Just Want To Remind Y'all:

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

That a boresnake, while useful for what it is, and is quick and convenient, is no replacement for a good cleaning with a rod, brush, and jag.

While a boresnake may get rid of the unburnt powders and other debris in the barrel, it doesn't do any good with copper fouling. I took the rod to the Mauser this morning, and this is what came out of the barrel, and this is only a few patches:



So while the snake is nice, the rod does so much better.

 

[radkoch]

Wow, That is quite a bit there. Also I suppose because of all the Warsaw pact corrosive ammo (Yugo and 5.45)that is still being imported people would want to make sure to clean their bores with more than just a boresnake

 

[mljdeckard]

I use boresnakes on guns where I'm not actually too concerned about their accuracy. (Like issued M-16s.)

 

[Firemedic56]

Personally, I never use a bore snake...But I love cleaning my guns, so I tend to shy away from anything that cuts down on the amount of time I have to clean. Honestly I don't think that the boresnake is bad, I just like the rod and patches.

 

[lightman]

A boresnake is a good tool to have in your pack if you have accidently stuck the barrel into the mud or snow.I use a rod,and patches and brushes,for cleaning. Lightman

 

[LibShooter]

LJ,

Did these patches go through the rifle right after using the Boresnake?

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

These patches were put through after the boresnake, albeit a few months after. I haven't been shooting for a while, but I noticed some copper coloring in the muzzle and cleaned it because of that.

Boresnakes are nice for debris and minor obstructions, but in my opinion, not much good for cleaning at all. Had the same issue with my Mosin Nagant and K31, and they were last shot and cleaned with a boresnake at the same time!

Some of the K31 patches shown here:

 

[gym]

Never used em, didn't really see how they could do a good job.

 

[The Sarge]

I did not know there was anybody who thought a boresnake cleaned cooper from a bore.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Never thought a boresnake did. I've only cleaned my barrels from copper fouling about twice a year, once in June, once in December. This is just following my normal cleaning regimen. But the patches were still coming out almost black, even after a lot of passes with the snake.

It's just a reminder that a boresnake isn't as good as a rod and brush.

 

[RalphS]

Does anybody ever clean their boresnake? I imagine that pulling a dirty boresnake through a barrel can do more damage than good.

I agree that they are useful in the field if a barrel gets clogged with mud or sand but they are no subsitute for a cleaning rod and patches.

 

[rcmodel]

They are actually worthless in the field if a barrel gets plugged with mud, or anything else.

Ever try to push a bore obstruction out with a string?

IMO: Bore Snakes may have their place.
I just haven't found it yet.

rc

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I usually run a patch with Hoppe"s #9 through, let it sit a couple seconds to soke in, run a brush trough, run a rag or 3 through, more solvent, bore snake, and then patches till they come out clean. Then oil on a patch let sit a few, then one or to clean patches to remove excess oil. Next day, after oil has fully penetrated riffling and all nookes, one more clean patch.

 

[The Sarge]

To the guy asking about cleaning boresnakes. Yeah....put them in an old sock, tie the top and run them through the washer.....then you can hang them up to dry.

 

[NMGonzo]

too clean, didn't read

 

[RalphS]

put them in an old sock, tie the top and run them through the washer

my wife would not be happy if she caught me doing that. Same as washing gun parts or cleaning brass in the dishwasher.

 

[writerinmo]

I looked at a boresnake...once... that is all.

 

[230RN]

I wash 'em in a bucket with mild detergent, splooshing them around with a (clean) bathroom plunger. Rinsed very well, then hung out to dry with the red shop rags I use for gun wiping and cleaning. I like them. I bring one along with me when I'm looking for a specific caliber gun. Ask the party (dealer or whoever) if they mind if you run one through the gun you're looking at. (Also bring a borelight.)

Laundry day at 230RN's place:

Terry, 230RN

 

[rozziboy18]

@230rn

the sign of a true gun nut!

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Agreed! But, I don't think I'll see much use for them anymore.

 

[Gun Geezer]

I use them on my shotgun barrels. I have not run a patch down a shotgun barrel in years. No problems what so ever.

 

[LoonWulf]

I actually use my bore snake to pull copper on my mini. I soak 1/2 the thing in sweets tho. My other rifles all have easy access from the chamber side so they get the rod lolz.

 

[JustinJ]

The only way to get copper out is by use of a solvent. I supposed one could apply the solvent with a bore snake but then it will be saturated so patches will of course be needed to remove the solven/dissolved copper. I bought a boresnake a while back for getting carbon out before using copper solvent with jags and patches but did not find it to be very effective at that either.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

That's what I'm seeing here. I'm still getting black (carbon, unburnt powder, what have you) like you'd see when you just get done shooting. And that's after a dozen passes per rifle. The bore could look shiny new, but once that rod, jag, and brush hit the bore, it was like the snake wasn't even used.

 

[pikid89]

i keep a .22 bore snake with me when I'm working at appleseed's...they are handy for running through a .22 that hasn't been cleaned in years and has just had 1000 extra rounds through it and is starting to have sticky extraction