Bore Snake

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  • Last Post 09 October 2019
amb1935 posted this 28 July 2009

Anyone use a bore snake?  i just got one for my Mosin Nagant and I really like it. -Aaron

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big boar posted this 28 July 2009

Have several and really like them especially when hunting and I want to just clean out the wet crud from the day. 2 are for my 450 Marlin 1 is oiled and the other dry. 22,30,35,45and shotgun snakes. I think the brush is an improvement from the old GI pull throughs. I wash them about 1-2x a year, ready to go.

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303PV posted this 29 July 2009

I like them a lot. The only thing you have to look out for is to pull it through concentrically to the bore. The British army used a pull through cord for the Lee-Enfield. They warn about Cord-wear in their manuals. However armies tend to clean rifles excessively. Even if they had not been fired. Therefore there will be no cordwear if a bore snake is used with some common sense. A lot of barrels are ruined by excessive cleaning!

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Notlwonk posted this 29 July 2009

DON'T EVER and I mean NEVER! grab the wrong one and try to put a 45 snake thru a 9mm!!

 

:doooah:

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Artful posted this 14 June 2010

I have several - always buy the rifle so you can use on pistol and rifle - Some of the military pull thru's are nice to have in the field as well. HK has a nice little pocket kit that works with most shorter barrel 30 cal guns.

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Paultheshooter posted this 03 July 2013

Love the snakes. 22 rf through to 12 gauge. Great for quick cleans between the deep and meaningfully.

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onondaga posted this 03 July 2013

I have one for every caliber I shoot and they clean very well. Watch out for the newest version of the Bore Snake called the “Viper", they are not as strong as the original model and the reviews show that they can break at the plastic joint between the 2 thicknesses of cord. The original version has no plastic and is securely sewn.

The Hoppe's Bore Snake is also the centerpiece of my post on Bore Polishing and I hope you get a chance to try the method for breaking in  a new rifle, improving your velocity, lowering your pressure, making your rifle easier to clean, bringing a mediocre production bore finish to a match grade slick shine that cast bullets love  or even brightening up and DE-coppering a 100+ year old rifle bore:

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_topic.php?id=8364&forum_id=63>http://www.castbulletassoc.org/viewtopic.php?id=8364&forumid=63 There is 3 pages of interesting discussion on this post.

In addition to the one time polishing for my rifle bores, my general maintenance for rifle bores is to pull a dry Bore Snake through once every 5 shots. I use no other or additional bore cleaning except for an end of season traditional or pre-long term storage clean/oil/wax. I do maintain action parts with usual cleaning and lube. I only take a bore snake on range trips or field trips throughout the year.

Gary

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delmarskid1 posted this 04 July 2013

They are handy. A friend makes his own with weed whacker line. He heats the end and pushes it against something flat. He threads the line through slip sinkers and a patch with a hole in it.

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onondaga posted this 05 July 2013

http://castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=348>delmarskid1

You haven't taken a good look at a Bore Snake or even  used one if you  think your friends invention is in anyway close to the functionality of a genuine Bore Snake. One pull through of a Bore Snake equals the cleaning quality of more than 20 passes with a cleaning rod with a fresh patch every pass.  The Bore Snake is a marvelous breakthrough in design that weed whacker line, sinkers and a patch don't even come to the same planet of functioning cleaning quality..

Gary

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jhalcott posted this 05 July 2013

I use them but STILL use the rod and brush for serious cleaning jobs. Just a quick pull thru between groups at the range seems to help get consistent results.

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delmarskid1 posted this 06 July 2013

I have three bore snakes. I keep a 30cal snake in my range bag next to a can of Kroil. I bought an M1 Garand when I still had my FFL. In the butt stock was a pull through made from a shoe lace and a cut down tooth brush. We use what we have.

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onondaga posted this 06 July 2013

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=348>delmarskid1

THe BoreSnake is not just another variation on an old military pull through that yanks a single patch or a brush. Look at my 22 cal Bore Snake:

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/rhymeswithwhat/media/BorePolish.jpg.html>http://s30.photobucket.com/user/rhymeswithwhat/media/BoreSnakes.jpg.html>

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Bob 11B50 posted this 26 July 2014

Hello Gary, This is the second letter I've sent you on these subjects.  My computer went nuts and sent the first to you before it was complete. First of all, I was really sorry to learn of your heart attack.  I sure hope that you're well on the mend now!! A couple of days ago I took a Marlin '94 25-20 with a rough bore out of the safe to give it the Turtle Wax Chrome Cleaner and Rust Remover and Hoppe's Bore Snake treatement you suggested a while back. Well my experiernce has been mixed.  The Bore Snake label says .25, 6.5mm, .264 Caliber.  It was new.  I tremoved the lever, bolt and ejector and ran the bore snake through the bore about 5 times.  After 4-5 runs through the bore I tried it with the Turtle wax treatment, 1 teaspoon every 10 pulls through the bore for 100 pulls through the bore.   After 16 pulls through the bore the cord broke about 10” from the brass weight.  I tied the pieces together with a square knot and used some stiff fishing leader tied to the end of the pull through to pull the Bore Snake through the bore.  This worked until I got to pull 54 when the cord broke again right where be black cord joined the Bore Snake.   Just got another bore snake kto finish kup the 100 strokes.  I've slugged the bore twice and the slug goes through the bore pretty easy and not much land or groove cutting on the slugg.  The Bore Snake has been TIGHT going through the bore.   Any comments on my methodology and experiences would be welcome.  The bore is much brighter.  Stay well!! Best regards, Bob 11B50

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onondaga posted this 26 July 2014

You are doing it right but the fit of the BoreSnake sounds tight! Also, the wetter and more soaked the snake is with the polish, the easier it pulls through.

They have a warranty, contact the manufacturer.

The 2 turn surgeon's knot retains 95% strength and is designed to connect lines of different diameters or different types:

http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeonsjoin/>http://www.animatedknots.com/surgeonsjoin/

Excellent instructions for the Surgeon's Knot

Gary

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Bob 11B50 posted this 12 August 2014

Hello Gary,  I sure hope that you are recovering well and quickly.  I thought that I would tell you about my experience with a Marlin 1894 CL 25-20 and the Chrome polish rust remover  barrel break in that you suggested.   I had some minor difficulties-- broke bore snake-- and getting a teaspoon of the cleaner into the chamber.  I wound up soaking the bore snake in the cleaner and squeezing  the excess out.  For each set of ten pull throughs of the bore snake I'd re-load the bore snake about 3 times to get all of the teaspoon of cleaner into the snake and through the bore. When I got 100 + 10 strokes w/o cleaner on the bore snake done that bore shined like a new dollar!!  I tried the 25-20 last Sat. with 257283 sized .258, WSR, 8gr 4227.  First 2 rounds from cold barrel were about 1/16” apart.  Made some sight changes, iron sight buckhorn variety, and kentucky windage for a total of about 10 rounds.  wound up doing a nice number on the 10 and X.  Will try with my chronograph and for a bit better accuracy.   I'm 77 and the eyes could be better.  Sure appreciate your suggestion.  I've been to Ft. Niagara several times.  My dad used to tell stories about Ft. Niagara as he was stationed there as a Lt. fresh out of West Point.   Get well and go back to shooting turtles and muskrats down in the creek. Keep in touch, Bob 11B50

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onondaga posted this 12 August 2014

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=857>Bob 11B50

I wonder is your BoreSnake is the new improver “VIPER” model with the plastic joint between the pull and working sections. The Viper model is not an improvement and is weaker than the original with the sections sewn together with  an overlapped lengthwise section about 2” long.

The article I posted on bore polishing with the BoreSnake recommends using a plastic syringe to load the polish into the chamber after the snake is started. This is mess free and works well. Some hardware stores sell plastic syringes for applying glue or oil, these plastic syringes will work fine with the polish.

Feeling well enough that I loaded 100 rounds on my press today, 7.62X39 with the RD 165 gr hunting bullet cast in #2 alloy for my Remington Spartan single shot..

Gary

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Mal posted this 14 August 2014

Hi Gary,            Great to here you felt well to do some loading!! I follow your postings here in Australia, I enjoy your input and advise, stay well and enjoy your shooting.             Malcolm in Aus.

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Bob 11B50 posted this 16 August 2014

Hello Gary,I called Hoppe's about the broken cord on the bore snake ... they sent me another bore snake.  The one that broke was not a Viper, just a regular bore snake.   I finished up the job and last weekend I did get off 10 rds.  1st two were a sixteenth of an inch apaet at 50 yds. using iron sights and 77 yo eyes.  Then I made some sight elevation adjustments and fell into the “X” ring.  It shoots better than it did.  Load was 8 gr 4227, WSR, Lyman 257283 in 50/50 ww/Pb, sized 0.258” in a Lyman die. Now I gotta try this in my 32-20, 32-40, and 30-30. How do Jacketed bullets like the polished bore?  I use them once in a while, not often though! Hope that you are feeling better! Bob 11B50

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onondaga posted this 16 August 2014

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=857>Bob 11B50

Jacketed bullets like a polished bore too.

You will note that coppering from jacketed bullets will be less or none with a polished bore and any coppering will also be easier to remove from a polished bore. Just don't ruin the polished surface with Stainless brushes now....that can happen from stainless cleaning brushes.

I thought Hoppe's would honor their Warranty for you, I'm happy for you following through on that.

Gary

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goldndime posted this 07 October 2019

Gary,

Just a note on your snake polishing method.

I just bought a old marlin 94 in .44mag and the bore looked like it had some fouling and pits. After a good cleaning the bore had some pitting but most of the bore was pretty good looking. After seeing your post went to town and purchased the items.

Came home and after just 10 pulls was amazed how much better the bore was. Of course it will not take out the pits but after a good cleaning the rest of the bore shines so bright it hurts your eyes. May try again after shoot it awhile.

Thanks again for the info and I will pass this on to my friends and y gun shop;

Gail

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Reeferman posted this 07 October 2019

Where can I find this boresnake polishing thread at?

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