Post by Kt29 on Jul 28, 2009 10:19:45 GMT -5
Now for better than a year, my buddy Dave has been buggin me as to what to do with his old Winchester Model 70 25-06. The thing patterns like a shotgun anymore Dave said. I've had it a long time and I've shot out the barrel. What should I do? Buy a new one, but on a new barrel. Well Dave didn't know what to do for sure. Dave, I finally said. Glve me that old Wilnchester for awhile. So one evening Dave brought it over and left it in my care. I ran a patch through it, and yes it appeared to be clean. So I thought, maybe it needs alittle more agressive cleaning. I started a regiment of carbon and copper removal on it. For three days I cleaned that barrel. Finally I was sastified and called up Dave. He came over and we decided to go out and give it a shoot. First though we had to load up some rounds. We loaded up dozen or so of Sierra 117 gr. Prohunters and headed out to the range along with another friend Jared. No one was at the range that day, which made it nice for us. We set out targets at 100 yards and got the rifle ready at the bench. Dave commenced to shoot Three groups at a hundred yards. All three groups were under a half inch. Now that is just exceptional for any big game rifle. So Dave, Jared and I said, we'll give ya $50 bucks for that piece of crap rifle that shoots like a shotgun anymores. Dave could only smile in amazement. Well, maybe I'll keep it, Dave said. Sure, it was fun raggin on Dave and he took it well. Guess the moral of the story though was, even though your barrel may appear to be clean, managing carbon and copper removal is a must if you want to maintain accuracy. I find this to be the case in many of a rifle that people have brought me to get to shoot better. So keep that carbon and copper under control and get out and do some shooting before season starts. 
