Boresnake

D

Deer hunter88

New member
What is everyone’s thoughts on using a boresnake for cleaning a rifle barrel? I bought a new rifle and I was thinking of using a boresnake to clean my rifle barrel instead of using a cleaning rod with attachments because I don’t want to take a chance on damaging the crown of the barrel.
 
They're absolutely great if you like running a dirty piece of rope through a new barrel. I know they have their fans, but I just don't see how they have any advantage in cleaning unless you're just plain lazy. Use a rod and get a bore guide or clean it from the breech.
 
Not this crap again. There is nothing wrong with bore snakes. They don't damage the bore and they can be cleaned. Apparently somewhere/sometime someone used the wrong size bore snake once or to short of one and it broke then got stuck in the bore. Hard to get out or something. You can ignore that as well. They work fine for a quick clean at the gun range or when you don't have the time to do a thorough cleaning for a while.
 
I'm waiting for someone to say you can wash them and they'll be clean. That's not saving you any effort. You might as well just clean the gun. No one said they damaged the bore, they just don't clean it very well. You'll find no major barrel manufacturer promoting bore snakes. They're just like running a dirty patch down your barrel and calling it clean. Yeah, you can wash the patches too...another great time saving idea. If you've got a good gun and want to take care of it, get a rod and some patches and do it right. You don't wash your face with a dirty rag do you?
 
We get it you hate them...don't use them then. You don't spend 20 minutes swabbing a barrel 80 times at the range. If you wash them yes it will be clean. That is like saying you should throw jeans or cloths away because their never really clean. If your barrel is that dirty it would turn the snake dark brown or black it's going to need a thorough cleaning anyway. My gosh the stories people make up you'd think these modern barrels are delicate little flowers. Nobody said it should replace normal cleaning methods. Some people just want to hate something they don't agree with.
 
I lube my bore snakes with frog lube and run them through the barrel at the range when everything is still hot, I like mine.
 
Nothing wrong with using boresnakes/ripcords as long as you understand that it shouldn't completely replace a more thorough cleaning method.

A couple of points:

Never use the wrong size boresnake in your gun. They can get stuck if they're too big or not clean at all if they're too small. If they get stuck, it can be a PITA to get them out.

Always inspect them before using. I check for frays, knots, or anything coming loose, like that brass thing at the end. If I see fraying, I throw it away and buy a new one. I tend to replace my boresnakes after 3-4 years.

They can be washed, but don't have to be washed. Boresnakes are kind of like a squeegee: they get the big obvious stuff out, but will leave behind the tiny almost microscopic stuff. I wash mine once a year.

Boresnakes can't damage your barrel or crown. Someone eventually will tell you this myth; it isn't true. I've been using them since they started selling them in all of my pistols and rifles and even shotguns and have never seen any undue wear or damage in any of my barrels or crowns. Also, I've never had one break. Not saying they can't break, but it's never happened to me or anyone I know personally that uses them. That's about two dozen people.

Hope that helps.
 
The bore snakes are good for cleaning at the range, during a match, for guns that can't be cleaned from the breach, and anytime you need to quickly make certain there is no debris left in the bore. They are there to supplement your cleaning equipment, not replace cleaning rods. I had competed for over 40 years and I never seen a barrel destroyed by someone using a bore snake. I have seen barrels of 99 Savages and 94 Winchesters, etc damaged and accuracy seriously degraded by cleaning rod damage.
 
Not this crap again. There is nothing wrong with bore snakes.
Click to expand...

Yeah. This one probably could have been handled by a search on 'boresnake'.

OTOH look how much discussion it has generated yet again.

If you have any misgivings about using a boresnake and yet want to do your cleaning from the breech end rather than the muzzle end there is an absolute plethora of products besides boresnakes to choose from...

https://www.midwayusa.com/s?userSearchQuery=otis+clean&userItemsPerPage=48

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/717446/remington-squeeg-e-universal-cleaning-kit

Good luck.
 
Like others have said , bore snakes for a quick clean . If you want to keep the barrel & crown in good shape , get yourself a one piece rod long enough to clear the barrel with a bore guide in place . I use a parker hale jag ,it wraps the patch around the jag making the patch like a mop , I mark the rod for a stopping point so the patch just clears the end of the barrel. I remove the jag when I let the patch go completely through the barrel. Keeping the crown in perfect condition. I only shoot bench rest.
 
I'm with the positive posts here. I use one on my Mod 94. Nary a problem. Cleaning them, easy; just wash the damn thing. They're a good, simple alternative. You can always use a rod later, if you wish.
 
The smaller the bore, as in .22 or so, the greater the chance that the pull string seems to break off when pulling it through. A simple prevention is to tie a piece of paracord or venetian blind cord to the loop so you can pull it back out if it gets stuck completely in the barrel.

A lot more shotgunners seem to like them for a quick clean at the range, but even they use a regular rod and jag for a good cleaning job.
 
I like my boresnakes, I have been transitioning over to Ripcords and adding the patch loop to it, works well. To each their own.
 
I dont use them when at home for a thorough cleaning. I have not had much luck removing copper fouling with them. They do not replace the traditional methods but i do keep them in my range bag. They work good for quick cleaning at the range or on the road. Nothing wrong with them i just dont think the are a complete solution.
 
I have nothing against a bore snake. MY brother uses one and it did a good job on the barrel he used it on.

However, if you get a bore scope (Lyman makes a great one at a reasonable price) you will see how relatively poor it is. Carbon layers are left, each time those build up.

I use Carbon Killer 2000 and Bore Tech Eliminator. They are modern focused chemically cleaners (and others like them) you will find listed as non toxic and no odor.

Bore tech is more copper oriented but it also takes carbon out, just not as well as CK2000

CK2000 I use most as I don't normally copper up my barrels. It will take some Copper out. If I see copper on the CK2000 patch, I take the Bore tech to the barrel.

It took me close to an hour to get the crud out of a 270 that had been shot (and cleaned faithfully) with under 1000 rounds through it. But that was over 50+ years. So it was layered from each shooting.

Normally it take me 5 minutes on a gun that I have kept cleaned with the above cleaners.

Bore snake is ok for a quick clean, but its not going to do what a good modern cleaner does.

And I have found that a warm barrel cleans up much faster than a cold one.

So I take my nylon brush rod and my Jag rod with me as well as the cleaners (eye drop bottle for the Carbon Killer 2000

I eye drop the CK2000 onto the nylon brush, run it through. As much on it as it will hold and then back through 5 times, repeat with a soaked nylon brush brush back through the last one.

Then a dry patch pushed through with the Jag. With two rods you don't waste the time shifting back and forth between jag and brush. About 3 cycles and its shiny clean.

Looking down a barrel that is shiny proves noting. You need to look at it inside the groves to see if its really clean.

Nylon works better than copper, last far longer and I can put the Bore Tech Copper cleaner on it.
 
Tape over the bore does the same thing. Pressure blows the tape off long before the bullet has a chance to reach it. Good idea to carry one though just in case.
 
What is everyone’s thoughts on using a boresnake for cleaning a rifle barrel?
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Great for immediate cleaning of the bore after firing, but in no way a substitute for a proper cleaning using traditional equipment, chemicals and techniques.
 
after a long session at the trap-skeet ranges I spray carburater cleaner in the barrel-barrels and let it set for 20-30 seconds and then run a bore snake thru it and the crud-plastic from the wads comes out easy. and at home my cleaning time is more than cut in half. eastbank.
 
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