Bore snake in barrel

[Craigsaun]

I would normally say good evening, but it’s not. Been out stalking this evening shot 1fallow doe , got home and bye the time I had finished in the ladder time was getting on so I just sent the bore snake down the barrel and it jammed. I have about 15inchs out of the barrel and I can see it just in from the chamber. It seems that the inner cord of the snake has snapped, now when I try pulling it it’s jammed. Any ideas, it’s a Blaser R8 in 308 . Sensible help would be appreciated, I’m really not in the mood for keyboard nonsense

 

[Hambone]

Not had it happen to me so not sure if it would work but will a cleaning rod inserted from the muzzle end push it back?

 

[Craigsaun]

Well , I have just got in from the gun room and I have sorted it what a relief . If this happens to anyone else cut the bore snake below the wire brush bit take loose the stitching that holds the inner cord to the outer , peel back the outer and then put the inner in a vice and give it a very good pull . Job done .

 

[Eric the Red]

If you have plenty outside the barrel then at least you have something to grip on. The phosphor brush will be canted against the direction of pull, so it will seem exceptionally tight, but a bit of BFI should see it come out. Best of luck.

 

[Hambone]

Was the barrel clean after? glad you sorted it.

 

[Craigsaun]

Was the barrel clean after? glad you sorted it.

Sparkling!

 

[finnbear270]

Had this happen to a fellow hunter in Hungary a while back, Luckily it was a switch barrel, an overnight soak with light oil, followed up with gentle rodding got it out.

 

[enfieldspares]

Don't push but pull!

Back a long time ago if a pull through* got stuck (the WWI andWWII through to the early 1950s British Army version of what is now called a bore snake) the armourer had a special long rod with a hook on the end to pull the wretched thing out.

Which is why it had three loops on it. The 4x2 or "fourbytwo" went in the middle loop. Or in extremis the 4" x 2" piece of wire gauze wrapped in a S shape around the two cords of that middle loop.

* When not in use it lived in the rifle butt with the soldier's oil bottle. The butt trap not just being there so an armourer could access the stock bolt but also to store pull through and oil bottle.

So don't push but pull!

 

[Jelen]

Don't push but pull!

Back a long time ago if a pull through* got stuck (the WWI andWWII through to the early 1950s British Army version of what is now called a bore snake) the armourer had a special long rod with a hook on the end to pull the wretched thing out.

Which is why it had three loops on it. The 4x2 or "fourbytwo" went in the middle loop. Or in extremis the 4" x 2" piece of wire gauze wrapped in a S shape around the two cords of that middle loop.

* When not in use it lived in the rifle butt with the soldier's oil bottle. The butt trap not just being there so an armourer could access the stock bolt but also to store pull through and oil bottle.

So don't push but pull!

I remember the S shaped bit of wire gauze! Can you imagine doing that to your own rifle barrel now
And did anyone ever wash their pull through after dropping it in the dirt?

 

[kenbro]

If you worry about a Boresnake snapping, put some strong cord through the loop (That’s what it’s there for!) on the end of the snake before using so you can pull it back out if it snaps.
Ken.

 

[HonestJohn]

Never used one, never will. Too risky

 

[Tazz]

Never used one, never will. Too risky

Work of the devil

 

[ofbiro]

I use the Bore Snake for a "quickie" after having shot while stalking and I never had it seized in the barrel. While appreciating kenbro suggestion, I suggest to pour oil (e.g. Ballistol) in the barrel. I used it when, during a closed season maintenance the rod eye, complete with pad remained in the barrel. I poured a doseof Ballistol and let it work overnight. The following day the "plug" was easily removed.

 

[bluesako]

horrible things i wouldnt ever use one

 

[Mungo]

I was once watching a team of culling contractors in SA getting ready to night shoot springbok.

After the necessary brandy and coke to warm up, they did a quick zero check. One guy decided he needed to run a pull through through. He was shooting some sort of .22cf. He used his mate’s .243 pull through. It jammed. After much aggressive pulling by several vast Afrikaners, one of them went off with a set of wire cutters. He came back with a length of fence wire. Inserted down the muzzle and started smacking it with a mallet. After 3-4 hearty blows the pull through popped out. And off they went as if nothing had happened…

 

[bullet chucker]

When my barrel is filled with Bore Snake I am filled with Intrepidation?

BC.

 

[Ratsbadboy]

Surely unless it washed after the first use, subsequent pulling of a bore snake through the barrel will just pull crud in.

 

[Foxyboy43]

I use the Bore Snake for a "quickie" .

Crikey that must sting!

 

[scoby270]

Had this happen to a fellow hunter in Hungary a while back, Luckily it was a switch barrel, an overnight soak with light oil, followed up with gentle rodding got it out.

This^^ had the same problem myself, local gunsmith said just put gun oil down the barrel and leave it muzzle down in a tray overnight in the cabinet, next day it came out really easily with a prod from the cleaning rod.

 

[fizzbangwhallop]

A few years ago, a mate who was loading on a pheasant day for the first time was using a bore-snake to clean the barrel of the 12b when the cord snapped! Probably a cheap knock-off rather than an original.

Before anyone sensible could get to it… the 2 loaders next to him had a rod up the barrel trying to push it out, when that failed… of course they tried from the other end and, as you’d expect, they only succeeded in making it worse! Completely jammed, rammed and compressed. Ffs.

Wasn’t an easy discussion with the Gun.

I’ve since made some corkscrew jags and given him one to keep in his cleaning kit. Hard lesson learnt.

Cheers,

Fizz