So, I thought I would clean my .22 rifle.

I have been shooting more now that the beans are out and the fields are open.  I was out today shooting with my middle child, who is about to go on her first deer hunt.  We were having a nice time punching paper at 50yd.  I started thinking the gun was rather dirty, so I should clean it.  Then it occurred to me that I should shoot a group dirty, clean the gun and shoot another group.

And so I did, I printed off a target, then I shot a 10rnd. group at 50yd.  I then took the rifle in, cleaned the bore, and brought it out for another 10 rnd. group with a clean bore.  The results surprised me!

To my shock, the second group, the one from a clean bore, was worse than the first.

Left: group from dirty bore     Right: group from clean bore

I fired these groups from bags at 50yds. with my Marlin 881 w/scope.  The ammunition was the Federal 550 Round Value Pack ammo.  This also points out the consistency of this particular ammunition or maybe the lack of.  I shoot way better groups with CCI.

I will have to try this again with different ammunition and see how that turns out.

Maybe I should stop cleaning this one or change ammo?