Boresnakes,yes or no

[gooddog]

Just wanted some advice on the use of bore snakes to clean a center fire rifle.Are they good or bad,any info would be great.

Thank you

 

[Sheik]

Good for quick cleans but in the end I would still go back to patches.

 

[Pblatzz]

Works well for me. Keeps the bore clean and fast to use. No hassle.

 

[teclaydon]

"...Works well for me. Keeps the bore clean and fast to use. No hassle..."

Ditto.

I use the same one for my .223 and .22, plus I have another for my 12ga.

 

[Doug The Canuck]

My 12 ga. one works very well. If you do it regularly, it keeps the barrel nice and shiny.

 

[af_newbie]

Just wanted some advice on the use of bore snakes to clean a center fire rifle.Are they good or bad,any info would be great.

Thank you

Convenient, field/range use only.
You can clean properly when you get home.

 

[Grizzlypeg]

I think its a good piece of cleaning equipment. It does a good job of a light cleaning the chamber as well as the bore. It all depends on your needs. If your gun isn't prone to fouling, its a quick convenient way to wipe down the bore. Some guns you can shoot a lot of round through without developing fouling or loss of accuracy. For them, the bore snake may be all you need. I don't think you necessarily do yourself and the gun a favor by being obsessive about cleaning. Might just wear it out faster. I've shot a lot of ammo through my 6.5x55 mauser and I'm not sure it ever actually needed cleaning. Some peoples guns have problems with fouling and a bore snake for that wouldn't be enough.

 

[Campbery]

yes

 

[300winman]

Boresnakes

I use em,and I like em

 

[csmith99]

Convenient, field/range use only.
You can clean properly when you get home.

X2, I take them to the camp and in the field and "clean" my 12, 30-30, and 300 WSM when shooting. Nothing replaces a thorough cleaning with bore cleaner and patches.

 

[David K]

.... Apparently, the US Servicemen in Iraq like them, with a fair number asking for them to be sent in "Care Packages" ... mostly used for a quick clean rather than a full job ! ..... David K. .....

 

[Gatehouse]

I use them, especially for shotguns....

But cleaning rifles is overrated, anyway.

 

[Cowboy]

I agree with most said but to clarify a varmint rifle shot alot will need copper cleaning to get the copper fouling out. This would also pertain to a silhoutte rifle or any centre fire shot alot.(50-500 rnds per wekkend all summmer)----Cowboy

 

[12magnum]

rifles that get a lot of shooting need copper fouling removed. but for a quick rifle cleaning they good. for shotguns,if the barrel is cleaned regularly, they're all yuo'll ever need so long as solvent is out in the barrel first.

 

[Winnipeg Toymaker]

would not be without one in the field...quick , convenient but not enough for a really fouled and copper coated cleaning.

 

[350tracker]

I use them all the time for a quick clean...

 

[maynard]

Never used one, never will. While I believe cleaning is over-rated in most cases, nothing cleans better then a proper cleaning rod, jag and patches.

 

[Amphibious]

never leave home without it.

spend all day hiking into the trees, trip, fall, rifle gets some dirt in the bore....

boresnake saves the day

 

[catnthehatt]

Never used one, never will. While I believe cleaning is over-rated in most cases, nothing cleans better then a proper cleaning rod, jag and patches.

X2
I have a take down solid rod in my hunting pack.
I use a bore snake for shotguns, but I think the question was for rifles?

Cat

 

[Wrong Way]

Why would you question it for rifles, esp. in the field?

You could:
A. Put the rod together
B. screw on bronze brush
C. Give a few scrubs
D. Remove brush
E. Put on jag
F. Run patch
G. Run patch
H. Run patch
I. Run patch
J. Run patch
K.........

OR

A: Drop snake down barrel
B. Pull through

Say what you will, but the surface area of the snake allows you to run the equivelent of like 30 patches through your barrel with 1 pull.

IMO, snakes are the cat's ass when it comes to everything but copper fouling. That said, of they were to bring out a version that was wire brush along it's entire length instead of the first inch or so, I'd buy one for copper removal as well!