Bore Snake

[Blue Fin]

Rather than write some war-n-peace length post on barrel cleaning, I figured it might be better to just give you some links to some reading material. Short version is that for most bolt guns such a Savage you can pull the bolt, stick in a bore guide, put a 'boot' or other protective cover over the cheekpiece of the butt stock and clean from the breech, and on guns like an AR, you'd pop the rear take-down pin, pull the charging handle and BCG, insert the bore guide thru the upper receiver into the chamber and again clean from the breech end. On a 10/22 I'd either pull the barrel (drop the stock and then loosen the two bolts) or clean from the breech with a bore snake. Guns like an M1/M1A or most lever actions you don't have much choice other than to use a snake or clean from the muzzle.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/techn...and-materials/
http://www.accurateshooter.com/techn...eaning-debate/
http://www.accurateshooter.com/gear-...m-bore-guides/

Much appreciated. Thank you. Learn something new everyday.
My Model 10, which I recently acquired, is my first bolt action rifle aside from an M/N that I don't shoot (I've been told it's rare and collectable).
I do have another rifle but don't shoot it too often. Been mostly into handguns for many years so the rifle area is new territory.
Thanks again for the kind and informative reply.

[Slowpoke Slim]

I keep bore snakes in my hunting gear for each of my hunting rifles. I can put a snake in my hunting pack and it takes up zero room. If for some reason I get dirt or foreign material in my bore while hunting, I may be able to clear it right there with the snake. It may save me a trip back to camp for a rod.

EDITED TO ADD-- I forgot I do use snakes on some of my blackpowder cartridge guns. They are easy to use and clean up afterwards. To clean the snakes you can just put them in a laundry baggie and drop them in the washing machine. --

For cleaning at home or the range, I use 1 pc rods and the appropriate nylon brush/brass jag. I always clean from the breach end, and yes, use a bore guide in the action. I do still use a snake on a couple of semi-auto 22 rifles I own. But all of my bolt actions and break actions get the cleaning rod.

So to me, there are uses for both.

[pinsnscrews]

I have 2 of each caliber. One is kept "Wet" with solvent, the other is kept dry. It is no big deal to wash at home by hand with Dawn dishwashing liquid, then hang to dry in the sun. I will pull the wet snake through the bore at the "1 minute call" at the range. Let it soak while I check targets during the break, then run the dry snake through once the range is Live again.

I recently picked up Cabela's knock off of the Otis flex system. What is really nice is I can feed it through from muzzle to breech, attached the brush, then pull it back through the barrel. I plan on getting set of the "Squeegee" style plungers to pull through. It may very well replace my boresnake.

I do a proper full clean at home.

[COplains]

+1 pinsnscrews....while I don't much like paying the price, the Cabelas kits with the pull cable are great. All the standard stuff for the rod works and easy to pack in the case or backpack if I'm out and about. One note, if you shoot a 223, get the AR kit, you get more bang for the buck.

[Stockrex]

FYI:
Chemtool - $3 at autoparts will remove carbon, but with any of these products pls be careful and use in well ventilated space
do you own research on carbon removal and auto products will work great.
Scrubbing - I am still lost on this, I scrub my infant daughter's bottles with a nylon brush, I don't understand how there is junk left behind in a barrel that just split out a bullet in excess of the speed of sound a blast of super heated gas at similar velocity...

[Krakkon]

I clean my bore snakes with warm water and dish soap by shaking them in a milk jug...

[memilanuk]

Scrubbing - I am still lost on this, I scrub my infant daughter's bottles with a nylon brush, I don't understand how there is junk left behind in a barrel that just split out a bullet in excess of the speed of sound a blast of super heated gas at similar velocity...

Are you saying you don't believe that there is stuff that needs scrubbed, or don't understand the mechanism (i.e 'how')?

For the latter... my understanding (possibly flawed) is this: yeah that super-heated gas goes down the bore, but not all of it makes it all the way out before cooling and collecting on the bore surface. The bullet of the next round will push some of it out of the way (or squeeze it into the corners of the grooves), but otherwise it gets pressed into the pores and pits of the bore under extreme pressure as the barrel passes... also leaving more of the same behind it. At some point you need to remove those layers of build up, whether via chemical or mechanical means. What freaks me out, and thankfully I've never directly encountered (that I know of) is the formation of a carbon ring in front of the chamber...