Harry Pope once said: "More gun barrels are ruined by cleaning than by neglect."(paraphrased)

""Not long after that I bought a heavy .32-40 Winchester single-Shot and rebored
it for a .33 muzzle-loader. With it I began to win. So far that rifle has
been fired about 125,000 times, and all with the old mercuric chlorate primers.
They're supposed to raise hell with a gun, but it's perfect yet, after that
use.
"It was at this time that I would save money to come to the New York matches
from Hartford."

Harry Pope was the greatest barrel maker who ever lived. Also one of the best shots with a rifle who ever lived.


The link:

http://www.metalworking.com/Dropbox/_2000_retired_files/Harry_Pope-The_Old_Master.txt