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Posted: 1/27/2006 6:38:42 PM EDT
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Yea, this is a stupid problem, but its a problem nonetheless. I usually run a patch in the loop at the back of a bore snake to check how clean it is, but somehow it got stuck about an inch and a half into the bore. Can't pull the snake out for the life of me, so I've got a patch stuck in there, along with a bunch of the snake, with the majority of the snake coming out the front. Right now, I've got it soaking in CLP after spraying a shitload in there. If that doesnt work I suppose there would need to be some way of pulling the patch out with some tweezers or something, or kind of tearing it with a sharp object to decrease the amount of material. Any other solutions? Anyway. Yea, it's dumb. I know. Thanks in advance. |
| I would be patient and thoughtfull in how you attack this so you don't ruin your barrel. I definately wouldn't put needle nose pliers or other hardend steel tools in your chamber. I wonder if a 4" long wood screw would work? Work it straight into the chamber and see if you can get the screw to thread into the patch, and then use the needle nose pliers to pull it out. The screw should be softer than your chamber wall, but be as gentle as you can anyway. Let us know how you finally get it out. Good luck! |
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Yea. Well, the update is that it' still lodged in there. I did try the wood screw idea, but it can't get a good enough "thread" so all I manage to do is rip up the patch that i can get to. Then I pull what I can up with the end of a rubber coated hanger, or the needle nose pliers. Still not sure what to do. I guess a vise/or buddy pulling on it is next? |
You are very patient, I must say! Howabout cutting the bore snake (perhaps about 2-3 inches above the muzzle). Then, stick a 0.17 cal bore cleaning rod (no jag or brush) down the middle of the bore snake. Once the rod can go no further, a sharp rap with a mallet on the handle of the cleaning rod should force the snake/patch back out of the chamber end. R.I.P. Bore Snake (but snakes are cheap) |
As wacky as this sounds, it just might work. Of course, that is assuming CLP is flammable. I've never tried to light it up. Of course, you might wind up with a lot of melted nylon sticking to your rifling. MJD |
I wonder if a long surgical forcep that locks would do the trick... Click here and scroll down the page to the 24" long serrated forceps. |
The problem started when the OP did not use the bore snake as intended. I have two snakes (.22 and .30) but do not use them because the Otis does a much better job (I can just toss away the dirty patches). Ever try washing CLP soaked cotton w/o tossing it into a washing machine? 
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Read the post above yours. The problem was not with the Bore Snake, the problem was the misuse of the Bore Snake. Crap 3 or maybe even 2 patches into your eylet and push it into your bore and see how easily it comes out. Or doesn't. |
Why would anyone do that? Plus if you just use a conventional rod or GI kit, you can pull our patches thru the bore. If a patch is too tight, just push it back thru the chamber. |
 that was hilarious! No offense to the original poster as i've done dummer things than that as i would guess most of us have. sounds like bad luck with the boresnake, i thought they were fool proof. i once got my trowser snake stuck, a vice and a half gallon of vegetable oil and two hours later i was no worse for the wear. good luck if it is still stuck. |
Extremely bad idea. You see, when a bullet is fired, the pressure increases gradually.... the bullet actually begins moving before the powder is fully expended (burned)... so the gradually burning powder has somewhere to expand in to... and still pushes the bullet out the end of the barrel. The problem here is similar to that encountered when a previously-fired bullet gets stuck in the barrel. The powder pressure curve goes WAAAY over the limit of the barrel's ability to withstand the pressure... and kaBOOM happens. 
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Aren't most blanks either loaded very light or primer only though? The difference between this and a squib is that there is no 2nd bullet slamming into something already there, just the gasses forcing their way out similar to a blackpowder rifle firing only a wad. |
First I meant cram, not crap. Don't know how I mistyped that. Some people want a very tight patch for whatever reason. The Bore Snake is great for quick cleaning, say at the end of the shooting day before you pack up for home. I don't like the uncoated steel rods, especially the screw together kind that will have the sharp edges. They will rub against the bore. Probably won't cause any damage, the chrome is probably 4 times harder than the rod, but still. I just use the bore Snake for quick cleanings and a coated rod back at home. |
I had this same problem and tried a pair of those, if the patch is really stuck these won't get them out. You'll be able to clamp onto the patch, but no matter how tight or hard you keep it, the patch will slide out of it. When I had this problem, I tried everything and what I found to work was using a sharp pick and I simply picked away material from the patch until the patch was small enough to be easily pulled out. |
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We need an update! In the meantime, here's another thought. Purchase 5000 Units of Cellulase derived from the fungus, Aspergillus niger (this would be about 20 bucks from Sigma Chemical Company in St Louis, catalog # C1184). One unit is defined as liberating 1 µmole of glucose from cellulose in 1 hour at 37° C, pH 5 and I'd guess buffered in phosphate buffered saline. Since 1 Unit is about 3 mg in this particular product, I'd say make a solution of about 10 mg/mL... maybe make about 5 mL of this stuff. Drop the solution into the chamber and allow it to soak the cotton patch. Incubate your gun somewhere warm. Store the remaining Cellulase in the freezer (2-8° C)... you'll never know when you may need it again when you use the "Boresnake-patch method." The cotton patches should dissolve (hopefully, the Boresnake is not cotton). 1 µmole of glucose is about 180 µg (glucose is about 180 grams/mole). So, if a patch weighs about 5 grams (I'm guessing), the 15 Units of Cellulase you added should dissolve about 2.7 mg or about 1/20th per cent of the patch. This really should be adequate, but you may wish to add some fresh Cellulase and soak longer. NOTE: The gun stores probably will not carry Cellulase, and if they did, they may know it by it's actual name "1,4-[1,3;1,4]-beta-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase." 
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