Barrel break in and fire forming these days

[Shane Lindsey]

Or two stroke boat motors...

 

[Mike Matteson]

I wouldn't bet on that with engines. If you don't run your engine up and down. I not saying just to gun it, but need to work the r's up and down. The computer on board learns what you expect from it. So later on your on board computer doesn't read the hard press on the gas to go as a quick deman. I don't gun them out the door, but would move it up and down in r's. More R's as mileage is added. Rifles and pistols are different story.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Love to get some input. I have 2 new 300WM to develop loads for. Goal is to shoot 205 berger hybrid elite hunter over H1000 lit by CCI250, starting with virgin Peterson Long brass. To conserve ammo, can I clean barrels and go straight to ladder or do I have to break in barrels? Am I kidding myself trying to shoot virgin brass? I have realistic goals of shooting 1 moa, but would like pretty good ES/SD.

1. Just get to shooting ladders in both guns? OR
2. Break in barrels and fireform brass with different components ? (I have some 150gr 308 bullets/other powders)

Thanks for your insight/thoughts in advance.

PS - rifles are nothing special - off the shelf T/C Compass II and Savage 110 variant.

If I have a new rifle "nothing special' for hunting I treat it just like a "F" class break in. WHY NOT. I try to get the best out of everything I have so doing the "Break in" I'll still look at testing loads as I go along. I check the barrel out with a bore scope, measure my free bore, shoot/break in then fine tune. If it is a factory non hand lapped, I might even do limited fire lapping. Most of my rifles shoot <0.25" MAO and only the larger calibers at 0.50". My thought process is better take care up front in the beginning and that will follow down the road. Taking a little more time and doing a so called "Break in" can't hurt. Can anyone give me a negative on break in process besides a little more time and ammo?
It is also not only the "BARREL" for break in for your MOA goals. there are several other factors to look at - what trigger is installed. is it bedded, ect. This is a POST for barrel break in, fire forming and load development. You can also fire form, depending, on the type process you use along with break in. not COW.

If you buy a rifle for hunting what are your expectations 1" MOA less/more???? Try to get the best accuracy in the rifle you can then you can't blame the rifle when you miss.

If you didn't gain anything you also didn't loose anything, but what if you did gain something from the process? Can't reverse other processes by not a break in... Just a thought.

After that we also need to look at what kind of barrel maintenance/care for a hunt or a match, Now this will even open up more thoughts on cleaning vs fouled barrels.

 

[MNbogboy]

Fireforming that first batch of brass is the perfect time to do seating tests looking for best grouping with .010, .005 and .003 to narrow it down.. Once found i move on to velocity ladders in .1 grain increments.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I don't think that .1gr is fast enough especially where the case is holding about 70gr of powder per load. I generally move up .5 gr looking for pressure signs at the same time. I will load up about 15 case with the .5 increases, and go to the range to shoot. I chart where the bullet hits, and how the primers are looking. Once I have reached a flat primer I know what the max powder load is. You can ladder test a same time. If going up .1gr increase load it could be about 50 rounds to find max load. Looking at the ladder at the same. So if you are putting out 5 shot groups, that could turn into 250 shots just starting starting out. Yes you can just shoot one shot @ each .1gr increase, but that a lot of shooting to fine out too. On 300 WM .5gr increase isn't out of line. Where the rifle is using 70+ grains of powder to start with. Other rifles in the 50 to 62 gr loads I move up at about .25gr increase per case.