Any negative thoughts on Hoppes Bore Snakes?

T

tpcollins

New member
I have several size Bore Snakes and when cleaning, I push a couple patches over a jag from the breech to the muzzle to remove the majority of the fouling. Then I run a Bore Snake with Slik 2000 thru the barrel a few times as the final step.

Just wondering if there were any negative affects for Bore Snakes - they seem an effective way to clean the bore.
 
The only negative I can attest to from my personal experience is they can make me lazy. Run the bore snake through a couple of times and tell myself I'll get around to doing a cleaning later. :p Other than having to force myself to overcome that tendency I love them.
 
I think there is a potential to drag dirt or carbon along with the bore snake.

I also launch copper jacketed bullets thru the barrel and do not clean between shots. Which would seem to have the same residuals as you would be removing with a Bore Snake.


So negative. Not so much unless you let them really get super dirty. They are too cheap to not replace them when they are used up.
 
We usually carry one in a day pack that will be used if dirt or snow or some other unforseen problem arises..But as far as using one everytime I clean, not hardly, I use those Tipton carbon coated cleaning rods that cost alot because I spent ALOT ON THEM,,,,,, I'm sorry but I had to vent. I love all my boresnakes, but I use them sparingly!!:)
 
Yes, they don't clean fully.:eek:
I have one for .30 cal & one for .22.
I use them as a handy, portable field cleaning rig, because that is all they do.

I DO use, & suggest you do as well a bore guide, or muzzle guide as the "string" can erode the muzzle like the Garand pull throughs did during WW2 & Korea.

Doubt it?

Ok, heres a test for you. Do whatever you do to clean with a bore snake. After you're done re-clean with a rod & solvent with jags/patches. If you get more crud out the bore snake only did a partial cleaning. Afterwards make up your mind, but only after you actually test.:)
 
There great to take along on a hunting trip, as long as you don't wind up jamming your muzzle in the dirt and plugging the barrel. Other than that the only down side I've ever heard about is when the string breaks with it half way down the barrel. I hear they can be a bear to remove from the bore when this happens.
 
If the pull cord breaks, you'll have all sorts of negative thoughts about bore snakes. They can be a real PITA to remove from the bore. I'd had to have one removed by a gunsmith once.
 
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If the pull cord breaks, you'll have all sorts of negative thoughts about bore snakes.
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Absolutely true. I have to excise about one a week for someone.

I think they're a good stopgap when in the field, if they're inspected and in good condition. However, they're no replacement for the old-fashioned way.
 
Got one a year or so ago. Have used it twice. OK for a quick swab of the barrel, not so good for a true cleaning. I've pretty much quit using it, the tales of woe involved in removing one that gets stuck has convinced me the job it does isn't good enough for the risk.
 
Eh, I think you're still better off throwing a jointed cleaning rod:eek: in a range box or hunting kit simply because if you need a "field" cleaning kit, you more than likely have something stuck in your barrel, which the Boresnake will do nothing about.

I use one around the house just to knock out the bigger stuff before I go to the rod, but I probably won't buy anymore than the one I have.
 
>>If the pull cord breaks, you'll have all sorts of negative thoughts about bore snakes<<

Oh yeah, you'll wish you'd never heard of Bore Snakes...... ;)
 
There are many people that swear by Bore Snakes. Personally, I swear at them. Even though I’ve never owned or used one, and never will. Strange, I know. They don’t make good sense to me. My view of them, carbon and grit will get embedded in the rope and drag itself over and over in your bore. I prefer a bronze rod that can be wiped clean after each pass down the bore.

Unless you clean a bore snake after each and every pass down the bore, you will be re-introducing the carbon and crude that you are trying to get out.

But, to each his own.
 
I've used them to get corrosive milsurp ammo salts out of the bore at the range...

And also as the primary cleaning methods for my Mini-14. It's the only way I know of to clean the semi-auto from the breech- and I refuse to clean any rifle from the muzzle.
 
I'll be contrary and say that I love them. I have been using them since they came out. A couple of passes will take the place of a bore brush and the first 10 patch passes. After that it's just that last 10% you have to get out the old fashioned way. I tie the ends together and wash them in the washing machine to clean them. As said before they are great for rifles that are difficult to clean from the bore end, and they pack up really small so they are perfect to carry in a survival kit or on patrol. Do they clean your bore spotless? No-but they do eliminate a lot of time, effort, and patches.
 
Depends - for a quick cleaning in between real cleaning they are good. One thing I have found - if you are cleaning real small bores, you WILL want to tie another pull string on the back loop so when the first string breaks, you can remove it from your barrel
 
In my experience, I've found that Marines who have bore snakes don't clean their rifles as well as they should (as in, they replace rods, brass brushes, patches, CLP, toothbrushes, ... EVERYTHING with one boresnake) and a couple passes magically makes their rifle "clean". Granted, some Marines clean their rifles to the point there's no longer any paint which is kinda bad, but having a rifle full of gunk isn't good either.
 
Boresnakes do not completely clean your bore particularly your chamber. I used bore snakes for years on my .22 and SKS, only after I cleaned the chamber with a bore brush thoroughly did they go back to ZERO jams.... Same thing with my SKS it got so bad I had to polish the chamber with light grit sandpaper and the spent rounds no longer got stuck in the chamber. The chamber of my Mauser seems to be fine with just the snake. The snake alone is 90% of time not enough but its not bad tool to have to help clean. I use it on my revolver too as an assistant and a great assistant it is.:)
 
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