaning kit to clean all of my guns way better

I still stick the snakes in my shooting bag for field expedient cleaning - as a final step, I'd stick an oversized patch into the cloth loop at the end and use that to make sure that the crud gets removed. But then I discovered Otis cleaning kit that can do a lot more, can be neatly stored and costs less for multiple calibers application...