Do Boresnakes harm rifles?

[Tahoe1305]

Broke one in a center fire. Was an expensive lesson to have removed.

 

[packer58]

A clean bore snake is only clean on the first pass. Would be like using the same patch.

Yep, a dirty bore snake is like wiping your butt with the same piece of TP over and over, pretty much just smearing things around.

 

[Slsnpsy]

Ive been using boresnakes on the majority of my rifles for a while now. Its the easiest and fastest way to clean. That makes it efficient for just normal daily range use. Its still necessary to do a deeper clean after a long period or intense use.

 

[Wrench]

Let's be realistic. Are they the effective way to clean a barrel....no.

Do you wipe your bullets before you chamber them to ensure bo dust? Ever scrub a throat?

A 30 cal boresnake has enough clearance to fit an entire cleaning brush in it and still slide through the bore.....and we're worrying about some dust off the floor.

If you store your guns by your blast cabinet, I get it.....but otherwise it seems like flychit in chili.

With that said, I have one around the shop somewhere, but it hasn't been used for 20 years.... but certainly not out of fear.

 

[Wrench]

.....and really, does it even touch metal? We have 800 threads on how to remove carbon, perhaps ripping the rope through with some shop dust is THE answer.

 

[General RE LEE]

If a Bore Snake can harm a bore, imagine a bullet, pressure and heat!

 

[General RE LEE]

And for those folks concerned about running a bore snake through the bore and somehow the bore snake catching grit and damaging the bore, what do you think a bullet and pressure will do dragging that grit down the bore?

 

[SwiftShot]

I would not use a bore snake. Will it harm the barrel? You mean the piece of metal that contains the explosion at 65000 psi. I do not think so.

 

[ZAK13]

I use bore snakes often, I also clean them after each use. They're good for a quick cleaning, if I know I can't get to clean the rifle/shotgun within the next day or two.

 

[left hunter]

I use them with no issue. I didn’t start until I got a volquartsen 22 magnum. In the box from the factory was a bore snake along with instructions from volquartsen to pull it through every 50 rounds. I figure if they are ok with it going through there barrels it can’t be to bad!

 

[Dogman-K]

I never used a boresnake on a rifle but used quite a few of them on many shotguns. As a precaution, I would tie a nylon cord to the loop at the rear end of the snake so that if the "main" cord breaks, I could pull the snake back out. Thankfully, I never had one break.

I’m not sure if the rifle versions have a woven loop like those for shotguns but if they do, you probably ought do the same.

 

[General RE LEE]

I like to use a bore snake if I’ve been out in damp conditions. Maybe it’s my OCD, but I like to get left over bulk powder fouling in the bore that might have absorbed moisture. No data or science behind it, just my gut feeling to get bore dry if it’s been out in the damp.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I carry a bore snake on back country trips for emergency use if I fall down and fill the barrel with crap. (Happened once , many years ago). The thinking is I can get it cleanish and still use it. Other than that I don’t clean my rifle til I get home. Carbon fiber is what I use at home and at the range.

 

[Mogulsv]

all I use now, from handgun to rifle and shotgun. there is a lot of material contacting and cleaning the barrel in a couple of passes.. and always keep one in truck if something happens in the field.

 

[Tahoe1305]

All I used as well. Till I pulled one time (same one I’ve used time and again) and it didn’t pull through. Also expensive lesson to fix.

 

[Rich M]

Bore snakes are great. I use em - fastest easiest way to give your bore a quick clean at the range.

 

[LookinforDirt]

Yep, a dirty bore snake is like wiping your butt with the same piece of TP over and over, pretty much just smearing things around.

Well I can tell you don’t have the dedication for ultra light hunting.

 

[packer58]

Well I can tell you don’t have the dedication for ultra light hunting.

Gotta draw the line somewhere .....

 

[mtnbiker208]

when the wife is not home, run the bore snake thru the dishwasher.