TargetTalk

Is a bore snake inferior to a cleaning rod? I just used one for the first time and it seemed too easy. One pass and my barrel "looked" clean.
I am a fulltime athlete in the sport of Biathlon and I have yet to figure out a proper protocol for cleaning my rifle. I always hear different things.
Can someone please set me straight?
Thanks, Jesse
I have an Anschutz 1827 w/Fortner action.

Or is there a place for both?

I find the bore snake a great way to 'clean' the bore before (and even during a shooting session when testing ammunition).

For cleaning after shooting, I use the snake for cleaning the bore but finish the process by oiling the bore with a patch and the rod.

Love to hear others on using the snake for ISSF rifles.

Spencer

I don't like bore snakes my self and find one piece cleaning rods are the only way to go.

After a couple of passes they start to pick up grit and junk on them and then you are dragging all that through the bore - which can possibly scratch it.

It may look clean - but the the barrel will also look clean if you just pass one patch through it with a cleaning rod -but its not actually "clean".

My advice would be get a good one piece cleaning rod. I clean with nylon brushes quite a bit and that seems to work good (I do about 5 passes back and fourth with a nylon brush and butches bore shine solvent and then two dry patches and that works well or i just use one wet patch followed by 2 dry patches)

Honestly I would never use a bore snake in my high end guns -but thats just me!

BoreSnakes are simple to wash. I wash the one I use on my M1 Garand to get rid of the copper solvent and gunk, squeegee out most of the water, and let dry by hanging. I suspect that any dirt even on an unwashed one is better for the bore than almost any rod (which also gets dirty and can drag on the sides of the bore, especially smaller bores). For my .177 Steyr LG100, I simply use it dry. There is no dirt, anyway -- just some lead.

Joe