Back to basics & The sin of assumption

[Char-Gar]

Today on my weekly trip to the range, I took a Winchester 95 in 30 US (30-40) This rifle was made in 1898 and in very good condtion with about 70% blue on the receiver and 80% on the barrel. The stock has the original Winchester varnish. The only hicky is somebody cut the barrel back to 24" and installed a ramp front sight. At the same time, they installed a Lyman 77 Globe front sight on the rear of t he bolt. This gives an apeture rear sight. Oh well, I paid $600.00 for it in 2000 and figure I didn't get bit.

It has lived in my safe until today when it made it's maiden trip to the range. The load was a good Loverine bullet and 16/2400. A nice soft load that is almost guaranteed to produce good results.

Well the 50 yards groups were 3"s. What a bummer!!!

Back at the house, I thought I would clean it as I do all my rifles. After Ed's Red had taken out most of the powder fouling, just for fun I put a little Sweets on a loose patch and down the bore it went.

Blue..blue..blue.. and more blue!!! I always clean the bore of a new rifle down to steel..Always!!! But this time I didn't!! It is loaded with crud.

I have a chore ahead of me, but I am much more sanguine now about this rifle's potential. 3" nice round groups from a heavy metal fouled bore ain't that bad.

I committed the sin of assumption and forgot the basics...bad on me!!!

[versifier]

Was it recrowned properly?

[Bass Ackward]

Back at the house, I thought I would clean it as I do all my rifles. After Ed's Red had taken out most of the powder fouling, just for fun I put a little Sweets on a loose patch and down the bore it went.

Blue..blue..blue.. and more blue!!! I always clean the bore of a new rifle down to steel..Always!!! But this time I didn't!! It is loaded with crud.

I committed the sin of assumption and forgot the basics...bad on me!!!


Chargar,

I will bet that as many as 50% of shooters shoot cast with some fouling in the bore. I had a gun two weeks ago that took 8 hours total man hours using JB paste and Sweets!

This is even worse if they aren't using a copper solvent that stays in place against gravity. I know this because I have guys that like Hoppies #9. Me too! But you have to do the the 90 degree rotation trick with that stuff. By that I mean put it in over night with the gun verticle as you would shoot it. Then put in some more for 8 hours and rest the gun on it's side. Then put in some fresh with the gun upside down. And repeat the process with the gun on it's other side.

You won't get nearly as much after the first cleaning, but if you want the copper off the drive side of the lands, you gotts to do what youze gotts ta do. I even use #9 myself after using the Sweets because you can leave it over night. And .... sometimes you still get some more traces of copper out of the pores in the metal.

This is a little anal for 2000 fps or less, but for someone wanting the best possible grouping or wanting to go above 2000 fps, it can mean the difference between bragging or just MOA.

[Char-Gar]

the rifle was crowned properly when it was cut, but that was alooong time ago and there are a few hickies on the crown. I will hunt up my Brownells crowning tool and give it a few twists. That will clean up any dings and give me a fresh sharp muzzle edge.

I spent about three hours on it today with Sweets. I will attack it again tomorrow and however long it takes. I am seeing some progress, but still way too much blue.

[Bucks Owin]

My ol' man used to have a Model 95 in .405 WCF and I remember what is was like (as about a 12 yr old) to fire it! Kablammm! That thing kicked like a mule and to my young mind, much worse than his .338 Win that I had also fired twice...

Alas, it too had had it's barrel amputated and Dad traded it off on some other powder burnin' toy, figuring it's collector value was spoiled....

Wish "I" still had it though!

Dennis