Snakes and brushes

[pipmaster1971]

A quick question for you long-term gun nuts. Do you think using a snake is a suitable alternative to a proper cleaning brush for cleaning your gun barrel? What I've been doing is soaking my snake with cleaning solution and running it through the barrel a couple of times, and then doing it once with a bit of lubricant on the trailing end of the snake. I do that after every range trip, and maybe use a brush perhaps once every 4 or 5 times.

 

[FPrice]

I am not a long-term gun nut, merely a very experienced gun owner and shooter (and I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once!). But I do use a boresnake quite often. I find that using one right after I finish shooting at the range seems to remove a lot of the crud that builds up in the barrel and keeps the gun cleaner longer. It is also probably easier on the gun than a metal cleaning rod.

 

[depicts]

pipmaster, I've heard some very experienced people say that the "Snake" can carry grit and chemicals you might not want on every gun.

Say you use an ammonia based cleaner on a blue gun, and then use it on a nickle gun with a different cleaner. There is still the chance the ammonia based chemical can get on or under your nickel plating and cause damage.

The second thing is pulling the snake through the barrel causes it to pick up the dirt and particles from the barrel. My extra fussy friends think you just carry more dirt from one gun to another, possibly causing abrasion and wear.

Now, this may all be true. To me it doesn't matter too much. If the slight wear I get had any effect on my shooting ability, I would be concerned, but I've been cleaning many guns for many years with snakes, and never saw any appreciable drop in accuracy in my guns.

That said, I have to admit that I am NOT using a snake for routine cleaning anymore. I may run one through the bore if I want to give a quick clean out at the range, but I use more traditional methods when I give a serious cleaning to my guns.

First I spray them all over and through the action with Break Free or other CLP product.

I let them sit for 15 minutes or so, and then use toothbrushes, brass brushes, wood sticked cotton swabs and toothpicks to clean the exterior and action of my guns. I might even bring a dental pick to bear if there is a large build up of lead above my forcing cone in a pistol, or anywhere else lead accumulates, like just below the shoulder of the cylinder in a revolver.

Then I clean inside the barrel. First I spray or swab a good coating of CLP down the bore. After waiting 15 minutes to let the chemicals work, I run a brass bore brush through a half dozen times. I follow that up by using clean swabs. A fresh one each time until I get them coming out clean.

Then I check the barrel, chamber and (cylinders) for left over built up residue. If I do find lead or copper or a grease and sludge spot anywhere in the gun after I've done this, I will spray the effected area again, let it soak, and attack that area again with wire bore brush, brass brush (like a toothbrush) or a toothbrush, swab and toothpick.

That useually does the job. If not, I'll repeat the last steps again until it is clean.

Then when the gun is clean and dry, with no chemicals remaining, I give every metal part a small spray with lubricant or protectant, and then give the gun a wipe down with an old T-shirt, leaving a thin film of protection throughout the gun, including the barrel.

While the snakes can be handy for accumulated barrel gook when doing a lot of shooting, it's not a real full time substitute for a more thorough cleaning

 

[adweisbe]

If you are only shooting jacketed pistol ammo then very little is required to keep the barrel clean. Scheumann recommends pretty much not cleaning the barrel.

 

[iodonnel]

If it don't work dirty it won't work clean. From working in a range and seeing how often they were cleaned, or not often, barrels, slides, frames, and etc. can take a beating, meaning, clean them when they stop working. Sounds even more convincing when backed up by a gunsmith whom has been working at S&W for 30+ years, and actually seeing the firearms yourself after 60000 rounds.

 

[SKS Ray]

I've got a method of using bore snakes and that includes soaking and washing them after about every 20 passes. They can be washed easy in a bucket of soapy water and then rinsed and hung to dry.
When I use one its if I want a quick clean up before shooting or if I've only shot a few rounds of non corrosive ammo. I NEVER use a bore snake for clean up after shooting corrosive ammo. It can transfer salt deposits into other guns.
When I use one I spray the tip before the brush with Break Free and about midway on the tail I add another shot of Break Free. This gives a 4 step cleaning. It lets you wet the bore with cleaner, the bristles scrub out what fouling and dirt they can, a few inches of snake wipes that dry followed up by a light coat of oil and the tail end dries the whole bore as it exits.
I use this method on my 10/22 target barrel and have never scrubbed it with a rod and brush. From what I read from serious .22 shooters scrubbing cleans fouling out that fills in the imperfections left in the barrel after the rifling process. With some fouling still in their it smooths out any defects and gives you as close to a perfect bore as you can get. Could be a myth but it makes sense to me.

 

[BoB13]

NO. Clean w/ the boresnake until you think it's clean and then clean it properly with a brush and patch. You'll be suprised what's left over on the patch.

 

[ijw]

What is the difference between the Boresnakes for rifles and pistols? I assume a longer lead to get through the longer barrel. Is there anything that would preclude using a rifle snake on a pistol barrel? I don't want to spend twice as much for a caliber I have rifles and pistols for if I don't have to (like .22).

P.S. Bumping old threads is fun.

 

[N.E. CHARTERS]

Blast it Clean

You just gave me one hell of an idea.

I have used Bore Snakes in the field only to clean out mud and grass etc... and Brushes and rods when I have a place to clean.

Many times I have needed a long stick to punch out a shotgun shell that has jammed and a thine rod to clear a bullett stuck in a .223 rifle that squib fired. Every gun should come with a ram rod/cleaning rod attached.


Anyway: Here is my idea.

Take a small piece of Scotchbrite. and roll it up wicked tight and load it into a shell with just a primer and cardboard to shoot it out. Maybe even soak it in a thin paste cleaner solvent that does not drip on the primer.




I can try this with my 12 Ga Reloader to see if it works. Anybody want to try other clibers for me and let me know the results.

what do you think?

 

[Organdonor]

My technique for cleaning is: When I first break down the gun to clean it, I'll run a soaked patch through the barrel. I then let it sit while I clean the rest of the gun. Once finished, I run a dry patch or two through the barrel to pull out the crud loosened up by the soak. I then pull my snake through, and I'm done.

ETA: I also clean my guns COMPLETELY after each time I shoot. Not only does this make cleaning easier, but I like the "zen" of sitting alone, cleaning and polishing my babies.

 

[Organdonor]

Many times I have needed a long stick to punch out a shotgun shell that has jammed and a thine rod to clear a bullett stuck in a .223 rifle that squib fired. Every gun should come with a ram rod/cleaning rod attached.

I've never had to do this (yet!). When this occurs, which way should I push it out of the barrel?

 

[FPrice]

What is the difference between the Boresnakes for rifles and pistols? I assume a longer lead to get through the longer barrel. Is there anything that would preclude using a rifle snake on a pistol barrel? I don't want to spend twice as much for a caliber I have rifles and pistols for if I don't have to (like .22).

P.S. Bumping old threads is fun.

I believe that the length is the only difference.

 

[ijw]

I believe that the length is the only difference.

So I guess my pistol barrels will just be cleaner than my rifle barrels. My rifle barrels will have to learn to accept that or ask me nicely for additional boresnake passes

As for the possibility of picking up debris and damaging the bore, I think I will keep them in old patch bags between cleanings.

 

[Tiktock]

You just gave me one hell of an idea.

I have used Bore Snakes in the field only to clean out mud and grass etc... and Brushes and rods when I have a place to clean.

Many times I have needed a long stick to punch out a shotgun shell that has jammed and a thine rod to clear a bullett stuck in a .223 rifle that squib fired. Every gun should come with a ram rod/cleaning rod attached.


Anyway: Here is my idea.

Take a small piece of Scotchbrite. and roll it up wicked tight and load it into a shell with just a primer and cardboard to shoot it out. Maybe even soak it in a thin paste cleaner solvent that does not drip on the primer.




I can try this with my 12 Ga Reloader to see if it works. Anybody want to try other clibers for me and let me know the results.

what do you think?

I wouldnt use scotchbrite on any guns....its more abrasive than you think and would be akin to using a mild sandpaper. I use scotchbrite belts to put satin finishes on hardened steel, so i doubt you'd want it inside your barrel.

 

[Fsorrent]

I usually only use boresnake if i've only put under 100 or so roudns through the barrel. It's usually clean enough for me. I'm not too picky. It has it's advantages in light maintenance, but for heavy fouling...it's doesn't fair so well. Use traditional methods, they are tried and tested.

 

[N.E. CHARTERS]

I've never had to do this (yet!). When this occurs, which way should I push it out of the barrel?

If you have a shell stuck in the chamber there is only one direction you can puch it out.

From the Muzzle.

Just use a piece of brass welding rod on rifles. drop it down the barrel and tap it.


ScotchBrite comes in many Flavours. Original NAVY Green and then you have black, Brown, Yella, , Blue, Red and white.


from course to smooth.

You want the inside of your barrel to shine and be smooth as glass. so why not?