Bore Snake - Dry, or...?

C

chopz

New member
i just bought one and i've been told these can be used dry or with a solvent of some sort. seems like dry wouldn't do much.

so i'm asking here - those of you who do use one, do you put something on it, or not?
 
Heck yeah!

As expensive as they are (I own 3 - 12Ga., .30, .22), I only use mine for final lubing before storage.

Put your favorite gun oil on the last 5" of snake, & leave 1"-2" dry @ the very end to wick any "excess".

When I can afford to, I'm going to buy 1 just for "between" cleanings while hunting.

FWIW, I love my Snakes! :D


I forgot to ask.... If you don't mind me asking, what did your's cost? I paid $16.95 x 3 + tax 7yrs. ago for mine, hence my reasons for not using them for EDC (every day cleaning :rolleyes:)

If I had $$$ to burn, or if I ever run out of patches & brushes - I would use bore solvent on the last foot of Snake (brush end), then clean it w/ carb cleaner, & re-oil like I said above for storing pass.
 
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I put solvent before the brush part, and I put oil half way down the remainder and leave the last 1/3 dry, I pull it through 2-3 times from breech to end of barrel. It takes 20 seconds to get the bore cleaner than if you spent 45 minutes the old way. Once you get to using these, there is no going back to the old way with rods and patches.........good luck
 
im kinda like Idaho, first ill put hopes #9 around the bristle area, run it thru a few times, then ill put a generous glob of gun grease/oil about 3 inches up from the end loop, ill pull that thru a few times.
usually that will take care of any carbon/copper buildup, and give the bbl a light protective coat.

verry heavy fouling ill use a rod/brush first then the snake routine to finish.
 
I pour solvent through it and pull it through a few times.
I let it sit for a few minutes to let the #9 evaporate.
I pull a oiled patch through.

I don't think running solvent after the oiled part goes through is very effective.
 
I've got one for my .45 but I only use it for a quick clean off while at the range and if I'm shooting more than 100 rounds. I stick a little cleaner on the bristle and near the end.
 
3 for each cal. Solvant, oil, and a dry one. Use the dry one when shooting at range etc. Use the solvant one when cleaning at the end of a shooting day. Use the oil one before storage. These things are the best thing since the light bulb.
 
I mostly use mine dry at the range, especially with lead rounds. About every 200rds on 9mm, every 500rds on .22lr plated, every 250rds on .22lr lead.
 
It's true about never going back once you start using these little monkeys.

I haven't used patches on any of my .45s in a long time. Eesox before the bristles and some just before the end of the snake gets it all out of there. Three pulls and it's clean. I've run a patch through afterward just to see if any grime is left behind. Nothing. :)
 
I just picked up my fourth boresnake in .44/.45 (my others are .22, .357/9mm, and 12-ga). I use them all dry for daily maintenance (i.e. every time I shoot).

If/when I want a more thorough cleaning, then I'll get out the patches (since I shoot revolvers, I already have bore brushes ready to go to clean the chambers).

All I need now is one in .40 (which I hardly ever shoot anyways), and I'll be all set.
 
I havent used a bore snake

But have been thinking about them. How do you clean a bore snake, so you arent dragging all the crud back thru once it gets mega dirty? :confused: I have used a "pull thru" with wads and just replace the wads (I have a giant roll of 4" wad cloth) so once the wad is gunked up, I replace it. :D

Just askin'

Muzza
 
I run it under the hose out back and squeeze it out until its reasonably clean, then hang it to dry somewhere. Not perfectly clean I know, but better than nothing. If you feel particularly high speed you can also use some mild soap.
 
But have been thinking about them. How do you clean a bore snake, so you arent dragging all the crud back thru once it gets mega dirty? I have used a "pull thru" with wads and just replace the wads (I have a giant roll of 4" wad cloth) so once the wad is gunked up, I replace it.

Just askin'
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You buy a net bag (your local big box store should have them near the laundry stuff) and put the Bore-Snake in the bag, then just toss it in the washing machine. Or you can just put the BS in an old sock, safety pin the sock closed and toss in the washing machine. Best to do this with a load of other gun/shop rags and not the normal laundry if you want the wife happy.
 
The patch and rod is not part of my cleaning since i got a snake. I add some #9 to the bristle part and pull it through a few times. Every blue moon I pull a patch through just to see if its still cleaning and they always come out white for me.
 
But have been thinking about them. How do you clean a bore snake, so you arent dragging all the crud back thru once it gets mega dirty? I
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Think about this. When you push a patch through your bore, after the first few inches you are pushing the gunk through the rest of the bore...and it doesn't matter. The gunk is soft, and is absorbed in the patch.

Bore snake is no different, except it spreads the gunk over a larger absorbent surface.

I use a wee bit of CLP on mine.
 
Thanks guys

I will have to see if I can chase one (or 3) up :D I will need one for .44, 9mm & do they do one for .22?

Muzza
 
I pour some Hoppe's 9 before the metal brush and pull it through 2~3 times.

I don't use oil inside the bore, they attract dust big time.
 
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