Hoppe's Bore Snake

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BobM14	Hoppe's Bore Snake	Lead	[-]
Posts: 598 (03/15/09 05:43 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None Lookin for some input. I've known about bore snakes for years but never used one. To read about them from Hoppes, sounds like it's "all you need". First of all, to those of you that use them; do you still clean thoroughly with rod and patch after? Or do they do a thorough enough job by themselves? I go through alot of patches and time when I clean, and I'm looking to simplify the process if I can, without sacrificing the end result. Thanks Armed Infidel
mauserand9mm		#1	[-]
Posts: 1230 (03/15/09 06:46 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	My opinion of a pull-through is only use when you can't use a rod from the breech end. They should clean as good as a rod except may actually take longer - you get the benefit of the reverse stroke with a rod (when a brush is attached). I'd be wary of muzzle damage with a pull-through - the material can pick up dirt and this could abrade the muzzle if pulled through to one side, but this shouldn't be a problem if there is a flash hider present.
eli griggs		#2	[-]
Posts: 559 (03/15/09 08:45 AM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I like the bore snake because of how much material contacts the bore with each pull but I usually use it with a rod unless I'm in the field. I'll run a brass rod or a stiff 'weed eater' line with a drenched mop or rag of Windex for corrosive and latter a mop of Ed's Red from the breach, using a drilled case in the chamber as a guide for a rod. After a good soaking and some time, I'll run the bore-snake through about 3-5 times, with a bit more Ed's Red with lanolin to protect the metal. It's a quick, thorough clean and I'm happy with the results so far. I clean the snakes as needed in large plastic peanut butter jars with Joy or Dawn, giving a good soak for about a day and some agitation now and again, hanging them to drip dry in the shade. I think the most important thing about using these is to use the right size for caliber and to remember to get the chamber with a brush in a separate step, at least every now and again. I suppose I would agree that a snake would be good enough on it's own for non-corrosive however, I prefer to augment my routine with a rod or line mop because I've got the time to do so in most cases and, because I'm usually cleaning several rifles at one time, it's easier this way. "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity". - Albert Einstein WANTED - Lee Loaders - .223, 6.5 Swede Mauser, 7.5 Swiss, 7.62x39, 7.62x54r, .308 Win, .303 Brit, 7.7 WANTED- Turkey and Goose feathers for fletching arrows
BALLSANDBULLETS		#3	[-]
Posts: 84 (03/15/09 09:14 AM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I've been using bore snakes for quite some time now, particularly on semiautos such as Garands, carbines or 10/22s. They are also great for revolvers and semiauto pistols between disassemblies. With me, I just run a couple of wet patches down the bore, let it soak a while and then pull the boresnake through 4 or five times making sure to pull straight out the center of the bore. The peanut butter jar sounds like a good idea to me, I'll have to try that, probably better than washing them in the sink like I normally do. (time for a peanut butter sandwich just so I can have the jar) Montani Semper Liberi
m1 talker		#4	[-]
Posts: 6612 (03/15/09 11:02 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I have been using one for nearly ten years now. However, I do not use it to clean my bores, as I have rods and patches and brushes for that. But the one I have is coiled up and fits my range bag nicely, so it is easy to pack. What I use it for is after cleaning for corrosive ammo with water poured down the barrel and such, I pull it thru the bore a couple times to dry the bore out. The one I have is for .30 caliber rifles, but it works with 8mm barrels just as well. Never had any problems with rusted bores after drying them with it. Every so often I will let it soak for a couple days in detergent water and then rince it out and hang it up to dry out. You would be surprized at the crud that comes out of it when washing it. But for the heavy duty cleaning jobs, I will stick with my foaming bore cleaners and Hoppes #9 and patches and a brush with a ramrod and a muzzle protector. Curt
EricOKC		#5	[-]
Posts: 4803 (03/15/09 07:42 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	BobM14 wrote: Lookin for some input. I've known about bore snakes for years but never used one. To read about them from Hoppes, sounds like it's "all you need". First of all, to those of you that use them; do you still clean thoroughly with rod and patch after? Or do they do a thorough enough job by themselves? I go through alot of patches and time when I clean, and I'm looking to simplify the process if I can, without sacrificing the end result. Thanks I like to use them for a quick cleaning if I'm hunting, and if I loan out a rifle I give them a Bore Snake and a bottle of Hoppes. Other than that, a one piece cleaning rod picks up a lot of stuff on the first pass that many pulls of a snake doesn't.
BobM14		#6	[-]
Posts: 599 (03/15/09 09:07 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Thanks Guys. Like I mentioned, I was hoping for something that might speed up the process. I thought that if I could cut ten or twelve patchings out of the routine by starting with a couple pulls of the bore snake, and finish as normal, it would be worthwhile. I'm still unclear if it would play out that way. I use Dewey coated rods and bore guides, Hoppes #9 and finish with Break Free. I still might try a snake for a couple pulls before starting in with the standard procedure, and see how effective it is. They aren't that expensive. Armed Infidel
Cisco.tomsgunandgener...		#7	[-]
Posts: 62 (03/15/09 11:47 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	For the most part bore snakes are all I use. I use them wet with soapy water for corrisive and with Ed's Red for the rest. I'm not a gun cleaning fanatic however.
brass rat		#8	[-]
Posts: 2008 (03/16/09 02:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	I keep the bores of my rifles well oiled while they are in the rack and use a boresnake at the range when thay come out of the case to remove the excess oil before shooting. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Why not join us at Milsurp After Hours handloading forum
NC Cruffler		#9	[-]
Posts: 504 (03/16/09 03:42 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Quick clean at the range if I don't have time for rodding. Especially carbine and garand. Cleaning the snake- I tie the ends together and toss it in the washer when my wife's not looking. I used to put in in a garment washing bag but we now have a front loader so an wrapping around an agitator is not an issue. Dave Dave Green, NRA Life Member since 1973
maxima2		#10	[-]
Posts: 608 (03/16/09 05:21 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	BobM14 wrote: Thanks Guys. Like I mentioned, I was hoping for something that might speed up the process. I thought that if I could cut ten or twelve patchings out of the routine by starting with a couple pulls of the bore snake, and finish as normal, it would be worthwhile. I'm still unclear if it would play out that way. I use Dewey coated rods and bore guides, Hoppes #9 and finish with Break Free. I still might try a snake for a couple pulls before starting in with the standard procedure, and see how effective it is. They aren't that expensive. The easiest/best way to clean guns I've found so far is Patch Out bore cleaner. Wipe Out is the foam version but is pretty wasteful. Push a patch soaked with the stuff through the bore and scrub it back and forth while pulling it back out. Repeat if necessary to coat the bore really good. Let it sit in the bore for 15 to 30 minutes then run a couple of patches through to clean out the fouling. Then coat the barrel with oil. If you have more copper you want to remove then repeat, only this time let it sit a few hours to overnight. This stuff will remove all the copper and carbon and strip a barrel to the steel in a couple of cycles without the endless brushing. It's safe to the steel but may remove some stock finishes. I'm in the process of trying out Gunzilla and Copperzilla bore cleaner but I'm not finished with it yet. I can say that it cleans carbon as good as Hoppe's #9 but the smell is so faint that I can clean guns in the house and my wife said she can't smell it. It's also supposed to be made from plants and is totally non-toxic - that's a good thing and exactly why I'm interested in this stuff.