Info on breaking in a new Remington SPS700 in .223

[Buck44]

What is the proper technique to break in my new rifle? Can I use cheap ammo? Clean after every shot?

I have tons of questions about setting up this rifle for long range hunting and would greatly appriciate some expert advice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[liltank]

Shoot one shot for 5 shots, cleaning between each shot. Make sure all the copper fouling and powder residue are removed before shooting each shot.

Then 5, 3 shot groups cleaning between each group ensuring completely clean.

Then 5, 5 shot groups cleaning between each group ensuring completely clean.

Depending on how rough the barrel is, it may take a few more groupings. You want it so that you can clean with as few patches as possible by the end of the break in. Right now it take 6 patches to clean my barrel after 20rnds or more. Granted it is a hand lapped barrel and that makes a difference in break in also.

Tank

 

[retiredcpo]

Buck
You will get a bunch of differant answers to this one.
I load up about 60 fouler bullets (factory ammo will do)
shoot ten shots cleaning between each.
shoot twenty cleaning between every two
shoot thirty cleaning every three
then I start looking for a load 15 shots of each powder im trying(usually three or for types of powder and atleast twp differant bullets.
3 from each take the worst group and shot all cleaning between every three then repeat untill im left with the one with the best grouping and thats my load
takes awhile to get do but has worked for me.
we have two sps we are working loads for this week end
25 gr of varget with 55 gr vmax has worked great in our other 223's
what do you have for a scope?
good luck retiredcpo

 

[Buck44]

Thanks guys.


Retiredcpo, I am in the proccess of purchasing my scope. I have narrowed it down to a leupold 6.5x20, 8.5x25 (not sure if I want the ffp model or not) or the Zeiss conquest 6.5x 20. You see the problem is my whole life I have always tried to buy the best available. Now I am not new to hunting but I am new to long range so I am trying to experiement at first and build my own small caliber long range gun for coyotes and maybe a prarie dog trip in the near future. I have been reading and learing mostly on this site and honestly have learned a lot about checking my scope for trueness and basics of how to set it up but the more I learn the more I am not sure if I am capable of doing it right. I sorta want to just go out and buy a rifle that is ready to go and has a load worked up but I feel like I will not learn much that way. I don't really understand this new obsession that I have with long range but it is consuming me. I am just ready to get started and don't really know where to begin. I know that is a lot of rambling.
Anyways... I have the gun and I have a lot of reloading equipment.. I need to purchase the scope,rings and maybe 20 moa rail???? I would like to shoot out to 1000 yards but that may be more than my 223 is capable of. Maybe if I could feel confident at say.... 600. I would be happy to start with.

I have a mark 5 Weatherby 300. With a 2.5 x10 zeiss that I realoaded shells for that I am pretty good out to 400 but I did that 10 yrs ago and after reading on this site for the last year I realize i didn't know squat. Any advice will be appriciated.

Shanon BUckingham

 

[Red Beard]

Here is one method

YouTube - Proper Barrel Break-in Procedure

 

[liltank]

Well, sounds like you are the right track so far. Make sure you ask questions when you run into a problem. There is a lot of knowledge at your fingertips to take advantage of. Either scope will work fine. For a 223, I would go with the 6.5-20. Actually that is enough magnification for any caliber really! I shoot a 6.5x20 that I bought at the beginning of deer season. More than enough for a deer out to and past 1000yrds. I was using a Nikon 6-18 for groundhog and could easily see them at 1000yds on 18x.

Tank

 

[retiredcpo]

Buck
Well it sounds like you are really doing your home work
I really like leupold scopes I have several and just got three back from the
custom shop and I will have more. if you go that way I would stay with the 6.5x20 but for the price i would go with a zeiss from cameraland
Demo Unit Price: $799.99
#43 Mildot, Target Knobs
Zeiss - Camera Land NY
or the rapid z reticle
the 223 is really limited to 600-700 yards for killing varmits IMHO but can get to 1000 for paper work up some hand loads and have fun
If you are ever near Idaho look me up well go shoot
retiredcpo

 

[Buck44]

Thank you very much. I am thinking I will go with the Leup. One more question. I always cleaned my gun just with patches and solvent. Do I need to run a wire brush? Copper?

 

[liltank]

Thank you very much. I am thinking I will go with the Leup. One more question. I always cleaned my gun just with patches and solvent. Do I need to run a wire brush? Copper?

Initial break in you may need to use a brush. Depends on your solvent really. I use "Wipe Out" in mine. I really don't use a brush anymore. They do suggest a nylon bristle brush if things get stubborn. I usually use the brush after the second wet patch just to break things up, then just wet patches after that until clean. Then dry patch. The solvent does a good job of getting copper and powder fouling out.

Tank

 

[Buck44]

I have a solvent mix that the old gunsmith that I once worked with had me using. It was a crow oil mix...??? Does that sound firmiliar? He never told me to use a brush on my 300 wthrby but it was broken in. He did want me to clean it after 5 shot groups though it seemed that the first shot was always off. Thank you for taking time to respond. I need the help!!!!!!!!!

 

[liltank]

I have a solvent mix that the old gunsmith that I once worked with had me using. It was a crow oil mix...??? Does that sound familiar? He never told me to use a brush on my 300 wthrby but it was broken in. He did want me to clean it after 5 shot groups though it seemed that the first shot was always off. Thank you for taking time to respond. I need the help!!!!!!!!!

I really don't know anything about the solvent you are referring too. Your first or second shot will always differ from your dirty barrel group to some extent. You want to take note as to where that first shot goes and remember if you cleaned the night before you take a shot at an animal. That way you can adjust for it. As for cleaning regiment, that is determined by how many shots you can shoot accurately before it starts to open up. I would say 20 to 50rnds. Some rifles can handle more, others less. The stuff I use, I am probably going to get away from brushing now that the barrel seems to be broken it.

Tank

 

[Buck44]

So do I break the barrel in on just any cheap ammo? I would like to have some idea what the gun is doing durring this period but I hate to waist expensive ammo to do that. Also is there any way to buy ammo off the shelf and expect anything good or do I just need to plan on hand loading to begin with? My Weatherby wouldn't group at all with factory ammo but I later learned that I was trying to shoot 150-170 grain bullets and because of the barrel twist it needed 200-250. It ended up doing the best on 220 but I have learned soooo much reading since then i want to go back and do it all over again.

Is there a rule of thumb on barrel twist/ bullet weight? How do I know were to start?

 

[liltank]

So do I break the barrel in on just any cheap ammo? I would like to have some idea what the gun is doing durring this period but I hate to waist expensive ammo to do that. Also is there any way to buy ammo off the shelf and expect anything good or do I just need to plan on hand loading to begin with? My Weatherby wouldn't group at all with factory ammo but I later learned that I was trying to shoot 150-170 grain bullets and because of the barrel twist it needed 200-250. It ended up doing the best on 220 but I have learned soooo much reading since then i want to go back and do it all over again.

Is there a rule of thumb on barrel twist/ bullet weight? How do I know were to start?

There is no quote on quote rule of thumb on twist rate. You should however plan to use a twist rate that will handle the loads you plan on shooting. If you have a desire to shoot to 1000yd with a 223, then you will need a 1:8 minimum or 1:7 to shoot the heavier VLD bullets. For that distance no less than 75grn bullet should be used. There is some factory ammo that will offer these style of bullets. You should break the barrel in with bullets and loads you plan to shoot. For the first 15 or 20, cheap stuff is fine, but after that, if you plan to hand load this would be the time to start using them to see what kind of consistency you are going to get.

The off the shelf stuff is not going to be that inexpensive. You should try stuff like Hornady Match Superformance, Federal Gold Match, Black Hills, Cor-Bon, and the like. These will give you the best performance. There is some military grade ammo designed to be accurate, just not sure of the nomenclature.

Tank

 

[Buck44]

How do I know what barrel twist I have? Does a more twist mean u can shoot a smaller bullet?

I guess since I bought a factory gun then the twist will dictate what grain bullet I will have to shoot thus limiting me to the yardage. I don't have to shoot 1000yards.. I am basically going to coyote hunt with this gun and hopefully gain some experience in ranging and dialing on my scope. I know I want a nice long range gun but I don't yet know what I want so I feel I can get some experience to help make my decision.