ARTICLES
CLEAN FOR ACCURACY
By Randall Bush

If you are like me, cleaning firearms after each shooting session is not one of your favorite things to do. It is, nonetheless, a very important factor in keeping our firearms reliable and accurate. I have heard many sportsmen say they use stainless steel barrels so they don't have to worry about cleaning them. They are under the assumption that the purpose of cleaning is to prevent corrosion in the barrel. Up until the advent of non-corrosive primers in the early 1950s, this was an important reason to clean. Most people do not realize how a fouled barrel affects accuracy. It is just as important to clean a stainless steel barrel as it is a carbon steel barrel.

I have a reloaders dream: a shooting range in my yard. This makes frequent cleaning a fairly easy task. Most serious shooters will actually take their cleaning supplies to the range in order to get the most from their firearms. Over the years I have been introduced to many different views on firearm cleaning and care. These include professional shooting team members, military small arms experts, gunsmiths, lectures by experts such as Jarrett and our own Graham Bostick, among others. They all agree on the importance of cleaning.
I have tried most of the cleaning solutions and devices on the market today, including nitrosolvents and copper solvents. Some of these smell good enough to eat and some smell as though they have been eaten once already.

While at the board of directors meeting in Washington DC in May of this year, Janice and I had the good fortune to spend a very delightful evening it dining with some friends, Van & Mary Ristau. Van told me of a new product his company was marketing for firearm cleaning, MPro7. It sounded almost too good to be true, but I eagerly agreed to try it. I have been so impressed with this product that I felt an obligation to share this information with our members. I am carrying samples to Richard Garrison, a well known and well respected gunsmith in our area, specializing in making custom rifles. I will fill you in on his thoughts on the product later.

Hunting trips are not cheap, and in many cases bringing home a trophy comes down to one squeeze of the trigger. I like to remove all the variables possible prior to the trip so when the moment of truth arrives the burden of success lies on my shoulders. I don't want to have to worry about how my firearm will function.

I could tell you all about MPro7, but could not do a better job than the brochure that accompanies the product, entitled "Clean Does Matter." EMSI in Alexandria, Virginia, was kind enough to supply me with enough brochures to send one out with each issue of this newsletter. Also, Pantheon Chemical, the manufacturer of MPro7, is offering a 20% discount to Safari Club members by ordering direct through their website.
To receive the 20% discount, the promotional code "SAFARICLUB" must be entered.

Since you are serious about your hunting, you should be equally serious about the care of your firearms. Read the brochure and check out the website. I'm sure you will be impressed.