I think of using a Bore Snake / Viper the same way I think of trying to wash myself using the sink instead of taking a shower. You can get mostly clean but it isn’t a real clean. Not running a white patch through the barrel to check for residue, only running the Bore Snake through once or twice, not using a proper solvent and relying on a CLP type product on the back end of the Bore Snake isn’t going to blow up your gun. And I don’t think most of us can shoot to a level that you would see what a perfectly cleaned barrel can do vs. a slightly fouled barrel. I think the heart of this is more an issue of most people’s desire to be able to put in the least amount of effort and achieve a barely passable grade C type answer to any chore they come across. The Bore Snake offers a path of least resistance to saying you cleaned your gun. I use them at the range to wipe the barrel down before I leave but then the minute I get home a full cleaning occurs. That way there is no chance for corrosive primers, moisture buildup, or anything else detrimental to happen. A far more interesting cleaning system is the Otis kits that come with a flexible wire that you can put brushes or patches on the end. And the wire is coated so no risk of damaging a bore. They all fit into these tiny little pouch bags. They seem much closer to being a true cleaning rod replacement item than any Bore Snake product ever will.