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bore snakes

vetridervetrider Member Posts: 29 ✭✭
edited April 2004 in Ask the Experts
has anyone used these, looks like a good idea, but as we all know anything that is easy probably has a downfall that will surface when its too late.

Comments

  • vetridervetrider Member Posts: 29 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have bore snakes in several calibers. I use them for the monthly patch run thru, but not usually for "cleaning" has anyone used them for actual cleaning (vs. cleaning rods, brushes, and patches) and how much, if any, longer does it take.


    Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.
  • vetridervetrider Member Posts: 29 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are these effective means for cleaning the barrel of my guns? Will they harm the barrels in any way?
  • ern98ern98 Member Posts: 1,725 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For a fast "at the range" cleaning they are great. They in no way will replace a good scrub/de-coppering style cleaning. Still, now I will go 3 or 5 shooting sessions before I drag out the JB & Copper solvents et al. I have a bore snake in all the calibers that I shoot. Some of the snakes say 25cal & 6.5 or 8mm & 338, I have one dedicated in each because the brush seems to take a set for the cal.
  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    buy a dewey or bore-tech cleaning rod.

    why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
    Got Balistics?
  • mateomasfeomateomasfeo Member Posts: 27,143
    edited November -1
    They are great.

    One caveat however,

    Use caution that you don't pull the string so hard that it breaks leaving the snake in the barrel. Take it easy till you can get hold of the "snake" part. If the string breaks....[:(][:(][:(]



    oswald.jpg

    Mateomasfeo

    "I am what I am!" - Popeye
  • Rebel_JamesRebel_James Member Posts: 4,746
    edited November -1
    They do a pretty good job, but not a replacement for a real cleaning. Don't depend on one to get the barrel squeaky clean.

    I think they're best used AFTER a real cleaning. For example, I pulled one through the barrel of my AR15 after cleaning it. Kinda polished up the barrel and made it shine more.



    "If they won't give us good terms, come back and we'll fight it out."
    -- Gen. James Longstreet
  • bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,778 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I use them all the time DURING seasons. I can make sure the bore is totally clean after shooting. For me, this is particularly helpful for shotguns where you might only shoot just a few shots and this is more than effective at cleaning that.
    There's still no replacement for the old way as others have stated, but for a quick "once-thru" they are great. I'm wanting to try 'em on a muzzleloader and see if they clean well enough to use for the bulk of the cleaning between shot strings (I doubt it).
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
  • 1KYDSTR1KYDSTR Member Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I largely agree with the previous posts but would go toward the largely useless for real cleaning end of the spectrum. I think their best use is for a quick go over between shot strings. They make the barrel "look" good but if you run a naked tight patch through it afterward you will see that there is a lot of really serious residue left afterward! I've had better luck with them in shotguns as I believe was mentioned earlier but still view them as a last resort measure, or a shot string seperator. No substitute for a good brushing and real cleaning!

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "Power corrupts...Absolute power corrupts absolutely"(Descartes?)
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
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  • stalion10stalion10 Member Posts: 336 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    thier the bomb, bought a few(dif calibers) a few couple yrs. ago and would'nt be without them. couple it with Ed's Red solvent, never have to use any thing else. you'll find a recipe on how to make your own Ed;s Red gun solvent and other home made gun and lube products athttp://home.sprynet.com/~frfrog2/homemade.htm

    it's not the type of gun you have in the heat of a battle that counts, only if you have enough ammo for it, lets face it, a gun without ammo is only as good as a base ball bat!!
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I find they are great for .22s, do a nice job on pistols that are hard to clean otherwise, but for rifles, have minimal value as a real cleaning shows just how ineffective they are.

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
  • hksrulehksrule Member Posts: 318 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    to repeat what others said...use the standard method of a brush then swab clean...i have the bore snake for all my guns and I got caught up with the gimmick...any copper brush followed by a cotten swab will do much better than the snake. I have ran the bore snake through my hunting rifle 4 times then i ran a cotten swab through it and it came out black...the bore snakes are only good for a quick clean. BEWARE[V]

    WordBorn!!
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I rank them right up there with Bavarian nuts, cheap sunglasses, and beanie babys as useful things to buy at gun shows. Bottom line seems to be that some like them and some think they are junk. You will have to try one and see what you think. I will take Blue Wonder.

    He Dog
  • chuckchuck Member Posts: 4,911
    edited November -1
    I use one on my Trap Shot Gun, It's great the brush thing gets a lot of the plastic out. [:D]
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