What Kind? Need Pull Thru Field Bore Snakes, Multiple Calibers

[painter777]

Wasn't sure where to post this,,,,, so trying here.

Monday the wife and I stopped by a local sporting goods.
Bought her a Walther P22 and I couldn't pass on a DPMS Oracle AR 15 Flat Top Optics Ready 5.56 because after mail in rebate I only had $450 in it.

After getting home and reading about the break in that DPMS recommends :

We recommend cleaning the bore after every round for the first 25 rounds, and then clean bore after ten rounds for the next 100 rounds. Our rifles require “excessive lubrication” on the bolt carrier assembly for proper functioning during break in

First thought was picking up a pull thru thong/snake to use at the range.
Well actually first thought was..... What a Pain In The A$$.

But what kind? Quick search showed many makers.

Can anyone recommend a brand or kit that works well for you?
One that may cover the list below.

While I'm at it, I'd like to grab some for my heavily used range shooters:
Hand Guns: .22 .38spl/.357 .45
Rifles: .22 .223 .556 .30 carbine .50 cal

Appreciate any help
Charlie-Painter777

Information

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[CINDERS]

Charlie I am not sure a bore snake is a viable option for barrel break ins never owned or was allowed AR platforms but can a rod be used from the chamber end if breaking the action open and removing the bolt group

I had a original bore snake for a while and really all it did was scrape off the loose stuff but as I shoot bolt guns it not a PITA to clean mine with a rod as thats how I would go despite it being difficult with that type of rifle as the barrel is the most important part of any rifle and well really demands the best we can do for them especially breaking in.

[matthanne1]

Seem all the same to me, it comes down to what you use in the bore for carbon and residue removal fluids.

I've given thought to the snakes as they are compact and can be used combined with scrubber fluids, but neither aspect has truly convinced me that they do any better than the rod and brushes. The DPMS instructions seem rather specific but then I never had to 'break one in', the armorer just handed me one. Only other such specific instructions I had were to NEVER clean the bore on our match Winchester 52C and Ds, the lead lining the bores impacted the flight characteristics and if we did clean the bore before the end of the target season, we would have to rezero them.

[painter777]

Tired tonight,
I'll have to give it more thought over the next few days,
Hard to concentrate tonight as I have to take the wife in for some tests tomorrow, that will burn up most of the day as we have to be there at 5am.
Just looking for the EASY WAY especially for the semi pistols and semi rifles, just a quick swab out between x amount of strung out shots.
Without having to field strip everything while at the range with limited bench space and the boom boom booms making it harder to concentrate.

Thx Cinders
Charlie

[CINDERS]

This is why I use a rod the before & after you can see the copper left in the barrel so took a pic then got to it with some Iosso paste and copper solvent bit of a scrub taken with my bore scope

I did use bore snakes as I said Charlie on my 444 and that and soaking them in copper solvent will work on the bristles as well so you think the barrel is still got copper in it but your getting a false reading from the copper brush on the snake besides eventually the brush won't be any good as the solvent gets to work on it.
This is why I have gone over to aircraft grade aluminium jags as you are not getting any false indicators from the solvents reaction to the brass jag or bronze brush.

[cipherk98]

I have boresnakes for .308/.311, .355/.38 Spl, and .224/.22LR. My opinion on them is they are great for cleaning up at the end of a range trip while the gun is still hot, knocking some of the carbon off and wiping it away. Also good for getting rid of the initial coating of crude from corrosive ammo. I typically put a dab of CLP on my bore snake or down the barrel, pull it 2-3 times, and take it home. I do not find them sufficient for serious or even moderate cleaning, especially if shooting cast lead. For that I just use patches, I typically run 5-10 depending on the gun, couple more to dry it out and leave it be. Brushes come out very rarely. I've come to find most people clean their barrels too much, I mostly just want that first layer of carbon out to avoid possibly corrosion.

My .308 and .22 are Hoppes, the 9mm I got from CZ. The .22/.223 one sucks, the string is too small and hard to pull, and the second time I used it the thing broke. The .308 only snags if it catches something like an ejector or other part in the metal work... the .223 makes me nervous.

[browningautorifle]

the second time I used it the thing broke.

That's the sort of thing I hear about bore snakes, so I stay away from them. I did use a pullthrough for the whole time I had an FN and still have dozens of them that I use on rifles today. Not sure I'd use them for breaking though. I'd be more tempted to take a rod to the range, a Parker-Hale one piece plastic covered for instance...

[cipherk98]

That's the sort of thing I hear about bore snakes, so I stay away from them.

The shop I bought it from gave me a new one... we'll see. I wasn't too deep into the gun so I was able to get it out, but it does have me nervous. Getting one stuck in a $175 barrel on my A1 replica would be bad enough, I do not want one stuck in the barrel of my Bushmaster DCM match gun. I'll probably morph to bringing a cleaning rod though, I need a longer Dewey for my 20" barrels so I'll leave that one on the bench when I get it and keep the 18" sized one in the case.

[Aussie48]

Like cipherk98 I have bore snakes for my rifles and use them immediately after firing on the range to get any residue out and then patch out when I get home and a few days later with the patches and brushes if needed, the 223 one works fine.

When I was in the Army all we ever used were pull through, 4x2 and oil, the Armourers came round to the Unit armoury every 6 months with there bits and bobs and brushes for inspections and remedial repairs, very few L1A1 required the Armourers brushes.

Dick