barrel break in

[DarnYankee]

I have tried several different procedures for breaking in a new barrel. The one I now use is to clean the barrel shoot one round clean shoot two clean shoot 3 clean till 5 shot group then shoot 3 five shot groups with cleaning inbetween groups. I use a sieera bullet usually about mid weight in grains for the caliber and a mid to low weight powder charge to form the brass for the new rifle. After that I can neck size the brass and start to work a load for what ever bullet i want to shoot from the rifle. Any suggestions for a variation or does this sound good ?

[jhelmuth]

You're on track. Don't worry about the details. Barrels are different and some need very little break-in at all. I've seen both extremes on barrel break-in. I'd say you couldn't have hurt it. See how it cleans as you continue to shoot it and know that - in time -it will get better....

[ellobo]

And beware of the copper monster. That terrible thing that turns a .30 cal barrel into a .22. Some barrels it happens fast, some slow but it will be there sooner or later.

El Lobo

[DarnYankee]

I usually use Butches bore shine or Hoppes benchrest copper solvent, I also have usrd Kroil. All these seem yo work well.

[hound53]

Pro Shot copper solvent is my copper remover of choice now, a smith friend tested it by sawing a barrel into several sections then plugging and filling them full of various copper removers and letting them sit for 24 hours. Then he sawed the sections in half, copper was gone but the barrel otherwise unharmed with the pro shot

Anyway I do the 1 shot clean for the first 5, then 3 round shot and cleans for the next 5 or 6 or until I don't get any blue, then 5 shot rounds and clean til I don't see any blue.

[gotcha]

Yankee, I agree w/ jhelmuth. Assuming you're using a tight fitting bore guide. +1 for Butches. I shoot n' clean 1st 5 shots watching for copper fouling. W/ minimal or no copper I go to shooting three shot groups and continue to monitor copper 'til I feel comfortable shooting 5 shot groups. This would be w/ match BBL's. Factory BBL's will vary in length of break-in. Most of the after-market BBL makers have break-in instructions on their sites. They do vary a bit but the general ideas are similar............... Like you are doing.

[geargrinder]

I'm going to stir the pot.

Barrel break-in is a myth. ;D

If it shoots better dirty, leave it dirty. If it shoots better clean, keep it clean.

Don't waste your barrels life by shooting at nothing and cleaning it when it doesn't need it.

[Tarleton_Texan]

I'm going to stir the pot.

Barrel break-in is a myth. ;D

If it shoots better dirty, leave it dirty. If it shoots better clean, keep it clean.

Don't waste your barrels life by shooting at nothing and cleaning it when it doesn't need it.


+1

I use wipe out patch out solvent, it is the easiest and fastest way to clean copper fouling.

[darkker]

I'm going to stir the pot.

Barrel break-in is a myth. ;D

If it shoots better dirty, leave it dirty. If it shoots better clean, keep it clean.

Don't waste your barrels life by shooting at nothing and cleaning it when it doesn't need it.


I agree that too much is made of cleaning, especially during break-in. A bullet going 3000+ fps with a wall of fire behind it does more for smoothing, than anyone's brush coated in super-secret-squirrel sauce.

[82boy]

I'm going to stir the pot.

Barrel break-in is a myth. ;D

If it shoots better dirty, leave it dirty. If it shoots better clean, keep it clean.

Don't waste your barrels life by shooting at nothing and cleaning it when it doesn't need it.


I could not say it better myself.

[sharpshooter]

Sharp Shooter official barrel break in procedure:
1. Clean the barrel. Makes no difference if it's brand new out the box, you never know what's been in there.
2.Go to the range and sight in.
3. Christen your rifle with a cool name like "Dog Duster" or "The Lightning Bolt".
4. Go out into the field and get some blood on it.
Now it is officially broken in....... ;D

note: When you can't hit targets regularly, it's time to clean.

[rjsixgun]

Finally someone admitted that barrel break in is a hoax! I thought I was the only one!
For years all I did with a new barrel was run a f ew patchesd threw the barrel to make sure there was no oil or factory debris in the barrel.............after that heck I just sighted it in!!!! Never had a problem. It was mostly the brand of ammo or load that made the good groups not barrel break in!

Barrel break in came from barrel makers that didn't want to back up there claims and companies that made cleaning patches and bore cleaners!!!!!

I never heard any ammo maker say a barrel needed to be broken in!

[ellobo]

I never shoot a barrel to "break it in". Every new barrel I have ever had I put some 0000 steel wool on a jag, up and down the barrel until it shines. Some oil on the steel wool and then a cleaning patch. I do that till it shines. Never had a problem. That will send shivers down a few spines but, it smooths a barrel out enough so it wont copper up so quickly, and as we all know, Savage barrels will do that and a good many do it a lot until hundreds of rounds down range.

El Lobo