Bore Snake Stuck in the Barrel

Skyslash,

We still don't know if you broke the string when you pulled too hard or if this is the right caliber snake? The problem I am concerned with is whether or not the brush portion of the snake is in the bore? If it is, then its bristles are deflected rearward and it will strongly resist reversing and can mark your bore if you try to back it out (despite the bristles being bronze). It may turn out the best method is to cut off the boresnake at the breech end and try to move it forward with the brass rod? Call Hoppes and ask? 800-423-3537. Your's can't possibly be the first one they've dealt with, and there is no point in listening to speculation if they have an established answer.
 
The bore snake was the right size for the barrel. Yes the string is broken off. The problem is that the bore snake got pulled too far into the barrel.

The string side of the snake is coming out the flash hider end of the barrel, and the other end of the snake is not accessible from the breech because it is stuck inside the chamber/

The reason it is stuck is because the hand loop at the end of the snake got pulled too far into the barrel. The chamber where the case goes was large enough to house this loop, but the barrel itself was too small for it to be fully pulled through.

Thus the snake can't be pulled fully through, its too large, and it can't be pulled back the other way because its stuck up inside the chamber and unreachable.

Does that description make more sense?

-SS
 
I've never seen a properly-sized boresnake where the looped end couldn't be pulled through the bore and I've never seen a properly-sized boresnake that couldn't be completely pulled through from one end to the other no matter which end of the barrel it was started from.


Then again, I haven't seen Every boresnake in existence, I suppose there could be one that was made that way. It's never been a problem on any of the .223 'snakes I've used so far.
 
I'm pretty sure you're just squeamish.

pull it through.. it's a tough pull the first few times, it's not stuck.
The bore snake is not too big, perhaps your muscles are just too small ;)
 
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You could always take it to a gunsmith. One of the guys that I use locally has tools that he's made specifically for this purpose. It's a pretty common problem.
 
huh?

The problem is that the bore snake got pulled too far into the barrel........
The reason it is stuck is because the hand loop at the end of the snake got pulled too far into the barrel.
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That did not clarify. These two sentences don't work for me. It's the "too far" part in both sentences. If the bore snake is designed to be pulled completely through the barrel from one end to the other, how could it be pulled in too far and get stuck because of that?
Sometimes, as noted earlier, a bore snake will require considerable effort to pull through.
Pete
 
What about.....

As the snake is nylon, can the barrel be removed from the stock and the barrel be put in an oven and bought to a temperature that will shrink the nylon? Would this hurt the temper of the barrel?

I guess also it depends if the brush part of the snake is in there too? I think heat might help tho? Nylon tends to shrink (and go more plastic (harder, perhaps less friction) when heated....
 
Just wish I could find that 23-yr-old that I broke up with about 17 yrs ago! She could blow the B.S. out from the muzzle end! :eek:
 
Skyslash,

Yes, that description did make more sense for me. Where I am mystified, since those tools are meant to pull all the way through a bore, is how it could both be the right size for a .223 barrel and not fit through all the way? I'm guessing you figured that loop was to pull the thing back through the other way, but it is just meant to let you hang the thing up to dry. At the very least, the brush would have to clear the muzzle before you could do that to avoid jamming the brush or marking the bore. Brushes are not meant to be reversed in a bore or they will either jam or mark the bore. Despite the bronze being softer than steel, a borescope will reveal marks from "pinning" brush bristles that way.

I was wondering if the chamber somehow cut the Nylon so it bunched up back there or something? Did the brush portion clear the muzzle?
 
I make my own version of a bore snake, by design there is no way it can get stuck.

Someone 30 + or - a few miles southeast of east of you got a 303 British type (Santa Fe Jungle) rifle with a wood dowel stuck in the barrel, or he got the dowel stuck in the barrel, I told him I would help him but he had to promise he would not attempt removing by pounding, he had to try, I did not know if the dowel was solid or two separate dowels, he pounded on one end, the other end did not move, I turned a brass rod down to .308 and gave it to him with a short drill bit with instructions to drill a short distance, remove saw dust, pound and repeat the process until he could measure progress or failure. and then drill again, I never heard from him after that, my plan was to install a screw on the end of the brass rod, screw into the dowel then use a slide and stop to make a slide hammer (pull to stretch) instead of driving (pound and upset). If the screw had removed wood when pulled I had planed to pound and drill again. I do not know what the bore snake company will recommend, but without them I would make a guide that would resemble a case head for a center (guide) and a stop on a drill that would prevent the drill from getting into the neck of the chamber.


As Darkgael said, gain access to the barrel, a case head with part of the body would work as a guide if you enlarge the flash hole for the drill, drill bit stops are available from home depot and Lowes.


F. Guffey
 
Oil, compressed air & O2 just don't mix well. Just remember how a diesel works.
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Diesels work with about 20:1 compression, resulting in approximately 1000 degrees Farenheit combustion chamber temperatures. Not applicable here.
 
i might be wrong but are bore snakes made out of cotton or nylon thread? if all else fails u might be able to burn it out! but if it nylon it would probly melt causing the barrel to need to be cleaned real good! but i would not take my advice on this one. cause im not completly sure.
 
You might also be able to find a set of long-nosed hemostats (the very thin locking clamps that doctors use in surgery) that might be able to grab the end.
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Doctors use them in surgery? Is that what those things are really for?

:D Sorry guys... I couldn't resist.
 
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