Bore Snakes - does size really matter?

H

howard bleach

New member
Hold the jokes please. Does 'size' really make any difference if you're buying a bore snake for cleaning pistols? Like many of you, I have several calibers and would like a 'catch all' bore snake - I can't see any harm in using a big one to clean a .22. Is there any?
 
You betcha!! It would be difficult to impossible to pull it through the barrel. They are a very tight fit and require a LOT of effort to pull through the correct size barrel. A smaller size just wouldn't do the job.
 
@Wrascal, you could use the .30 cal on the 9mm because the 9mm is bigger, but you won't get very efficient cleaning. As tegemu said they are a tight fit and are meant to be to get everything clean.
 
Yes, it matters a lot if you're off by a lot. It matters only a little if you're off by a few thousandths to a couple hundredths. If it's too big, it won't pull through at all - even if it's ONE caliber too big, it's very difficult to pull through (e.g. .277 through a .264). If it's too small, it WILL go through, but there's less pressure against the inside of the bore to clean off debris. Won't matter much though until you get 2 sizes or more removed from actual bore size.
 
I don't know if this helps, but I have 3 snakes in two sizes. I've got one .22 and two .30 cals. One of the .30's is for the SKS's, AK's, Marlin 30-30, and Mosin-Nagants, while the other is for my K-31. Using the same boresnake for a K-31 and an SKS is just gross when you think about it.:) It's a tight fit through all of them, but I don't rely on snakes for a full on cleaning anyways. If they're really dirty, the cleaning rod comes out.
 
Slightly oversized workd for me.

As said above I use a 6MM for my AR-15, a 7MM for my 6.5Sweds, an 8MM for my M-1 Garand and a 338 on my 8MM . BUT, AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT. I ALWAYS soak the top--up to and inckuding the brissles with KANO-KROIL. and pull up thru the Breach end holding the muzzle down and standing on the rope( string). It's a little tight but it works for me. That said back in the Corps after shooting our M-1 garands we would field strip them, take the Barrel/receiver over to the Mess-Hall get the steam hose, stuff it in the chamber end, let it blow around 15 minutes then oil it down. Never got gigged during Rifle inspection by the Gunny
 
I can't see any harm in using a big one to clean a .22. Is there any?
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If you can pull one for a 12 ga through a .22, you should try out for the MetRx Strongest Man.



One of the rare problems that have come up with the Bore Snakes (and other pull throughs), particularly for the smaller (.17, .20, and .22 calibers), is that they can break during use. Trying to get out a Bore Snake going backwards after its been pulled half way through can be a chore with potential damage to the bore.
 
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