Bore snakes.

[manthing]

Are they much of a muchness or are there makes to avoid or must haves? 

Thinking for the 12g.

Whats the difference to a cleaning set? 

TIA. 

Mark

[Farmboy91]

2 minutes ago, manthing said:

Are they much of a muchness or are there makes to avoid or must haves? 

Thinking for the 12g.

Whats the difference to a cleaning set? 

TIA. 

Mark

I brought the cheapest one I could find on ebay, got them in 12,16 and .410, couple pulls through and the barrels come up lovely. 

I do have a set of rods and the brushes are good for excess fowling but for the most the snake covers it. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Farmboy91

[Stonepark]

They all come from China and nearly all identical.

[TK421]

I got one from JSR, £4-5, and personally think it’s very good. Hard to pull through for the first few times until it gets a bit of oil on it, but blast some Napier super clean down the barrels, squirt on the bore snake and pull through. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by TK421

[Westley]

I use one before I leave the shoot, especially if it has been wet or if I am staying overnight.  I just buy the cheapest that I can find , I use both 12 and 20 bores.

[TK421]

Careful with some of the super cheap ones, have heard of the cords snapping when being pulled through. Look for the ones with the double rows of bristles on them, white(blue flecks)with green cord for the 12g if I remember right. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by TK421

[panoma1]

In fairness I only find them useful when away from home, or at the end of the day after shooting has ceased, for a quick clean, but......I would not use them to replace a traditional bore cleaning/scrubbing regime.........in my experience they don’t remove leading or plastic fouling at all well!

[London Best]

7 minutes ago, panoma1 said:

In fairness I only find them useful when away from home, or at the end of the day after shooting has ceased, for a quick clean, but......I would not use them to replace a traditional bore cleaning/scrubbing regime.........in my experience they don’t remove leading or plastic fouling at all well!

This exactly.

i have one each in 12, 20, .410, .22, .30, .375 and find them very useful. A mate did have one break and stick fast in a barrel.

[Mr.T]

Have used them for a quick clean, but when the rope breaks it’s a real pain 😖

[figgy]

I have one and it's a hoppes one, most bisley mops and brushes can be bought with a loop on the end and can be pulled through with a bit of string or paracord with patch to aid cleaning, nice and small and not as spikey like a bore snake.

A three piece rod and brushes in a box is quick enough and does a proper job with a spray down the barrels. My bore snake only gets used once in a while on the autos.

Edited October 19, 2019 by figgy

[Rob525]

I think there fantastic. On a modern chrome lined barrel if its pulled through with in a couple of hours of shooting it comes up perfect with a single pull. Dangle the rope through, stand on the end and lift the gun up is the easiest way and it takes seconds.

Edited October 19, 2019 by Rob525
Oh and mine are £1.99 from the wish app! And I've never had one snap!

[figgy]

Nice tip, saves my little finger getting it when wrapped round my hand.

[Rob525]

Yea that's the problem I had too, that and slipping off it and risking bashing the gun, this way you have 2 hands on the gun and total control 

[TK421]

11 hours ago, Rob525 said:

I think there fantastic. On a modern chrome lined barrel if its pulled through with in a couple of hours of shooting it comes up perfect with a single pull. Dangle the rope through, stand on the end and lift the gun up is the easiest way and it takes seconds.

Just ordered! Will compare and report back, thanks for the heads up mate 👍

[McSpredder]

Is there much risk of "cord wear"?

Father used to speak of the way TA members in the 1920s were lectured on the correct way to clean the SMLE using a pull-through, and the inaccuracy caused by doing it wrongly.   Maybe the cord was more abrasive in those days.

[old man]

12 hours ago, spurs 14 said:

Think they are great , so easy and quick ,as said squirt some cleaner into barrels and pull through , twice if really dirty come up as new , 

x2

[manthing]

Thanks for all the imput peeps. Think I'll get one and give it a try. 

I do find rodding the barrels quite satisfying though. 😁

[njc110381]

I find them good for a quick clean both on rifles and shotguns. They don't replace a proper kit for a deep clean but as a rust preventative when wet or just to get powder residue out of a rifle barrel so it doesn't dry on and play up the cold bore accuracy I think they're great.

I wouldn't buy a cheap one personally. If they snap they cause no end of bother. I buy good quality examples and replace them fairly regularly. Any sign of the cord getting less flexible through ageing or if they start to fray, they're straight in the bin! Not such a big issue with a shotgun as you could get a tool down there to pick it out, but in a rifle you'd be in trouble!

[simcgunner]

I like to use a bore snake on bolt action rifles pulling through from breech end and out the muzzle. but for cleaning the shotguns  i use a tornado style brush as its far superior to any bristle brush. the bore snake works well in the field  and accompanied with a quick wipe down of the outside keeps a nice gun case clean.

[Mr.C]

I use a Hoppes one and find it more effective than scrubbing away with a bronze brush on the CG. Had a cheap oriental one stuck it through the washing machine and the bristles went rusty! Similar method to above , Philips bore cleaner sprayed in the bore, leave 10mins, drop bore snake in and stand on the cord. 2 hands on the barrel and up and down concentrating on the the area around the forcing cones. I use it on the chokes too. Couple of wads of rolled up kitchen paper pushed through and finished off with the oiled wool mop, stored barrels down. 

[SuperGoose75]

I have used them since they first came on the market.Being a Wildfowler who also takes care of his guns I find them invaluable.

One tip is to use a bore size bigger than your actual gun for a tighter more snug clean.I tried to get a 10bore one but could not find any available. That said the actual 12bore ones I use do a competent job.