What is you opinion on Bore Snakes?

[Hovnnes]

Or Patch Worms? Or a plain ol' cleaning rod?
At the BSA Camp, we use Bore Snakes on the .22 rifles and 20 gauge shotguns and they work nicely, especially if the barel is still warm, so I was thinking about getting one for my M41 and 12 gauge, but on a target shooter's forum they don't recommend Bore Snakes but the Patch Worm. Which do you find is better?

 

[Maximumbob54]

Déjà vu. I would swear I just saw this but I will say what I think I said before. I think they are a better than nothing but everything else is better than any more snake or similar product. You can't even tell your bore is clean fully because you aren't using white patches. They are ok for camping, range trips, or other short term trips, but when home clean it right. They do a **** job of cleaning for real and while they are neat to carry they aren't genuine cleaning tools.

 

[FyrFyter]

I have one for pretty much every caliber I shoot. They're good for using at the range or if you don't have time for a good cleaning after you shoot. They are in no way a replacement for regular cleaning with a rod. I've used the bore snake and used the rod immediately after and the rod picked up more grime. If I had it to do all over I wouldn't have wasted money on them.

 

[k22fan]

Since their bronze or brass bristles wear out as fast as any other bore brush they are too expensive. I do keep a .22 bore snake in the box I use to haul pistols to the range for those occasions when I show up for a match with a .22 that didn't get cleaned. Combined with a brass bristle tooth brush they will keep a 617 running smooth in a pinch, but I wouldn't use a bore snake under any other circumstances.

Gil

 

[k22fan]

[...] If I had it to do all over I wouldn't have wasted money on them.

I should have typed that in myself.

Gil

 

[tomcatt51]

You clean .22 rimfire barrels? I clean chambers but leave the barrel alone. Thinking about it the same applies to my 38s and 45. The barrel gets left alone. I rarely shoot jacketed bullets and the lead and coated lead bullets I shoot don't leave lead.

 

[Big Cholla]

IMHO, bore snakes are an accuracy of your barrel killing implement. When they are dirty after the first pass all that grit embedded in the snake acts as a hone. Every pass after the first one is ruining the rifling in your rifle's bore. I never use them and see no reason for their existence. ........... Big Cholla

 

[Fishinfool]

They work well in a shotgun, which is mostly powder fouling, but I like a brass brush / patch when it comes to lead and jacket fouling in a rifled bore.

 

[chief38]

BORE SNAKES ARE OK FOR A SUPERFICIAL RANGE OR FIELD CLEANING, and like some others have already stated, NOT a substitute for a proper cleaning with a good quality one piece rod. Each time they are used, they get more and more embedded with dirt, grime, lead and copper fouling, and become less effective with each and every use. Again, better than nothing, but NOT GREAT!

Chief38

 

[senecaap]

They are great for what they are, range/field/quick clean implements. But they in no way replace the cleaning rod and brushes.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I used them all the time for basic cleaning. They are washable. They are not as good as a good thorough cleaning with a rod and a brush, but for the most part they do what they are supposed to do very well.

 

[Hunt200]

I tried them once, they are now collecting dust somewhere.

 

[KAC]

I use them to keep Simunitions guns running. The palstic residue from the projectiles will gum up the bore and cause them to stick. The Bore Snake will remove most of the fouling and, with oil squirted on the end opposite the brushes, put a light film of oil in the bore, which helps reduce the fouling a little. Allows me to keep the guns running when we have force on force training.

KAC

 

[bigshot500]

Boresnakes...my .02...I have used them for 7+ years at this point. They are quick and easy at the range for cleaning out residue but nothing beats a good soak with #9 followed by several passes from a bronze brush and finally a patch of clp or similar.
BS do wear out the bronze brushes gent bent in the direction your pulling and the cleaning brushing is reduced.

 

[pistola]

A good field tool.Nothing more,nothing less.

 

[Robinett_11B]

Agreed on all previous points...but they're good for 'inbetween touch-ups' too. I clean my pocket J-frame once a week, but run a boresnake through the barrel and chambers after everytime I carry it...as I don't carry in a pocket holster and lint builds up. For actual cleaning though? No, actual cleaning tools are used.

 

[Walter Rego]

I use a .22 cal BoreSnake on a couple of autoloading pistols that are a pain to fieldstrip like a Ruger auto. I clean the bolt face and extractor areas and feed ramp, breech face and extractor cut area with cotton swabs and solvent first. Then I squirt some aerosol solvent down the bore from the breech with the little plastic straw and let it blow out any unburned powder or other gunk first and soak for a few minutes. Finally I pull a bore snake through from the breech with some CLP on the fabric part that comes after the brush and the job is done.
I don't use them on centerfire guns believing that they need to be cleaned with traditional tools but I think on rimfires they are fine. One caution, the Boresnake for .22 cal rifles must be made for .223's as the fabric floss material is much thicker than it is on the .22 handgun version. I had to wrap the end around my hand and really pull to get one through the bore of a .22 rifle and feared that it was going to break and get stuck in the bore. I will not use it again, a waste of $15.