Bore Snake how to use it

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2toss

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I have a new Browning Buckmark 22lr.
The manual does not recommend that you take it apart to clean it. If you simply use a bore snake to clean the barrel, would you use a separate snake to clean it with Hoppes, and a different snake to oil the barrel? Obviously I'm new at this. It's relatively simple with my Beretta 92 FS which I field strip & clean. But the Buckmark seems to be a different animal in terms of cleaning!
 
I would think if you put bore cleaner on the beginning of the bore snake and pull it threw the barrel that the rest of the bore snake would wipe it right off and it would have no time to work.
 
I would use two separate bore snakes if you are using Hoppes cleaner and then a lubricant. Or you could save yourself the trouble and just use balistol. Just soak the barrel with balistol and let it sit for an hour or longer. Run the bore snake through a few times after that. Then give the barrel another light spray down with balistol again, run the bore snake through it again and you should be good to go.
 
The only issue with using the bore snake for both cleaning and lubing is that you wind up putting back the gunk you tried to clean out. And unless you're going to clean the dirty one regularly, you'll be doing that every time you use it.
They are good for a quick once down the bore until you get home to clean as you should.
 
I wouldn't run the snake with any solvent or oil. IMO they're best used dry to remove carbon fouling or wad residue when used in a shotgun. I would run the snake dry a couple times after shooting and plan on doing a full take down and cleaning with brushes & patches every 500 rounds or so.

They basically clean 2/3 of the bore. Eventually you'll build up fouling and possibly lead with a .22 rimfire that needs to be addressed by cleaning further. As stated above adding solvent and oil to the snake just leads to more junk getting embedded in the snake which you will continue to pull through the firearm.
 
I'm no expert, but this is how I've been using Bore-snakes since I started using them: Spray the first third or so with Break-Free CLP, pull through barrel from the breech to the muzzle five times. Done.

As long as one understands that Bore-snakes aren't for thorough cleaning, but rather just a quick method for getting the bigger junk out of there, they work out pretty good. For most of my guns after a typical range session I bore-snake them, wipe them down and then they go back into the safe. this way I only have to do a complete strip and clean a couple times a year.
 
To use a bore snake for cleaning a barrel:

1. Buy a "snake" too big so it will do a great cleaning job.
2. Jam it in the barrel and break off pull cord.
3. Decide to use a wood dowel to drive the snake out.
4. Break dowel off in barrel.
5. Buy a steel cleaning rod to drive out dowel. Get it jammed in the barrel.
6. Weld bit to second cleaning rod and chuck in a hand drill. Try to drill obstructions out of barrel.
7. Watch drill bit come through side of barrel; blame barrel maker for making a curved barrel.
8. Buy new barrel, mess up threads and try to install it anyway.
9. Get new barrel installed, fire test shot. Get a snake to clean barrel.
10. Go to 1.

Advice: Throw away the "snake" and get a good cleaning rod. If you must clean "in the field", use an undersize snake that won't jam in the barrel.

Jim
 
The voice of one who has had to remove stuck bore snakes (plus twist drills and drill rods and cleaning rods and dowels and....). Bore snakes of various kinds had become pretty much obsolete when non-corrosive primers came into use and it was no longer necessary to clean a bore within hours of firing it.

But in the last few years someone (I would curse his name if I knew it) promoted bore snakes as convenient (which they are) for field cleaning. Why a modern rifle firing modern ammo needs cleaning "in the field" was never explained but the makers of boresnakes promoted them widely and a large number of gadget-happy "hunters" bought them. And got them stuck in the bore. Some thought of shooting the obstruction our with a 1/2 charge and no bullet, which usually works. But, as always, if 20 grains of powder works, 50 will be work better and leaving the bullet in will be even better. So barrels bulged and blew. And the makers of boresnakes laughed all the way to the bank.

Just to add: During WWII, several armies issued cleaning kits consisting or a chain or cord to which a cleaning patch could be attached for emergency bore cleaning. The U.S. one was a cord, called a "thong" (put away your dirty thoughts!) which was carried in the butt of the M1 rifle in a plastic case which also contained oil. Smart GI's soon learned that the thong ALWAYS broke, leaving the pieces in the barrel, and the squad leaders started carrying cleaning rods. The abomination, called the "thong and oiler kit" was left alone and Ordnance finally came up with a jointed cleaning rod which worked well. Some complained that the jointed rod was hard on barrels, but it was softer than the barrel steel and worked quite well. It's descendants are used today with the M16 and M4 carbine.

Jim
 
I never had any trouble with a bore snake getting stuck before, until I used one for .22/.223.

That sumbitch was tighter than Mr. Scrooge!
 
I agree. Never like the idea of boresnake. Huge headache when the cord breaks. If a pull-through is desired, the Otis cable is way better.

-TL
 
^^^^ A friend of mine has a son in the Army. He bought an Otis cable kit for his son to use on his service rifle. I guess the Sargent recommended getting one but the Army would not supply them.
 
The only one I have ever used is for a 12g. It is handy for a quick clean up during a trap tournament. Never had one get stuck but would not be hard to get out of a 12g if it did.
 
Someday, I'm sure I'll snap a boresnake and be pretty unhappy. But I've been using them in a number of calibers for a decade and have had zero issues. I love the things.

If you use the right size, however, it seems to me that some would always be hanging to get hold of, no matter where it breaks. But obviously I'm wrong.
 
A cloth bore snake is for limited cleaning. To me it doesn't make sense to use anything but CLP. I don't think you are going to get much more with a good solvent when using a bore snake. You are just knocking down the fowling and providing some short term rust prevention. Solvent is probably going to damage the boresnake also.

Something like the Otis system, which uses a braided steel cable coated in nylon or something, makes it worthwhile. Maybe.
 
I've never understood why someone would even use a bore snake. Basically after the first pass you're repeatedly pulling a dirty three foot long patch through your barrel over and over again. Kind of defeats the purpose.
 
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