[bubba052698]

First of all, thanks to all for the info provided to me (including Mike Knifong). You guys have helped me get out of the dark.

OK, I have order a whole slew of stuff to improve my mini:

Trigger job (Mike)
Bedding video (Mike)
Gas bushing & buffer (Mike)
Stock reinforcement (for my choate stock)
Sweet's
Dewey cleaning rod
Bore guide
Acraglas Gel kit

Once I receive everything I will first thoroughly clean my bore and try to break in my barrel. I have never used copper solvent before (i have a "golden" bore, hehe) and never followed a proper break-in, so hopefully that helps. After that, I will study Mike's video and attempt to bed my stock. Hopefully I get my mini shooting at 2-3 MOA. I used to clean my rifle with a cheap outers 2-piece rod with no bore guide, so there is a chance that my crown is damaged. I don't really know what to look for in a damaged crown/bore, so I will wait until I get all the other stuff done first. If it's still flying all over the place, I will look into recrowning.

Hopefully it's not too late to save the beast!
Thanks again guys!

PS-wish my luck

 

[cajungeo]

Bubba, I'm sorry I didn't catch your post. It sounds like you have a handle on things. The damage on the crown with an alum. cleaning rod will take some years, unless you are shooting thousands a year. The grit on the alum rod rubbing, will take its toll over years, or thousands of rounds, so I wouldn't worry about damage done unless you have been doing it for years or thousands of rounds. It is good you start the new year with a good new habbit using a bore guide.

Really watch using that sweets. It is highly corrosive, 15 min in your barrel is max! It eats metal. I bought some, but quit using it, it may get down your gas port bushing, and cause some corrosion. People that use it, do so spairingly, I would turn the barrel upside down, so as not to get some in the gas port area. I would neautrize it with another bore cleaner, and then an oily patch. I switched to Hoppies Benchrest Copper solvent. You can leave it in over night if ya have ta clean a neglected bore. The copper is blue or green on the patch. It is mild and seems to do a good job for me.

Picking the ammo my mini likes really helped, and the muzzle brake cut the groups in half. Sounds like you will have a shooter soon.