New rifle break in? True or hype?

[Greyfox]

I have acquired over 20 rifles/barrrels over the last 10 years or so and developed some personal views and opinions on break in. These included both factory and custom barrels. Generally used the clean every shot for first 10, every 3 or 5, next 20, every 10 next 30. Always cleaned to remove all copper fouling( visual check) not just carbon. Always included sight in, and began load testing along with the break in. About half the rifles were intended for hunting, half for target and competition. Some observations and thoughts.

I hate to break in barrels!

Saw a noticeable difference in cleaning effort in just about all cases within the first 10 rounds through the rifles. I have skepticism about the remainder of the process.

Through a combination of feel and cleaning effort could quickly establish th difference between rough bore and a smooth bore. But a rough bore could still be very accurate.

Name brand custom barrels always cleaned easier from the start and continued through the post break in. A couple of rough bore factory rifles were never easy.

For a given load, rarely thought the break in process impacted basic accuracy of the
rifle. But this is not conclusive.

I don't agree that you only get one shot to break in a barrel.

I don't know if the break in effects the number of shots you can get through a barrel before accuracy falls off but I have not seen a noticeable difference between custom and factory rifles with this. I have noticed better clean and/or cold bore accuracy for customs but not always.

For factory, I have had three Remington 5r mil Specs. They have all behaved like a custom, clean easy, and hold accuracy for +150 shots. Cooper barrels also good.

I don't consider any of this to be gospel but I have recently started to just do the first 10 shot break in as described and canned the rest. Since I usually make several trips to the range and test around 20 rounds a session. I clean thoroughly after these sessions, eventually just shooting as required. Has seemed to work fine so far.

 

[ishootkittens]

Wait wait wait.. so you guys are saying that the gun is easier to clean after break in.. but it doesn't improve accuracy???

What is easier than letting wipeout sit in your barrel for 12-15 hours and push 5-6 patches through the barrel?

im sorry but 99% of all those **** break in procedures are ********. I dont feel as if I have to run 50-100 shots down the barrel so that it will clean better? Why not just take the time to clean the **** thing?

 

[paphil]

Velocity changes with break in. the velocity will decrease by up to 100 fps in some rifles once the break in is done. On custom lapped barrels, not as much, the lapping is doing the same as the break in. If you don't shoot drop data for charts or turrets, and don't shoot long range, it probably doesn't matter other than cleaning easier but it never hurts to know how to clean a barrel . Use a chronograph some time and see how much velocity will change.

 

[Rimfire]

Wait wait wait.. so you guys are saying that the gun is easier to clean after break in.. but it doesn't improve accuracy???

What is easier than letting wipeout sit in your barrel for 12-15 hours and push 5-6 patches through the barrel?

im sorry but 99% of all those **** break in procedures are ********. I dont feel as if I have to run 50-100 shots down the barrel so that it will clean better? Why not just take the time to clean the **** thing?

Absolutely cleans easier after break in IN SOME. I agree with some of what you are saying. I dont know if my barrels would have shot as good without break in no way for me to tell.

- I let the barrel tell me, My last Broughton was broken in, after the first 3 shots no copper was observed and I was done.

- Most are done within the first 10 shots.

- I did have a Hart barrel that took copper like a pig for the first 10 shots then it went away fast after that.

- I have a Mod. 70 375 that will never break in so i just shoot it, It coppers up after the first shot.

Might not be needed but a properly lapped barrel doesnt really take copper so are we actually smoothing out the chambering job tooling? or breaking in the Barrel?

I would say some of both, I have seen copper in the grooves of a new barrel during break in that wasnt there after breakin.

Bottom line for me is if nothings coming out its done weather its 2 shots or 10 and a custom better let loose before ten.

One of the barrel makers in the US with a reputation for producing some of the best cut riffled barrels on the market, and metallurgist said they come broken in I lap them to the propper finish just shoot it.

 

[Greyfox]

Velocity changes with break in. the velocity will decrease by up to 100 fps in some rifles once the break in is done. On custom lapped barrels, not as much, the lapping is doing the same as the break in. If you don't shoot drop data for charts or turrets, and don't shoot long range, it probably doesn't matter other than cleaning easier but it never hurts to know how to clean a barrel . Use a chronograph some time and see how much velocity will change.

Good point. I do shoot long range with turrets fur hunting. Drop data charts for target. I rarely start my serious velocity/Chrono work until I find my most accurate loads, initially making general assumptions on velocity. I then try to fine tune velocity spreads. I was usually past my break in by that time so I would not have seen the effects of break in on velocity. I do like it when I can clean my barrel quickly without excessive scrubbing or extended soaking periods. If barrel break helps this, which I believe it does, I'm all for it.

 

[BountyHunter]

I read Gale's advice......How to Break-in a Barrel

Understand though, he is talking about a match grade custom barrel, not an off the shelf manufacturer barrel.

Apples and oranges and need to be approached that way.

IF you have a borescope, you understand why you want to break in factory barrels. They have machine marks and are rough, while customs are land lapped, mirror smooth.

A gun cleans easier because the bore is smooth, no pits etc. You can clean a pitted rough bore, just take a hell of a lot longer, even using Wipeout. Borescope will tell fact from BS.

BH

 

[ishootkittens]

- Most are done within the first 10 shots.

Then why is a break in process needed.. why not just shoot the thing...I totally agree with you. I dont think anything is going to get any "smoother" after the first 10 shots... I just dont agree that you have to shoot 1 shot..clean.. shoot 2 shots....clean......................................Shoot 14... clean... Shoot 20.. and clean. TAH-DAH barrels ready to shoot with now! I agree that you have to brake in a barrel but I dont think you need a special procedure. I agree that some barrels are "edgy or rough" but I think barrel break in process are ********. Just enjoy the rifle and after your first box of ammo, the barrel will be fine. I just dont think that techniques or procedures are important.

 

[Broz]

Then why is a break in process needed.. why not just shoot the thing...I totally agree with you. I dont think anything is going to get any "smoother" after the first 10 shots... I just dont agree that you have to shoot 1 shot..clean.. shoot 2 shots....clean......................................Shoot 14... clean... Shoot 20.. and clean. TAH-DAH barrels ready to shoot with now! I agree that you have to brake in a barrel but I dont think you need a special procedure. I agree that some barrels are "edgy or rough" but I think barrel break in process are ********. Just enjoy the rifle and after your first box of ammo, the barrel will be fine. I just dont think that techniques or procedures are important.

Because if you dont clean the fouling it will snow ball and not smooth the tube at all.

Get over it. Take your new rifle out warm up that tube and foul her to death. It will shoot awesome!! FOR EVER!!!!

.

 

[ishootkittens]

Because if you dont clean the fouling it will snow ball and not smooth the tube at all.

Get over it. Take your new rifle out warm up that tube and foul her to death. It will shoot awesome!! FOR EVER!!!!

.

*facepalms* Fine... Forever IS a longtime afterall.

 

[kh971]

Boy did I ever get the pudding stirred up in here!!!!

ButI appreciate all the information i have read here.

 

[justgoto]

What is easier than letting wipeout sit in your barrel for 12-15 hours and push 5-6 patches through the barrel?

Using copper solvent annually just in case there happens to be copper present.

 

[Coyboy]

I have written this article for LRH some time ago, about this very topic, PLEASE take the time to read it with an open mind and then you MUST read the following forum discussion linked on the last page of the article.

Both will explain and answer many of the common questions asocciated with "barrel brake in". If your not going to read it all then don't bother to read any of it. It is not a topic I will debate.


Custom Barrel Care At 17X

My feelings on abrasive paste are still quite strong, although I have now used Iosso in my F-class guns about every 350-400 rounds to remove some carbon in the first 6" of barrel, very limited number of strokes. 1 patch back and forth 3-4 times.

One of my team-mates has a 260 rem f-class gun that is now on 2300 rounds fired. It had really lost it's groove just before the team state championship. He scrubed the first 6-10" agressivly with JB in hopes of A. smooth up the aligators back, and 2. get rid of neglected carbon fouling. It worked and the gun started shooting again. This is an extreame case and should be done only for this type of condition.

 

[bigngreen]

If you think barrel brake in is hype don't look at your barrel with a bore scope, you may suffer disappointment!!! Even my crappy one I use for mechanic work will allow you to watch the progression of the copper fowling working it's way up your barrel till it's broke in.