Best cleaning tools for the job?

[BrotherGlacius]

I made sure to get an original cleaning kit for my Mosin, but upon research, found out that more modern cleaning solutions would be better to use.

One major resource recommends Hoppe's #9 to eliminate the corrosive residues. That seems fairly straight forward. However, my main question is regarding rods vs snake/viper. I'm not sure which system to use and so far have found contradictory recommendations on the web.

I don't want to waste money buying one tool when I should be using another. Any recommendations?

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[Joe13]

Get a one piece rod. Snakes are for field cleaning IMO.

What chemicals to use is a lot of personal preference.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Use water to clean corrosive salts not Hoppe's.

Use a one piece rod as Joe13 suggested.

 

[rick benjamin]

Rod, brushes, mops, patches, Hoppes #9, gun oil, rag, 5 mil nitrile gloves.

Clean and oil bolt, action, touchable metal.
Brush bore with Hoppes, then swab with Hoppes.
Let stand for a day or week, muzzle down, on a rag.
Next, Brush and swab bore with Hoppes, leave wet, store muzzle down a day or so.
Finally, Brush and swab bore with Hoppes, swab bore with dry patch, then oiled patch.
Wipe all touchable metal with oily rag. Done. Don't touch metal with bare skin.

Hoppes works when you set your gun aside, muzzle down, on a rag.
Your next session patch will come out scummy green and grey.
The green scum is bullet copper jacket.
The grey scum is lead, powder.

Muzzle down, on a rag so the scum has a place to drip.
Not Muzzle up, or the scum will drip back into your chamber and bolt.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

For corrosive primer salts I place the muzzle in a pan of the hottest water I can work with? Fit a tight fitting swab to your cleaning rod and use the swab as a sucker rod to flush the water up and down the bore. Do it a while, rinse and dry, oil. Be sure to to carefully clean your rod and other gear also.
I avoid the whole problem by paying a little more for modern boxer primed ammo.
Also, if you are just cleaning a mosin, well.....that thing is probably, just never going to be a target rifle. If you are going to shoot a precision firearm buy the best gear that you can afford.

 

[thorborg]

One word in your post will always leave your question wanting. "Best"
You have already figured that out with "contradictory"
This for some is Ford / Chevy Question. Well, use to be.
God Made Hopps # 9, after that is a rod, appropriate patches & a jag, ( I prefer a loop) Bore brush, Gun oil and a rag. That's all old school but why fix what ain't broke. Considering everything on my list was likely used by your great grand pappy and is still around today, you might infer it has stood the test of time.
There are a lot of slick lubricants and scrubbing solvents available now but I mainly use them for the spray penetration application.
Eventually, you will want to seek out and find KROIL. Penetrating & rust preventative, it will loosen screws and get under and lift lead from a bore.
DO NOT USE WD-40 for any gun application especially in storage.

OK, All opposing Opines---- GO!