Varmint Al's barrel break-in method

[newmexkid]

So, I have a bunch of spare time on my hands at the moment. During a mindless wander of the Internet, I came across Varmint Al's page. Had been a long time since I had first visited it. I read his barrel break-in procedure and thought I would post it.

NEW BARREL BREAK IN.... There is so much black magic out there about breaking in a barrel, that I am not going to suggest any procedure. I will merely tell you what I do with a new barrel. I take the brand new barrel and use J-B on it. That's right, I clean and polish it with J-B before even firing the first round through it. I put a light coat of J-B on a patch and give the barrel about 50 strokes from end to end with it. Then I clean the J-B out with a couple of patches of Shooter's Choice MC#7. I dry the bore with 3 or 4 patches until it is completely dry. I carefully clean the chamber of J-B too. That's it, the barrel is broken in and I am ready to sight in, shoot some groups, and work up an accurate load.

What do you think?

 

[CaptDru]

I don't really do a break in. Just clean after every range session. Once hunting season starts, I leave the barrel dirty till after the season. Then I will clean after the season. Seems to work for me and all my rifles are 1/2 moa or less.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I will usually do an abbreviated break in on a custom match grade barrel. One shot and clean for 5 rounds. Then 3 shots and clean for 15 rounds. After that I'm working up loads and monitoring velocity. There are too many different opinions from "people in the know", including barrel manufacturers, for me to come to any definitive opinion on barrel break in. Some don't even recommend it at all and claim that it's just a waste of barrel life.

I figure that an abbreviated break in can't hurt and "may" help.

 

[Old Rooster]

I figure that an abbreviated break in can't hurt and "may" help.

Can't hurt!
I do the same but if I start seeing too much copper I keep shoot and clean until copper build up is much less.

 

[QuietTexan]

Probably as good as any other plan.

All that ever happens in a barrel is that copper builds up. All that copper build up does is reduce accuracy and potentially cause pressure issues. The solution is cleaning the copper out.

So shoot it until there's either a drop in accuracy or a safe load is pressuring out (accuracy should drop of first). Clean the copper out. Rinse lather repeat until either carbon becomes a problem (and clean then), or the barrel burns out.

The concept of clean more frequently up front is to remove copper that may or may not build up faster on tooling marks or constrictions in a new barrel. If you don't clean it "often enough" all that happens is it takes a little longer to clean, it doesn't permanently damage anything so long as you aren't letting the bore rot from humidity or debris.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I've never "properly" broken a barrel in in my life. Then again, I won't go out and run 100 rounds thru a new bore either.

My first range session is normally getting a rough zero for the optic & testing a few loads. 20-25 rounds.

Go home & clean it until I have no more copper or carbon residue.

Head back to the range. They all shoot better than I do

Will "break-in" hurt anything? It can, if using improper cleaning procedures. Then again, I would certainly hope those concerned with "break-in" understand how badly they can damage their bore by cleaning it incorrectly. I have definitely noticed a new bore does foul quicker than a seasoned bore. Which is why I limit my initial range session.

So, in summary. I believe a properly conducted "Break-in" isn't counterintuitive by any means. Perhaps, just a bit excessive IMHO.

If it brings the shooter a piece of mind, rock your process of choice all-day-long.



t

 

[Mikecr]

I do 10shts of Tubb's TMS, which is functionally, similar to described use of J-B NON-EMBEDDING BORE CLEANING COMPOUND.

This is not the same as J-B Bore Bright, or some sort of Flitz polishing.
Do not ever use them, unless you just want to ruin a bore for some reason..
You need a relatively rough grit that the best barrel makers lap with. They NEVER polish.

If your barrel is not well lapped, don't waste a lot of effort with J-B. Go to Tubb's FinalFinish and fix that.
It's easier and for sure works.

 

[Ray Gross]

A crappy barrel may benefit from some work to clear out the tight/rough spots and a chamber done with a worn reamer may benefit by cleaning the burrs out of the throat, but there is no good reason to 'break in' a good quality barrel, chambered by a competent gunsmith.

The barrel may wear in and speed up after 50-200 rounds fired, but that doesn't require any breaking in either, it just happens.

Use those early rounds for preliminary load testing and zeroes.

 

[Jud96]

I have heard of this very same method being used by Keith Glasscock (Winning in the Wind on YouTube) using JB or Iosso to polish the barrel when it's brand new. I have thought of this as well, because essentially you're doing the same thing with a mild abrasive as shooting 10-20 shots and cleaning will do I would think. You're rolling over and polishing any burrs in the chamber and burnishing the bore. I don't do much of a break in. I usually shoot 10-20 and clean for the first 100 rounds while fire forming brass.

 

[Ackley Man]

A crappy barrel may benefit from some work to clear out the tight/rough spots and a chamber done with a worn reamer may benefit by cleaning the burrs out of the throat, but there is no good reason to 'break in' a good quality barrel, chambered by a competent gunsmith.

The barrel may wear in and speed up after 50-200 rounds fired, but that doesn't require any breaking in either, it just happens.

Use those early rounds for preliminary load testing and zeroes.

That isn't what Tony Boyer's philosophy is on new barrels. Being the number one all time in the bench rest hall of fame I would probably be following his break-in regime.

 

[Mikecr]

I'm sure it would be pretty much impossible to prove that any aspect of barrels are saved with break-in.
After all, our barrels don't wear out. They burn out.

Someone shooting a 6PPC at 75Kpsi needs to settle a barrel, and determine if good enough to go forward with it -fast as possible.
I believe that's what it comes down to with Tony's notions in this regard.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Makes no difference. Shoot 150 rounds or so and your broken in. Doesnt matter how you do it.

 

[tim_w]

That isn't what Tony Boyer's philosophy is on new barrels. Being the number one all time in the bench rest hall of fame I would probably be following his break-in regime.

Lou Murdica actually uses a patched brush with ISSO to polish the chamber and cleaning the chamber after matchs. Uses it down the bore as well for all his cleaning. Very much doubt he is "ruining" his chambers and bore. He's been known to set a record or two.

 

[Ackley Man]

Lou Murdica actually uses a patched brush with ISSO to polish the chamber and cleaning the chamber after matchs. Uses it down the bore as well for all his cleaning. Very much doubt he is "ruining" his chambers and bore. He's been known to set a record or two.

I was responding to: "there is no good reason to 'break in' a good quality barrel, chambered by a competent gunsmith."

By the way, Murdica does not use ISSO for all of his bore cleaning.