Is it cost effective to use a boresnake in something over about 0.40? That snake sure soaks up some solvent as the bore gets larger!

I like the one that I have for 30 caliber (used mostly for 30-30 WCF). I'm not sure I'd buy one for anything larger though? That thing sure "soaks-up" some solvent.

"Cost effective" is what I'm asking about? Cleaning tools and solvent are not cheap any more.

I "imagine" one for a 12 gauge too suck a 4 oz. bottle dry with one pass.

True? Near true?

Your experiences.

Cheezywan

Maybe I'm doin' it wrong, but I use bore snakes for 35 and 44 caliber rifles and I do not saturate the entire snake with solvent. I drop the draw-string for the snake into the bore until the embedded brass brush starts to enter the bore. I put a small amount of solvent on the snake, around the brush. Pull through, repeat. This give me a clean bore with no more solvent used than any other method.

I use the bore-snakes dry - all of them. My thinking is that solvent needs to sit & soak. I clean my 1886s & 1892/94/95 Wins all the same:

1. Pull snake through dry.
2. Wet-patch from muzzle (using a bore guide) until bore is good and wet.
3. Stand rifle back, muzzle-down, in safe.
4. Next time out / next day-or-so repeat Step 1.
5. Light oil in bore if it's staying in the safe awhile.

Only thing I do different with bolts is I clean them (with a bore guide) from the chamber....

I've got plenty of weird old guns, and none of them have had issues using the process. Smallest is .17 Rem, largest is .577 Snider. I've also done a dry pull-through on hunting guns that have a slight "green-sheen" two days into a pig hunt. The green came out, the bore was dry (still) and the weapon was still accurate without a "fouling shot." FWIW....

For what it is worth - I'm no Chuck Hawks fan, here is link to an article he wrote and here is a small quote from the linked article
When I use a Bore Snake I generally saturate the first floss area with Hoppe's #9 bore solvent. Then I drop the Bore Snake's brass weight into the breech of the gun and let it carry the small diameter cord through the barrel and out the muzzle. Next I grab the cord and slowly pull the body of the Bore Snake completely thorough the barrel. Just to make sure, I pull the Bore Snake through the barrel a second time (without adding more Hoppe's). That's it, the barrel is cleaned. Bore Snakes are made for all common rifle, pistol, and shotgun calibers
Here is link to article "Gun Cleaning" on chuckhawks.com http://www.chuckhawks.com/gun_cleaning.htm
I agree, the bore snake can soak-up a lot of solvent/$$$ but it saves time and time is $$$ somehow.

__________________
"Had his shooting been as good as his running, he might have given a better account of himself."
James. C. Henderson

I'm confused as to the claim of clean. Power fouling, I can see... but jacket fouling? Seems like that would still be there.

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MikeG

You folks are thinking like I am. I have exactly one bore snake that I have used on my model 94 chambered 30 wcf. Is difficult to clean from the breach (can "pull" a patch through).

I prefer to push on bolt rifles using patches. I'll play some with technique.
Thanks for advice.

Cheezywan