Barrel Conditioning "Wow"

krury

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2013
Messages
17
Location
Schertz, Tx
I have always spent a lot of time breaking in a new barrel because who can argue with the logic of it. I have a whole new respect for the process now!

I was breaking in a Howa .223 Sporter this weekend which had just finished curing (three weeks) the duracoat camo job I had shot it with.

I shot out the center target sighting in at 100 yards and and j&b paste every 3 or 4 rounds followed by a wash out with wd40 a swab out with tight patches with clp and dry patches. I'm up to about 40 rounds at this point.

I shoot the number 1 corner target with a group of 5 that looked real tight except for my fouling round. I then really scrubbed the hell out of the barrel until I got no color with j&b, sweets and followup with the wd40 and clip.

My third and fourth group were noticeably tighter which I thought was remarkable since I was only about half done.

When I checked my targets I was amazed, the first forty shots were 90% perfect keyholes!!

There was not a single keyhole in my third and fourth target. Each was around 3/4 inch groups.
The only thing I could figure is something was left over in the rifling that was stopping/slowing down the bullet rotation. My grandpa would have said I knocked a dirt dobber nest out of it, but there sure was something in there.

I think this rifle will be a real shooter after another round.

Data: Hornady VMax 40 gr. 28.8 gr. Wc846 BC .200 SD .114
Probably somewhere north of 3400 FPS. Winds 10-15 gusty right to left crosswinds.
84 degree F 90% humidity.
 
For corn cob factory barrels, perhaps correct. For quality barrels that have already been hand lapped, you have more risk of doing damage in my opinion.

The only part of a match barrel which might have some issues might be the throat, due to the chambering operation. Cleaning the throat is not the same job as scrubbing the full length of the rifling.
 
Don't think more "breaking in" is going to make that load shoot any better or even the gun for that matter.

"That load" has been a tack driver in my Howa Varmint with the same 1 in 12 twist for years. I respectfully disagree!

Kevin

I have Howas , Remington 700`s, and Savage short actions and long actions in my arsenal.
Howas are my favorite for repeatability. But like my kids I love them all!

Kevin
 
For corn cob factory barrels, perhaps correct. For quality barrels that have already been hand lapped, you have more risk of doing damage in my opinion.

The only part of a match barrel which might have some issues might be the throat, due to the chambering operation. Cleaning the throat is not the same job as scrubbing the full length of the rifling.

What does corn cob barrel mean. Is that what the posh people call what the common man can afford? If it is I'm proud I am what I am.

I wouldn't trade my shooting skills and experience for all of your $1500 barrels and cucumber sandwiches between rounds.

IMHO
gun)
 
"That load" has been a tack driver in my Howa Varmint with the same 1 in 12 twist for years. I respectfully disagree!

I could be wrong, but "I" have never seen/heard of any gun that key-holed with a load, helped to any significant degree with more barrel break-in.
Just because a load shot well in one gun does not mean it will shoot the same even if the two guns are identical (so to speak).............
 
I would look for a smith with a borescope and see what the problem is and stop wasting ammo. Could be chatter. Won't know until you take a look.
 
I would look for a smith with a borescope and see what the problem is and stop wasting ammo. Could be chatter. Won't know until you take a look.

I think the point is that it no longer keyholes after the first 45 rounds with the break in process. What ever was there is gone.
gun)
 
Corn cob factory barrel, behold:

Do you think any amount of polishing is going to fix this one ? I have heard of this being found on more than 1 6.5mm Savage barrel of late. I own several Savages BTW.. And I have yet to pay more than $350 for a Shilen Select Match barrel to avoid this kind of shite.

And cucumber does not feature in my diet..

Throat-1-C-RS-1.jpg


6inchesfrommuzzle-2.jpg


images
 
After extensive research, I have found that my precision firearms perform best when I let them cool for at least two (2) cucumber sandwiches between groups.

I have also found Moët is a great copper solvent.
 
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