Cleaning: Bore Snake or Old Fashioned Rod

[ldp4570]

M16 cleaning kit, along with dental tools, Q-tips, and pipe cleaners for those hard to reach places. I use a drop rope for my M1 Garand, and M1 Carbine so as not to damage the crowns. Everything else gets the rod, brush, and patch. As to my guns that I shoot corrosive ammo or BP, I keep on hand at the range a bottle of windex, and a spray can of Rem oil. Spray them down good with the Windex, bore, bolt, then do the same in a couple of minutes with the Rem oil. Makes for an easy cleanup once I get home.

For those using bore-snakes, unless your cleaning them after each time you've used it, your just dragging old crap back through your barrel.

 

[Ignored Member]

For those using bore-snakes, unless your cleaning them after each time you've used it, your just dragging old crap back through your barrel.

Good point ya got there. I knew there was a reason I haven't tried the bore snake yet.

 

[ldp4570]

Good point ya got there. I knew there was a reason I haven't tried the bore snake yet.

I also imagine that most wives, girlfriends, parents are not going to let you toss your Bore-snake in the washing machine, much less the dryer. Eventually they will tearup both.

 

[JD8]

For those using bore-snakes, unless your cleaning them after each time you've used it, your just dragging old crap back through your barrel.

Sure, I can understand on a microscopic level you're going to reintroduce carbon, but it's still SIGNIFICANTLY cleaner and definately faster than using a rod and patch. Rather, with a rod and patch you leave more carbon in there unless you use a ton of patches, which is your choice of course.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

They're not mutually exclusive. The bore snake is good for everyday quick-'clean' - just getting out the powder residue. But it cannot be a substitute for a true cleaning. In a rifle, every few hundred rounds, you have to get out the accumulation of lead and copper buildup in the lands, even if you can't see it, or your accuracy will suffer. With handguns, you don't have to do it nearly as often. Except for 'rifle-caliber' handguns, I guess.

 

[Shriner]

I go both ways the snake at the range and rod & patch once I get home.

 

[rw1341]

I have come to love the bore snakes

 

[leadfinger]

I use both. Boresnake for a quicki, and solvent, patch, brush, etc for detail cleaning, which I think every wepon needs from time to time. I have not tried it, but I doubt my 308 could maintain 3/8" groups by only using a boresnake.

 

[boomermet]

I haven't tried the washing machine drill, just fill the sink with cold water and some mild detergent. put the shake in and work it over with your hands and then rinse it out...Hang it to dry...If you just use the snake dry it lasts quite awhile but if you put and cleaner on it, say hoppes, then you might wash more frequently...There is some other cleaning device that works with a patch attached to a string or something..

 

[Randy_]

If I did not have a Bore-Snake, I don't think I would shoot more than about once or twice a year. I hate using patch after patch.