Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Bore Snakes.... use em?

That makes no sense to me at all. Why would you drag a rope through your barrel to "clean" it, and then drag the same rope through it again and again??

It's like using the same wad of toilet paper twice... It just doesn't work and makes a bigger mess..

It has brass bristles on it, and you can wash it.

I use it for quick cleaning passes, but it definately doesn't deep clean. Gunslick foaming bore cleaner is a good friend of mine.

For example, I was looking at this gun at the gun shop last week and the bore was so filthy I couldn't tell if it was rusted out or pristine. A quick bore snake through it and I knew the bore was fine before I put down a dime.

Apparently a common problem (though I've never seen it) is they break while in the bore. I think it was Redneck who posted it basically ruins the barrel when they get stuck.

I find them convenient, though, when you just want to make a quick pass to ensure there's no debris in the bore. For that purpose I usually go down one size, so there's no chance of the thing getting stuck. They are easy to store, in fact I usually store a couple in the truck, for emergencies.

They don't replace a good rod, but are useful in some cases.

Si.

Use 'em. Three uses: like calhoun said, a quick wipe for inspection of a used rifle takes out some speculation. Secondly, as part of a wipe down after a rainy day, or day out without muzzle tape and there's some specks of crap in there. Thirdly, on rimfires and cast bullet-only stuff, also get a shot of ballistol and a pass of the snake when put up. Quick, easy.

I like them when I'm doing load development to swab out the barrel between different powders.

When they get dirty, I wash them.

The newer Viper bore snakes are more likely to break off in the barrel than the original model. Flimsier cord and more resistance from extra embedded brushes. I won't use those.

Do you change brass brushes every time u run one down the barrel? They have their uses. I used to use them much more than I do now. But I usually have one in the shooting bag in case i feel the need to swab it quick.

I actually got a stuck one out of a barrel,,,,,,, ONCE! And it was by shear luck! Redneck is right. Fubar'ed is usually the case.

I use them in the field on ground squirrel or other high volume rodent shoots where 500+ rounds isnt uncommon. a few pulls thru the bore usually brings the barrel back to good enough.

Can you explain how this would fubar a barrel? Seems if it broke, you could just push it thru with a cleaning rod???

Reason I ask is that I use them pretty regular, and never gave it a thought that it would break. Now that I think about it, you'd be either pushing a rope, or changing the direction of the brush which might scratch the bore (?)

TIA..

Works great on my shotgun.

I carry one when I am hunting far from home. I have never needed one but they still are going in the fanny pack.

From rifles I've seen brought in it was possibly due to the following;
( speculation on my part)

1. Wrong size bore snake
2. Adding a patch or other object to the snake
3. Broken snake pull thru rope
4. Person stopped snake 1/2 way and tried to pull snake out other direction, thus jamming the brush in bore.

Most times couldn't get a straight answer from customer. All I know is when those things a re stuck, they are stuck. tried everything to get them out. Only one I ever got out had the pull thru string broke where the brish wasn't far inside the chamber. Was able to fish and grab brush and get it out.

Seen lots of em stuck 1/2 way. Only explanation I could get was #4 above. And don't ask me why they did it. Another interesting observation was that for some strang coincident a majority of rifles with the. Stuck in bore were Browning A-bolts Or X-bolts. I think that was simply serendipitous. But we'd get 3 or 4 (assorted) firearms a year in with em stuck and we'd ship them back to mfg. Generally for a new barrel.

Edit! Thought I'd mention ive used em a bunch. Especially cleaning shotguns. I think if you use em correctly and don't let them get worn and frazzled you can be ok. Just have to be careful. Heck I think I own 3 in my field box.

So once they get stuck, that's it???

Jorge,
That's was our shops experience. And there were several fellas there, that as opposed to me, really knew what they were doing!

Bob

I wonder if you could burn them sumbitches out? Prob just melt as I would expect them to have a good amount of nylon. Just thinking out loud....

Yikes, I'm going to $hitcan the lot then. I can just imagine getting one stuck in my double and only yesterday, I pulled one through a 7MM tube that was a 30 cal size. There by the grace of God!

Damn... I would not have thought you could get them THAT stuck in the bore! Good thing to keep in mind!!!

I didn't either. But they do. That burning them out crossed our minds too. Then we sobered up.

I will admit there were several occasions I was concerned about getting one out I had just run thrua bore.

I really quit messing with them at the shop about 3 years ago. Went back to rod and patch.

But none of that really matters now as I am no longer there!

Boresnakes are all I use anymore. I soak the bore over night in Wipe-out, then zip the bore with the snake. Jamming a metal rod down a bore doesn't appeal to me. They are easy to wash...