Bore Snake Vs. Traditional cleaning kit for break in and everyday cleaning.

[longdayjake]

Okay, I used to use the traditional cleaning method to clean my guns but I have since gone to exclusively using bore snakes. One thing that I miss about the traditional rod and patch system is that you can always tell how clean your gun is by running a patch or two down the bore. However, I have not been able to notice any difference from when I cleaned with a rod vs now. Am I missing out on aything by not using the rod anymore?

I figure I had better add a disclaimer that I still use the rod system for my handguns.

 

[jcwit]

Well I've watched a national champion use a bore snake in bullseye matches. But then I've never seen or heard of a benchrest shooter using a bore snake.

Seems like I remember hearing a piece of string loaded with dirt can cut thru mild steel. But then I would imagine the same would happen to a coated rod that had dirt imbedded in the coating.

In the end take your pick and use care on how it done.

 

[psyopspec]

Both.

After heavy shooting (both rifle and pistol) I use a copper punch to get out any loose crud. Then boresnake to pick up anything loose. Then wet/dry patches run through until light gray. Then boresnake a couple times to ensure any excess oil is gone.

Where I use the boresnake most heavily is "combat cleanliness." If it's been a 20 hour day and I and my guys have to get up again in 4 hours to go back out, I don't expect the weapons to be inspection-level clean. I do expect them to be functionally clean. The boresnake accomplishes this.

Also good for an evening wipedown/inspection on multi-day hunting trips.

 

[CatsEye]

For everyday cleaning I use the Boresnake. If I shoot 100 rounds at the range I rarely do a full scale cleaning on my guns. Every third or fourth time I clean them I use the traditional method.

 

[mustang_steve]

Depends on the firearm....some need deeper cleaning at X shots than others....for the ones that tend to stay cleaner, boresnake is fine.

 

[ArmedBear]

I like foaming bore cleaner for a centerfire bolt gun, to keep copper fouling down.

However, I run a bore snake through most everything else, maybe with some regular rod cleaning for good measure, on occasion. They work great for revolvers, too. Centerfire semiauto pistol barrels tend to be easy to clean, so I use whatever is closest to my hand when I am cleaning the thing. It's the rest of the gun that is a PITA...

There's nothing like a bore snake to get 90% of the carbon crud out of a barrel. For a shotgun, there's nothing better. You can run a LOT of patches through a 12 or 20 Gauge bore and they still come out black.

 

[mustang_steve]

My subcompact 9mm pistol doesn't like the boresnake....goes in green (color of it), comes out brown-green...but the bore is still crudded to heck. I just run 2-3 patches through it instead (one wet two dry, flipping the dry ones) and it comes out flawless.

The rest of my stuff seems to fare pretty well though.

 

[BURN]

I use both otis patch system and a bore snake....no more rods for me...

 

[Deanimator]

I ONLY use traditional cleaning rods and accessories, namely Dewey coated rods, both for handguns and long guns.

The ONLY conceivable advantage I can see to a bore snake is ease of carry in a small space. No longer being in the military, I encounter no situations where a full length, solid, coated cleaning rod would be inconvenient for me.

 

[Warhorse]

I like the Otis system for anything that does not allow access from the receiver end with a rod. Cleaning from the muzzle end with a rod, at least without a bore shield in place, is asking for degraded accuracy due to off-center muzzle wear (over time anyway).

For any shotgun, I like to run a bore snake through at least a couple of times before traditional cleaning with either a rod or the Otis system. This clears out most of the debris from wads or other fouling before using a patch. (NOTE: Use the bore snake outdoors or over a trash barrel, as it will pull out flakes of what looks like soot during the first pass or two.)

 

[blue_ridge]

I don't trust bore snakes for anything more than range cleaning. I always clean barrels with a rod, patch, brush and solvent once I'm done that day.

 

[rcmodel]

There are some things for which a bore-snake can never replace a cleaning rod.

Try knocking a stuck case out of a chamber with a bore-snake.
Try unclogging a hunting shotgun with a bore-snake after you slipped and stuck the muzzle in the mud.
Try cleaning a bottleneck rifle chamber free of carbon fouling with a bore-snake.
Try cleaning a .357 revolvers chambers of hard fouling rings with a B-S after firing .38 Spl in them.
Try using a nylon bore brush and copper solvent with a bore-snake.

On the otherhand, I like bore snakes for rifles that can't be cleaned from the breach end.
Especially useful on Winchester lever-actions.

Other then that, I have no use for them a all.

rc