Boresnake Question

I tend to think the same as you. A boresnake is great for light cleaning between shooting sessions or while out in the field. When it comes to a proper clean I don't think it's going to come close to a cleaning rod with patches and brushes.

Do you have the right size?

I use them for a fast clean, but more for
oiling the bore after a good cleaning.

I have been using bore snakes for years. I run one through the barrel every five shots or so when I am at the range. Just keeps some of the crud out so its not getting ground into the barrel.

But it really does not take copper fouling out although I do think it helps to minimize it. And some powders are dirtier than others so sometimes there appears to be more to clean out after a shooting session. But thats not copper fouling. Just powder residue. There is that little wire brush built into the bore snake and I suppose if you vigorously ran that back and forth you could reduce some of the copper fouling.

My hunting rifles get a good scrub before a range trip because I need a consistent place to start from when developing a load. My shooters get a less frequent scrub. I will usually leave my hunting rifles fouled with a few rounds down them when I go hunting.

I never a bore snake to oil the barrel at the range. A little oil in the barrel lasts one round and will get you a flyer every time.

Have you guys heard of people getting them stuck in a barrel? I can not imagine how that happens but then again I don't have much imagination

I had one get stuck, it happens if and when the rope breaks off. luckily for me the wire bristles were already out, bad for me that the rope broke inside the bore and the other end was right where the lands started. It was a real B**** to get out!

I tightly wrap a patch around the brass brush part of the snake and put solvent on that. It seems to clean a bit better that way. I find it is more of a crud remover than a fine cleaner like a proper rod set-up.

get a .458 magnum rifle boresnake.They work great,and they'll work for rifle OR pistol.

i think they are great for in between a real cleaning. the big plus for me is they can be used from the breech on anything.

I've come to like them for the first part of a cleaning--the "get 80% of the crud out) part. I used to use a brush on a rod, but the Bore-Snake does it better. After that, I go back to patches, jags and rods for the last bit.

basicly, i like bore snakes are a fine product, but i do not believe it replaces a good cleaning rod. the way i use it is to provide a really good final cleaning to the gun. after i believe the gun is around 95% + clean, i run the bore snake through several times to make certain it is.. then a quick mop saturated with oil, wipe down the outside, and i put her away. i also take it hunting with me, just in case.