I do run a bore snake through them before I fire them just to make sure there are no little metal nasties left over from manufacture.
I love those bore snakes. Absolutely no chance of marring up the bore OR the crown with those. After a few hundred rounds I will give them a good scrub to remove the copper fouling. But I NEVER use a metal rod of any kind any more.
A friend of mine did acquire a couple extra of those slick new mil-spec rifle cleaning kits. They're like a plastic coated metal bore snake so it won't scuff up the rifling.
I use that for my AR pretty much exclusively now.
I've found that the repeated disassembly/reassembly process will do more damage over time that the honest range wear will.
My National Match M1A doesn't get disassembled more than annually due to the glass bed job.
Now none of this would apply if I were living in the field. Then I'd be cleaning the service weapons at least daily and more often if conditions required it.
But if I were living in the field I'd most likely be humping an AK variant and a 1911 both of which tolerate field conditions extremely well.
Best to you both.
I remember my Uncle telling me of the cold in the Korean war that disabled some weapons they were issued and the Garand was not one of them.....I think the M1A would be my first choice over an AK for all weather, urban or open terrain etc ........it was in Grenada, Panama and Desert Storm as it is now in my retirement. The AK is my house gun as I paid maybe 200$ for it back in the 80’s and I wouldn’t trade all the cash in canookistan for it as they are solid reliable performers. I just like the accuracy and reliability of the M1A as well as it’s ability to reach out for the long stop shot !
Trick or treat !...........Off to the door bells !