I have a factory 22/250 700 VS that I use in field and at benchrest groundhog matches..the rifle after much tweeking and experimenting is shooting about .400 groups all day long with 50 grain v-max moly.. Going from the field to the bench is usually difficult for most rifles and guys...hitting a hog at 300 yards and shooting at the 10X ring of a target under competitive situations is extreme..but it still shoots the same and I hardly ever clean it..maybe in July of each summer and yes it black, blacker than coal but there is zero copper fouling.. I've had it cronied and it's shooting around 3500 with a mild charge of IMR-4064..but it shows no affects or effects from shooting well over 3000 rounds of molied bullets and velocity seems to never be affected in any way.. I think alot more people should give it an honest shake..DON'T clean it for awhile and see how it does, all that black will fill the little marks in and it'll be the same point of impact regardless of how m any shots you send..