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The Basics, Starting Out
Breaking in new barrel question
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<blockquote data-quote="Agunner012" data-source="post: 64553" data-attributes="member: 1500"><p>Here is a thread written by Gale McMillan on barrel break-in. His credentials spoke for themselves.</p><p></p><p>The break in fad was started by a fellow I helped get started in the barrel business. He started putting a set of break in instructions in ever barrel he shipped. One came into the shop to be installed and I read it and the next time I saw him I asked him What was with this break in crap? His answer was Mac, My share of the market is about 700 barrels a year. I cater to the target crowd and they shoot a barrel about 3000 rounds before they change it. If each one uses up 100 rounds of each barrel breaking it in you can figure out how many more barrels I will get to make each year. If you will stop and think that the barrel doesn't know whether you are cleaning it every shot or every 5 shots and if you are removing all foreign material that has been deposited in it since the last time you cleaned it what more can you do? When I ship a barrel I send a recommendation with it that you clean it ever chance you get with a brass brush pushed through it at least 12 times with a good solvent and followed by two and only 2 soft patches. This means if you are a bench rest shooter you clean every 7 or 8 rounds. If you are a high power shooter you clean it when you come off the line after 20 rounds. If you follow the fad of cleaning every shot for X amount and every 2 shots for X amount and so on the only thing you are accomplishing is shortening the life of the barrel by the amount of rounds you shot during this process. I always say Monkey see Monkey do, now I will wait on the flames but before you write them, please include what you think is happening inside your barrel during break in that is worth the expense and time you are spending during break in.</p><p>No flame here Mr. Mac. When my personal history is comparable to yours, I may throw rocks - not until then though.</p><p></p><p>I have done this on factory barrels and had good results. I usually use JB compound for the first few shots and through cleaning after range sessions. The aggressive use of JB seems to smooth things up pretty quickly. (duh) I do not have a custom barrel on any of my rifles. (yet)</p><p></p><p>Would you still hold that the procedure is unneeded on factory barrels?</p><p>I answered this and lost it on transfer so will shorten this one and try to get my point across in fewer words. When some one uses JB on one of my rifles I void the warrantee! For two reasons. ! It dimensionally alters the barrel dimensions and not evenly and the second reason is the barrel maker laps the barrel with a grit of lapping compound that is most effective in preventing metal fouling. Then a customer polishes that finish away with JB.</p><p>I wouldn't be as apposed to it if it were applied on a lead lap and very sparingly. It is very obvious when you look at a barrel with a bore scopes all the sharp edges are worn off the rifling. if it has JB used on it on a regular basis. As you know ,it is an abrasive of about 1000 grit. As for using it on factory barrels I will say that while it is difficult to hurt a production barrel but the thing that hurts a match barrel will do the same to a factory barrel </p><p>I understand what you are saying about JB compound, but, for example, I have a rifle in .375x338 Mag that copper fouls so badly that even JB bore paste doesn't do it. Even the stronger solvents don't seem to phase the stuff. </p><p></p><p></p><p>I think I have more of this article somewhere for anyone who's interested. No flame intended I'm just looking to share what I've read.</p><p></p><p>Andrew</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Agunner012, post: 64553, member: 1500"] Here is a thread written by Gale McMillan on barrel break-in. His credentials spoke for themselves. The break in fad was started by a fellow I helped get started in the barrel business. He started putting a set of break in instructions in ever barrel he shipped. One came into the shop to be installed and I read it and the next time I saw him I asked him What was with this break in crap? His answer was Mac, My share of the market is about 700 barrels a year. I cater to the target crowd and they shoot a barrel about 3000 rounds before they change it. If each one uses up 100 rounds of each barrel breaking it in you can figure out how many more barrels I will get to make each year. If you will stop and think that the barrel doesn't know whether you are cleaning it every shot or every 5 shots and if you are removing all foreign material that has been deposited in it since the last time you cleaned it what more can you do? When I ship a barrel I send a recommendation with it that you clean it ever chance you get with a brass brush pushed through it at least 12 times with a good solvent and followed by two and only 2 soft patches. This means if you are a bench rest shooter you clean every 7 or 8 rounds. If you are a high power shooter you clean it when you come off the line after 20 rounds. If you follow the fad of cleaning every shot for X amount and every 2 shots for X amount and so on the only thing you are accomplishing is shortening the life of the barrel by the amount of rounds you shot during this process. I always say Monkey see Monkey do, now I will wait on the flames but before you write them, please include what you think is happening inside your barrel during break in that is worth the expense and time you are spending during break in. No flame here Mr. Mac. When my personal history is comparable to yours, I may throw rocks - not until then though. I have done this on factory barrels and had good results. I usually use JB compound for the first few shots and through cleaning after range sessions. The aggressive use of JB seems to smooth things up pretty quickly. (duh) I do not have a custom barrel on any of my rifles. (yet) Would you still hold that the procedure is unneeded on factory barrels? I answered this and lost it on transfer so will shorten this one and try to get my point across in fewer words. When some one uses JB on one of my rifles I void the warrantee! For two reasons. ! It dimensionally alters the barrel dimensions and not evenly and the second reason is the barrel maker laps the barrel with a grit of lapping compound that is most effective in preventing metal fouling. Then a customer polishes that finish away with JB. I wouldn't be as apposed to it if it were applied on a lead lap and very sparingly. It is very obvious when you look at a barrel with a bore scopes all the sharp edges are worn off the rifling. if it has JB used on it on a regular basis. As you know ,it is an abrasive of about 1000 grit. As for using it on factory barrels I will say that while it is difficult to hurt a production barrel but the thing that hurts a match barrel will do the same to a factory barrel I understand what you are saying about JB compound, but, for example, I have a rifle in .375x338 Mag that copper fouls so badly that even JB bore paste doesn't do it. Even the stronger solvents don't seem to phase the stuff. I think I have more of this article somewhere for anyone who's interested. No flame intended I'm just looking to share what I've read. Andrew [/QUOTE]
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