Boresnake? Patchworm? Help!

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Zeede

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I'll be able to pick up my new CZ 452 FS next Tuesday! I'm very excited, it's my first firearm purchase, and I look forward to getting into target shooting again (last time was in high school, many moons ago).

That said, I want to take good care of it. I know I don't like/trust the multi-piece rods, and would prefer something less likely to harm the bore. I've been looking at both the Hoppes Boresnake and the Patchworm. The Patchworm seems more straightforward, but I can see how the Boresnake would clean better, as the whole thing is a big long patch. I just dunno how you're supposed to use solvent on it, then dry out the bore, then put oil all w/o having to wash it inbetween steps. With the Patchworm I can just change patches, but the Patchworm doesn't have any brushes built into it, so would I need to buy a Dewey one-piece rod w/ a brush to augment the Patchworm?

Sorry for all the questions, but the 10 day wait is driving me nuts!

Cameron
 
Excellent choice, I have one. A boresnake and some hoppes is really all you need to clean the barrel. .22's don't need to be cleaned much if you clean every time you shoot as they don't build up in the barrel. Patches and hoppes will help clean the bolt area.
 
To clean a long bore properly.. Rod, brush, chemical, patches.

To clean between strings of shooting at the range on that hunting trip.. Bore snake -Dry-, or Patch worm with patches/chemicals. A good many people remove the brush from the Bore Snake. Especially for thier prized target rifles.

-Steve
 
A quality kit such as one from RIG , distributed by Silenco , is what I recommend.
# R358 is great! http://www.silencio.com/htfiles/cleankits.html
Add some pipe cleaners, cotton swabs, tooth brushes in adult and toddler size, get some RIG and RIG+P extra #2 oil and #44 bore cleaner.

Now you have a quality rod of machined steel. I do not use or recommend coated rods or graphite rods.

Pro shot makes Quality Rods and accessories too.

Kleen-Bore makes # S170 which is the old 3 pc steel GI style. This is handy for range, field use. the "T" handle swivels down, and locks. Using one of the other sections, insert into hole of "T" and one can twist an turn to really clean a chamber, especially on a shotgun.

Rods will dislodge a stuck bullet, wad or whatever on the range. This #S170 is just a handy rod.

--
Pull throughs have their place.
I was raised with a Tin can, length of rawhide cord, and glass bottle of oil for "having handy afield".

"Kit & Caboodle" was Oti's first kit, came in Tin can like Mentors made me.

Otis and Patchworms have a place. They work, and I have dislodged bullets with an Otis kit.

These compliment a quality rod, and fill niches were rods are not the best or most feasible means.

I have cleaned and maintained too many guns over too many years with Lighter fluid, wooden dowel, and lube varying from Esso Machine oil, Singer Sewing Machine oil to the dipstick off a vehicle, oil or transmission fluid.
Mineral Spirits, gasoline, hot soap and water...


Quality steel rod, uncoated is just something everything should have, and learn to use proper.

More guns are messed up from improper techniques in taking down, putting back together, improper use of tools used to clean , over cleaning , than shooting causes.

Steve,
Who carries a dirty gun, and has no gun kit, lube or solvent at home.
 
Hmm, looks like I may want to just get a trusty one-piece metal rod. Tried and true, as they say. One question though:

I noticed a lot of rods have wood or plastic handles on the end, I thought you are supposed to go from breech to muzzle when cleaning, one way, or are the rules different w/ metal rods?

In other words, on a Patchworm I feed it into the chamber and thread it through out the muzzle, so gunk and Patchworm move only in one direction, but with the metal rods, you push it into the barrel then pull it back out? Aren't you going to get some gunk into the receiver as you pull it back out?

Edit: Oops, another question! If I go the boresnake route, how do you dry/remove the solvent with it? With patches or the Patchworm you just use some dry ones to mop up the solvent, but how do you do that w/ the boresnake?

Cameron

P.S. If .22's don't get too dirty, something like a Patchworm might be sufficient, am I right?
 
i have two boresnakes and two of these:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=369118

i fill one with Boretech Eliminator and squirt down the barrel and let it soak. i then squirt one boresnake with Eliminator and run it thru the barrel a couple times.

the other squeeze bottle has water in it and i rinse out the barrel with that. i run the second boresnake thru a couple times. i then squirt some FP-10 down the barrel and run the boresnake thru one last time.

i throw both boresnakes in a small bucket with some tide and some hot water and let it soak. then mush them around for a few minutes then rinse/soak in water. then let them air dry for the next time i need them.

but you should still invest in the traditional rod/brush/mops. these allow you to clean the barrel better. these are good when you start getting lazy and not clean your barrel often or let it go for a few months between cleanings. the boresnakes are good for quick cleans.
 
I was trained in the Army how to clean - that is, ridiculously obsessive.

After being out of the Army for 10 years I finally got tired of spending more time cleaning than shooting. I quit using my nice Dewey rods and now just boresnake the barrel a few times after each range session, as well as wiping/scrubbing carbon off the bolt components, receiver, mag well, fire control group, etc. but not to rack inspection standards. Weapon and bore look clean and I now have a life.

My Marlin .22 rifles do not take kindly to frequent disassembly and do not get cleaned after shooting.
 
Personally, I like the coated rods. I use them in my bench gun as well as all my other guns. Wipe it with a clean towel EVERY pass through the bore. :)

I have a couple of Deweys for rifle and pistol that work well.

The Bore Tech rods rotate about as smooth as it gets. They are very nice as well.
 
I will NEVER put a Boresnake down my bores. Every gun forum is full of posts about getting a stuck or broken Boresnake out of the bore. Also, the system itself just isn't flexible enough. I use and love the Patchworm for what it is, and it's perfect for rimfires, which IMO should never have a brush down the bore. Overall, I think the Otis cleaning kits are the best. It's a rugged and flexible system that isn't going to break and leave something stuck in the bore. You can run a brush if you want a brush, a wet or dry patch, etc. Also, a single, small kit that weighs only a few ounces and can be carried on your belt can clean every single gun you own from a .17 rimfire pistol to a 10 gauge shotgun. I prefer to use a one piece coated rod at home, but I use the Otis or Patchworm just about everywhere else.
 
that is, ridiculously obsessive.

I finally got tired of spending more time cleaning than shooting. I quit using my nice Dewey rods and now just boresnake the barrel a few times after each range session, as well as wiping/scrubbing carbon off the bolt components, receiver, mag well, fire control group, etc. but not to rack inspection standards. Weapon and bore look clean and I now have a life.
Click to expand...

I agree. I run the bore snake through 2-3 times flossing it back and forth the last few times. I do this right after shooting while the barrel is still hot/warm, it's easier to clean that way. I have found using a bore light it is as clean as if I had used brushes and solvents. I then push through one lightly oiled patch and oil the outside of barrel and several spots on the slide, stainless revolvers get wiped down with leadaway.

Unless I'm using really dirty ammo or am shooting my staimless revolver I do not use brushes or solvents unless I'm experiencing problems. I do completely break doen and field strip all pistols 1-2X a year and clean Thoroughly.
 
A bore snake has 3 sections, a leader, a brush and a tail. You soak the lead section (shorter section) before the brush and pull it through the bore. The lead section applies solvent, the brush ...brushes and the tail absorbs leftover solvent. You do this a couple of times and you're done. If you want to put gun oil in the bore, use a paper towel to clean off the last inch of the tail (it looks like a loop), soak with gun oil and pull it through. Do it again (dry this time) before you shoot the rifle. Check the nylon string attached to the weight every once in a while for tears. Also, don't clean a hot gun barrel with a bore snake. It will get stuck and be hard to pull through. I suspect alot of people who get their snakes stuck in the bore was doing this. Wash the boresnake after a few cleanings by throwing it in with the laundry.

Works good for .22 rifles, because you don't want the bore super clean anyways.
 
Argh, so many opinions! Hehe. I will start w/ the traditional and then later on, after I'm used to cleaning in the traditional way, get a Patchworm or something similar.

Cameron
 
I will NEVER put a Boresnake down my bores. Every gun forum is full of posts about getting a stuck or broken Boresnake out of the bore.
Click to expand...

I've never heard of this?

As a matter of Fact...Troops over in Iraq have been requesting bore snakes for cleaning. There is also a program Project Bore Snake supported by the NRA, Shooting Illustrated, Soldier of Fortune, and others. \\But don't believe me check it out for yourself:

http://projectboresnake.org/news.html
 
I had been a traditionalist about cleaning my gun until recently when I was given a bore snake. I was impressed!

1. I spray some brake cleaner through the barrel to wash out the loose nasties and then give it a minute to evaporate.

2. Then I use an aerosol powder solvent and spray a bit in the bore.

3. Then I run in the snake through to the brush portion back and forth a couple of times.

4. Then a spray some rem oil on the rear portion of the snake which has not been in the barrel yet and pull it all the way through oiling the bore.

5. My wife has a small mesh laundry bag I put the snake in for cleaning.

I have never seen my bores cleaner! Especially the shotguns. The sometimes hard to remove melted plastic from the wadding comes out easily now.
 
Popeye's Corn on the cob

Never used a Boresnake, don't want one.
My only experience was using one for a jerk rope, it did not fair well. :)
Ski rope worked, I got the Bimmer out of the ditch...

Popeye's does a full corn on the cob, really great!
It comes stuck on a pointy stick.

This stick and a Popeye's napkin, cleans a chamber really well.
Stick punches out receiver pins on Shotguns too...

Popeye's is THE ticket.

Ya don't get great corn on the cob with a coated/ graphite rod.
For sure a cob is not gonna stay stuck on a pull through system.

I'd go to Popeye's and forget about a gun cleaning kit. :D
 
As a matter of Fact...Troops over in Iraq have been requesting bore snakes for cleaning. There is also a program Project Bore Snake supported by the NRA, Shooting Illustrated, Soldier of Fortune, and others. \\But don't believe me check it out for yourself:

http://projectboresnake.org/news.htm
Click to expand...
Thanks for mentioning "the Project". I am one of the founders. Almost 14,000 bore snakes sent "over there"! Some are calling them "lifesavers".
appreciation.jpg


If you can help, I guarrentee every outfit that gets 'em appreciates 'em.

Mike
 
XX: Is a boresnake good for cleaning?
Me: Yes, but they break off in the barrel.
XX: Nonsense, everybody uses them.
Me: They break off in the barrel.
XX: You are full of it. I am going to buy one, since all the experts say they are great.
Me: Up to you, but they break off in the barrel.
XX: Aaargh! My boresnake broke off in the barrel. I tried to drive it out with a dowel and it broke, then I tried a cleaning rod and it is stuck, now what to I do?
Me: Ask the experts who said boresnakes are great.

Jim
 
While I've read a few posts about boresnakes getting stuck in barrels, I always wonder if they were using the right caliber. We've used boresnakes on our rental guns at the range for about 5 years now. That would be about 200 - 300 pulls of Boresnakes through guns every day! I've never seen a stuck one in one of our guns nor has any of the other RO's.

We have them hanging on the wall, one for .44/.45, one for .40, two for 9mm and 38, and two for 22's. The bores of the guns only see solvent about every 2000 rounds.

I don't recommend them for a good gun cleaning before you put a gun away but they work great to keep the bores clear and build-up down. (And I still want to see a stuck one of proper caliber in real life.)
 
I have been using Hoppe BoreSnakes in several calibers and a couple different shotgun guages since they first came onto the market.
We sell them in the shop and I mean we sell a lot of them.
Not once has anybody, myself included, ever brought a firearm back to the shop with a BoreSnake stuck in the barrel though I am sure some genius on the internet has managed to do this.
 
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