Bore snake mishap

i was using a bore snake in my AR barrel and it broke just below the section where the brushes are leaving the bottom half in the bore. i tried pushing it out from both ends with a cleaning rod it would not budge. I ended up using a cleaning rod trying to push it back through from the muzzle using a mallet to drive it the rod it ended up binding between the bore snake and bore. I didnt realize at first but the rod was scraping brass off at the muzzle crown. its chrome lined so hopefully i didnt damage the muzzle crown. after pulling the cleaning rod out I noticed an impression of the rifling on the rod and where the brass was scraping off at the muzzle crown. I ended up pouring break free CLP into the chamber and letting it sit over night with the muzzle down then in the morning I used the cleaning rod and mallet to push it from the chamber up which it broke loose and was able to get it out. im just worried i damaged the bore and muzzle with the cleaning rod scraping against it.

Just go shoot it. If you're more accurate than it is, you wanted a new bbl anyway. If it still shoots better than you do, @ least you showed it who's boss.

Merry Chistmaunakah!

backbencher

Brass is softer than steel, and chrome has a very high surface hardness.



Just because an impression was made in the rod, does NOT mean one was made on the barrel.

Unless your cleaning rod is made of tungsten carbide, I wouldn't worry about it.

dripping water cuts stone.

before grabbing a hammer to work on a gun think real hard on what your about to do.

I wouldn't worry about it. It will not have impacted accuracy. Have fun with it.

If you are that worried about the condition of your barrel, use a bore scope for a closer inspection, maybe have a local gunsmith do the inspection. I, on the other hand, agree with several other posters. The chrome lining in that barrel is a lot harder than almost anything you could put down it.

One of the sections of my cleaning rod was not screwed in all the way, and went in at a slight angle, which scrapped along the barrel before I really knew what was occurring. I saw a rifling pattern also.... I'm not going to worry about it because I gotta believe 1000's of GI's over the years must have done that in the field, and it didn't render their weapon instant junk. If these things were that delicate they wouldn't use them to fight wars.

Be glad you got the bore snake out

Hundreds of thousands of recruits fail to fuck up a bore with a steel cleaning rod. Brass isn't going to do anything.

It seems interesting that you had to soak it to get it out. Good thing to know.
Was this a well used bore snake?

it was a fairly new one only used it a few times.

i dont think im gonna worry to much about it after a conversation with a Marine friend of mine. When he was stationed in Japan they would chamber a blank and drop a section of the steel GI cleaning rod down the bore and shoot them into trees he said he must have done this 50 times in his rifle and managed to still shoot expert at rifle qualification.

Typical marine....

Damn right. Able to shoot accurately at all distances with damn near any weapon at hand. One of many reasons I'm proud of and respect our Marines!

Its probably not a bad idea to tie a piece of wide floss or nylon twine around the end of the bore snake so the whole thing never totally disappears in the bore.

I'm pretty sure the lead is long enough that you have a handful at the muzzle end well in advance of the cleaning portion entering the chamber or else how would you pull it through the barrel to scrub out the gunk? Or do you mean on the back end to pull it out in reverse should the lead break?

What length are y'alls Bore Snakes?
I just checked mine, and all three (.17, .22, and .30 cal.) are around 30~32 inches, not counting the weighted pull-string.
I was concerned at first when I started using them, but I can't imagine the snake itself breaking, and if the pull string were
to snap off, there would still be enough length at the breech end to pull it back.

The problem with pulling it out through the breach end is that the bristles on the brush are pointing back in that direction, making it difficult. Not to mention that the bristles being angled in the direction you're trying to pull it might damage the bore, or cause the brush to wedge itself in the bore. The brush will be trying to expand as it goes in reverse.

OP, I'm glad you told us about this. I never had given any thought to what would happen if the pull string broke off of a bore snake. I'll still use them, but I'm going to keep an eye on the pull string and make sure I don't see any fraying or damage.

I threw my .223" bore snakes away. A one piece rod, brass jag and good patches cleans much better with less risk. There have been lots of stuck otis patch and stuck bore snake threads here over the years.

Yep, and everytime it is user error. Anyone that gets an Otis patch stuck doesn't know how to read directions.
There are certain spots to pinch the patch depending on the caliber. (ie: a .308 patch pinch will get stuck in a 5.56 barrel even though the patch is the same size)
It's not rocket science. I would question the mental capacity of anyone who struggles with this system.
It is the best sytem on the market, and the safest for your barrel.

shot the rifle today with PMC xtac M193 I put 15 rounds inside 3" circle at 100 yards and while the barrel still hot I fired some federal premium vital shok which is a 55 grain sierra BTHP gameking bullet and put 6 rounds inside a 2" circle at 100 yards. I think i got lucky the gun still shoots well.

Sounds like you slugged your bore with a brass cleaning rod. Break out the micrometer!

Seriously, I strongly doubt you even came close to damaging that bore, but there's only one way to find out. Go burn some ammo.

ETA: Oops, guess you already did. RIF

Scrape it up and down your driveway. It should still work fine

basically slugged one land lol.

Hmm, old soldier here. I never thought of doing that. Have to give it to my jar-head brothers.

In all seriousness though,
Semper Fi Marines and thank you and all our troops for their service.

I bought an Otis cleaning kit and it specifically says to not insert the folded swab in the patch holder. It even has a picture of what not do on the swabs included in the kit. Looking at the instructions it shows you how to insert the cleaning swap and fold it correctly. I've prefer the cable to the hard coated cleaning rod now.

except a bore snake doesnt come with anything like that

Your Smith and Wesson AR?

Hopefully there isn't a next time but if there ever is think compressed air.
You can thank me later.

Listen to him.

I never had a S&W AR

Oh, it was your friend that had a Smith and Wesson AR.

I was wondering what the final verdict was on those Smith & Wesson rifles?

Why I don't use a bore stake among other reasons for normal cleaning. But your barrel should be fine - steel = hard.

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