Bore Snake

[clovishound]

On advise from my buddy, I picked up a Bore Snake for my model 11 in .223 yesterday. After a great trip to the range with my daughter, I thought I would try it out for the first time.

First off, I read the directions. I then pulled the bolt and fed the brass weight into the chamber. It was like trying to get a cat into a carrier. I played with it for a few minutes and finally managed to get it out the muzzle. At this point I pulled it through the bore. Well, I tried to pull it through the bore. I was afraid I would pull the cord off the brush part. After a while I managed to get it through the bore.

I know the videos say it will be tight. I didn't expect it to be this tight. Do they free up some with use? It was extremely difficult to pull through. I ended up wrapping the cord around my hand, and pulled really hard. It would slide an inch or two and stop.

Yes, I did check and make sure it was the right sized for my caliber.

The video by Hoppes shows the guy just sliding it right through. I know he was doing a shotgun, but did he use a stunt Bore Snake?

After running it twice through the bore, a patch with a little Frog Lube came out clean as a whistle. It took a whole lot longer to do this than it would have taken me to run a whole bunch of patches down the bore. I'm OK with that, if it cleans a lot better, but I really didn't think it would be that difficult.

[Texas Solo]

Yes, they are suppossed to be tight.
But, did you put any solvent on the snake? You should saturate the snake, forward of the brush part, with solvent.
That should help some, but having to wrap it around your hand is normal. Once you get it moving, don't stop.

[Patch700]

A bore snake in my opinion is a desperate measure to somewhat clear a bore when no other options are available... If you have the proper gear (good quality one piece rods and a bore guide) use them.
Quite possibly a better use for a bore snake would be to tie a slip knot in one end and loop the opposite end through the slip knot , this way your significant other will have a nice leash for her cat..

[sixonetonoffun]

My 223 was the same. I use it after normal patching. It has gotten easier to pull now. I bought a 308 also but it pulled.like a shoe lace so I use it for my 7mm rm and got another 308 which fits better.

They seem to be most useful cleaning 22 semi auto and lever actions here.

[shooterfpga]

Boresnakes will be tighter than rods and patches but after a lube or a few times through it gets easier. I find they clean a lot better than a jag and patch or brush.

[RatMag]

I absolutely LOVE the Boresnakes. Fast, effective, easy to keep up with, and I can carry it easy in my stock pack... nuff said!!

DK

[emtrescue6]

Bore snakes have a use (I assume) but it isn't cleaning rifles....

[shooterfpga]

As you can see everyone has an opinion. It goes the same for how often people think you should clean and how to clean. Pick one youre confident in doing and do it.

[big honkin jeep]

I used keep one in a ziploc in each of my rifle cases for use at the range and on hunting trips. Easy way to clean the bore. Then I wound up with a long seated bullet stuck in the lands when I ejected a cartridge while clearing my rifle. I was on a hunting trip 300 miles from home. Now I keep a cleaning rod as well as a bore snake in my rifle case.

[twarren]

Why would want to pull something dirty thru your bore when you are trying to clean it?

[Bowguy]

twarren is spot on. How many times do you use patches before throwing away? Treating a boresnake the same would be a step in the right direction.

[Blue Fin]

I use the "Viper" bore snake. It's better quality than just a regular bore snake. Have one for every caliber gun I own. Do a lot of clay shooting and after a hundred rounds or so it's nice to break it out and pull it through the bore. Plus you are pulling it from the chamber to the muzzle as opposed to the other way around with a rod. I'm not saying the rod, brush and patch is not the proper way to clean a weapon but a Viper bore snake is well worth the investment.

[BillPa]

Plus you are pulling it from the chamber to the muzzle as opposed to the other way around with a rod.

Huh?

[emtrescue6]

BillPa beat me to it....I hope for Blue's sake he's not pushing the rod from the muzzle end...

[shooterfpga]

Only time i push towards the chamber with a rod is when i got a stuck round.

[emtrescue6]

Only time i push towards the chamber with a rod is when i got a stuck round.

Or on a lever or autoloader ....

[DT400]

On the brass tip is a stamp of the caliber the Snake is for. Do you have the right Snake?

Darrell

[rotts4u]

I had the same exact problem with mine. In fact on two of them I broke them in the bore and these were vipers. I found the trick is to put some oil or a LOT of solvent on the snake forward of the brush right at the point the cord turns into the snake part. I also find the easiest way for me to pull it through is to first drop the weight through the chamber to the ground. Then after I get the cord through I step on the weight or even wrap it around my foot and lift the rifle barrel down until the snake falls free.

It feels odd at first but I don't have that cord cutting into my hand. At first I didn't like the snakes now I have one for every caliber and like them

[clovishound]

On the brass tip is a stamp of the caliber the Snake is for. Do you have the right Snake?

Darrell

Yes, it's the right one.

I tried wrapping the cord around a metal flashlight barrel to give me a better purchase. It seemed to help. Still awfully difficult to get through. I tried it through my Ruger Mark I. Went through quite easily.

[joeb33050]

Only time i push towards the chamber with a rod is when i got a stuck round.
A DCM instructor once said to me/us, almost in passing:"Clean from the muzzle, it's far easier to re-cown than to re-chamber."