Barrel Break-in

[Joel Clouse]

I'm on the fence, not sure which side to get on.

What is everyone's opinion about breaking in a new barrel? I've heard and read about different ways to do it and why, but I'm still not 100% sold. My thought is that when I do a "real" cleaning on a rifle, my goal is to remove all of the copper fouling in the bore, getting it clean to the original surface. Doesn't that defeat the purpose behind breaking in a barrel, and wouldn't I need to repeat the beak in steps once it's cleaned down to the original surface?

I've had some rifles that I did the break in steps on, some I haven't, and I can't say I've ever noticed a difference in accuracy.

Thanks!

 

[aeropb]

If you're shooting 6.5-284 and you don't want your throat to be completely eroded by the 1100th shot you might need to do some very special stuff. If you're shooting the same caliber everyone else is follow this video's advice.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

I agree with the above post, but prefer this method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRRahHX9Zkg

 

[Mitch Rapp]

All joking aside....

I have to say, I have never understood what is supposed to be gained by doing the things listed in this Midway Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WjbnYm_HmXg


Cleaning after every round the first five, then after every 5 for the first fifty? I think they are just trying to sell cleaning solvents, or maybe they have just been sniffing them........

 

[Matt1911]

Shoot it. Shoot it again. Shoot some more..... Get the jist?

 

[aeropb]

If your barrel cost more than $300, adhere to these guidelines http://www.kriegerba...&CompanyId=1246

or read what this guy has to say. http://www.6mmbr.com/gailmcmbreakin.html

 

[Joel Clouse]

I'm down with it!! I guess it's the same reason I quit watching hunting shows six months before season...water just gets too muddy!

Thanks fellas!

Just so you are jealous, I'll be in Pagosa Springs this weekend where I'll go ahead and shoot, shoot, and shoot again with the Rockies as my backstop!

Oh yea!!!

 

[jtischauser]

I will run a brush and patch down the barrel before I shoot it if I remember too. Then I'll zero it which usually takes 50-100 rounds then I'll clean it. Every high end barrel I've got shoots sub MOA so I guess it works.

 

[csiedmond1]

I Agree with everyone else, just shoot the poss out of it!!!

 

[Wormydog1724]

Here's my recommended barrel break in procedure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzfm4pYhIyY

 

[Jackary]

seems like a few beta mags would have been easier

 

[dennishoddy]

I bought a custom built .243WSSM during the Bush years, when they were resonably priced, and the builder would only warrenty it if 200 rounds were shot through it with a full cleaning after every 5 rounds.
Crap! thats a ton of money for rounds like that. Buck + a shot.

Didn't bite the bullet, but shot the hell out of it for about 400 rounds now, and the zero has not changed a bit. I run a pull through bore snake through it on occasion.
I'm not a cleaning freak.

My L10 Kimber in .45 is going on 2K rounds now without any cleaning other than the feed ramp. Its nasty looking inside, but WTH, it still runs! I promise to clean it one of these days.

 

[Jackary]

my 6.8 i just finished has been cleaned after each range trip and I have noticed tighter groupings from the first time out I dont know about running cleaner through after every round or every 5 rounds though. I am usually pretty good about cleaning my guns after a heavy day at the range

 

[ummm]

I've been reading a lot about this, too. Completely puzzled. As a beginner in the rifle world, it's difficult to figure out which way to go.

Some of the very best shooters and barrel-makers in the world say that break-in is important (for example, Daniel Lilja, Kreiger Barrels, Shilen Barrels, etc), and then others say it's not necessary (Noveske, Superior, the links above, etc)

It does seem from the reading that those who recommend break-in agree it's not the barrel that needs breaking-in, it's the throat, due to something in the manufacturing process.

To further confuse us, there also seems to be some issue involving if your barrel is Cromoly or stainless.

One pattern I seem to be recognizing is that the AR-platform barrel makers tend to not think there's any purpose to break-in, whereas the more accuracy-oriented barrel manufacturers tend to think there is good reason for break-in. That might give us some indication -- an 'accurate' AR can hit a plate at 500 yards, whereas an 'accurate' long-range rifle would consider that horrible. Perhaps break-in only makes a small difference, which wouldn't be noticed by AR standards of accuracy? Still, these are tendencies, not absolutes.

Last thing of significance I've found is that there isn't any hard facts. What I mean is, no barrel manufacturer has said, "Here's 100 of our best barrels, all made in exactly the same way, from exactly the same batch. These 50 will get shot without break-in, and those 50 will be broken in via some break-in process. We'll then shoot them all from fixtures for X thousand rounds, cleaning them all according to the same schedule. Then we'll shoot them all for accuracy, and compare the group sizes and publish the results."

That would provide some scientific evidence as to which way to go, but to my knowledge, it's never been done. Anyone seen any actual studies on this?