new rifle break in?

[FFemt5287]

Still waiting for my Weatherby Vanguard .300winmag to show up (and not happy about it!) and would like to know whether or not I need to observe any particular break in process with it? This is my first new rifle bought for accuracy and I don't want to mess it up. I don't expect 1/2MOA accuracy, but MOA would be nice!
I saw Cabela's and Midway advertise Tubb Final Finish rounds dubbed to clean up the bore and increase accuracy and velocity:
Cabela's -- Tubb's® Final Finish Bore Conditioning Ammo

Worth it? or wasting my time?

Thanks.

Brandon

 

[mattj]

There are varying opinions on break-in ranging from "must for optimum accuracy" to "barrel maker's snake oil to help you burn your barrel out faster so you'll buy another one sooner".

Lots of super accurate rifles had a thorough break-in procedure. Lots of other super accurate rifles didn't. Each barrel is unique, so there's really no good way to prove whether the break-in procedure you did or didn't do made any difference or not... however it is 100% guaranteed that the shots that you fire for barrel break-in will consume part of your barrel's life and some amount of your time.

Do whatever makes you feel good about your rifle. For me, its shooting the **** thing. My "break-in procedure" is to clean the rifle before I shoot it to remove any grease / unwanted bits, and then go to town.

I'd certainly see what your rifle can do before subjecting it to fire lapping or anything. If it shoots to your satisfaction, leave it alone!

-M

 

[FFemt5287]

Thanks, Matt.
I'm pretty meticulous with how I keep my weapons (clean is an understatement!). I think I'll just shoot it like every other weapon I own. gun)

Now I just need it to be delivered!

 

[FEENIX]

Brandon,

Here's an excerpt from Lilja ...

Break-in Procedure

For an effective break-in the barrel should be cleaned after every shot for the first 10-12 rounds or until copper fouling stops. Our procedure is to push a cotton patch that is wet with solvent through the barrel. This will remove much of the powder fouling and wet the inside of the barrel with solvent. Next, wet a bronze brush with solvent and stroke the barrel 5-10 times. Follow this by another wet patch and then one dry patch. Now soak the barrel with a strong copper removing solvent until all of the blue mess is removed from the barrel. The copper fouling will be heavy for a few rounds and then taper off quickly in just one or two shots. Once it has stopped or diminished significantly it is time to start shooting 5 shot groups, cleaning after each one. After 25-30 rounds clean at a normal interval of 10-25 rounds. Your barrel is now broken-in.



Good luck!


Ed

 

[FFemt5287]

Awesome, Ed! Thank you very much! So clean with a wet patch, brush x5, wet patch, dry patch between the first 10 shots, if I understand the first step correctly?

 

[canderson]

Your understanding of the procedure is correct. Just make sure that you get ALL of the copper out between shots. If you don't, you will be wasting time and barrel life. The theory behind breaking in is bullets traveling down the bore will lap or smooth out some of the very small marks (scratches) made during the rifling process. I always use a reactive copper solvent such as sweet's or boretech eliminatior. When you get close to getting all of the copper out, watch for a false positive from your brass jag. The only way I can tell this is the inside of the patch will have more blue on it than the outside.

 

[mattj]

Brandon,

Here's an excerpt from Lilja ...

Break-in Procedure

For an effective break-in the barrel should be cleaned after every shot for the first 10-12 rounds or until copper fouling stops. Our procedure is to push a cotton patch that is wet with solvent through the barrel. This will remove much of the powder fouling and wet the inside of the barrel with solvent. Next, wet a bronze brush with solvent and stroke the barrel 5-10 times. Follow this by another wet patch and then one dry patch. Now soak the barrel with a strong copper removing solvent until all of the blue mess is removed from the barrel. The copper fouling will be heavy for a few rounds and then taper off quickly in just one or two shots. Once it has stopped or diminished significantly it is time to start shooting 5 shot groups, cleaning after each one. After 25-30 rounds clean at a normal interval of 10-25 rounds. Your barrel is now broken-in.



Good luck!


Ed

But do keep in mind, that for every Dan Lilja there's a Gale McMillan:
How to Break-in a Barrel