Opinions on Hoppe's Boresnake

[Florida Guy]

I just ordered one for my 22's as it seems it will drastically cut down on cleaning time.
Those of you that own them, what are your opinions of their value?

[KalamazooKid]

Best invention since the Thermacell.


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[Lee in Quartzsite]

I have one for every gun I own, both rifle and pistol. I rarely use a cleaning rod anymore. The are quick and easy to use, but the brushes do wear out after a time. Greatest thing since sliced bread!

[Old_Cop]

I have several and like them for a quick cleanup. Not sure about a badly fouled bore, but for a .22 pistol or rifle the bore and chamber are cleaned quickly.

[richardw]

I use one on my 22 and 380. Best thing I ever bought whe. It comes to cleaning the bore. To put it simply: it works.

[Rule3]

They are OK for a final pass through or a touch up at the range.

The brush is useless. Not enough of it. Think about it. To scrub a fouled bore require repeated passes with a brush on a rod as well as patches with solvent. Only physically brushing removes lead or severe copper fouling. No solvent made dissolves lead and only 2-3 work somewhat on copper.

Do you use the same patch over and over to clean you guns.??
What is the bore snake? You clean your bore with the same dirt that just came out of the barrel and builds up. So you need to wash them frequently to get the crud out. So why not throw away a patch?

So if you wash it it often, it works as a big long patch,

Clean your guns the correct way.

Yes, I have some snakes and have used them, not impressed. They now have the Rip Cord of "fire resistance Nomex! Whoppie!!! At least you can thread a brush or jag on those.

[rockquarry]

Bore snakes are probably fine for emergency field use. If you're serious about cleaning, you can do a good job using a quality one-piece rod like a Dewey. Good bronze brushes and cotton patches of the right size are also necessary. None of this stuff is expensive.

[chief38]

I too have a bunch of them but ONLY use them as a quick Field Cleaning while on a Hunting Trip, or when I will be shooting that gun again the next day. I do NOT use Bore Snakes as a substitute for a real traditional cleaning.

Anyone who thinks they work as well as a regular cleaning routine should use the Bore Snake as they normally do and then afterwards clean it the traditional way and you will see how much you missed.

PS: the older and dirtier they get, the more saturated and clogged up with crud they get resulting in doing an even poorer job. They do have their place, but in my mind they are not a traditional cleaning substitute. YMMV.

[Absalom]

The bore snake is a field tool, plain and simple.

As such, I think it performs superbly, and most importantly, no excuse not to have it when you need it. A multi-day hunting trip, or you fired only one shot, or there seems to be some debris or moisture in the barrel.... perfect. Who bothers to carry even a collapsible rod with him? Run the snake through, barrel clean. And it fits in any side pocket.

If you're one of those obsessive-compulsive people who clean their guns regularly even without having fired them, the snake is also great.

As has been said, obviously, a thorough cleaning after a session at the range is a different story.

[Rpg]

Seems like gun folks are suckers for gadgets.

I've tried bore snakes too and am underwhelmed.

A lightly oiled patch on a traditional cleaning rod does as much as a bore snake, is cheaper and just as handy as a bore snake.

Wish I wasn't sucker enough to have spent the money on a bore snake.

[Rule3]

Originally Posted by Absalom

The bore snake is a field tool, plain and simple.

As such, I think it performs superbly, and most importantly, no excuse not to have it when you need it. A multi-day hunting trip, or you fired only one shot, or there seems to be some debris or moisture in the barrel.... perfect. Who bothers to carry even a collapsible rod with him? Run the snake through, barrel clean. And it fits in any side pocket.

If you're one of those obsessive-compulsive people who clean their guns regularly even without having fired them, the snake is also great.

As has been said, obviously, a thorough cleaning after a session at the range is a different story.

There are plenty of "field" cleaning kit's with a cable rather than a rod.

It costs two cents to make a patch puller with a piece of weed stringer line. Even smaller than a bore snake. As said if you do not wash the bore snake you are just wearing you day old underwear.

Instead of a BORE snake, why not use a cable and patch or brush. Works the same and you can actually clean with it but might get your daintily fingers dirty. or wear a glove.

One of many brands, spend a little or a lot, even TACTICAL versions.

One warning though, they do not have a cable brush YET that will fit a limited breach 22lr PISTOL. The .177 even with a short 22 brush will not make the bend,

Otis Hunting and Sporting Catalog

[Absalom]

Originally Posted by Rule3

There are plenty of "field" cleaning kit's with a cable rather than a rod.

It costs two cents to make a patch puller with a piece of weed stringer line. Even smaller than a bore snake. As said if you do not wash the bore snake you are just wearing you day old underwear.

Instead of a BORE snake, why not use a cable and patch or brush. Works the same and you can actually clean with it but might get your daintily fingers dirty. or wear a glove.
.....

Of course you're right that you can come up with something that's more effective if you invest the time, and like to mess around with "field cleaning kits", cables, weed stringer line, patches and such. But to me that all looks like too much effort just to avoid the simple solution.

That's why you miss my point. It's not effectiveness but simplicity. I hate gadgety stuff. Relative to their lifespan, the boresnakes cost next to nothing, have no separate parts, you take them out of the package and use them, and they do the job. End of story. If you use them like I described, they need to be laundered every few years, and last forever.

[JayFramer]

No, I don't think they do a good enough job. The bore of my rifles, pistols or shotguns is one place I am anal about cleaning well. A bore snake is a quick fix and can be useful in certain field conditions but give the opportunity I'll take a brass ramrod, proper sized brushes and jags, clean patches, solvent and oil any day of the week to do the job the right way.

[Maddog 521]

Many years ago my dad taught me to clean shotguns with a piece of string with a patch or 2 tied to one end. The other end he tied a small nut. He'd drop the nut into the bore and then when it came out the other end he'd pull it through.
I've never tried the Bore Snake but they sound similar.

[otisrush]

Put me on the "I don't like them." list. I'm not that anal about cleaning. But I could never get over that realization that I'm fundamentally putting something dirty down it. Yes, it can be cleaned. But it just seems like more trouble than it's worth.

And BTW, with a patch, I get visual feedback re whether things are clean or not.

OR

[gman51]

I had bought one for 22lr and use it on my handguns and rifles. Best thing since sliced bread. I liked it so much I bought one for 38/357, 44, and 12 ga. I got all those three for a total of $5.87 from one China seller on Ebay.

If I only shoot a gun maybe 50 or less rounds then I see no point in doing a total take down. I clean the bores with the snakes and cotton swab clean the other areas without doing a total take down. For a 22lr the snake can't be beat IMO.

[Florida Guy]

Thanks for all the input.
I just thought that for $10 shipped I would give it a try.

[gman51]

You are going to love it. Slicker than snot on a door knob.

[Mike, SC Hunter]

I don't use them.......Much prefer rods/brushes/wipes etc......BTW I seldom to never clean a .22 rimfire bore unless it gets wet.....

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Originally Posted by Florida Guy

Thanks for all the input.
I just thought that for $10 shipped I would give it a try.

Where did you find one for 10 bucks?? Inquiring minds want to know.

[DanWales]

Are they what I would use if the weapon was going to be sold NO.

But they sure are nice for after a range session. Couple passes with Hoppes 9 and good to go. Sometimes I run a patch after.

Dan

[CAJUNLAWYER]

bore snakes are the only way to clean a shotgun after a day in the marsh. Unless the gun gets dunked-a pull through the barrel followed by a wipe down with an oily rag on the rest of the gun and yer good to go for the next hunt. At the end of the season a detailed field strip and cleaning then in the sock until next season. Shotties (like the one I gifted to myself) are much easier to deal with than stuff with rifled bores.
Well, think I'll go out tonight and gift my wife some dinner-maybe she'll gift me some na na's later (doubt it but I'm hungry and she ain't cooking)

[jmr986]

I use them as a quick clean up at the range. Two or three passes before putting in the range bag. I'll do a real cleaning and lube at home.

[Walter Rego]

I use one only for .22 pistols that I don't wish to field strip every time after shooting, like my Colt Woodsmans, Browning Medalist or S&W Model 41. A few passes with a Boresnake and cleaning the breech face, bolt face and extractor area with cotton swabs & solvent and I'm good. At least if only a couple of boxes of shells have been fired.
Periodically they get a thorough cleaning with a rod and from the breech end.
The Bore Snakes can and should be cleaned after use too.

[johngalt]

I use one with my revolvers because I don't like running a rod down the muzzle end of my barrels. I'm not convinced they are a great solution though. I don't wash mine as often as I should.

[rond]

I think people clean their bores too often and to much. I run a patch of Hoppes followed by a dry patch, only use a brush if there's anything the patches didn't get, which isn't often.

[jack the toad]

In my limited experience and based on the condition of the bore, they are field expedient but not a substitute for a cleaning rod. Powder fouling is one thing but IMO they don't get the job done if something is stubborn (lead, copper, etc).

[straightshooter1]

They are extremely popular in Trap. After shooting, one just passes the Snake thru the bore, wipes the rest of the gun with an oily rag then puts the gun back in the case.

Similar to what Caj said concerning hunting shotguns, a detailed cleaning at the end of the trap season (or when I feel guilty) is all it takes to keep the shotgun in top shape.

I have 6 of the Snakes, one for each shotgun kept in the gun's case and the sixth one hanging in the garage for occasional use. I wash them about three times per year, hang them up till dry and use them again and again.

[Tom S.]

I think they're great for clean guns.

[Dennis]

I only use one on .22s. Everything else gets properly cleaned.

[Hawker800]

I like them.

[joeintexas]

I like them. I do clean with a brush, patch and solvent but run the snake through at the end of the cleaning for a final pass. Wash the snake after several times used. Probably not necessary but it only takes 5 seconds to run the snake through. Being retired I have that 5 seconds.

[Engineer1911]

Bore snakes don't remove lead from barrels. But I have a snake for every caliber I own.