Barrel break-in

rufous

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2001
Messages
174
Location
Walla Walla, WA
I am having Greg Tannel rebarrel my 300 Win Mag using a Broughton 5C barrel. I get such conflicting ideas on proper barrel break-in. I would be interested in hearing from you all what has worked for you. Greg suggests not using a bronze brush after the first shot, just patches and solvent (no Barnes' or Sweet's). Then swab bore with a patch that has 3 drops of Graf oil then fire a few shots and clean with bronze brush, solvent and patches and then apply Graf oil again and repeat until about 20 shots have been fired. Tim North of Broughton has a different method. I have been using Darrell Holland's Witch's Brew regularly on the old barrel but am not sure if it may have prematurely worn out my barrel. Do any of you use Witch's Brew? It is a mild abrasive. Thanks, Rufous.
 
Barrel breakin

Rufous

I would recomend talking to the barrel maker first and ask
him/her (politically correct) what they recomend for their
barrels.

This is a much debated subject and there are many ways
to do this.

I recomend going slow not allowing the barrel to heat up.

Clean between each shot and you will know when it's getting
there because the barrel will get easy to clean and patches
will go through the bore very smoothly.

Normaly it takes from 15 to 30 shots on a premium barrel.

Take something else to the range to shoot while waiting
for it to cool between shots.

Just my 2 cents
J E CUSTOM
 
rufous,

Barrel breakin is a waist of time effort and ammo. Broughton builds a great barrel which has already been hand lapped and no need for any non-sensense such as this barrel break-in myth.

Just shoot it and enjoy it.
 
Barrel breakin

Rufous

Jeff may be right but after spending lots of money on a
custom rifle I cant risk taking any short cuts.

I use select match barrels only and they are all lapped
and even then I can feel the bore getting smother and
see the velocity going up slightly during breakin.

All of my rifles are guaranteed to shoot under 1/2 MOA
and have had no rejects.most shoot under 1/4MOA

And with some load development some have shot under
1/10 of a MOA."NOTE" I'm not bragging just stating why
I'm hesitant to change so I break in all new barrels.

Works for me so why stop now

Besides It gives me a chance to get acquainted with my
new baby.

Just my 2 cents worth
J E CUSTOM
 
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