Ive been using bore snakes for years and never had any of these problems. I guess thats what happens when you pmcs it before you run it down the barrel and clean it after you use it. Edit: I use mine by oiling just the portion where the string meets the mop, and the brush portions. The rest stays dry to soak up excess oil as its pulled through the bore. A couple hard shakes clears any accumulation from the mop. I also pull the string straight with the bore, and make sure the mop is in line with the bore while pulling, no dragging it through a mag well or ejection port at a hard angle.
Lol all these HARD rules people try to live their lives by. I only use a bore snake on my 17 and 22 cals. So much more gentile. My 17vss has never failed to hold perfect laser like accuracy. One time down the bore (I always feed in through breech side to avoid snagging the ejector). Are people flossing them back and fourth or what? Hahaha
You mean...just like anything else, it all depends on how and when/where you use it????? Sheesh, who'd have ever thunk it???? 😂 like everything else, it has its place and purpose. That's what people don't get.
Other tips....1. Inspect the cord where it attaches to the snake part. 2. Wash the bore snakes. 3. Hold gun waist high pointing upward pulling upward while snake dangles below creating zero resistance beyond the effort needed to pull through cleanly. A simple 90* bend in the snake can cause one to pull 2-3 times harder than needed. Ya gotta be smart to use a bore snake, not for dummies.
@@robbycrumpton5560 Marketing gimmick or not, I do like them... sometimes. I have a lot of guns are basically just "range toys", that I like to take to the range and run a box of ammo through them for fun/target practice. They never get all that dirty, but I don't like to store a gun without cleaning it... and to me it's not worth the time to get out the cleaning kit just to run a couple of patches through. A squirt of oil/cleaner, pull the bore snake through, and it's clean enough to store 'till next weekend. So yeah, as long as you clean the bore snake, use it properly and replace it when it gets worn, they work just fine. However, if I do a lot of shooting or use ammo that's particularly dirty, or if it's a gun that I don't shoot very often, then I'll do a proper cleaning before storing it. Also, I don't know why this guy said it's so hard to remove one when the string breaks. Apparently he's never heard of a ball extractor...
Even if just one (1) round fired...the fewest in real numbers we generally fire is four (4), a safe queen that gets fired and cleaned once a year, a couple others will see six (6) fired, and then also cleaned...we are making sure the firearms are functional, and a bare minimum once a year cleaning helps ensure that...Neil Young sang 'Rust never sleeps', and unfortunately that is true...
I clean my guns after every few hundred rounds. The only exception is my long range precision rifle and even that is just bc I don’t shoot it hundreds of rounds at a time. It’s about every 20-40 rounds. Cleaning every time you shoot a few rounds is completely unnecessary. I’ve seen zero benefit to doing that and I have tried it as opposed to less frequently. I’ve seen zero difference in accuracy, longevity or any other excuse frequent cleaners can come up with. My guns have literally zero rust and as long as you’re cleaning and oiling every few hundred rounds you’ll be fine.
52 years of shooting. I can honestly say, I have never used a bore snake. I had a natural aversion to them & never thought about why. Quality coated 1 piece rods is all I have ever used.
Never had a problem with bore snakes. Used them for many years, from pistols to LR precision bolt rifles. I would say that I am one who thinks most people either clean their barrels to little or too often. A bore snake is great for running through a barrel after a day at the range. Although it doesn't replace a good cleaning after a thousand rounds or so depending on caliber, ammo, conditions, etc.
As a barrel maker, never use a bore snake on a rifled barrel. Same as everyone else is saying. They break or worse they bunch up in a knot and get wedged in the groves. If you push with a rod it makes it worse. I found a way to get it out, but you run the risk of damaging the rifling. Take a long drill bit ( 18” to 24”) like you use to drill thru walls. Make sure it is smaller than your lands diameter. Center it up buy using a muzzle bushing and ease it down the barrel, gently tap it into the bore snake so the snake will grab ahold of the bit. Use a hand crank to get the snake taught on the bit. Then pull like (!@“&!!), they usually come out. You have nothing to lose. If you damage the barrel you are no worse off than if you have a stuck snake in your barrel. Do not pour abrasive chemicals in your barrel. They cause pitting. Always clean a rifle barrel with a plastic (or similar) coated one piece rod (Dewey, Tipton, Parker Hale, etc…). Use a good bore guide that fits the action or muzzle on leaver action and other enclose action rifles. Use brass jigs. Use a good softer brush most are readily available at stores (ProShots Benchrest Brush is my favorite, Hoppes works etc.). Don’t use a hard brush that will scratch the bore. Wet patch a couple of times with a solvent which as Hoppes # 9, CLP, Shooters Choice, (Wal*Mart Break Parts Cleaner). Put the brush on wet it scrub, make sure you push the rod straight (like your handling a pool stick). After about 5 to 10 strokes clean the brush spraying it off. Flush the bore or run wet patches thru the bore a couple usually does it. Brush again. Flush, then push a patch coated with a light clear oil (Rem Oil or Mineral Oil) fluid dynamics will take over. The heavy clear oil will push the lighter bore cleaners out the barrel groves. Then fun a dry patch. Recommend you put the gun up for storage with a light bore oil in the bore. Can be done by pushing an oil patch thru the bore. Before you shoot through rifle, push a dry patch thru to get the oil out. If you have an air compressor with a blow gun on it. Blow it dry. Never get any type of oil, solvent, etc. on your scope lenses. Cover the well.
Rule #4: If a bore snake shows any signs of wear, discard it immediately! This is especially true at the transition point between the parachute cord and where the snake starts.
Try the otis system it is awesome if you don't want to use a good one piece cleaning rod, avoid those multi section rods they can be problems too, just the little kit that sells for 55$ and some cleaning patches and whatever bore solvents and so on you like and you are good for pretty much anything that is a gun, it is all I use now, I put it and some patches and solvents oils and a couple cleaning rags and some Qtips in a 4x8x3 inch little pouch and I clean every gun I own from 22 caliber to 500 S&W and shotguns with that kit.
You push a patch through 1 time, it falls out the muzzle, and you throw it away. Using a bore snake is akin to using that dirty patch over and over. Even if you clean them periodically, carbon deposits and other particles are still embedded in the borensnake fibers. Add to this, the fact that bore snakes are very tight in the bore compared to patches, and those carbon deposits are being ground against the bore walls with much more pressure.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113My personal routine is to run a wet patch through, run another and let sit for a while if it is particularly dirty or if I want to remove copper fouling, and finish with one pull of a bore snake that has been lightly sprayed with CLP. I can't verify this scientifically, but I'm sure the first couple of wet patches have done the vast majority of the cleaning, and the boresnake just polishes it off.
With all due respect Desert Dog (I watched all of you videos and have learned a lot from them...) - for the past 3 years I have used nothing else but Bore Blitz (German version of bore snake) to clean my rifles both at home and in the field and never have any issues. Lupo 243 win (2000+ shots so far) Lupo 308 win (3000+ shots so far) continue to print 0.25 MOA groups at 100 yards have been never cleaned with anything else but Bore Blitz only ...
Ive used Hoppes bore snakes on my .375 and my Lott for a long time and never had an issue. I do not use it to "clean" my barrels as such. I use it to clear dust and grass (yes grass sometimes) after a long walk or every few days while on safari/hunt.. For me it just helps keep the barrel clean.
I have expensive cleaning rods and jags; and I use bore snakes. Thanks for your perspective; and the possible pitfalls of using bore snakes. I used your link and just ordered the Otis universal rifle cleaning kit. I had never given Otis much consideration. Stuck casings and bore obstructions could really ruin my day; so now I should be better prepared.
You must be brilliant (because we agree 😉 ). I have long been suspicious of the bore snake concept because of reading about the pull-through cleaning devices that were traditionally issued by European armies and the wear they caused on rifle barrel crowns. Yes, they usually consisted of aluminum beads on a chain and would cause wear more quickly, but the fundamental danger of a well-used, dirty bore snake is the same, and even pulling the snake straight out doesn’t eliminate all contact with the crown. But you also raised some other points that I’ll remember the next time someone asks my opinion of the devices.
I have never liked the idea of the boresnake, and so I've never used one. But then, I've never wiped my ass with toilet paper that already had shit on it, either, LOL!
total agreement. once i obtained a bore scope i saw how filthy the barrel really was. i do use a boresnake on my .22 pistols at the range only after shooting a lot of rounds. at home i do the bore cleaning the proper way.
As a professional gunsmith I say don’t use a damn boresnake! I’ve seen too many people ruin a good barrel trying to remove a broken boresnake. They aren’t worth the trouble nor the expense of having a barrel replaced. If you need a cleaning kit in the field then purchase an Otis kit and be done with it or have a ball bearing cleaning rod at your base camp. Here’s another tip, put a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle of your firearm while in the field, just a shot piece, it will actually blow off or your bullet will pass through it in you need to take a fast shot. Don’t be a snake charmer!
I use a bore snake, the problem with people is they don't use it correctly causing fast wear and tear on the snake and they don't inspect the snake for fraying before use.
Great points here, will reconsider using bore snakes for rifles. Mostly use them on my shotguns and a little beater .22LR bolt action (Ruger American). For my AR and shorter barreled rifles I like Frog Lube's (apparently now discontinued) all-in-one cleaning kit shaped like an AR magazine! Bought it years ago and seems like it's a collectible now I guess 😂 It's a grey, AR magazine-shaped cleaning kit containing a durable metal cleaning rod in 3 pieces, a jag tip, a brush tip, the thingy that holds your wipes, some wipes, some Q-tips, some Frog Lube "ketchup packets," some picks, and has a little extra room to spare. Kit came in two sizes: normal and double wide. The gimmick is that since it's magazine shaped it fits into any magazine slot in your plate carrier. The plastic it's made out of is super resistant to chemicals and acts as a mixing pot for cleaning chemicals. You can dip your Q-tips or whatever into it safely.
Im a big fan of the cable type otis cleaning kits and keep one with me in the field for emergency cleaning needs. Never really was a fan of the "Bore Snakes" as the get dirty and I didnt want to pull a dirty one down the barrel as I feel like it accomplished very little for me as such.
I personally prefer snakes just for ease of carry due to to myself doing a lot of trekking and having bad experiences with Hoppes' aluminum cleaning rods, so I really appreciate the mention of the Otis system. Seems to combine the best of both worlds.
"z.melnyk8822," " . . . . bad experiences with Hoppes' aluminum cleaning rods . . . " Expound, please, for the millions of shooters who've been cleaning with them for decades. Of course we are sorry to hear of your 'bad experiences' -- thankfully you're still here to tell us about them. So, we'll consider it a lesson learned passed on to us so that, God willing, and with good judgement we won't duplicate. . . . . . . . Rhetorical question / remark: Has the state of Washington GONE OUT OF ITS MIND?!?! This jewel of the Pacific Northwest is being neutered right before our eyes -- and THEIR LIVES. . . . . . . . "Many thanks, 'Desert Dog Outdoors.'"
My bore snakes are 30” long without the string. If the string broke while pulling it through, either one end or the other is still hanging out of the barrel and can easily be pulled through. Point #1 is only a problem if using a snake shorter than the barrel.
I put my rifles away with a thick storage oil because some of them might not be used even annually and my safe condensates. Ive always put a snake through before firing but its its only used for that purpose then back into container. Good tip about the muzzle tape. Very common here in NZ.
"brettcleveland6335," Great to hear your report. . . . Since you 'spilled the beans' (like 'the cat's out of the bag,' American slang for 'let everyone know' or 'now everyone knows') New Zealand is your residence (lucky you!), I feel this is a rare opportunity to ask how have your political leaders escaped the lunacy and pure madness and thievery of your neighbor in the Pacific, Australia's where they wiped out SO MUCH of their proud, privileged tradition of private gun ownership? In the U.S. we're not immune to that, even with our Second Amendment, as radical types governing (serving as governor) Illinois, New York, California and most recently, draconian measures in Washington state, would like NOTHING MORE than blast through, take-no-prisoners GUN-FREE world.
🇦🇺😎👍Hey mate I’ve had 4 bore snakes for years and I’ve never properly used them. When I got them I tried to lightly insert a few into my rifles and I noticed they were very tight so I felt down the track their could be problems so they never got used. As for dragging crud back down the barrel I couldn’t agree more. Great honest video 🏁
I stopped using bore snakes when I found i couldn't clean them enough. As you said in effect: 'would you wipe your ass with dirty TP?". My own observation following a bore snake with patches was that the bore snake was NOT cleaning the barrel. Now I don't clean my barrels much. I look with a bore cam and use mops and pathes and am very careful with the brass rods. Now I think I'll try the pull through cable you mentioned
Cccccertainly haven't ussssssssssed bore ssssssssnakes, and had thought I might at ssssssssssssome point, but thisssssss has convinccccccced me to ssssssstay away.
I like using the Patchworm system, very versatile, compact and cheap. Not a replacement for a cleaning rod or as heavy duty as Otis, but I’ve never had a problem with it as long as you use the correct size cleaning head. Try one!
I never use a bore snake on a long gun. I only use a bore snake on handguns, and a clean one is used only as a last pass after a proper scrubbing with a brush and solvent and after running patches through the bore until clean.
Good video. Opinions abound on this. I use bore snakes strictly at the range at certain intervals during ladder testing. They are not a substitute for a thorough cleaning, and most people understand that. Some would also argue that until accuracy falls off, why even clean? These are all debatable questions but I think you make some valid points. Thanks.
Always have a bore snake in my backpack when hunting, only gonna use it if I got dirt or mud inside the barrel, only used it once, haven't used it since 2020
I never have used them and never wanted to for the one reason you pointed out. And that is the act of pulling one through at an angle at the muzzle can ruin a perfect crown, and also the snake entering at the breach at an angle can abrade a wear groove at the same place it enters the chamber ( don't know if I stated that correctly ?? ). No, me thinks I will continue to clean my firearms the same way I have been doing it for the last 61 years when I got my first .22 single shot rifle when I was 10 years old.
Never haved used a bore snake never will. I seldom use metal brushes to clean my barrels, always use plastic brushes. And my bore scope tells me that I am doing it right.
DD, I had almost ditched my bore snakes before, but now I will do so 100%. I actually recall a scare with the string of a bore snake fraying and almost lodging the rest of the snake in the barrel of my 300 Win Mag. P. Pappous, SoCal.
I have been using bore snakes not to clean the barrel, but only to knock out the soft carbon immediately at the end of a shooting session, before it can harden up. But the broken string problem definitely is concerning, so I guess I will use my Otis kit for that now too. BTW I am also against using cleaning rods, except in large calibers where you can prevent the rot from bowing and contacting the barrel. I think pull systems are the best.
I never used bore snakes. I hadn’t really thought about it quite to this level but it just always made more sense to me to use an actual bore brush and running clean squares through it and tossing the little square pieces afterward. It never seemed wasteful to me since I’ve been cutting little squares off the same old tshirt for years …no reason to get a fancy bore snake that requires constant cleaning
Glad I never went down the bore snake road. I did however watch your video on using Kroil and JB paste to remove stubborn carbon and copper from your Barrel. When trying something new there is a leaning curve, however I am getting excellent results using this process. Thanks for that video is was very helpful.
When you use Hoppes 9 on a bore snake, they actually stick in the bore very bad. I think that they were meant to be used with a CLP type lube. I quit using them also.
I believe that a lot of precision shooters also say not to clean the bore at all until you see a change in accuracy. I'd love to hear your take on the subject.
I've had properly sized bore snakes be so hard to pull through I was amazed at the string didn't break. I counted myself lucky and didn't want to keep pushing my luck and find out the hard way how long it would take until one eventually broke. I've even had issues with the Otis steel cable pull throughs and the eyelet and brush connectors to where I don't feel comfortable using those either. Sometimes they can unscrew in the bore which is not a huge problem because you can stick the cable down there or a rod and screw it back together but then that takes away the simple convenience you were using it for in the first place.
I always figured the proper way to use a bore snake was to A clear/clean out oil after the initial cleaning or B using the bore snake to oil the inner barrel of your rifles after the initial cleaning. I never really trusted them to actually clean the barrels and rifling of barrels. I figured they would only be good for cleaning a shotgun barrel if you didn’t have any proper brushes. Just my opinion though.
Get a push rod and push it through if the string breaks..(never occured to me in 14 years) they're a great swipe getting off and on the range but they're no substitute to proper cleaning
I never liked the idea of pulling a dirty bore snake back through the barrel. Although I would wash and dry between uses. I have the Remington squeeg-e cleaning kit for most calibers and gauges. It has three cables for different length barrels. You can use brushes or squeeg-e, or a slotted tip to pull cotton patches. Love the cable systems for lever actions especially. Traditional cleaning rod for most others from breech. Thanks for bringing this up Desert Dog! I'll probably throw my bore snakes away!
Nothing I own has a long enough barrel for the string to break and the entire snake to be in the barrel. I also don't use them till they are all raggedy assed. I do agree that they don't clean as well as a bronze brush and patches
Sometimes, the body also rips in half. Bore diameter tolleraces are all over the place, and Bore Snake diameter tollerances are even worse. When you run an oversized Bore Snake down a tight bore, it will get stuck so badly that it will rip apart before it comes out. Gunsmiths have devised special drill bits and screws welded to rods to remove stuck bore snakes; but they end up damaging the bore half the time. One Gunsmith in Texas would try to burn them out, but people had mixed opinions on that practice. There are solid reasons why gunsmiths and barrel makers do not recommend them.
Ive never in 30 years used a boresnake. If only for the idea its a dirty object. We use a clean patch for each pass through and see what comes out each time. I never understood the idea of using a boresnake.
I know one guy who got one stuck in a 20 gauge shotgun barrel. Someone joked about using LIQUID FIRE, which is an ACID PIPE DRAIN CLEANER. The person took him seriously and did it. Ruined his shotgun. LOL!
When I was in Iraq in 03-04, they gave out free Otis kits and Patchworm kits. They were pull through style but I never saw a Bore Snake until I got back to the states.
I’ve tried them in the past, but it doesn’t seem to really do anything. My barrels are still just as dirty almost as close as they were before I ran the snake through a few times.
I never did think they cleaned all that great. I could always swab out a lot of dirty patches after running a bore snake thru before. It might look clean, but run a bronze brush thru after running the bore snake first and there is a lot of crap left in the barrel the snake never got. The fact that the string might break and get the snake stuck makes it not worth screwing with.
Wow, I think I’ll be dumping my bore snake for my rifles. Good info. But I primarily only use them for shotgun bird hunts out at the end of the day’s hunt and until I return home for a thorough cleaning. I have been using bore snakes now for over 35 years but only for a quick “wipe” of the bore in the field and AFTER I first sprayed some Gun Scrubber or CRC “Electronic Parts Cleaner” down the bore to wash all the lose gunk and unburned shotgun powder out first. I’ve never considered the bore snake as thorough deep cleaning tool however. The deep clean is always with a rod, brush, patches and a mop. Plus, I never keep a bore snake longer than about two seasons. I’m always replacing bore snakes too, as any fraying, damaged threads or bronze brush end that appears to be damaged and the snake gets tossed. But I too have always thought about the “what if the snake breaks in the middle of a tight rifle barrel?” I’m not worried about breaking one in the short barrel of a handgun, nor the inside of a wide 20, 16 nor 12ga sized shotgun bore. I always washed my bore snakes in a bucket with hot tap water and simple green. Yeah the bore isn’t squeaky clean when using a snake, but it’s what I call a “combat cleaning” of my shotgun for overnight and until the next morning’s bird hunt begins all over again.
I usually get a new bore snake about every year. . I need advice on my lever action rifles. I was always told to clean away from chamber. I need your advice on cleaning my rifles. My winchester rifles are 100 years old . I do not want to ruin them.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 Mind you , they do make good impromptu bore laps, after a couple of years of use , the snake is nicely saturated with fine carbon debris as you correctly stated . Really enjoying your episodes.
Now Granny taught me had to use toilet paper with shit on it with that clever "second fold" without getting any on you... Shotgun is the only place for a bore snake after tournament shooting when you have to break it down and put it back in a hard case if you don't want to "get any on you" IMHO. It looks like a change is coming to my cleaning habit. Excellent content, and it looks like Beka has provided intel to help drive the point home.
Like everything, they have their use. It shouldn't be the only cleaning tool, but no need to throw them away either. Truth typically resides in the middle.
Ive been using bore snakes for years and never had any of these problems. I guess thats what happens when you pmcs it before you run it down the barrel and clean it after you use it.
Edit: I use mine by oiling just the portion where the string meets the mop, and the brush portions. The rest stays dry to soak up excess oil as its pulled through the bore. A couple hard shakes clears any accumulation from the mop. I also pull the string straight with the bore, and make sure the mop is in line with the bore while pulling, no dragging it through a mag well or ejection port at a hard angle.
Lol all these HARD rules people try to live their lives by. I only use a bore snake on my 17 and 22 cals. So much more gentile. My 17vss has never failed to hold perfect laser like accuracy. One time down the bore (I always feed in through breech side to avoid snagging the ejector).
Are people flossing them back and fourth or what? Hahaha
You mean...just like anything else, it all depends on how and when/where you use it????? Sheesh, who'd have ever thunk it???? 😂 like everything else, it has its place and purpose. That's what people don't get.
Other tips....1. Inspect the cord where it attaches to the snake part. 2. Wash the bore snakes. 3. Hold gun waist high pointing upward pulling upward while snake dangles below creating zero resistance beyond the effort needed to pull through cleanly.
A simple 90* bend in the snake can cause one to pull 2-3 times harder than needed.
Ya gotta be smart to use a bore snake, not for dummies.
Never use a bore snake. It's just a marketing gimmick any way!
@@robbycrumpton5560 Marketing gimmick or not, I do like them... sometimes. I have a lot of guns are basically just "range toys", that I like to take to the range and run a box of ammo through them for fun/target practice. They never get all that dirty, but I don't like to store a gun without cleaning it... and to me it's not worth the time to get out the cleaning kit just to run a couple of patches through. A squirt of oil/cleaner, pull the bore snake through, and it's clean enough to store 'till next weekend. So yeah, as long as you clean the bore snake, use it properly and replace it when it gets worn, they work just fine. However, if I do a lot of shooting or use ammo that's particularly dirty, or if it's a gun that I don't shoot very often, then I'll do a proper cleaning before storing it.
Also, I don't know why this guy said it's so hard to remove one when the string breaks. Apparently he's never heard of a ball extractor...
Y’all clean your guns?
OF COURSE. Even if I have to cut a piece of my sock and grab the nearest tree branch for a Cleaning rod. 😂. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
Who wipes?
Even if just one (1) round fired...the fewest in real numbers we generally fire is four (4), a safe queen that gets fired and cleaned once a year, a couple others will see six (6) fired, and then also cleaned...we are making sure the firearms are functional, and a bare minimum once a year cleaning helps ensure that...Neil Young sang 'Rust never sleeps', and unfortunately that is true...
I clean my guns after every few hundred rounds. The only exception is my long range precision rifle and even that is just bc I don’t shoot it hundreds of rounds at a time. It’s about every 20-40 rounds. Cleaning every time you shoot a few rounds is completely unnecessary. I’ve seen zero benefit to doing that and I have tried it as opposed to less frequently. I’ve seen zero difference in accuracy, longevity or any other excuse frequent cleaners can come up with. My guns have literally zero rust and as long as you’re cleaning and oiling every few hundred rounds you’ll be fine.
You guys shoot your guns? 😂
Message 100%...Tampon Graphics 100%...Sarcasm 100%...Please continue.
52 years of shooting.
I can honestly say, I have never used a bore snake.
I had a natural aversion to them & never thought about why. Quality coated 1 piece rods is all I have ever used.
Same. I’ve been using the same 1 pc rod for like 20 years lol
A very good choice
You are the second YouToober I really listen to who says “No!” to Bore Snakes. I hear you and will change my ways.
I hadn’t considered the risk of the snake breaking. Thanks
Yeah me to . Never thought of it . That would suck!!🙈
Never had a problem with bore snakes. Used them for many years, from pistols to LR precision bolt rifles. I would say that I am one who thinks most people either clean their barrels to little or too often. A bore snake is great for running through a barrel after a day at the range. Although it doesn't replace a good cleaning after a thousand rounds or so depending on caliber, ammo, conditions, etc.
As a barrel maker, never use a bore snake on a rifled barrel. Same as everyone else is saying. They break or worse they bunch up in a knot and get wedged in the groves. If you push with a rod it makes it worse. I found a way to get it out, but you run the risk of damaging the rifling. Take a long drill bit ( 18” to 24”) like you use to drill thru walls. Make sure it is smaller than your lands diameter. Center it up buy using a muzzle bushing and ease it down the barrel, gently tap it into the bore snake so the snake will grab ahold of the bit. Use a hand crank to get the snake taught on the bit. Then pull like (!@“&!!), they usually come out. You have nothing to lose. If you damage the barrel you are no worse off than if you have a stuck snake in your barrel. Do not pour abrasive chemicals in your barrel. They cause pitting.
Always clean a rifle barrel with a plastic (or similar) coated one piece rod (Dewey, Tipton, Parker Hale, etc…). Use a good bore guide that fits the action or muzzle on leaver action and other enclose action rifles. Use brass jigs. Use a good softer brush most are readily available at stores (ProShots Benchrest Brush is my favorite, Hoppes works etc.). Don’t use a hard brush that will scratch the bore.
Wet patch a couple of times with a solvent which as Hoppes # 9, CLP, Shooters Choice, (Wal*Mart Break Parts Cleaner). Put the brush on wet it scrub, make sure you push the rod straight (like your handling a pool stick). After about 5 to 10 strokes clean the brush spraying it off. Flush the bore or run wet patches thru the bore a couple usually does it. Brush again. Flush, then push a patch coated with a light clear oil (Rem Oil or Mineral Oil) fluid dynamics will take over. The heavy clear oil will push the lighter bore cleaners out the barrel groves. Then fun a dry patch. Recommend you put the gun up for storage with a light bore oil in the bore. Can be done by pushing an oil patch thru the bore. Before you shoot through rifle, push a dry patch thru to get the oil out. If you have an air compressor with a blow gun on it. Blow it dry.
Never get any type of oil, solvent, etc. on your scope lenses. Cover the well.
Its sooooooo much fun to try and fish out a broken Boresnake. I have used them but after my fishing expedition I pitched all them things in the trash
Rule #4: If a bore snake shows any signs of wear, discard it immediately! This is especially true at the transition point between the parachute cord and where the snake starts.
Your advice makes sense 100%. No more bore snakes for me!👍
Try the otis system it is awesome if you don't want to use a good one piece cleaning rod, avoid those multi section rods they can be problems too, just the little kit that sells for 55$ and some cleaning patches and whatever bore solvents and so on you like and you are good for pretty much anything that is a gun, it is all I use now, I put it and some patches and solvents oils and a couple cleaning rags and some Qtips in a 4x8x3 inch little pouch and I clean every gun I own from 22 caliber to 500 S&W and shotguns with that kit.
Why would carbon on a bore snake scratch a barrel, while carbon on a cotton patch would not?
You push a patch through 1 time, it falls out the muzzle, and you throw it away. Using a bore snake is akin to using that dirty patch over and over. Even if you clean them periodically, carbon deposits and other particles are still embedded in the borensnake fibers. Add to this, the fact that bore snakes are very tight in the bore compared to patches, and those carbon deposits are being ground against the bore walls with much more pressure.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113My personal routine is to run a wet patch through, run another and let sit for a while if it is particularly dirty or if I want to remove copper fouling, and finish with one pull of a bore snake that has been lightly sprayed with CLP. I can't verify this scientifically, but I'm sure the first couple of wet patches have done the vast majority of the cleaning, and the boresnake just polishes it off.
@@GreenKnight1979 Whay not just run 1 more patch though instead of using a bore snake?
With all due respect Desert Dog (I watched all of you videos and have learned a lot from them...) - for the past 3 years I have used nothing else but Bore Blitz (German version of bore snake) to clean my rifles both at home and in the field and never have any issues.
Lupo 243 win (2000+ shots so far)
Lupo 308 win (3000+ shots so far)
continue to print 0.25 MOA groups at 100 yards have been never cleaned with anything else but Bore Blitz only ...
When bore snakes are new, it is sometimes difficult to pull them through. I am always afraid the cord will break.
Ive used Hoppes bore snakes on my .375 and my Lott for a long time and never had an issue. I do not use it to "clean" my barrels as such. I use it to clear dust and grass (yes grass sometimes) after a long walk or every few days while on safari/hunt.. For me it just helps keep the barrel clean.
I have expensive cleaning rods and jags; and I use bore snakes. Thanks for your perspective; and the possible pitfalls of using bore snakes. I used your link and just ordered the Otis universal rifle cleaning kit. I had never given Otis much consideration. Stuck casings and bore obstructions could really ruin my day; so now I should be better prepared.
All points make sense to me. I'm ditching them. As always, thanks, DD.
Use a smaller diameter bore snake with a standard cleaning patch around the metal prongs and it works great and protects the bore.
You must be brilliant (because we agree 😉 ).
I have long been suspicious of the bore snake concept because of reading about the pull-through cleaning devices that were traditionally issued by European armies and the wear they caused on rifle barrel crowns. Yes, they usually consisted of aluminum beads on a chain and would cause wear more quickly, but the fundamental danger of a well-used, dirty bore snake is the same, and even pulling the snake straight out doesn’t eliminate all contact with the crown. But you also raised some other points that I’ll remember the next time someone asks my opinion of the devices.
I have never liked the idea of the boresnake, and so I've never used one. But then, I've never wiped my ass with toilet paper that already had shit on it, either, LOL!
The way he said that was hilarious!
😂🎉
total agreement. once i obtained a bore scope i saw how filthy the barrel really was. i do use a boresnake on my .22 pistols at the range only after shooting a lot of rounds. at home i do the bore cleaning the proper way.
As a professional gunsmith I say don’t use a damn boresnake! I’ve seen too many people ruin a good barrel trying to remove a broken boresnake. They aren’t worth the trouble nor the expense of having a barrel replaced. If you need a cleaning kit in the field then purchase an Otis kit and be done with it or have a ball bearing cleaning rod at your base camp. Here’s another tip, put a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle of your firearm while in the field, just a shot piece, it will actually blow off or your bullet will pass through it in you need to take a fast shot. Don’t be a snake charmer!
I used to carry electrical tape on me to cover my muzzle, but I now use muzzle condoms and find them much easier to carry and use in the rain.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 they work great.
I use a bore snake, the problem with people is they don't use it correctly causing fast wear and tear on the snake and they don't inspect the snake for fraying before use.
I’ve never used a bore snake, so pleased that I stuck with old fashioned patch on a rod.
Great points here, will reconsider using bore snakes for rifles. Mostly use them on my shotguns and a little beater .22LR bolt action (Ruger American).
For my AR and shorter barreled rifles I like Frog Lube's (apparently now discontinued) all-in-one cleaning kit shaped like an AR magazine! Bought it years ago and seems like it's a collectible now I guess 😂
It's a grey, AR magazine-shaped cleaning kit containing a durable metal cleaning rod in 3 pieces, a jag tip, a brush tip, the thingy that holds your wipes, some wipes, some Q-tips, some Frog Lube "ketchup packets," some picks, and has a little extra room to spare. Kit came in two sizes: normal and double wide.
The gimmick is that since it's magazine shaped it fits into any magazine slot in your plate carrier. The plastic it's made out of is super resistant to chemicals and acts as a mixing pot for cleaning chemicals. You can dip your Q-tips or whatever into it safely.
Kinda ah bummer. I have a bunch of the that are new. But hard to argue with what you said.
I'll have to change my field / hunting cleaning kit.
Otis makes a pull-through cleaner called the Ripcord that is now US military issue with their own NSNs for different calibers.
Im a big fan of the cable type otis cleaning kits and keep one with me in the field for emergency cleaning needs. Never really was a fan of the "Bore Snakes" as the get dirty and I didnt want to pull a dirty one down the barrel as I feel like it accomplished very little for me as such.
the cable kits are excellent for field cleaning, and for cleaning some semi-autos and lever guns.
I personally prefer snakes just for ease of carry due to to myself doing a lot of trekking and having bad experiences with Hoppes' aluminum cleaning rods, so I really appreciate the mention of the Otis system. Seems to combine the best of both worlds.
"z.melnyk8822," " . . . . bad experiences with Hoppes' aluminum cleaning rods . . . " Expound, please, for the millions of shooters who've been cleaning with them for decades.
Of course we are sorry to hear of your 'bad experiences' -- thankfully you're still here to tell us about them. So, we'll consider it a lesson learned passed on to us so that, God willing, and with good judgement we won't duplicate.
. . . . . . .
Rhetorical question / remark: Has the state of Washington GONE OUT OF ITS MIND?!?! This jewel of the Pacific Northwest is being neutered right before our eyes -- and THEIR LIVES.
. . . . . . .
"Many thanks, 'Desert Dog Outdoors.'"
No parachute cord either!!! They really knot up and chemicals cause them to breakdown and break.
I use the coated cable for lever actions, they are great for lever actions.
My bore snakes are 30” long without the string. If the string broke while pulling it through, either one end or the other is still hanging out of the barrel and can easily be pulled through. Point #1 is only a problem if using a snake shorter than the barrel.
I put my rifles away with a thick storage oil because some of them might not be used even annually and my safe condensates. Ive always put a snake through before firing but its its only used for that purpose then back into container. Good tip about the muzzle tape. Very common here in NZ.
"brettcleveland6335," Great to hear your report. . . . Since you 'spilled the beans' (like 'the cat's out of the bag,' American slang for 'let everyone know' or 'now everyone knows') New Zealand is your residence (lucky you!), I feel this is a rare opportunity to ask how have your political leaders escaped the lunacy and pure madness and thievery of your neighbor in the Pacific, Australia's where they wiped out SO MUCH of their proud, privileged tradition of private gun ownership? In the U.S. we're not immune to that, even with our Second Amendment, as radical types governing (serving as governor) Illinois, New York, California and most recently, draconian measures in Washington state, would like NOTHING MORE than blast through, take-no-prisoners GUN-FREE world.
🇦🇺😎👍Hey mate I’ve had 4 bore snakes for years and I’ve never properly used them. When I got them I tried to lightly insert a few into my rifles and I noticed they were very tight so I felt down the track their could be problems so they never got used. As for dragging crud back down the barrel I couldn’t agree more. Great honest video 🏁
Agreed . Only place bore snakes make sense to me is in a survival pak. Inly use in a pinch. It would be better then not cleaning at all.
Thank you for this informative video.
I stopped using bore snakes when I found i couldn't clean them enough. As you said in effect: 'would you wipe your ass with dirty TP?". My own observation following a bore snake with patches was that the bore snake was NOT cleaning the barrel. Now I don't clean my barrels much. I look with a bore cam and use mops and pathes and am very careful with the brass rods. Now I think I'll try the pull through cable you mentioned
Great video! Funny as hell with very good points and information.Great job,as always!
Cccccertainly haven't ussssssssssed bore ssssssssnakes, and had thought I might at ssssssssssssome point, but thisssssss has convinccccccced me to ssssssstay away.
I like using the Patchworm system, very versatile, compact and cheap. Not a replacement for a cleaning rod or as heavy duty as Otis, but I’ve never had a problem with it as long as you use the correct size cleaning head. Try one!
I never use a bore snake on a long gun. I only use a bore snake on handguns, and a clean one is used only as a last pass after a proper scrubbing with a brush and solvent and after running patches through the bore until clean.
Damn DD I never even thought about a bore snake breaking like that. In the trash they go! Thanks for yet another eye opening video.
Thanks for the mention.
I really like the OTIS system and mostly use them.
I find cleaning my firearms therapeutic, same thing with sharpening my knives. So why rush it...
Good video. Opinions abound on this. I use bore snakes strictly at the range at certain intervals during ladder testing. They are not a substitute for a thorough cleaning, and most people understand that. Some would also argue that until accuracy falls off, why even clean? These are all debatable questions but I think you make some valid points. Thanks.
Always have a bore snake in my backpack when hunting, only gonna use it if I got dirt or mud inside the barrel, only used it once, haven't used it since 2020
I never have used them and never wanted to for the one reason you pointed out. And that is the act of pulling one through at an angle at the muzzle can ruin a perfect crown, and also the snake entering at the breach at an angle can abrade a wear groove at the same place it enters the chamber ( don't know if I stated that correctly ?? ). No, me thinks I will continue to clean my firearms the same way I have been doing it for the last 61 years when I got my first .22 single shot rifle when I was 10 years old.
I see your point, but I still like them I haven't had any problem with them Yet.
Never haved used a bore snake never will. I seldom use metal brushes to clean my barrels, always use plastic brushes. And my bore scope tells me that I am doing it right.
Excellent food for thought. Sounds like "the juice isn't worth the squeeze" in this matter. Thank you for making this video.
Agree on Bore Snakes and Otis kit.
How is clanging a metal cleaning rod down the barrel less damaging than a boresnake? Sincere question, not sarcasm.
DD, I had almost ditched my bore snakes before, but now I will do so 100%. I actually recall a scare with the string of a bore snake fraying and almost lodging the rest of the snake in the barrel of my 300 Win Mag. P. Pappous, SoCal.
Many years of limited use with bore snakes without issues. I do wash them and inspected them and replace if needed.
I have been using bore snakes not to clean the barrel, but only to knock out the soft carbon immediately at the end of a shooting session, before it can harden up. But the broken string problem definitely is concerning, so I guess I will use my Otis kit for that now too.
BTW I am also against using cleaning rods, except in large calibers where you can prevent the rot from bowing and contacting the barrel. I think pull systems are the best.
I use a boresnake for the initial two or three passes, then get the rod+jag and cotton patches to finish the cleaning.
New intro looks great, DD!
Thank you. Just thought I'd change things up a little.
I never used bore snakes. I hadn’t really thought about it quite to this level but it just always made more sense to me to use an actual bore brush and running clean squares through it and tossing the little square pieces afterward. It never seemed wasteful to me since I’ve been cutting little squares off the same old tshirt for years …no reason to get a fancy bore snake that requires constant cleaning
Another good one DD. Your analogies made me laugh. On top of that, I agree. No bore snakes.
Never used one. Always kept a piece of electrical tape over the muzzle and a light weight field cleaning kit as needed with me.
Glad I never went down the bore snake road. I did however watch your video on using Kroil and JB paste to remove stubborn carbon and copper from your Barrel. When trying something new there is a leaning curve, however I am getting excellent results using this process. Thanks for that video is was very helpful.
When you use Hoppes 9 on a bore snake, they actually stick in the bore very bad. I think that they were meant to be used with a CLP type lube. I quit using them also.
Hoppes recommends using #9 with their bore snakes. I don't think the people at Hoppes actually use these things.
I believe that a lot of precision shooters also say not to clean the bore at all until you see a change in accuracy. I'd love to hear your take on the subject.
Actually, that is not true. REAL top precision shooters clean their barrels at a specified round count, BEFORE accuracy drops off. Think about it.
I've had properly sized bore snakes be so hard to pull through I was amazed at the string didn't break. I counted myself lucky and didn't want to keep pushing my luck and find out the hard way how long it would take until one eventually broke. I've even had issues with the Otis steel cable pull throughs and the eyelet and brush connectors to where I don't feel comfortable using those either. Sometimes they can unscrew in the bore which is not a huge problem because you can stick the cable down there or a rod and screw it back together but then that takes away the simple convenience you were using it for in the first place.
I always figured the proper way to use a bore snake was to A clear/clean out oil after the initial cleaning or B using the bore snake to oil the inner barrel of your rifles after the initial cleaning.
I never really trusted them to actually clean the barrels and rifling of barrels. I figured they would only be good for cleaning a shotgun barrel if you didn’t have any proper brushes.
Just my opinion though.
Get a push rod and push it through if the string breaks..(never occured to me in 14 years) they're a great swipe getting off and on the range but they're no substitute to proper cleaning
A rod will not push the Snake out if it gets stuck. Not even close.
Great video thanks
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching.
I never liked the idea of pulling a dirty bore snake back through the barrel. Although I would wash and dry between uses. I have the Remington squeeg-e cleaning kit for most calibers and gauges. It has three cables for different length barrels. You can use brushes or squeeg-e, or a slotted tip to pull cotton patches. Love the cable systems for lever actions especially. Traditional cleaning rod for most others from breech. Thanks for bringing this up Desert Dog! I'll probably throw my bore snakes away!
The idea of dragging a dirty bore snake through my barrel just never sounded good to me.
I don't use my dunny paper twice.
wash it.....
@greencable2222 definitely possible but I'd be fukn around trying to get that puppy spotless every time I use it.
I use D-Lead to wash mine. Although I only use the snake for pistols mainly. I have a coated 1 piece rod for rifles.
@@greencable2222 Do you wash it every single time you pull it through????
Nothing I own has a long enough barrel for the string to break and the entire snake to be in the barrel. I also don't use them till they are all raggedy assed. I do agree that they don't clean as well as a bronze brush and patches
Sometimes, the body also rips in half. Bore diameter tolleraces are all over the place, and Bore Snake diameter tollerances are even worse. When you run an oversized Bore Snake down a tight bore, it will get stuck so badly that it will rip apart before it comes out. Gunsmiths have devised special drill bits and screws welded to rods to remove stuck bore snakes; but they end up damaging the bore half the time. One Gunsmith in Texas would try to burn them out, but people had mixed opinions on that practice. There are solid reasons why gunsmiths and barrel makers do not recommend them.
Like this program .totally agree with this.
I completely agree.
Ive never in 30 years used a boresnake. If only for the idea its a dirty object. We use a clean patch for each pass through and see what comes out each time. I never understood the idea of using a boresnake.
I put snake oil and snake bores in the same class. Not totally useless but pretty close 🤔😳
I only use bore snakes for a final pass to apply oil to the barrel.
I’ve never used a bore snake, because I never saw the need to change. (Old guy mentality, 😂) Thank you for the information.
I know one guy who got one stuck in a 20 gauge shotgun barrel. Someone joked about using LIQUID FIRE, which is an ACID PIPE DRAIN CLEANER. The person took him seriously and did it. Ruined his shotgun. LOL!
I appreciate your informative video I learned alot
Thnx so much
When I was in Iraq in 03-04, they gave out free Otis kits and Patchworm kits. They were pull through style but I never saw a Bore Snake until I got back to the states.
Very interesting info on bore snakes.
Thx
I’ve tried them in the past, but it doesn’t seem to really do anything. My barrels are still just as dirty almost as close as they were before I ran the snake through a few times.
exactly that's why I have never even considered a bore snake, simply pulling all the crap repeatedly through your gun, some have no common sense
I never did think they cleaned all that great. I could always swab out a lot of dirty patches after running a bore snake thru before. It might look clean, but run a bronze brush thru after running the bore snake first and there is a lot of crap left in the barrel the snake never got. The fact that the string might break and get the snake stuck makes it not worth screwing with.
I was always afraid of bore snakes..now I know why...
Yeah i never though they were a good idea from day 1 i always use a rod and good old fashioned patches :)
Wow, I think I’ll be dumping my bore snake for my rifles. Good info. But I primarily only use them for shotgun bird hunts out at the end of the day’s hunt and until I return home for a thorough cleaning. I have been using bore snakes now for over 35 years but only for a quick “wipe” of the bore in the field and AFTER I first sprayed some Gun Scrubber or CRC “Electronic Parts Cleaner” down the bore to wash all the lose gunk and unburned shotgun powder out first. I’ve never considered the bore snake as thorough deep cleaning tool however. The deep clean is always with a rod, brush, patches and a mop. Plus, I never keep a bore snake longer than about two seasons.
I’m always replacing bore snakes too, as any fraying, damaged threads or bronze brush end that appears to be damaged and the snake gets tossed. But I too have always thought about the “what if the snake breaks in the middle of a tight rifle barrel?” I’m not worried about breaking one in the short barrel of a handgun, nor the inside of a wide 20, 16 nor 12ga sized shotgun bore.
I always washed my bore snakes in a bucket with hot tap water and simple green. Yeah the bore isn’t squeaky clean when using a snake, but it’s what I call a “combat cleaning” of my shotgun for overnight and until the next morning’s bird hunt begins all over again.
I have not thought about this, but as I think about what you’ve said, I think I will toss my bore-snakes out.
I’d like to see how you clean a barrel.
I think bore snakes are really good for cleaning after each shot when breaking in a new barrel not a lot else after that clean conventional way
Will the otis steel cable work on lever actions.
Yes, perfectly.
Great insights and love the new video!
same to my experience. I dont use them any more
I usually get a new bore snake about every year. . I need advice on my lever action rifles. I was always told to clean away from chamber. I need your advice on cleaning my rifles. My winchester rifles are 100 years old . I do not want to ruin them.
Get the Otis universal cleaning kit linked in this video description.
Otis for field use. Or home use.
Hey DD
Coming from an engineering trade background, l find boresnakes a collective ground for grit & grime , they have never impressed me.
It took me a few years, but I came to the same realization.
@@desertdogoutdoors1113 Mind you , they do make good impromptu bore laps, after a couple of years of use , the snake is nicely saturated with fine carbon debris as you correctly stated .
Really enjoying your episodes.
How would i can my 7mm browning blr without a bore snake? Don’t want to push crap from front to back with a normal brush.
Watch the video. The Otis steel cable pull through system is perfect for lever guns and will clean much better than a bore snake.
Now Granny taught me had to use toilet paper with shit on it with that clever "second fold" without getting any on you... Shotgun is the only place for a bore snake after tournament shooting when you have to break it down and put it back in a hard case if you don't want to "get any on you" IMHO. It looks like a change is coming to my cleaning habit. Excellent content, and it looks like Beka has provided intel to help drive the point home.
I've never used one but I got a good laugh from your used bootypaper analogy 😊
Like everything, they have their use. It shouldn't be the only cleaning tool, but no need to throw them away either. Truth typically resides in the middle.