OTIS Ripcord for .22Cal .223 Cal/5.56mm, 36-Inch, Multi, (FG-RC-325)

All round good product

The helix (spiral) shape of the cord acts as the cleaning device in Otis' competition for Hoppe's Boresnake Hoppe's BoreSnake Pistol and Revolver Bore Cleaner (Choose Your Caliber) . Some good points: the Nomex sheathing on the cord is very heat resistant. You can pull it down the barrel at the range even after aggressive shooting. It will not be unaffected by cleaning chemicals. You can toss it in a laundry bag (one made to protect garments from others) and send it through the laundry. The metal ends not only clamp the Nomex to the underlying spiral wire, it also has the standard female 8-32 threaded connector used by Otis and many other gun cleaning kit manufacturers. You can attach a bore swab on the tail or a handle (and you'll NEED IT on the rifle models!) on the leading end to help pull it through. I have the 9mm and .45 models of the pistol Ripcord and I think that they are great for the range bag (but still bring a rod in case of a barrel obstruction). Its lighter color shows that it's doing the job better than I can see on a Boresnake but, if you're already using the Viper Boresnake, I'm not sure that this necessarily cleans better. It pulls through the barrel easier than a Boresnake on a pistol but if you have a tight chamber area you might find the angle in to the barrel doesn't pull as easy as a Boresnake. But it's nice not to worry about the bore brush (Boresnake) getting crushed--and the length of the cable would seem to be a stiffer, longer cleaning surface (in theory). Some bad points: I'm reluctant to send a bare metal leading edge down a barrel. Because it's threaded, I add an inexpensive plastic patch slotted tip to the lead (can be bought separately and comes in any inexpensive cleaning kit). I didn't have a problem gripping and pulling the pistol model. But if a person did find it very tight you'd have to add a cleaning kit handle to pull it as you won't wrap this around your hand for leverage like you might have a Boresnake. The Ripcord is available in (longer, obviously) rifle models. I've got the .30 and .22. Chuck Hawk's site and other "big name" equipment reviewers are finding manufacturing problems in the rifle calibers. I could barely get the .22 caliber model through a Ruger .22. I bent the t-handle in an Otis round cleaning kit trying to pull the beast out before using more aggressive leverage. The .30 caliber model, which I've not put in a barrel after researching more after my experience with the .22, is reported to have similar problems which Otis claims to have addressed ("manufacturing tolerances in early models"). I found that the .30 model is not tapered enough for my longer barrel rifle and starts to stick before it comes far out the 26" bore. I will try it with an AR-10 after I get a strong t-handle to attach to the lead end of the Ripcord. The Ripcord edges out the Boresnake for me primarily in my confidence in its heat resistance (Nomex!) when I'm shooting groups and want to "swab" a hot barrel. But I'm not throwing my Boresnakes away (or using either for serious cleaning). If you wished that you could have pulled a swab with liquid (or bore brush, or patch puller, etc.) behind your Boresnake you are going to be very impressed with the Ripcord!

The semi-rigid design of this BoreSnake makes it easy to feed through the bore, ideal for firearms that are difficult to disassemble and for cleaning from the chamber to the crown.

worked first time! Tight, but thats what is needed. USed on a 223 Ruger and treated with REM oi, cleaned the barrel 2x right at the range. Worked great!

Works great for quick easy cleaning of my rim fires at the range.

Works good. Not sure if it works better than a regular bore snake but does feel way more rugged. Definitely worth testing this for a bit to see if I want to switch. Thanks.