Proper Use of a bore snake

[adear11]

I have a boresnake I use for my .270 WSM, and one for my buckmark .22lr pistol. I am wondering what the proper technique is for using the bore snake. I have just been running it through the barrell a couple of times and it appears to be doing a very good job of cleaning them. Should I be putting any type of slovent on it before I run it through the barrel? What are the odds of it breaking while in the barrell? I have to exert a large amount of force to pull it through the barrel. Especially the .22.

I just want to make sure I am using it most efficiently.

thanks

[Mark whiz]

I usually place a few drops of solvent on the area of the brushes and just ahead of the brushes when i use a snake. I will do this at the range after I'm done shooting - but I always follow up with a good cleaning at home as the Snake leaves a TON of stuff still in the bore - especially with my rifles. The one for my .45 1911 does a pretty good job of cleaning, but a good day at he range will still take several passes with a bore brush and a dozen cleaning patches before I'm happy with it's cleanliness.

And I also clean the Snakes after I've used them a couple times.............put them in an old white sock and wash them in the clotheswasher (without any clothes), then hang them up to drip dry.

[missed_another]

again there are many differant ways to use the snake. i just use a little oil about 3 or 4 inches from the end and my barrels come out clean with a shine. they always pull threw hard the first pass or two threw the barrel. after 6 or 8 times threw they pull easy thats when i stop. once in a while your guns may need a good cleaning but most people over clean they weapons. unless you are shooting hundreds of rounds a week the snake is all you will need.

[Aught Six]

I only use mine on my shotgun, and I still scrub the bore with a bronze brush dipped in powder/plastic solvent first. I don't use one in any of my rifles because they really don't do much as far as removing copper fouling.

[GRIZZLYMAN]

ORIGINAL: Mark whiz

I usually place a few drops of solvent on the area of the brushes and just ahead of the brushes when i use a snake. I will do this at the range after I'm done shooting - but I always follow up with a good cleaning at home as the Snake leaves a TON of stuff still in the bore - especially with my rifles. The one for my .45 1911 does a pretty good job of cleaning, but a good day at he range will still take several passes with a bore brush and a dozen cleaning patches before I'm happy with it's cleanliness.

And I also clean the Snakes after I've used them a couple times.............put them in an old white sock and wash them in the clotheswasher (without any clothes), then hang them up to drip dry.

I agree that the boresnake is good for a field cleaning, but I usually do a heavy duty cleaning when I get back home. The boresnake doesn't get some of the copper deposits even if you use Hoppes #9.

[RedAllison]

I consider the BoreSnake the greatest invention since the leather Harley thong my wife wears from time too time!!!

I have one for each caliber weapon I own (shotguns, rifles, handguns.. havent figured how practical one would be for a smokepole tho?)and simply keep them in the case with the gun while hunting. I use it each time I get back too the truck each morning/night and then again before the gun goes back into the safe. I rarely deep clean or "strip" a gun during season unless it gets submerged or used in a downpour, otherwise the only cleaning the bores get during the season is viathe Snakes.

I don't put any solvent on them either as you would then need to run a dry patch down them to remove the residue,
RA

[Briman]

I dip the brush part in CLP and pull it through out the muzzle.

Yeah, it doesn't get all of the copper out, but big deal- a little copper deposit isn't going to hurt anything and doesn't need to be removed everytime you shoot, unless you are a benchrest competitor.

[trailer]

I also find the bore snake excellent for field cleaning. I just pass the bore snake for a fast cleaning without any solvent and leave the heavy stuff for at home.