How to Use Boresnake to Clean Your Gun

- ComfortTac Brand Team

Every gun enthusiast needs to clean their guns to keep them from being damaged and keep up the accuracy. Deep cleaning with your rods and jigs takes a long time, and sometimes you spend more time cleaning than shooting! Read on to find out how a boresnake could help clean your guns fast and easily!

What is Boresnake?

A boresnake is a barrel cleaning tool that consists of nylon floss that is wound around a central cord. It is designed to fit into a particular size of the barrel to remove the debris quickly. The boresnake is able to scrub large debris from the barrel and lubricate it before use again.

Parts of a boresnake

The long rope, or snake, begins with a brass weight stamped with the caliber of the barrel it fits attached to the small cord. This piece is designed to fall down the barrel and be long enough to come out the other end before the second section enters the barrel.

The second section is a short, frayed area of the colored floss which removes larger debris from the barrel before the copper bristle section scrubs it clean. After the bristles run a section of the braided colored floss that may run another foot or two to finish cleaning and polishing the inside of the barrel.

How to use a boresnake to clean gun

Even though cleaning with a boresnake is simple, it can be done wrong. Follow the steps below to correctly run your boresnake through your barrels for a shiny clean gun. Using a rife for example:

1. Double and Triple check that the gun is empty of magazines and bullets!!
2. Open the lever to be able to visualize the barrel where the bullet enters.
3. Cover the brass bristle with your favorite gun cleaner. You can also soak the end of the floss with gun oil to polish the inside of the barrel.
4. Allow the brass weight to enter the barrel and drop out the end. Always run your boresnake in the direction the bullet will take or risk ruining the rifling.
5. Grip the cord at the end of the barrel and pull the boresnake through the barrel. Correctly sized boresnakes may be difficult to pull through. This is because the tight fit makes cleaning the gun easier.
6. Once the boresnake is through, check out the inside of the barrel. It should be shiny and clean. If it is not, you can repeat the process two to three times.
7. Be sure to wipe down the gun afterward to prevent cleaner or extra oils to sit on the outside of the gun.

Cleaning with your boresnake should take no more than a minute or two to pass it through two or three times. You can even do this while you're at the range to improve your accuracy and remove debris that may have gotten into your barrel like dust or dirt that may have been flying around in the wind.

Does a boresnake replace my rods and brushes?

Don't throw away your gun cleaning kit! A boresnake is great for a quick clean and polish, but it does not replace a deep cleaning kit. The best way to deep clean your gun clean is with your bristle rods, patch cleaners, and wire brushes. Taking the gun apart and cleaning the cracks and crevasses will help you to maintain your accuracy and prevent damages to your gun.

How do you deep clean the barrel of your gun? Well, there are many ways to deep clean the barrel of your gun, all depending on the kind and model that you have. The basic steps are as follows:

1. Empty the gun and remove the magazine. Check it again, and again.
2. Layout your cleaning mat and tools from your cleaning kit.
3. Follow the manufacture's disassembly instructions, keeping track of all the pieces.
4. Use a cleaning rod and patch holder to soak the bore with the gun cleaner of choice. Try to work from the back to the muzzle if that is impossible use a muzzle guard to prevent gouges.
5. Use the appropriate size bore brush and cleaning rod to scrub the inside of the bore.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until patches run through the barrel once come out clean.
7. Run one more patch through to dry the barrel.
8. Run a cotton mop soaked in gun oil through the barrel for protection and lubrication before finishing.

Deep cleaning the whole gun includes the action, lever, trigger, and oiling the moving parts before wiping the excess oils and acids off the gun. After the gun is cleaned and oiled it is ready to be stored in the safe until the next round of target practice or competition.

Boresnake cleaning instructions

Like most other utility devices, you can not expect to be able to clean your bore with a dirty boresnake. How do you get it clean? There are several ways to clean the boresnake, but only one way that helps it maintain its integrity.

To clean your boresnake you will need warm water, mild detergent, a bucket, microfiber cloths, and a toothbrush. Follow the directions for best results:

1. Fill a bucket with warm water and enough mild detergent to make the water soapy.
2. Place your boresnake in the water and soak it. Between 15- 40 minutes depending on the amount of dirt or lubricant should be sufficient.
3. Wipe the braided floss section—excluding the bronze bore brush—with a microfiber cloth.
4. Run the toothbrush lightly over the bore brush to remove dirt clinging to the bristles.
5. Pull the cord out of the bucket and rinse thoroughly under running tap water or with a hose until you no longer see any soap.
6. Squeeze the remaining water out of the boresnake while holding it vertical. Blot dry the remaining water from the floss. Hang on a hanger or clothesline to dry.

Using a boresnake ensures you have a quick way to clean and maintain your guns in between deep cleans. Comfort Tac has you covered either way! Order your boresnakes and your gun cleaning kits and mats and be sure you have a clean gun to compete with!