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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.