new barrels and fouling

[NZP]

generally, how many shots should you have to fire befor the barrel stops copper fouling bad?

ive had 2 liljas, a 6mm and a 7mm barrel and im not giving them any points for lack of fouling, the 7mm barrel has had about 250rounds through it, actually i think it fouls worse with A-maxs than SMKS, and the 6mm is brand new at 5 shots.. just firing a shot and cleaning it right out in my 6mmbarrel till it stops fouling bad.

when i hear people say the only had to fire 3 or 4 shots and there barrels stopped fouling, do they actually mean that there is basically no copper to remove? Im cleaning with eliminator.

the 7mm is a 280ackly and is plenty accurate as a LR hunting rifle as it shoots between 1-1.5" groups at 300yards

 

[MontanaRifleman]

generally, how many shots should you have to fire befor the barrel stops copper fouling bad?

ive had 2 liljas, a 6mm and a 7mm barrel and im not giving them any points for lack of fouling, the 7mm barrel has had about 250rounds through it, actually i think it fouls worse with A-maxs than SMKS, and the 6mm is brand new at 5 shots.. just firing a shot and cleaning it right out in my 6mmbarrel till it stops fouling bad.

when i hear people say the only had to fire 3 or 4 shots and there barrels stopped fouling, do they actually mean that there is basically no copper to remove? Im cleaning with eliminator.

the 7mm is a 280ackly and is plenty accurate as a LR hunting rifle as it shoots between 1-1.5" groups at 300yards

You're probably going to get a lot of opinions on this, but here is my limited experience.

I recently broke in a new Sako Finnlight 300 WSM. I cleaned after every shot until evidence of copper fouling was gone. After the 13th shot I saw no more copper fouling. Then I started cleaning after each set of 3 while trying to find a good load. Still only a slight trace of copper. Then I went to 18 rounds and got a medium blue patch after a long soak with Wipeout. The next patch after another soaking was clear.

Unfortunately the rifle isn't shooting well and will be replaced, but the break in did seem to significantly cut back the copper fouling to almost nil.

Some will recommend using a bore guide while cleaning and breaking in.

My $.02

 

[J E Custom]

NZP

All barrels breakin at different amounts of shooting because of the condition
of the barrel and the loads fired in them.

A good custom stainless barrel will normaly breakin somewhere between 15 and 20
rounds if cleaned each time they are fired.

The custom crome moly barrels take a little longer 5 or 10 more than the stainless
because they are not normaly laped.

Factory barrels may take up to 60 or 70 rounds to break in and some never stop
fouling.

The reason I like cleaning every round to break a barrel in is, you can feel and see
when its broke in by the way the patch feels and looks when passed through the
bore.

I have heard of some barrels breaking in with only 3 or 4 rounds but I have never
been lucky enough to get on of these. the best I have seen was 12 rounds.

J E CUSTOM

 

[NZP]

NZP

All barrels breakin at different amounts of shooting because of the condition
of the barrel and the loads fired in them.

A good custom stainless barrel will normaly breakin somewhere between 15 and 20
rounds if cleaned each time they are fired.

The custom crome moly barrels take a little longer 5 or 10 more than the stainless
because they are not normaly laped.

Factory barrels may take up to 60 or 70 rounds to break in and some never stop
fouling.

The reason I like cleaning every round to break a barrel in is, you can feel and see
when its broke in by the way the patch feels and looks when passed through the
bore.

I have heard of some barrels breaking in with only 3 or 4 rounds but I have never
been lucky enough to get on of these. the best I have seen was 12 rounds.

J E CUSTOM

thanks for the replies

Yeah i had wondered how much truth was being told when people said it only took 5 rounds. and I just starting to wonder if it largly depends how bad the burr is from when the chamber was cut

 

[Mikecr]

I break-in every barrel(incl customs) with Tubb's TMS bullets at reduced loads.
10 shots.. DONE DEAL