Gun cleaning is one of those chores that comes with the fun. There was a time when I enjoyed it. Spending some quiet time cleaning every nook and cranny until it shined. Running dozens of patches through the bore along with a multi-step program of specialty cleaning agents. Then life got busy and I became a more selective consumer.
Bore snake products have been a life saver. One or two pulls through the bore and it shines as if I have spent half an hour in the arms room and stained my uniform with CLP. The problem with bore snakes and similar products is that they tangle, snag, and can be tough to identify. Over the years companies like OTiS have made improvements with products like the Ripcord which omit the bristles of the Bore Snake and can be coiled. Despite the lack of bristles they appear to do just as good of a job as a bore snake. Their drawback is having to read the tiny numbers on the tip to identify one caliber over another and still lacking anything substantial to hold on to.
Real Avid has been producing forehead-smackingly simple and brilliant tools. Their handgun tool has become the go-to in my range bag for most any on-the-spot multi tool needs. Recently they’ve also solved the most common issues associated with bore-snake-like cleaning via the Bore Boss. To see what I mean watch the video below. Perhaps the best news is that the Bore Boss costs less than either of the competition!
If you’re new to gun maintenance and unfamiliar with other products like the Bore Snake by Hoppe’s or Ripcord by OTiS we have an older video comparing and contrasting their benefits. While trying to decide between the Bore Snake and Ripcord I found they each have their merits and drawbacks. Those issues seem to have been addressed and bested by the new Bore Boss.
