I’m a Joe Nocera (i.e. a lazy bastard) when it comes to cleaning guns. Yes, I have patches and lubricants and rods and old toothbrushes. But Bore Snakes are my SOP post-range routine. It may be the least I can do but at least I do it. A couple of passes and Bob’s your uncle. So when I heard word of Otis Technology’s new, improved rifle-ready bore snake-like thing—the Ripcord—I immediately thought, what’s an elevator company doing selling a rifle-cleaning product? Sure the business has its ups and down but . . . No, seriously, I though of Otis Redding’s Try a Little Tenderness. ‘Cause my rifles deserve it. The $15 Rip Cord’s Unique Selling Point: Nomex, the same material used by NASCAR drivers to avoid becoming crispy critters. According to Otis’ press release [after the jump] “since it is heat-resistant to 700°F, it can be used right off the firing line without fear of it melting in your barrel.” Not in your hands. The Rip Cord’s available in all your favorite calibers, save FN 5.7Ă—28mm . . . [h/t ammoland.com]
Otis Technology is pleased to offer a new addition to their gun care product line – the Ripcord.
The Ripcord is the fastest, most effective, one-pass clean available.
Composed of heat resistant Nomex fibers braided over a molded rubberized core/cable combination, the Ripcord offers the ability to clean firearms properly from Breech-to-Muzzle in one quick and easy pass.
Nomex is the same material used in the protective gear trusted by firefighters, racecar drivers, and the U.S. military. Since it is heat-resistant to 700°F, it can be used right off the firing line without fear of it melting in your barrel.
The Nomex material acts as both a brush to loosen and a patch to capture fouling particles. The molded rubberized core keeps the Nomex cleaning surface pressed against the bore, ensuring an aggressive all-around cleaning. Additionally, the core is a helix shape, which helps engage the rifling throughout the length of the barrel.
Some added features to this one-pass cleaning tool are its ability to act as an obstruction remover for jammed cases and other blockages, and its 8-32 threaded ends for accommodating additional Otis cleaning components, if desired.
The Ripcord is simple and easy to use – just insert the longer, narrower end in the chamber and then pull it through from Breech-to-Muzzle. Because of the rigidity of the Ripcord™, there is no need to gravity feed it through the barrel – making cleaning anywhere a breeze.
The Ripcord retails for $14.99 and is currently available in .22/.223 caliber, .308 caliber/7.62mm, 9mm, and .45 caliber, with other calibers coming soon. They are sold at major sporting goods retailers, and online at www.otistec.com.
Otis Technology is known for manufacturing the most advanced gun cleaning systems available. The superior Breech-to-Muzzle design combined with unmatched quality has positioned Otis as the gun care system of choice with the US Military. Otis Technology is SMART GUN CARE.
How does one clean a bore snake? Wash it? Or do they just get thrown away after some number of pulls?
I throw my boresnakes in a lingerie bag and put them in the washer by themselves and air dry them. Always gets them nice and clean
Do you have a lingerie bag just for your bore snakes, or is something else going on? 🙂
Don’t judge, Ralph.
Hey, Matt, I’m just asking. Not that there’s anything wrong with it.
I want to see pictures.
Hand wash ’em and air dry ’em.
…well, whadya know? I learned something today. Thanks guys.
I’ve yet to clean mine. It hasn’t gotten visibly dirty, and I just always kinda figured that by the time it got dirty enough to worry about, it’d be time to replace it due to general wear.
The rigid design might convince me to replace my Bore Snakes. Waiting for further reviews or when I can physically look at one in the shops.
Not sure if the spam filter consumed my previous post so I will try again.
I have been interested in these type of bore cleaners for a while. I have three important questions about them:
(1) Roughly how many times can you clean a firearm with one?
(2) What about solvent? Do you apply solvent to the bore snake/cord/rope somehow?
(3) What about oil? How do you apply oil to the inside of your barrel after cleaning?
Important caveat about how many times you can use a bore snake/cord/rope:
If you can clean them, how many times can you use one before you have to clean it? Allowing for cleaning (washing) the bore snake/cord/rope, how many times can you clean firearms with them before you have to throw them away due to wear and tear?
Depends on how dirty the gun was.
If you use Bore Snakes to clean something like a breech loading black powder rifle, well, they can become pretty darn dirty in one cleaning.
how many times can you clean firearms with them before you have to throw them away due to wear and tear?
You’ll forget when you bought them or how many times you’ve used them way before they wear out. Bore snakes last a long, long time.
I tend to do a full cleaning (rod and patch) after most visits to the range.
I only use the BoreSnake if I can’t, and then after each trip, so it doesn’t get too gunky. So, I clean it, maybe, every twenty or so visits.
I’m not a fan of oiling the barrel interior, but I place a few drops of cleaning solution before the “prickly” part of the snake then draw it through. The flat, “handle” at the distal end seems to wipe the solution out.
I’ve only washed the snake once without any problems.
What they said, plus:
I squirt some Remington “RemOil” cleaner on the snake just in front of and onto the brass bristle part of the snake – seems to loosen the gunk a bit better. If I won’t be using the firearm for a while, I put a bit of light oil or lube on the end of the snake, so it leaves a bit of bore protection inside the barrel. That is probably a good idea every time in humid climates. For oil/lube, I like the G-96 products – G-96 Gun Treatment, G-96 Synthetic Gun Oil/CLP, etc., but go with any reputable product you like.
Nomex never melts, it chars/burns hence its application in firefighting/racing/military flying where a synthetic fabric melting against the skin is worse than something that burns.
However, as uncommon_sense asked, Nomex isn’t particularly abrasion resistant and I’m also curious as to how long one of these will last.
Cleaning is overrated. Get a HK 🙂
“The Rip Cord’s available in all your favorite calibers, save FN 5.7Ă—28mm .”
Wouldn’t you just use the .22/.223 one like you would with a bore snake or cleaning rod?
This is unrelated to the Ripcord press release, but does anyone have any idea as to what rifle that is in the picture? That carbon fiber stock is gorgeous.
google says…. Browning X-Bolt Stainless Stalker Carbon Fiber Fluted
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=023B&cid=035&tid=240#center
It does look very nice 🙂
Thanks! I should have figured that out on my own :/ First result…:face palm:
There’s a site called Tineye that reverse image searches. It’s pretty handy.
I tried to hotlink it, but my post keeps getting eaten by the spam monster. It’s just called Tineye dot com.
Hkfan… I just blew a mouthful of shiner through my nostrils.
Best advice I’ve seen on cleaning rifles comes from Frank “Lowlight” Galli from Sniper’s Hide and I’m paraphrasing, “clean the bore when accuracy drops”.
Or when you are about to put it in the safe and not take it out for a year …
In West Virginia and Georgia storing firearms takes a bit of care and routine inspections to insure that they don’t rust. Lots of humidity there and I had to check my guns regular.
In California I clean a gun with clp, wipe off the excess and put it away. I have a lot of guns and it’s not unheard of for one to sit unused for a year plus. Never a problem with rust. Climate really matters.
I fell in love with my first boresnake, .38/9mm, and now have them in all calibers and will be getting them in gauges as soon as I can.
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