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Old February 16, 2008, 10:55 PM   #1
kgpcr
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Bore Snakes

What is your opinion of Bore Snakes? I have freinds who swear by them but i have never used one. what are your thoughts?
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Old February 17, 2008, 12:02 AM   #2
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yep they are good. My son tells me they are now GI for the troops
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Old February 17, 2008, 05:06 AM   #3
the_right_reverend
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Boresnake are the the greatest

I have found the the bore snake is one sweetest deals going, have one for every caliber i own and if i had a M203 I would get me a 40MM bore snake

and now a plug for our troops
they are not quite GI issue......you should see how fast they disappear in Eastern NC when Ft Bragg or Camp Lejuene deploy

http://projectboresnake.org/
Project Bore Snake
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Old February 17, 2008, 05:20 AM   #4
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Whenever someone on my family tree gets deployed I get one to go in their care package, along with baby wipes and silly string. Putting one together is a family affair.
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Old February 17, 2008, 07:27 AM   #5
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I started out with one for my 1022's. Seemed to work great, so I bought one for my GP-100 & a .30 cal for my AK and 30-30. I still apply solvent with a patch and then use bronze brush (except w/ 1022). I find it most helpful and time saving by using it to wipe the barrel clean instead of using patch after patch after patch. I wrap a patch around the brush it has built in in hopes of keeping it cleaner longer. I've seen where people will wash them in one of the wife's stockings after they get dirty. A lot of people remove the brush/brushes, But I did not see the point as it gives a good spot to wrap a patch around.
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Old February 17, 2008, 07:28 AM   #6
FatWhiteMan
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Excellent. Just dip the bristle part in Hoppes 9 and run it through.
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Old February 17, 2008, 08:40 AM   #7
eme
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Sent one to a family member in Afgan. His opinion was, the best since sliced bread. Most in his squad were using it more than him.
Sent him one for the 223 and one for the 9mm. Think he left it there for others. When he goes back, I'll make sure he has another two to go with him.
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Old February 17, 2008, 11:30 AM   #8
wogpotter
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They are upgraded pull thrus.
For field cleaning they are usefull, as long as you take all the precautions against muzzle damage you'd take with a pullthru.

Hoppes on the leader & brush parts help, as long as you remember to clean the snake after use.

Based on my use over a couple of years they aren't as good as a brush/patch/rod combination. This is because I've always been able to get more crud out of a bore-snaked barrel later with this setup.

This doesn't mean I don't use them though because a reasonable field cleaning is much better than none & the boresnakes are just soo easy to take with you, as long as its not your only cleaning method.
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Old February 17, 2008, 11:51 AM   #9
Shane Tuttle
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I think they're fantastic for quick general cleaning of the barrel. I usually end up using them when I'm at the range for long periods of time.

However, I don't like to use them for the actual cleaning when I get home. I don't think it holds a candle to the rod/patch/bronze brush method. But, it does a good job to keep the loose crud out...
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Old February 17, 2008, 12:38 PM   #10
EHCRain10
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i think they are great, use them for every gun i have
only have to break out the cleaning rods once a year now to make sure all the fouling is gone from the bores of my rifles and the shotguns dont know the difference, still as clean as a whistle
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Old February 17, 2008, 03:47 PM   #11
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A bore snake, or other type of pull-through is possibly the worst thing you could do to a rifled bore. It's impossible to guarantee the rope stays centered in the bore. Because of the nature of a woven rope/string to pick-up abrasives, it can and will scrape along the bore of a rifle/handgun. I will not, under any circumstance use one on a rifled bore. For shotguns, they could be used, but the crown of a shotgun could be altered as well.

Get a good one piece rod, a bore guide, use it to clean after you get home. Or take it with you for a range session.
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Old February 17, 2008, 04:32 PM   #12
chris in va
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I use them all the time for a quick field cleaning. They're not really meant as a detail instrument, just something similar to 'fix-a-flat'.

The shotgun versions are extra cool as the barrel gets crammed with all that junk, moreso than your typical rifle/handgun. One pull, clean.
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Old February 17, 2008, 05:00 PM   #13
Boris Bush
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snuffy

You can not be serious. The steel in a barrel is far harder than the nylon rope and it is even harder than the bronze brushes. You dont need to "center" the rope to preserve accuracy.

When I was in Iraq I used it 10 times per cleaning as a finisher. The first time I got back and fired my weapon, it shot just as good as the day I put round number one through it and thats after more than a thousand passes through the bore with a bore snake, and even more thousands of live rounds. If anything a fired round will grind previously fired rounds dirt into the bore causeing more "damage" to the bore than any bore snake ever could.

Dont get me wrong, your cleaning method is fine, but the snakes work just as well and are much faster in a war zone.

FWIW. My M4 was and still is a weapon that hovers at the MOA range for groups. Like I said, the bore snake after more than a THOUSAND passes (actualy more like 3 bore snakes) did NOT ruin or alter the accuracy of my M4 that saw real action outside the wire.
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Old February 17, 2008, 06:25 PM   #14
snuffy
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Quote:
FWIW. My M4 was and still is a weapon that hovers at the MOA range for groups. Like I said, the bore snake after more than a THOUSAND passes (actually more like 3 bore snakes) did NOT ruin or alter the accuracy of my M4 that saw real action outside the wire.
Boris, first thanks for defending the USA! Your service is appreciated.

Nylon can wear steel. Ever see the guides of a fishing rod being grooved by the mono filament line? It is basically nylon. But my point was not the rope itself, but the dirt, grit, or sand that it picks up being hauled down the bore. Especially the critically important crown.
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Old February 17, 2008, 06:50 PM   #15
Boris Bush
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snuffy

I hear ya, but I doubt I will ever clean any of my personal firearms like I do my issued ones, or as much.

It may very well cause wear, "conventional" methods might cause wear also, but we would have to clean them soooo much over a very long time that I believe that the nature of shooting them will wear them out far faster than any method of normal cleaning will. I will admit to seeing SFPs let them dangle on the floor, or ground getting all dusty (talc sand) and then pulling through the bore. I am certain that some kind of damage can be expected from that kind of abuse. and dust on the rope grinding into the crown for sure will destroy accuracy so I can see where you come from. My bore snakes are kept clean and not used if they get dusty. Just to clarify

If I notice any wear I can track down to the use of a bore snake I will for sure let ya know.........
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Old February 17, 2008, 07:54 PM   #16
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Its not the string that causes wear, rather it's the very hard abrasives picked up & retained by the string that do the damage over time.
Garands with egg-shaped muzzles aren't too uncommon.
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Old March 10, 2008, 01:56 AM   #17
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I like how the bore snakes work...and I'm ALL about convenience and simplicity...but I'm new to them too.

I use wet patches first, then run the snake through to 'finish the job'...as some other have said they do.

The bore looks perfect...until it dries. My only concern is that light fouling I've noticed remains after the snake has been through once or twice and the solvent has dried. I'm thinking the better advice is to use the old-fashioned patches and brushes for cleaning at home, and use the boresnakes as a range cleaning tool only.
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Old March 10, 2008, 02:07 AM   #18
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Love 'em. Also made me a little more popular in the squad bay during my summer in Quantico.
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Old March 10, 2008, 02:18 AM   #19
Anchorage
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It is a Pain for me to break out the rod, the patches, solvent, brushes every time I come back from the range ( 2 - 3 times a week )

I usually come back, and run the bore snake through, and a small bristle brush for the chamber area.. Clean enough to keep shooting.

When I have a chance, perhaps once every other month, I'd do a full break down, clean and lube.

before the bore snake, I was breaking it down every time, what a hassle it was and made trips to the range less enjoyable knowing you gotta clean afterwards...

It is an excellent product ! I likie !
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Old March 10, 2008, 04:49 AM   #20
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Boresnakes are a poor second choice to a rod and brush.

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Old March 10, 2008, 08:18 AM   #21
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snuffy
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A bore snake, or other type of pull-through is possibly the worst thing you could do to a rifled bore. It's impossible to guarantee the rope stays centered in the bore. Because of the nature of a woven rope/string to pick-up abrasives, it can and will scrape along the bore of a rifle/handgun. I will not, under any circumstance use one on a rifled bore. For shotguns, they could be used, but the crown of a shotgun could be altered as well.

Get a good one piece rod, a bore guide, use it to clean after you get home. Or take it with you for a range session.

This is the same advice that was givin to me several years ago. Even a waist of time in a shotgun. W/o solvents there not going to pull the plastic build up at the muzzle end, which I consider more important then getting out a little unused powder.
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Old March 10, 2008, 09:32 AM   #22
rocket12
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you never see a thread titled,my cleaning rod is stuck in my barrel,how do you get it out? I have seen many threads where bore snakes or Otis systems are stuck in a barrel.I have tried bore snakes,but went back to a good rod

Last edited by rocket12; March 10, 2008 at 09:32 AM. Reason: spelling
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Old March 10, 2008, 11:58 AM   #23
ThreadBndr
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I haven't used one yet - I LIKE to clean my pistols the old fashioned way - I'm an old fashioned girl LOL.

But my son swears by the bore snakes, and has several. He had me send as many to Iraq as I could get my hands on. I'm getting one for the new shotgun on his advice. I did notice that the local Cabela's was out of the more popular calibers when I went to pick one up, so a lot of people must be buying them. Good advice re to follow up with a periodic complete cleaning - that should be a given with ANY 'quick' system.
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Old March 10, 2008, 12:06 PM   #24
Torch
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I love mine. I've got:

45ACP
7.62
12 Ga
22
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Old March 10, 2008, 12:24 PM   #25
Selfdfenz
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I've been using BSs in several different cals for years. Good products. No damage, downsides or loss of accuracy in my experience.

Best

S-
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