rafsob
I think they were thinking of centerfire guns when they talked about guns in those articles.
I think you are probably 100% correct in that assumption. The gun smith I have to use on occasion has often said that WD is the best way in the world to screw up an automatic.
I use it as most of the article stated, to get rid of the water and then wipe it off.
It probably works just fine if it is kept out of the bore. If you get it in the bore you probably can not just wipe it out, you would have to use some sort of solvent to clean it out, since it has some penetration properties it would embed itself in the metal, especially if the metal were warm.
I have never really tried it on the outside of any gun - well duh! I just have never used it at all because of what i have been told by so many.