Bore snake vs cleaning rod: which should a new gun owner use?

We haven't tested either tool, and we haven't found an independent measurement of how clean each one gets a barrel. What follows is what Hoppe's publishes about both products, what firearm makers' manuals ask for, and the plain logic of how each tool works. Scores come from the cleaning rubric on how we pick.

What a bore snake and a cleaning rod actually are

A bore snake is a one-piece rope with a brush built in. Hoppe's lists the BoreSnake's "Patented one-piece design" and a brass weight on the pull cord with the caliber stamped on it. You pull the whole thing through the bore. Hoppe's says the BoreSnake "uses an integrated bronze brush to scrub out carbon fouling, while the tail clears the barrel of loose debris with a surface area 160x larger than a standard patch" (Hoppe's BoreSnake Den Pistol page). The Den version adds a case whose lid "doubles as a convenient pull handle."

A cleaning rod is a rigid rod with a handle on one end and a threaded tip on the other. You screw on a jag or slotted tip to hold a patch, or a brush, and push it through. Hoppe's pistol kit uses a one-piece aluminum rod, and Hoppe's says it has "a ball bearing swivel handle to follow the bore's rifling" (Hoppe's Pistol Cleaning Kit page). A rod kit is several tools you use in sequence; a bore snake is one tool you use once.

Bore snake vs cleaning rod kit, side by side

Speed: one pull vs several passes

On speed, the bore snake wins by design, and Hoppe's says so loudly. It calls the BoreSnake "The original fastest bore cleaning tool on the planet." That's a maker's claim, and we haven't timed it, but the logic is simple: one pull does the brushing and the swabbing together.

A rod routine is slower on purpose. Ruger's manual for its LCP MAX pistol says to run "a properly sized, solvent-wetted patch through the bore several times," then a brush "back and forth the full length of the bore as many times as necessary," then to "Clean the bore with dry patches and examine" (Ruger LCP MAX instruction manual). Otis describes the same patch, brush, patch sequence for its cables and says to repeat it "as needed, until clean" (Otis 9mm kit page). Every one of those passes takes time, and every one is a chance to look at what came out.

Do bore snakes clean well?

Here's the honest answer: we can't tell you from testing, and none of the sources we checked measured it. What we can tell you is what the bore snake is built to do, and what it isn't.

• It's built to brush and swab the bore in one pull. Per Hoppe's, the bronze brush scrubs carbon fouling and the tail clears loose debris. That's the bore part of a cleaning.
• It doesn't let you check as you go. With a rod, each dry patch comes out where you can see it, and Ruger's manual asks you to "examine" the bore after the dry patches. A snake is one pass by design.
• It only cleans the bore. Ruger's LCP MAX manual also says to "remove powder residue from all components of the pistol," and Glock says "Each time you clean your GLOCK pistol, it should be field-stripped (disassembled into its major components)" (Glock, Caring for Your GLOCK). A snake can't reach any of that.
• It doesn't oil anything. The Den comes with no oil. Ruger's manual follows the dry patch with "a patch that is very lightly oiled" and has you wipe surfaces with a lightly oiled cloth, then says "Before firing, remove all oil and grease from the bore." The rod kit includes the oil for that.

So yes, a bore snake does the job Hoppe's describes: a quick pass through the bore. It doesn't do the whole cleaning a manual describes. That's why we'd give a new owner the rod kit first and treat the snake as the convenient extra.

What comes in the box

The BoreSnake Den Pistol is the snake and its case. Hoppe's describes the Den as "a compact carrying case with a built-in handle for easy storage between firearm cleanings," and the lid is the pull handle. There's no solvent or oil in the box.

The Hoppe's Pistol Cleaning Kit includes, per Hoppe's, "a one-piece aluminum cleaning rod, a two ounce bottle of Hoppe's No. 9 Gun Bore Cleaner, one 2.25 ounce Hoppe's Traditional Lubricating Oil, patches, and the cleaning rod accessories to get a pistol clean." Which accessories depends on the version: "The caliber specific kits include a nylon brush, nylon slotted end, and nylon jag. The all calibers kit includes one nylon slotted and three knob ends." Hoppe's also sells it with a storage box "or in disposable packaging," so check which one the listing is. If you want the brush, buy a caliber-specific version.

Caliber sizing

A bore snake is sized for one caliber group, and you need one per group. Hoppe's sells the Den Pistol in .22, .30/.32, .357/9mm/.380/.38, .40/.41 and .44/.45 sizes, and the brass weight on each one has its caliber stamped on it. Our pick is the 9mm-family size.

A rod kit changes caliber by changing the brush and jag on the same rod. Hoppe's sells its kit in a ".38, .357, 9mm" version with the matching brush, and a "Pistol - All Calibers" version with a slotted end and knob ends instead. If you own pistols in two caliber groups, that's two snakes, or one rod with two brushes. Your caliber is in your owner's manual; match it to the maker's list exactly.

Carrying it with you

The bore snake is the one built to travel. Hoppe's calls the Den "Extremely packable" and says it "conveniently fits in a range bag or backpack to protect your Boresnake brushes during transport." The rod kit's storage box size and rod length aren't published, so plan on it staying at home.

Having a snake in the bag doesn't mean cleaning at the firing line. Handle your gun at the range only the way the range's rules allow. For the rest of the bag, see what to put in a range bag.

When to use each

• Your first cleaning of a new gun, if your manual calls for one: the rod kit. Glock says to clean its pistols "When it's brand new, before it's fired for the first time." Ruger says its new LCP MAX "arrived from the factory properly lubricated and ready to fire." Makers differ; follow yours.
• After each range trip: the full routine your manual describes. Glock says to clean "After each time it's fired," and Ruger's manual says to clean and inspect "after each range session." If your manual describes the bore step with a rod and patches, as Ruger's does, a rod kit matches it directly. Whether a snake can stand in for that step is a question for your manual.
• A gun coming out of long storage: the rod kit. The NRA says "A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly" (NRA Gun Safety Rules).
• Away from home, or when you want the bore done fast: the snake. Small, one piece, no bottles to leak.

For the timing question on its own, see how often to clean your gun, and for the full routine, how to clean a pistol.

Before you clean, with either tool

Or consider

• All the handgun options, ranked: our best pistol cleaning kits put the Hoppe's kit and the BoreSnake next to Otis and Real Avid.
• A universal kit for rifles and shotguns too: our best gun cleaning kits.
• The rest of the table: a mat, light, gloves and wipes are on the gun cleaning supplies list.