Bore Snake or Bore Brush??

74camaroman · July 9, 2007, 11:55 PM

Is the Bore Snake the best to use on cleaning your barrell? I have used a brush with a ram rod all my life but the more I read about the Bore Snake I seem to think it might be better, I'm confused!! I can't think that a brass bristled brush could mar the rifleing or any of the cut lans because the barrell's are steel and I have gone through alot of brass bore brushes because they were worn out.

Question #2. I would like your opinion on cotton mops and wool mops? I have always used cotton patches but am considering bore mops instead because they seem to hold together better, I'm still confused with all the technoligy or today. I am from the old school when it comes to cleaning guns but I always finish off with a silicone wipe of the outside and an oily patch in the barrel. Thanks for any and all opinions!!!

Martyn4802 · July 10, 2007, 07:18 AM

A rod and a good bronze bristle brush is as good as it gets.
The bore snake is a good item for the tool box at the range. But, it can't compete with the rod and brush, along with solvent/bore paste, for a good bore scrubbing.

Martyn

mikejonestkd · July 10, 2007, 09:04 AM

Martyn4802 is spot on with his reply.

I use a snake at the range and a good rod and brushes at home for my centerfire rifles and pistols. Any rifle or pistol that can leave copper fouling or lead deposits should get a good brushing and cleaning on a regular basis.

My .22s get a few passes with a bore snake and then they are lightly lubed. .22 ammo leaves so little lead that I have found little to be gained by the whole bore brush/ cleaning rods and strict cleaning routine for rimfires.

dustinlowery · July 10, 2007, 10:16 AM

i use the boresnake when im with the military in the field because it saves a lot of time and problems but when we get back and with my own guns i use the proper tools

Martyn4802 · July 10, 2007, 12:46 PM

Mike Jones is right about cleaning 22 Rimfire barrels. I do the same as he does. They don't need the bore scrubbing centerfires do.

Martyn

re_kenney · July 10, 2007, 12:52 PM

I use a bore snake on my .22 caliber weapons. Its simply easier to use.
I works great. I still bush a brush on everything else.

FS2K · July 10, 2007, 01:39 PM

They work fine for me.

Thunderhawk88 · July 10, 2007, 04:08 PM

Another in agreement with Martyn...snake at the range, brush for really cleaning.

FirstFreedom · July 10, 2007, 05:48 PM

Yes, different tools for different jobs.

Boresnake - for very light minimal cleaning - all it does is take the powder & some residue out of the bore. Not a bad idea to do, but was never intended for intensive cleaning - if you put a solvent on a boresnake, it will eat it up.

For real actual cleaning, you need to put solvent in the bore, and scrub it with a brass or nylon brush - this is what gets out the copper & lead fouling (which cannot usually be seen with the naked eye, by the way).

So, if the question is one or the other, forget about boresnakes.

**Shane Tuttle** · July 10, 2007, 06:22 PM

I basically agree with the majority here on Boresnakes. I like 'em at the range, but patches and brushes rule the roost in my house for cleaning.

I personally don't like the mops unless I'm cleaning shotguns. In my experience, the mops tend to accumulate grit and gunk that I want out of the barrel...

Clayton · July 11, 2007, 10:43 AM

I've never been a fan of Bore Snakes or mops. I prefer to use bore brushes and jags from Kleenbore. I think they make the best brushes available. They're much better than the Outers/Gunslick junk at Wal-Mart.

www.kleen-bore.com

Clay

k Squared · July 19, 2007, 02:48 PM

I like the hybrid (Otis cable system). I can pull just a patch through at the range, without breaking down the gun, then use the brush at home. It is particularly good for my semi-auto rifles and revolvers because it goes from chamber to muzzle and the muzzle doesn’t get beaten up with a rod.

I cringe every time I think about the way I used to bang the rod against the crown of my barrels. The front edge of the rod never seemed to join the brush or jag perfectly and the overhang would hit the crown.

I have extra cables so I can keep a brush on one cable and a patch holder on the other. Cleaning goes much quicker when I don’t have to swap back and forth.

July 9, 2007, 11:55 PM	#1
74camaroman Member Join Date: April 24, 2005 Location: northern California Posts: 50	Bore Snake or Bore Brush?? Is the Bore Snake the best to use on cleaning your barrell? I have used a brush with a ram rod all my life but the more I read about the Bore Snake I seem to think it might be better, *I'm confused!! I can't think that a brass bristled brush could mar the rifleing or any of the cut lans because the barrell's are steel and I have gone through alot of brass bore brushes because they were worn out. Question #2. I would like your opinion on cotton mops and wool mops? I have always used cotton patches but am considering bore mops instead because they seem to hold together better, I'm still confused with all the technoligy or today. I am from the old school when it comes to cleaning guns but I always finish off with a silicone wipe of the outside and an oily patch in the barrel. Thanks for any and all opinions!!! Last edited by 74camaroman; July 10, 2007 at 04:51 PM.*

July 10, 2007, 09:04 AM	#3
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 3,716	Martyn4802 is spot on with his reply. I use a snake at the range and a good rod and brushes at home for my centerfire rifles and pistols. Any rifle or pistol that can leave copper fouling or lead deposits should get a good brushing and cleaning on a regular basis. My .22s get a few passes with a bore snake and then they are lightly lubed. .22 ammo leaves so little lead that I have found little to be gained by the whole bore brush/ cleaning rods and strict cleaning routine for rimfires. __________________ You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. Last edited by mikejonestkd; July 10, 2007 at 10:21 AM.

July 10, 2007, 10:16 AM	#4
dustinlowery Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2007 Location: ON Canada Posts: 127	i use the boresnake when im with the military in the field because it saves a lot of time and problems but when we get back and with my own guns i use the proper tools __________________ Fight to live, Live to Fight If god didn't want us to kill why are our eyes on the front of our head

July 10, 2007, 12:46 PM	#5
Martyn4802 Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2007 Location: Grayling, Michigan Posts: 737	Mike Jones is right about cleaning 22 Rimfire barrels. I do the same as he does. They don't need the bore scrubbing centerfires do. Martyn __________________ US Army Retired NRA Benefactor Life Member JPFO

July 10, 2007, 01:39 PM	#7
FS2K Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2006 Posts: 1,853	I like Boresnakes. They work fine for me. __________________ Just a big fan of guns.

July 10, 2007, 07:18 AM	#2
Martyn4802 Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2007 Location: Grayling, Michigan Posts: 737	A rod and a good bronze bristle brush is as good as it gets. The bore snake is a good item for the tool box at the range. But, it can't compete with the rod and brush, along with solvent/bore paste, for a good bore scrubbing. Martyn __________________ US Army Retired NRA Benefactor Life Member JPFO

July 10, 2007, 12:52 PM	#6
re_kenney Member Join Date: June 8, 2007 Location: Sachse, Texas Posts: 73	I use a bore snake on my .22 caliber weapons. Its simply easier to use. I works great. I still bush a brush on everything else.

July 10, 2007, 04:08 PM	#8
Thunderhawk88 Junior member Join Date: January 14, 2007 Location: So. California, Desert style. Posts: 745	Another in agreement with Martyn...snake at the range, brush for really cleaning.

July 10, 2007, 05:48 PM	#9
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Yes, different tools for different jobs. Boresnake - for very light minimal cleaning - all it does is take the powder & some residue out of the bore. Not a bad idea to do, but was never intended for intensive cleaning - if you put a solvent on a boresnake, it will eat it up. For real actual cleaning, you need to put solvent in the bore, and scrub it with a brass or nylon brush - this is what gets out the copper & lead fouling (which cannot usually be seen with the naked eye, by the way). So, if the question is one or the other, forget about boresnakes.

July 10, 2007, 06:22 PM	#10
Shane Tuttle Staff Join Date: November 28, 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 9,443	I basically agree with the majority here on Boresnakes. I like 'em at the range, but patches and brushes rule the roost in my house for cleaning. I personally don't like the mops unless I'm cleaning shotguns. In my experience, the mops tend to accumulate grit and gunk that I want out of the barrel... __________________ If it were up to me, the word "got" would be deleted from the English language. Posting and YOU: http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

July 11, 2007, 10:43 AM	#11
Clayton Senior Member Join Date: July 27, 2001 Location: Bentonville, Arkansas Posts: 268	I've never been a fan of Bore Snakes or mops. I prefer to use bore brushes and jags from Kleenbore. I think they make the best brushes available. They're much better than the Outers/Gunslick junk at Wal-Mart. www.kleen-bore.com Clay

July 19, 2007, 02:48 PM	#12
k Squared Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 238	Cleaning Systems I like the hybrid (Otis cable system). I can pull just a patch through at the range, without breaking down the gun, then use the brush at home. It is particularly good for my semi-auto rifles and revolvers because it goes from chamber to muzzle and the muzzle doesn’t get beaten up with a rod. I cringe every time I think about the way I used to bang the rod against the crown of my barrels. The front edge of the rod never seemed to join the brush or jag perfectly and the overhang would hit the crown. I have extra cables so I can keep a brush on one cable and a patch holder on the other. Cleaning goes much quicker when I don’t have to swap back and forth. __________________ K Squared