[Retain Mike]

Now this has got to be a fun article with a lot of letters to the editor in November. Me, well I'm going to just watch. I collect military bolt action rifles and keep them unmodified. One of my best shooters recently is a M-98 with a badly corroded barrel I cleaned out with penetrating oil. I have an 1891 Argentine Mauser that shot a 5-shot group at 100 yards with iron sights I could cover with a quarter.

[9422WMR]

Yea, this sounds like a newby goofball pontificating about something he knows nothing about.....

[mamelukesabre]

More gun barrels have been ruined by obsessive cleaning than by neglect.

True fact.

[smokingfrog]

That was an interesting article. Looking forward to reading some of the letters.

When I hear the extremes that some people go to when cleaning their barrels, it kind of makes me cringe.

[RebelTex]

I clean all my guns with hot lead.

;>D

[wendy1946]

The most accurate of the Europeanrifles which could be bought cheaply recently has been the Swiss K31 straight pull.

[sig226]

all of the benchrest shooters i know practiced modest barrel break in regimens. first ten shots were fired individually, the barrel was allowed to cool, and then given a quick cleaning between each shot. then a few five shot groups were fired at slow pace, then ten shot groups up to 100 total rounds. considering the groups these guys used to shoot, i’ll listen. personally, i take ten individual shots, let the barrel cool and wipe it for each shot, then move to ten round groups up to fifty shots. i can’t shoot anything like as well as those guys.

[mad_as_he$$]

Ah yes the barrel analistas surface again. I also have several old military rifles. One in particular is an Argentinian Mauser. Had a tight spot in the middle of the barrel. Put a light coat of some gunsmiths magic on several bullets and fired them. Gun now shoots better than many modern rifles. It is over 100 years old.

[csmusaret]

He needs a half inch group to kill a white tail? Just how small are the deer where he comes from?

[Joe Brower]

Good article. Much of what this fellow says I have found to be true.

[devistate one four]

Jim Carmichael “the Rifle”, the best rifle book out there.

Just my humble opinion.

[meadsjn]

That 1/2 inch range grouping isn't nearly as important as steadying against a tree at the top of a steep hill, when your heart is pounding like a bass drum, your lungs are wheezing like a steam engine, and sweat is running down your forehead into your eyes.

My rifles do shoot better after a few rounds through them, and getting cleaned after each outing. But that is probably more improvement on my part than on the rifle's. I guess it is "broke in" when I can hit what I'm aiming at.

[Charlespg]

bump

[correctthought]

Bump, for good advice and later reading