I am relatively new to the shooting scene, so take this as opinion (at best).
I've heard a lot of good things about them, and was planning to get one. A fellow gun club member, and master gunsmith (by the way) told me not to.
He said when they get dirty they are very abrasive (maybe that's what you need), but more importantly he said unless you were insanely careful with them there was a tendency to not pull them straight out, and it was murder on the crown. He absolutely hated them.
He is a traditionalist (older). I think they are fine for shotguns, but after further research I bought a patch worm system. This is sort of a cross between a bore snake and traditional rod cleaning. I find it more than effective and very 'safe'.