View Full Version : Bore snake worth it??
Anyone have any opinions about the bore snake was looking at getting one but wanted feed back first
Thanks
As a only weapons bore cleaning tool it is not enough, but it does an excellent job as a quick way to maintain your bore. One of the best weapon care products I have ever purchased.
The bore snake is good to have on hand.
It is quick, inexpensive and makes a good gift idea.
It does not replace a real cleaning kit.
skullworks
02-15-12, 08:06
For just quickly getting the worst crud out of the barrel on the go (without having to disassemble the firearm) it is an outstanding tool that is easy to carry with you. As others have already pointed out it is not a substitute for a proper cleaning session.
I have one each for all calibers I shoot.
Microalign
02-15-12, 08:17
If you run the snake through your bore just after you are done shooting, it gets rid of the worst of the carbon buildup while it is still fresh before it cakes on there. However, it doesn't do much for getting rid of lead fouling or copper buildup, so you will want to have a regular cleaning kit and solvents to take care of those issues. If you shoot corrosive ammo, then you will also need a standard cleaning kit and a soapy solution such as window cleaner.
People in the sandbox avoid them as they get impregnated with sand.
I love the boresnakes. it is a quick easy way to clean the bore a little while still at the range.
I agree it can be a quick effective field-cleaning tool.
However, I just use the Otis pull-through cable system, works on the same principle but better IMO, easy and portable for field use, and if done right, actually it can replace nearly all of your cleaning rods. Sometimes people I've seen will say they've tried Otis and it didn't work, but usually they didn't take the time to learn to use it effectively. I use Otis plus good cleaners (like Mpro-7, and Wipeout/Patch-out), now I don't really use separate boresnakes and rarely even use straight cleaning rods anymore. One other plus: unlike Boresnakes, with the Otis cleaning rods, you never have to run them through your washing machine (which then has risks of getting various chemicals into your washing machine). The Otis rods are easy to just wipe off.
The best all-purpose Otis kit that will clean the most calibers is the Otis Tactical kit (http://www.amazon.com/Otis-Tactical-Cleaning-System-Brushes/dp/B0000C52A5).
DanjojoUSMC
02-18-12, 14:02
All I use is a boresnake, cloth, and q-tips
A cleaning kit isn't a cleaning kit without one.
I have found very little use for them and their popularity has always surprised me. In my experience they don't real clean much at all.
Go for it.. I have one in every caliber I shoot... I don't do a real cleaning until after a few/several hundred rounds anymore, so the boresnake is great for the in-between.. Solvent in front and a light oil on the back.. JMO.. Ron
I keep one in the ACS of my rifle as a back-up just in case I can't get to proper cleaning equipment.
It is sorta like washing your face between showers.
It is sorta like washing your face between showers.
hahahahaha.. indeed.. :D Ron
mallowpufft
02-18-12, 17:16
They're handy, especially on difficult to clean firearms but like another poster I'm more a fan of the Otis system. With that and a chamber length rod I can easily keep my rifles clean.
what's not to like...simple and easy.
As others have said, it does not replace a proper cleaning kit (rod, brush, jag, and patches), but it is a handy tool to have.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
02-18-12, 21:55
IMO it is a valuable tool. More so with rifles, but still great for pistols.
Just sayin, https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=90086&highlight=Bore+snake+stuck
skullworks
02-19-12, 08:12
With all due respect, people get regular cleaning rods stuck in the bore as well. People can **** up anything.
lifebreath
02-19-12, 09:00
God's gift to shooters.
This, at least for rifles. I don't use on pistols.
With all due respect, people get regular cleaning rods stuck in the bore as well. People can **** up anything.
Very true.
I think the para cord tied to the rear loop would be advantageous.. JMO.. Ron
Bore cleanliness in service guns is driven by personal compulsion and preference, not functional necessity or adverse shooting outcome.
I use boresnakes almost exclusively. I'll occasionally brush a revolver barrel if I've been shooting an awful lot of lead, and brush their chambers. I don't remember the last time I owned, held, or used a jag.
I brush AR chambers for carry guns, but pull a borensake down the barrel. My EDC rifle hasn't had a traditional bore brush down it...ever.
Handy/useful for rifles but not handguns? I don't get the distinction.
I think the para cord tied to the rear loop would be advantageous.. JMO.. Ron
once the brush enters the bore it will almost impossible to reverse. sort of like a chinese finger trap...
once the brush enters the bore it will almost impossible to reverse. sort of like a chinese finger trap...
A regular brush would for sure.. The tiny pull cord on the 22 caliber boresnake does worry me a little. I thought about having a para cord sewn on the front as a secondary. In any case, it appears a regular replacement is in order.. Ron
I've been running them for a while. I like them overall and find it helps off and on to dip the front end of the snake, ahead of the bristles, in some solvent and pull it through slowly. Eventually I like to scrub out with a real brass brush though.
First came across them in a SIG armorer's school. They were pretty highly recommended at that time by the instructor. He was retired from the SEAL teams and was an armorer for them. Then went to work for SIG. They were part of what he recommended everyone have on their work bench along with various other tools when someone asked what the teams used to clean and maintain their weapons.
I did find the comment regarding their getting sand in them in theater interesting. I imagine that would be true.
Luckystiff
02-21-12, 09:52
I have been seeing them in LE Agency cleaning kits a lot more over the last few years. This article may explain why the LE community is jumping on them. http://www.officer.com/article/10210390/how-an-agency-armorer-builds-a-cleaning-kit
mallowpufft
02-21-12, 10:47
I like the LEO armory kit in that article. It's darn near identical to my set up. I have a couple bore snakes but my .22 cal one is just for rimfire. Them suckers are dirty...
For the .223 I use an Otis Micro Kit. It's just the flex rod with a patch puller and a brush. I keep that, a good toothbrush/scrubby brush, my chamber brush, and my Mpro7 all in a 2" tall flat tackle box. Easy to take to the range, each piece has a spot and nothing gets lost.
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