Are "Bore Snakes" bad?

[P. Mall]

I called one of the local gun shops and asked if they had any "Bore Snakes" available, as my son uses them and he has high praise for their efficiency in cleaning. I hardly got the words "bore snake" out before the person I was speaking to launched into a rant about how he "refused to carry them because they were bad for the weapon, and I would know as soon as I got one stuck in the bore."

Now my son uses bore snakes in various cals. and he has never had a problem. Has anyone here ever had a "bore snake" get so bunched up you couldn't remove it, or had it break inside the bore where it could not be removed?

[The Plainsman]

I use them for "quickie" cleaning and I think they're great. Frankly, I can't imagine getting one stuck in the bore. I would think that the "snake" is going to be sticking out of either the muzzle or the breech. Just grab it and pull. Otherwise, a decent ram/cleaning rod should push it out handily.

If there is something "bad" about "bore snakes", I haven't figured it out yet. I think I wouldn't use one for an all-out cleaning job on a gun before I put it in storage for a while, but for most run-of-the-mill cleaning, it works fine. ;)

[Ledbetter]

They are good for a quick, but not especially thorough, cleaning. Never had a problem with one. You have to clean them after use (and then keep them clean) so they don't collect grit which IS very bad for your bore. I clean mine in an old mayonaisse jar full of hot water and dishwashing detergent. Shake shake shake, then rinse and hang to dry.

They're especially good for .22's, IMHO.

Regards and welcome to TFL,

Ledbetter

[Romulus]

I finally succumbed to the bore snake temptation. Frankly I don't think they're worth the money, and they're not as efficacious as I thought they would be, but they're "okay" and certainly not harmful in any way.

I get guns cleaner the old fashioned way. But hey, now I have them...

[Double Naught Spy]

Bad for the weapon? Stuck in the bore? I take it you do business with the local drug addict-owned gun shop?

A bore snake for a rifled barrel will not replace a proper cleaning. A bore snake is a great way to do a partial cleaning job on your barrel to remove a lot of the build up - especially right after shooting. I keep one in my range bag for that purpose. I find that cleaning out the build up while everything is still warm will expedite cleaning later. Whether that is real or just a perception on my part, I don't know, but it seems to help.

For smooth bores like shotguns, I rarely use anything else. It seems to handle the whole job just fine. No rods, no patches, just some CLP on the body of the snake and a few passes later the bore is shiny like new.

[Sisco]

The only one I have (so far) is for my 357's. It's great for a quickie clean after shooting a few rounds but as others have said it's no substitute for a good thorough cleaning after a long range session.
I like the idea about the mayonnaise jar, think I'll go empty one out!

[cratz2]

I have one for nearly every caliber of handgun and long gun that I own. The only problem I have with any of them is that my .270 is a really REALLY tight fit on my 700 in that caliber.

REALLY tight. I thought I was going to rip a couple of my fingers off pulling it through the first couple times. I just put a bit more FP10 now when cleaning that particular gun.

[John DR]

I use one in my shotgun after every shooting session, wouldn't be without it.

[John DR]

I use one in my shotgun after every shooting session, wouldn't be without it.

[Nanaimo Barr]

for CAS we run one through after every stage, makes the clean up at home a whole lot easier.

got one for every caliber.

[blades67]

...the person I was speaking to launched into a rant about how he "refused to carry them because they were bad for the weapon, and I would know as soon as I got one stuck in the bore."

That's what he gets for trying to poll a .40 caliber Bore Snake through a .30 caliber bore.:p

I have one for every caliber I own. I've never had one get stuck.

[ckurts]

Windex w/ammonia, boresnakes, and squirt of WD40 are my milsurp rifles and handguns first line of defense against corrosive ammo in the Houston humidity. And believe me, I have seen rust start forming in mere hours in this climate.

The guns will have to be cleaned correctly anyhow within a day or so- I don't believe allowing WD40 to build up is good for actions.

Boresnake cleans up fine in the kitchen sink with a little detergent and hot water.

Kurt

[Christopher II]

Boresnakes are all I use in my .22LRs. They work fine.

- Chris

[Coltdriver]

A boresnake has been the quickest, easiest and most efficient way to clean my rifles and pistols that I have found.

Getting one stuck in the barrel is a comment from a fellow that wants to sell you somthing else.

[Warriorsociologist]

I use boresnakes for my "field cleaning"...but, word of advise, NEVER use one on a HOT bore!!! :eek: ;) :) - unless you want melted nylon in your barrel. :) For things like 10/22's and such (can't be breech cleaned with rods without removing the barrel), I like the idea of using a boresnake...however, I would still use a 1-piece rod/muzzle crown protector for when you need to thouroughly clean them. - just my .02

[FPrice]

Add me to the list of people who use a boresnake for a quick cleaning after use. I have found that if you do a quick cleanup right after you are through shooting, that most crud comes out easily and makes a more thorough cleaning later on that much easier. The boresnake is great for this.

[Jake 98c/11b]

We use them at our range for our rental guns all the time. If it weren't for the boresnake we would not be able to keep up with the cleaning cycle we have. We try to clean all rentals at least once a week, personally I have nothing bad to say about them and they are easy to clean when necessecary.

[warbaby]

I know someone(not me really:) )that got one stuch in his rifle.Wasn't watching what he was doing and tried to pull thru the wrong size.:eek:.Worst thing about then is you really need to properly clean your gun later.A good quick cleaning, but less than perfect.

[Fatelvis]

I dont go into the field, (especially with a shotgun), without one!!

[sm]

I don't have a Boresnake.

I've been using a Otis pull through Kit for ...whew a long time.
from .22 to 12 ga. - In one small kit. On the range with students, etc I have what I need. Afield I take what I need for the firearm being used.

As a wee lad before these Otis kits, the old gunny made these out of leather, candle wax hardened one end, a slit in the other. We used these on rimfire and saw the usefulness for lever actions. Slip knot b/t brush and leather, remove and patch in slit.
I cut up old T shirts and keep in kit.

Big No No to get caught using a rod from the muzzle with gunney, especially if one didn't cut a wooded thimble as a muzzle protect.

He remove bolt from rimfire rifle once, made that poor kid run laps with the rifle. NOT me but the lesson stuck. Muzzles and metal a no no.

[TKHover]

I have one for each caliber. I agree with the majority of the responders to this post that they are great for a cleaning right after shooting. I use them for both semiautos & revolvers. Two passes through barrels and cylinders will make a more thorough cleanup at home alot easier. After using the bore snake, I also take a Q-tip with a dab of CLP and wipe the residue off the feed ramp of my semiautos. That also leads to an easier cleanup later.
Tom

[Gary H]

I use my bore snakes in addition to using a brush, mop and paper towels. I use solvent and toothbrush to clean the feeding ramp and chamber, then run a solvent soaked paper towel through the barrel, then brush, towel, snake, snake, oil-mop. The snake is fed in such a way that it impacts the feeding ramp. It works for me and I don't have to constantly clean the snake.

I'm trying to figure out what to do when I have a moly-coated barrel on my rifles, or when I use "Tetra Gun" products on my pistols. Tetra Gun claims that everything will cleanup with nylon and thus reducing wear. No such thing as a nylon bristle snake. Right?

[Cougar71]

I love my bore-snakes. I dont know how much crack your guy smoked before he told you that but Its a great item.

[ZeusOne]

I always take one along hunting. Takes up no space, weighs nothing and can literally save the day when you get dirt, snow or whatever down the barrel.

[johnbt]

I use one for oiling my duck gun after I clean the barrel, but I'm still not enthused. I don't use the same patch twice when cleaning and I'll be derned if I'm going to run a dirty boresnake through a good barrel.

And I can't figure out how a boresnake is going to remove a plug of mud or ice out of a shotgun barrel. Maybe if it had a 2 or 3-ounce weight on the end it could break the plug loose - maybe.

To each their own.

John

[ZeusOne]

johnbt: The bore snake won't remove a plug of snow or ice, but a handy twig will. Then use the bore snake to clean up the mess.

It's no Dewey rod, but it's better than nothing when I'm way back in the woods and traveling light.

[Fatelvis]

A couple years ago, my hunting partner`s 20 guage 870 Wingmaster got plugged with mud. We stopped, I cleaned out ALMOST all of the mud with a stick, scraping the barrel walls until only a tiny residue remained when finished. (We did not have a Boresnake, or any other means of cleaning it further) Even though I did the best I could with the stick, after the first shot, he had a bulge in the barrel towards the end, with a split running down the middle of it! Dont EVER try to clean a barrel in a half-assed manner like we did. Spring for the $20, and get some kind of portable cleaning kit! Good shootin`-

[sm]

Above post reason why I use the Otis Kit.

Nothing wrong with Boresnake. I just happen to own the Otis, and no need for me to purchase something else--in various calibers/gauges. Economics. Plus I have removed obstructions with the Otis. Sometimes carry whole Kit, sometimes just the size for what I'm using. Not associated with Otis, just my experience.

[Kobra]

I am the same as most of the others - I like them. Bought one on a whim and had since acquired a .355, .40, .410, .429, .45, 12 Ga, 20 ga, .22 rifle, .243, .264 and .30 caliber one.

To clean the feed ramps I run the snake thru the mag well and thru the barrel so it cleans all at once.