my dad (RIP) gave me a Marlin 25(y i think) in 22LR back when i was a kid. i used to clean that rifle religiously...until i was 14ish yo. then i got sick of having clean the rifle every time i shot it. i'd use a oil rag and wipe down the outside, but the bore, never. this was at a time that was .70 - .80 cents for 50 cartridges. but me and my best friend went big, each of us bought 500 cartridges for $8 - 9. we shot the s!@# out of the 22s. every week we go to K-mart and buy a box of 500 cartridges and then we would shoot them till next week or 3. i can't remember but the cheap scope was ruined and i bought a Tasco 4x (another cheap scope) for $20? . it must been a week or two later when the rifle was stovepiped. .i could take the point of my pocketknife and pry out the spent brass. the next shot, stovepiped again. the chamber was in desperate need of cleaning, the rifling also.
i cleaned the chamber and bore out and i took it outside to shoot. at the time, i was first into grouping my shots. so i loaded the flavor of the week (Remington, Winchester, Federal...), went to the bench, sat down and fired a group at 50 yards. it was about 4 1/2". it can't be, i told myself. i'll shoot again....4 1/2" group. well around 50 rounds later, the rifle grouped about 2" i know the rifle is accurate, but it ain't no 2". 50-75 rounds more, the rifle was settled down to 1 1/4"+/- group. (the best group wise is 34gr hp CCI MiniMag, 1/2"+/- at 50 yards, 5 shots/bench). it took 100-125 rounds for the rifle to settle down and group 1 1/4" at 50 yards.
whenever the rifle stovepipes, its about 4000 - 5000 rounds spent. then i will clean it and take 125 rounds+/- to shoot and i will have back to grouping 1 1/4" at 50 yards. the Marlin is sitting there in safe, only to used once or twice each year. i have a Ruger 10/22 and a 3-9x Swift (old one) sitting in corner for vermin and feral cats. i believe that it loaded with 34gr Federal hp that go 1 1/4 - 1 1/2" at 50 yards. i think the last time i shot it was last fall and a crow that was on top of my garbage can. i'm waiting for the Ruger to stovepipe and then i'll clean it.