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Well, this has been an interesting and enlightening topic for me.

I've received a couple of bore snakes as Christmas gifts during the years, but I've never used them because I knew they'd get dirty and I didn't want to mess up my rifles. I'd read that some of the Mosin-Nagant rifles on the market have been counter-bored (the last half-inch or so of the barrel had been drilled out) because the crowns were damaged from repeated use of a dirty bore snake. It never occurred to me that the snake could be cleaned.

I readily admit I'm not the cleverest person in the forest, but that's why I read this forum — to learn from others.

This has been interesting to read. I have never graduated from the brush and patches.

carlson1 wrote:This has been interesting to read. I have never graduated from the brush and patches.

I just bought two bore snakes.

carlson1 wrote:This has been interesting to read. I have never graduated from the brush and patches.

I have three one for my 12 gauge, my AR, and my 308 rifle. I still use brushes on handguns. They do a great job, and no more bent brass rods from getting in too much of a hurry.

I also use a Remington SQUEEG-E system on certain guns. Clean barrel as you normally do, then instead of running patches down it until clean, pull a squeege-e through it. Takes out all the crud in one pass.

If you feel like it was too easy, you can run a patch down for fun. Or, if you need to leave a protective coat behind.

You'll never clean a gun the old way again.

carlson1 wrote:This has been interesting to read. I have never graduated from the brush and patches.

I do hybrid cleaning.

I use brush, patches, and the Remington squeegee. Then I finish with a Bore Snake. It leaves the barrel mirror shiny clean, and I don't have to wash the Bore Snake every few weeks.

der Teufel wrote:Well, this has been an interesting and enlightening topic for me.

I've received a couple of bore snakes as Christmas gifts during the years, but I've never used them because I knew they'd get dirty and I didn't want to mess up my rifles. I'd read that some of the Mosin-Nagant rifles on the market have been counter-bored (the last half-inch or so of the barrel had been drilled out) because the crowns were damaged from repeated use of a dirty bore snake. It never occurred to me that the snake could be cleaned.

I readily admit I'm not the cleverest person in the forest, but that's why I read this forum — to learn from others.

I very much doubt that those Mosin-Nagant rifles were damaged by Bore Snakes, which weren't around for most of those rifles' existence. They would just about have to be coated with sand to do that. The damage you describe is much more typical of careless use of cleaning rods inserted from the muzzle end.