Bore Snakes - Do they replace tradional cleaning

[Letch]

Hey all, I've always wondered and it finally occurred to me to ask on here, but can bore snakes replace the need for traditional cleaning techniques -i.e. Patches and brushes - or do they just delay time between full cleanings? Now that they've been out a few years I figure some of you have some pretty good experience with them.

 

[pudly]

Much more the latter- delay time between full cleanings. Bore snakes only clear the bore. They don't even do much for the chamber. The particles get all around inside the mechanism (chamber, extractor, trigger mechanism, etc.) and cleaning/lubing periodically is still a good idea. How often can certainly be debated and it does depend on the specific firearm.

 

[jamil]

Hey all, I've always wondered and it finally occurred to me to ask on here, but can bore snakes replace the need for traditional cleaning techniques -i.e. Patches and brushes - or do they just delay time between full cleanings? Now that they've been out a few years I figure some of you have some pretty good experience with them.

I don't clean my guns after every range trip. But I do like to run a bore snake through before I head to the range. I do a thorough cleaning every few months. They run just fine that way.

 

[Letch]

Makes sense, but to add to the conversation, I've seen several other companies making bore snake equivalents. Are all created equal, or is Hoppes still the name of the game?

 

[jamil]

Makes sense, but to add to the conversation, I've seen several other companies making bore snake equivalents. Are all created equal, or is Hoppes still the name of the game?

There are so many cleaning supplies out there that which you use might as well be based on superstition. Some are more effective than others. Some have specific purposes. I like a cleaning process that is quick, easy, and effective, and isn't itself, messy. I'll let you know when I find one I like.

 

[jblomenberg16]

Pretty good info so far. A bore snake is a quick way to get the major "crud" out of your barrel after a trip to the range, such as small amounts of unburned powder or any bigger chunks of lead if shooting non jacketed bullets. With most powders and primers no longer being severely corrosive, I'd dare say a deep cleaning after each range trip is not as imperative these days as it used to be. In fact, some folks have some pretty good data to suggest that many guns shoot a little better with a slightly "seasoned" barrel that has some copper to fill in some of the micro-imperfections in the barrel.

I like to run one through a couple times after a range trip, and then every few months (usually on a rainy day when I have nothing else to do) I'll do a more complete cleaning. The Hoppes snakes actually have a bigger loop on the end that does actually get a good swipe through the chamber as it is pulled through. Not as good as a chamber brush, but it does at least get some of the big stuff there as well.

 

[lester]

I still use a chamber brush to scrub the chamber, but I don't bother with rods and patches any longer. First, I'll detail clean the star chamber, then run the boresnake several times. Then, I finish up with a fresh Q-tip in the chamber.

 

[Letch]

Good to know. And I know this is a bit off topic and completely individualized, but do any of you believe in getting a barrel "too clean?" As in, at some point, does another brush or jag down the barrel do more harm than good?

 

[Mgderf]

Good to know. And I know this is a bit off topic and completely individualized, but do any of you believe in getting a barrel "too clean?" As in, at some point, does another brush or jag down the barrel do more harm than good?

You're supposed to leave the chrome in the barrel.

 

[CTS]

Good to know. And I know this is a bit off topic and completely individualized, but do any of you believe in getting a barrel "too clean?" As in, at some point, does another brush or jag down the barrel do more harm than good?

If you're using the right tools they won't be capable of damaging the barrel, they'll "break" before it does.

 

[bulletsmith]

Good to know. And I know this is a bit off topic and completely individualized, but do any of you believe in getting a barrel "too clean?" As in, at some point, does another brush or jag down the barrel do more harm than good?

Talking to the metal geeks, I have adopted the belief that if you continue to fire a jacketed bullet down a barrel (in my case I'm talking a .308) some copper will deposit in the imperfections of the barrel. As you continue to fire, the copper will deposit to a point that the next bullet will actually remove the excess. So the barrel reaches a state of equilibrium with regards to copper deposits. If you strip all of that copper out, your POI will change until you foul the barrel again.

Before I leave the range, I run an oil soaked patch down the barrel a couple of times to take the black crud out. Before shooting again I do the same, followed by a couple dry patches. That's it for the barrel. The chamber gets cleaned after a day at the range.

Doing this, I find that my first shots are pretty much on the money, aside from changes from heat.

 

[Bennettjh]

I just run the bore snake in between cleanings to get the crap out from EDC. So IMHO, it doesn't take the place of a good bore brush and some cleaner.

 

[xoregonian]

On an AR type rifle, no way.

Gas from the fired round propels the bolt carrier back into the buffer. The buffer spring compresses and as it expands propels the carrier forward, chambering another round. The more you shoot, the more crud. Cheap ammo, more crud. This is an extreme example. Link if you want to read up on this test case. 15000 rounds, lubed every 1000 rounds but did not clean. If you are shooting a bolt gun, you can probably snake it each range trip and keep the action lubed and do a good cleaning every second or third trip. If you shoot surplus lacquer coated ammo and the gun gets hot, you'll have extra work to do.
If you shoot corrosive ammo, a good cleaning is required every time. Cleaning and lubing also prevents rust.

A clean wouldn't hurt - The Firearm Blog

 

[bulletsmith]

On an AR type rifle, no way.

Gas from the fired round propels the bolt carrier back into the buffer. The buffer spring compresses and as it expands propels the carrier forward, chambering another round. The more you shoot, the more crud. Cheap ammo, more crud. This is an extreme example. Link if you want to read up on this test case. 15000 rounds, lubed every 1000 rounds but did not clean. If you are shooting a bolt gun, you can probably snake it each range trip and keep the action lubed and do a good cleaning every second or third trip. If you shoot surplus lacquer coated ammo and the gun gets hot, you'll have extra work to do.
If you shoot corrosive ammo, a good cleaning is required every time. Cleaning and lubing also prevents rust.

A clean wouldn't hurt - The Firearm Blog

That's impressive. Good point though, in my post I was speaking of a bolt gun.

 

[xoregonian]

That's impressive. Good point though, in my post I was speaking of a bolt gun.

Yeah, I know a couple of local guys I see at the range that claim they have never cleaned their bolt .22lr guns. I also think some of the barrel break in voodoo is from barrel makers looking to move more product. I just finished an AR build. I put 5 rounds through it just to function check it. Went right back into the safe. It'll be OK for a few days. Same with my polymer handguns. I'm off Wednesday so Tuesday night is cleaning and saying hello to those that didn't make it to the range. They've been in the safe all winter and are lonely.

 

[Nam1911]

My bird snake has replaced my bore brush and patches. I can get it cleaned with the snake than with a brass brush and patches. It's easy. You don't just pull it through. You pull it back and forth scrubbing with the brass bristles then back and forth with bristle less side to polish. And it's ridiculously easy. Now for normal cleaning I use a tooth brush and your normal cleaning regime.

a bore snake is for the bore. Not the whole gun.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Marines are gong back to the traditional cleaning rods for the M-16.

Here's why the Marines are bringing back Vietnam-era rifle cleaning kits

 

[Letch]

Awesome, thanks for the input guys. I think I'll integrate some of this into my own cleaning regimens.

 

[GIJEW]

Good to know. And I know this is a bit off topic and completely individualized, but do any of you believe in getting a barrel "too clean?" As in, at some point, does another brush or jag down the barrel do more harm than good?

If you're shooting a .22lr match rifle, I've been told by experienced competitors that the lead will lap the barrel and it will shoot more accurately, so just wipe out the powder fouling. That applies to ammo like Eley match, not Remington thunderbolt of course. I don't believe that's the case with center-fire rifles and most of the other competitive shooters I've met will clean after every 100rnds or less. Personally, I prefer Mpro7 and Mpro 'cop out' to ammonia based cleaners for trying to clean down to the bore. About over cleaning, I think the concern is abrasion on the muzzle crown--which applies even if you're under-cleaning the barrel. A bore snake would help with that but I've found that they quickly get full of crud and need to be cleaned themselves, before you get done with an intensive cleaning.

 

[Mark 1911]

I still clean the barrel thoroughly patches first. But I like to finish it off with the bore snake. You get a lot more surface area down the inside of the barrel with a snake than you can with a patch. Cleaning it with patches first just keeps the snake cleaner a lot longer.