Barrel break in.. barrel dependent?

[jimbo88mm]

So I know this is a topic that's been beaten to death with opinions that vary greatly.

One of the reasons I've heard is that a break in procedure can help remove some of the extra debris created after the first handful of shots on a freshly cut barrel.

I recently recived my ER Shaw group buy barrel. When I looked down the tube I could see some debris in there. Since these are not custom match barrels I did not expect a super clean finish. In fact my AR15 barrel which is also a Shaw barrel also had some debris in it and it shoots very well.

Since the Shaw barrels are going to be rougher, similar to a factory OEM tube, would these rougher bores benefit more from a break in procedure then a match barrel?

On my AR, I ran a couple patches through to clean it and then just shot it without a procedure. I am thinking about doing a light break procedure on this barrel... something along the lines or running a wet patch through every 5 shots for the first 20 or something like that.

Below are a couple pics. This first one shows 6 patches I ran through for the initial cleaning:

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz219/Jimbo88mm/FirstSixPatches.jpg



Here is a close up of the first patch. Defiantly some stainless steel shavings in there. I'm assuming the black stuff is a grease or some kind of lubricant.

http://i829.photobucket.com/albums/zz219/Jimbo88mm/firstPatchClose.jpg


Planning to shoot it for the first time next week. Can't wait!

[hotbrass]

The Shaw barrel I bought from Brownell or Midway, cant remember now, came with a tube of bore paste with instructions to scrub the bore with the paste before shooting. And after the first few times shooting. Of course you can see why now. Mine wasnt as bad but I dont think they do anything except a rinse the barrel after cutting the grooves.

Great pictures, thanks!

[82boy]

Any barrel should be cleaned before it is fired, finding metal shavings in a fresh barrel is very common, no matter what brand or who did the chamber work.

[jimbo88mm]

Interesting about the bore paste.




Any barrel should be cleaned before it is fired, finding metal shavings in a fresh barrel is very common, no matter what brand or who did the chamber work.


Good to know.

[Stockrex]

how is cleaning a barrel different than cleaning a bored/machined piece of metal?

[jhelmuth]

Any barrel should be cleaned before it is fired, finding metal shavings in a fresh barrel is very common, no matter what brand or who did the chamber work.


I would think that in a hand lapped barrel (like say the Criterions) that would not be the case - correct?

All the same I think I'd run a wet patch down the bore just to check...

[geargrinder]

Any barrel should be cleaned before it is fired, finding metal shavings in a fresh barrel is very common, no matter what brand or who did the chamber work.


I would think that in a hand lapped barrel (like say the Criterions) that would not be the case - correct?

All the same I think I'd run a wet patch down the bore just to check...


Lapping leaves a bunch of crud in the barrel. You can get a bunch of crud and shavings into the barrel from chambering.

[82boy]

Any barrel should be cleaned before it is fired, finding metal shavings in a fresh barrel is very common, no matter what brand or who did the chamber work.


I would think that in a hand lapped barrel (like say the Criterions) that would not be the case - correct?

All the same I think I'd run a wet patch down the bore just to check...


Lapping leaves a bunch of crud in the barrel. You can get a bunch of crud and shavings into the barrel from chambering.

+1