.22 Rimfire

      Have you ever wondered .... if you ever had to make a choice of just one handgun "strictly for for the enjoyment of shooting".   Which model would you choose?   This would be a tough choice, but I think that I'd vote for the High Standard "Victor" model.   This is one of my favorite .22 rimfire handguns that I improved considerably, with an aggressive barrel cleaning procedure, on a barrel that already "appeared" to be perfectly clean.

      This is an incredibly accurate handgun.   One day I noticed that it seemed to have lost its accuracy since the last time I used it.   I was a bit surprised to see that the cause was a barrel leading problem with .22 rimfire ammunition.   I always clean my guns very carefully, but not having access to a bore scope, it can be difficult to get an ideal view - even with a pistol barrel.   I have found that .22 rimfire ammunition (especially match ammo) can leave a very small lead ring just ahead of the chamber.   The buildup of lead was so uniform that it was hard to detect.   It was a real challenge to clean it out.   I had to scrape it loose with an aluminum scraping tool, then carefully run a new "dry" brush through the barrel several times.   Then I used a worn .22 caliber cleaning brush with a tight fitting paper towel patch and some "non-imbedding" JB Bore Polish to completely remove the rest of it.   This handgun is now back to shooting like it did when it was new.   After I was sure that I resolved this problem, I wondered how many other shooters have encountered the same problem.   I have also tried this cleaning procedure on several .22 rimfire rifles with even greater success.

      It's easy to understand why some shooters are too quick to replace barrels that just need a good cleaning.   A .22 rimfire barrel should be able to last almost forever if it gets cleaned properly.   The .22 rimfire is the most popular cartridge ever made, and it is a top choice for precision shooting.   If you have a favorite .22 rimfire that is not shooting as well as it should, take a very close look in front of the chamber.   Remember, it may require a bore scope to see it .... even in a pistol barrel.   You might find that a little extra attention in cleaning the chamber will improve the accuracy of your .22 rimfire.