I have used Bore Snakes for many years without any issues, but I seem to recall mixed opinions regarding them. I'd like to hear pro/con opinions.
Bore Snakes - love or hate?
Dealga
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Well, it's really all I use on my barrels and tube sets. They seem to work just fine for me!
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7,122 Posts
Pro.
What would be the con? Cheap, easy, reasonably effective. Even if you need to give the barrels a good scrub now and then, the snake is still portable and simple, and good enough for a quick clean between rounds or similar.
What would be the con? Cheap, easy, reasonably effective. Even if you need to give the barrels a good scrub now and then, the snake is still portable and simple, and good enough for a quick clean between rounds or similar.
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1,967 Posts
OK in a pinch or until you get home to clean your shotgun correctly. The bore isn't necessarily the most important part of the gun to keep clean. Most guns need their exterior wiped down with a lightly oiled rag to get fingerprints and other grime off. If its an O/U, the grease needs cleaned out and freshly replaced with clean grease. Personally, I don't like to let wad fouling build up in my chambers or chokes. Bore snakes have not done a very good job of cleaning that out.
John
John
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3,916 Posts
Love ‘em.
I have several. The oldest, dirtiest one goes through first, then a newer, cleaner one.
That way the 1st one thru catches the heaviest crud, and the bristles will have the most wear. I up grade every couple of years or so with a new one, and discard the worn out one.
They are TOTALLY ineffective on plastic wad buildup.
I’ve done top rack in the dishwasher, soak in Simple Green and wash with darks in a garment bag to clean. Just hang to dry. As for the Tico tool, Simple Green and a garden hose works well.
I have several. The oldest, dirtiest one goes through first, then a newer, cleaner one.
That way the 1st one thru catches the heaviest crud, and the bristles will have the most wear. I up grade every couple of years or so with a new one, and discard the worn out one.
They are TOTALLY ineffective on plastic wad buildup.
I’ve done top rack in the dishwasher, soak in Simple Green and wash with darks in a garment bag to clean. Just hang to dry. As for the Tico tool, Simple Green and a garden hose works well.
I like the bore snake as a quick cleaner in between rounds or at the end of a shooting session. As others have mentioned, it is not a substitute for a proper scrubbing. I can't say that It does anything to remove plastic wad build up, but that is another matter all together.
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97 Posts
Have bore snakes for my 12 and all sub gauges, worked great except for the plastic buildup in my 12 gauge which ended damaging the choke tube and splitting it. Use a snake for after shooting but have gone back to solvent and scrubbing more often now.
I shoot 3-5 days a week , I run a couple patches over a mop, then bore snake and oil patch after every shoot. Always been good. Super clean every 4 - 6 weeks. That means clean until patches are perfectly clean. Choke tubes are cleaned every time after shooting. This is what I've always done and it has worked for me . Might be overkill but I enjoy it, same as spending time reloading, just keeping in tune with the sport.
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14,898 Posts
Only snake I like is a dead one.
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Agreed, and for chokes....I let them sit in a jar of choke tube cleaner for a week, and then the crud comes right out of them.
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Use one after every round. I like them, for their intended use.
Floyd T.
Floyd T.
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I love them . Ports on a 32 in Citori set of bbls does not have one single hole plugged up with close to 200,000 shells through the gun . Bore snake after every use . Gussers & Dukefan have seen them and can attest to my statement . Not once have I ever tried to clean them since there is no need .
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878 Posts
I like the bore snake for cleaning the models 12's as I don't have to break it down every time to clean the barrel after shooting. I was told by a friend of mine that has owned many, many model 12's and works on them that more damage and wear is caused by taking the barrel , forearm assembly off and back on to clean it than by shooting it. ???
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2,692 Posts
Couldn’t agree more!!! Boresnake=lazy
I was taught that after every time you’d shoot your gun you clean it.
Shooters here say it’s not necessary, BS.
The crud that comes out of that gun with good old Hoppe’s is unbelievable!!!!
If I have several thousand $$$ invested in a gun I’ll be damned if I’d let it go with just running s bore snake down it and putting it away!!
I was taught that you take care of your:
Dog first
The gun second, even if you didn’t shoot it while out in the field. You still ran a patch through the barrel with oil on it, and wiped the entire gun down with a lightly oiled rag.
You last.
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