Best Bore Snake [2024 Review]

Bore snakes have recently been seeing more use when it comes to gun cleaning and maintenance. They’re a recent addition to the many types of equipment used in firearm maintenance. The best bore snakes are an alternative to the long and stiff cleaning rods and will help you get the job done.

My Top Bore Snake Reviews

The bore snake is a flexible and more portable cleaning tool compared to other gun cleaning tools. You can coil it, wrap it, or tie it so it will easily fit inside your pocket. Compared to cleaning rods, bore snakes are a lot easier to bring whenever you’re on the move.

Sage & Braker Shotgun and Rifle Boresnake

Sage & Braker is arguably the best when it comes to making bore snakes. They work closely with the shooting company to improve their products. This is why their products are well received and have a pretty big following.

One of the products they made is the Sage & Braker Shotgun and Rifle Boresnake. This is a great overall single-piece bore snake that is also detachable and useful as a standalone bronze brush cleaner.

This bore snake has a standard pull cord with a well-weighted copper tip and it flows smoothly through your firearm’s bore. The pull cord is attached to an optional full-length bronze cleaning brush.

The cleaning brush is a full and proper cleaning brush and isn’t just the typical set of bristles in a thread. You pull it all through the bore of the weapon for a thorough cleaning.

The bore snake is also outfitted with a brass weight to help pull the bore snake through the bore. The bore snake is also machine washable and reusable so it will give you a lot of service time. Just detach the buffing rope and throw it in the washing machine for cleaning.

At the back end of the bronze cleaning brush is a tight screw hook. You can connect this screw hook to the buffing rope. You can also follow it through with the buffing rope as an alternative.

Sage & Baker also supports environmental movements. One percent of their total sales are donated to Pheasants Forever, which is an organization aimed at preserving pheasants and other wildlife.

The Sage & Baker has given a bore snake that is well above the competition. The bronze bore is just too good for cleaning. It’s a cut above the rest and is useful for quick and simple cleaning. You can even use this for months and it works just as fine.

Product Highlights

• Full-size bronze brush
• Detachable buffing rope
• Washable and durable

Ultimate Bore Cleaner

The Ultimate Bore Cleaner is preferred by many experienced shooters. It provides the best value for its quality. The Ultimate Bore Cleaner is great for over 100 uses. It’s machine washable and reusable. It’s convenient to clean and maintain.

Ultimate is a brand that you don’t often hear in firearms maintenance. Although they aren’t among the most popular brands, don’t count it out when it comes to an effective bore cleaner.

You can use this bore cleaner multiple times. This all thanks to the high-quality materials used in the Ultimate Bore Cleaner, which is effective in resisting wear and tear.

This one-piece design just makes your maintenance a lot easier. It has a pull cord, which also contains a weighted brass tip for easy insertion. This leads to the cleaning cord, which has a bronze cleaning brush and then the last cleaning section.

It is solvent safe so you can use your toughest cleaning solutions and lubricants without worry. Combining the cleaning power of the ultimate bore cleaner and a solvent or lubricant will give you some of the most amazing results for firearms maintenance.

Another good thing about this bore snake is that the warranty is unconditional so you can freely return their products if you aren’t satisfied with it.

Overall, this is a simple product that gives you the benefits straight up. It’s usable for a long time, it’s durable, and the materials are great for firearms maintenance. This is the best value you can get from a quality bore snake.

Product Highlights

• Machine washable
• Solvent safe
• Unconditional warranty
• Lightweight and compact

Hoppe’s Boresnake Viper

This wouldn’t be a firearms equipment review if I didn’t include Hoppe’s.

Hoppe’s Bore Snake Viper is one of the affordable bore snakes. Like all the other bore snakes mentioned above, this bore snake is also washable and reusable.

Hoppe’s has been a staple name in firearms maintenance and has been in operation since 1905. Hoppe’s have a lot of following among the gun enthusiasts so you can expect quality products.

They claim it’s the “world’s quickest” three-step bore cleaner. It’s all thanks to the high-quality materials and is durable to withstand scratches and damages. It can even take one or two pulls to make your bore clean.

It contains a weighted brass pull cord that you will insert into your gun or rifle. This acts as a bore guide and is followed by a fluffy brush area that loosens dirt and residue.

After that, you’ll reach the built-in bronze brush. This will remove any tough and sticky residue. The end part will scrub the whole barrel clean using a cleaning area 160 times larger than your typical standard patch.

It is designed to keep your firearms in good working condition. It also has great portability so you can bring it with you wherever you go. It’s easy to use and you can reuse it many times. If you’re going to a shooting range or someplace far away from home then this bore snake will come in handy.

What makes this bore snake unique is its cone shaped bore guide which ensures a faster alignment and keeps your cord in the center as much as possible. This will decrease the likelihood of damaging your bore and a convenient way of cleaning.

Product Highlights

• 3 – part cleaning
• Cone shaped bore guide
• Large cleaning area
• One-piece design

Hoppe’s Boresnake Viper

Real Avid Bore Boss

When it comes to innovation, Real Avid is at the forefront in the firearms maintenance industry. They make some of the most interesting and convenient firearms maintenance equipment you can find.

One of the most easy-to-use products they have is the Real Avid Bore Boss. It’s a bore snake that is rather different from your bore snake. It’s easy to use, compact and is great at cleaning.

The snake is made of wire with a plastic coating with different plugins you can attach. The plastic casing is about the same size as a hockey puck so it should be great for portability.

It comes in a reel that has a flex case cover. This keeps the bore snake in place so you won’t worry about tangled ropes or cables. The case also acts as a rope pull for an easier time of tugging.

The bore guide is made from coated stainless steel. At the end of the bore guide is a small metal ball. This hooks onto the flex case which will pull the entire bore snake.

There’s a phosphor bronze brush that’s robust, sturdy, and has full-length bristles. This helps in cleaning and removing residues and dirt inside the bore. A braided mop follows in cleaning and polishes the firearm.

When finished cleaning your firearm, you can wrap the Real Avid Bore Boss around the flex case. The flex case contains polycarbonate sides that fold back over itself for a neat and tidy clean up. That’s how convenient and easy to use this bore snake is.

I find this bore snake convenient because of the plastic case so it’s easy to identify among your other bore snakes for specific firearms.

Overall, this is a great pickup for people who are still new to using bore snakes as it packs with easy-to-use features.

Product Highlights

• Convenient plastic storage
• Phosphor coated bronze brush
• The handle can work as a pulley

Real Avid Bore Boss

What Is a Bore Snake?

Bore Snakes are an alternative to cleaning rods which is a flexible and easy to carry option. It is either cloth or thread material that comes with a tapered end which has an attached weight to it. The weight makes it easier for the bore snake to be easily inserted into the barrel.

As the bore snake goes through, it cleans as it scrubs the surface it meets along the path. This makes it easier to clean the insides of your firearm. Bore snakes can have bristles or detachable brushes that do the cleaning. You can add solvents or lubricants for better cleaning.

Reasons to Use a Bore Snake

Gun cleaning kits usually contain gun cleaning rods and other essential firearms maintenance equipment. These components are usually the traditional cleaning equipment used in the early days.

Bore snakes are alternatives that make firearms cleaning a lot faster. It’s as simple as passing the bore snake inside the barrel for a few strokes and you’re done.

Bore snakes are also good for portability. They are easy to bring around inside a pocket and are flexible so that you can wrap it in a coil and store it inside a small pouch or bag. Gun cleaning rods aren’t bendable, so bore snakes are the best for portability.

The last reason why you would prefer using a bore snake is because it’s easy to maintain. Most bore snakes are reusable and can be machine washed. All you have to do is put it in the washer after using it and then it’s ready to be used for the next cleaning session.

Factors in Choosing the Best Bore Snake

There are factors that you need to consider before buying a bore snake. This puts into consideration the compatibility of the bore snake and your firearms and your preference.

Caliber of Firearm

Your bore snake should be compatible with your firearm. Bore snakes come in different sizes and styles that are catered to different calibers of firearms. Identifying the caliber of your firearms before buying a bore snake is a must.

Bore snakes can differ from each other depending on their usage and what type of gun they are going to be used. You don’t want your bore snake too thick or it might cause damage or too thin that it won’t clean your barrel at all.

Material Quality

Now that you’ve identified the caliber and picked the right bore snake, it’s time to consider what material would best suit your firearm. Make sure to check the quality of materials used for your bore snake.

Look for reviews of the bore snake and its brand before buying one. You’ll find the one that will fit you. Always do remember that reviews will vary a lot from positive to negative so you need to weigh what matters to you the most.

Budget

Your standard bore snakes don’t really differ much but some of the premium ones are a bit expensive. They also offer better material quality and might even have some features that will help with your firearms maintenance.

Some are better too and work as intended. It all depends on your preference and make sure you check what other people say about the bore snake.

Longevity

Choose a bore snake that is reusable and can last you for many uses without much decrease in its cleaning performance. Bore snakes that can withstand solvents and lubricants are a great indicator of better longevity.

There are also bore snakes that are machine washable so it eliminates having you wash them yourself. The best bore snake can withstand and endure multiple uses and can be washable for multiple times.

Conclusion

These are some of the best bore snakes you can find in the market. All have something in common and that is they are durable and great for long term use. It all depends on your preference and what bore snake you’re comfortable to use.