Snake for cleaning a Winchester 30-30 bore?

Mike-in-WV · Post by **Mike-in-WV** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:07 pm

Have any of you had experience with one of the bore snakes? I have never even seen one let alone tried one. How do they work for really cleaning the bore of lead and copper? Is it a good idea to use one on my Trapper? Right now I just use Hopes, bore brush a few times and then Hopes with patches and then dry patches till clean and then a little oil on a patch and then a dry patch and clean the action/bolt area and lightly oil the outside and wipe down with a soft dry rag and reload with 170gr. Federal SPRN. A couple times of year I will totally strip this rifle and all my guns and clean from top to bottom. Mike

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:18 pm

Bore Snake, Olin's version, whichever. They are the best thing since Self Contained Cartridges for basic to intermediate cleaning.

Will never replace a teardown/bench cleaning, but you shouldn't do that often anyway.

I have a Bore Snake for every caliber firearm I own.

86er · Post by **86er** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:22 pm

Ditto:

I just shot 100 various round of reloads in the 45 Colt. I ran the bore snake down there after letting bore foam soak for an hour. I was sure I would have to get a rod out and do some real scubbing. I was surprised that using the bore scope, the inside of the barrel was perfectly clean with 5 passes of the bore snake.

Bigahh · Post by **Bigahh** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:23 pm

Not sure how well they work, but I have been carrying one with me in my hunting backpack for the last few years as I think it would be a valuable tool in case of a mud/snow blocked barrel. It did happen to me one time, and I vowed to find a solution.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:25 pm

Bigahh wrote:Not sure how well they work, but I have been carrying one with me in my hunting backpack for the last few years as I think it would be a valuable tool in case of a mud/snow blocked barrel. It did happen to me one time, and I vowed to find a solution.

Still need a stick for that, but yeah, once the obstruction is out the Snake cleans the rest of the crud out quite nicely.

gary rice · Post by **gary rice** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 6:57 pm

im with old irronsights and 86er. the bore snake is the best thing since cotton candy. i wish they had them 35 years ago.

Mike-in-WV wrote:Have any of you had experience with one of the bore snakes? I have never even seen one let alone tried one. How do they work for really cleaning the bore of lead and copper? Is it a good idea to use one on my Trapper? Right now I just use Hopes, bore brush a few times and then Hopes with patches and then dry patches till clean and then a little oil on a patch and then a dry patch and clean the action/bolt area and lightly oil the outside and wipe down with a soft dry rag and reload with 170gr. Federal SPRN. A couple times of year I will totally strip this rifle and all my guns and clean from top to bottom. Mike

Mike-in-WV · Post by **Mike-in-WV** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:07 pm

Thanks for the replies and info guys. Can you wash these things or how do you keep them clean? How do they work? I guess what I'm really asking is how do they get rid of the lead and crud? Do they have some kind of "Grit" on them or what? Don't mean to sound stupid here folks, never used one and I'm just wanting to learn something about them before I order one. Thanks again, Mike

Post by **Hobie** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:10 pm

I just got one to use in my .45-75. Not thrilled with the concept but it will do to rapidly return a BP shooter to functioning status...

gary rice · Post by **gary rice** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:23 pm

mike, it has a bronze brush incorporated into it that dramattically loosens all the crud, leading etc, followed by the nylon rope (snake) that drags out the loosened remnence. ive had a little leading from time to time but a couple of passes through the bore with this item takes it right out for me. prior to using the boresnake though i usually saturate the bore with hoppes#9, let it soak in while im cleaning other parts of the gun, then use the bore snake. i personally think it's a great item for $13 on sale. you can throw it in the wash from time to time and it wont hurt it but ask your wife first. hope this helps.

Mike-in-WV wrote:Thanks for the replies and info guys. Can you wash these things or how do you keep them clean? How do they work? I guess what I'm really asking is how do they get rid of the lead and crud? Do they have some kind of "Grit" on them or what? Don't mean to sound stupid here folks, never used one and I'm just wanting to learn something about them before I order one. Thanks again, Mike

Mike-in-WV · Post by **Mike-in-WV** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:38 pm

Thanks Gary, Thats what I needed to know. I'll order one right after I watch WV beat the hell out of the Oaklahomos

Mike

jazman · Post by **jazman** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:42 pm

Add me to the list of converts, I also have one for every gun. I put some Break Free on each side of the built in brush and run the snake through until all is clean. Wish I had invented them dammit.

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:52 pm

Mike, I think they are the next best thing to the Otis cleaning kit.

gary rice · Post by **gary rice** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:54 pm

lol, roger that.

Mike-in-WV wrote:Thanks Gary, Thats what I needed to know. I'll order one right after I watch WV beat the hell out of the Oaklahomos Mike

gtaylor · Post by **gtaylor** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:30 pm

I love my boresnakes, but I'm with Shawn - They are the next best thing to the Otis system. If you were only going to own one, I would press the Otis.

The cable has enough rigidity to help clear obstructions. The fact that the patches are removed after use addresses the concern of pulling the gunk from the first cleaning through on the second pass. I hung a snake up on the feed mechanism of an old Western Auto bolt action 22 once, not a pleasant way to while away an afternoon!! The fact that you thread on your own bore brush is handy. One for all calibers from 22 to 30. The real plus was when they were on sale at Midway for less than a boresnake!!

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:37 pm

Mike-in-WV wrote:Thanks for the replies and info guys. Can you wash these things or how do you keep them clean? How do they work? I guess what I'm really asking is how do they get rid of the lead and crud? Do they have some kind of "Grit" on them or what? Don't mean to sound stupid here folks, never used one and I'm just wanting to learn something about them before I order one. Thanks again, Mike

Probably why I have not bought one....how to clean it? Don't want to put it in the washing machine as the kids stuff go in there, or the sink cause the dishes go in there, and don't have time for any added clean up really with buckets. If there's another way, I'm just not thinking of it.

Mike-in-WV · Post by **Mike-in-WV** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:14 pm

Thanks for all the info guys! That's what I like about this site. If you ask a question you don't have to wait a week to get a response or some help from people in the know!
I'll do some checking after the game is over, it's half time now. Midway would be as good of a place to start as any and maybe Brownell's or Cabelas. Mike

Snake for cleaning a Winchester 30-30 bore?

Snake for cleaning a Winchester 30-30 bore?

Re: Snake for cleaning a Winchester 30-30 bore?