Varmint Al's barrel break-in method

[VarmintBob]

If you shoot a new barrel enough times, it will be "broken in" (have the rough microscopic points in the bore smoothed out) using any method you can come up with. The smoothed bore will increase pressure and thereby make your load speed up. To get back to your previous velocity you will need to take a bit of powder from your load.

 

[crkckr]

Breaking in a new custom barrel (factory barrels are a completely different can of worms) involves a certain amount of voodoo, plain and simple. What works for me may not work for you just due to the way I hold my tongue or the phase of the moon! Hell, if I thought it would help I'd dance around a campfire nekkid with a knife between my teeth!
I moly coat all of the bullets I shoot in my custom barrelled guns so I want the barrel pretty smooth. So far I've never gotten a custom barrel that wasn't pretty slick looking in the scope but if I thought it was a bit rough or if it coppered up quickly, I would be tempted to shoot a few rounds of NECO polishing rounds down the tube. The stuff works wonders on pistols that shoot plain lead, although I have gotten away from plain lead these days and always shoot the coated bullets.

I do break barrels in, usually using whatever the manufacturer suggests. If they don't feel the need for break in, I just monitor the copper build up as I shoot. It works for me!
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

Fierce Firearms recommended technique on their custom rifles:

1. Shoot one round and clean after every round for the first five rounds
2. Shoot five rounds and clean for the next 15 rounds--after 20 rounds you're done.

My buddy and I both had new Fierce rifles and were on the range doing the "break-in" thing...he turns to me and says..."you think we oughtta shake a chicken leg over these things while were doing this?"

 

[Ackley Man]

You're way wrong about that.
A good while ago I polled Benchrest Central(when it was booming) about accurate 6PPC barrel life, brass life, and loads. I had hundreds respond with incredible consistency. 'Competitive' were absolutely around 75Kpsi. Below this was not producing that considered competitive.
Of course that is not viable in anything, including a tiny 6PPC, so their cases did not last but 4-5 shots, and their barrels were lucky to shoot good enough beyond 900 rounds. Just the price of being competitive.

This is the typical load and accurate barrel life of a competitive 6PPC:
View attachment 409026
And an action barely feels the forces of a 6PPC, as it's area is so small. There is not a safety concern here regardless of action.

I am not quite sure exactly who told you that they run their 6PPC loads at 75K and only obtain 4-5 shots from their brass but I can tell you that I shoot with Lester Bruno and Gary O'Cock who are both Hall of Fame members, along with several other 6PPC shooters. None of us run loads based on what you indicate was told to you. At 75K the velosity would be approaching 4000 fps far beyond the accuracy node

. Here are some indicators or normal PPC loads. Also attached is a sampling of SAAMI maximum pressure
allowances for various calibers none of which approach 75K.

 

[Mikecr]

Your great big pictures demonstrate nothing 6PPC from SAAMI, nor a competitive 6PPC load.
Seriously, it would make no sense to attempt competition with a 6PPC down-loaded to the 40Ks.
Are you trying to use heavier bullets, slower/hotter powders, and longer barrels for point blank BR?

 

[Ackley Man]

Your great big pictures demonstrate nothing 6PPC from SAAMI, nor a competitive 6PPC load.
Seriously, it would make no sense to attempt competition with a 6PPC down-loaded to the 40Ks.
Are you trying to use heavier bullets, slower/hotter powders, and longer barrels for point blank BR?

SAAMI has no chamber, cartridge or chamber pressure published for 6PPC. Below is some standard
6PPC load data. Nothing near 75K pressure. Clearly whoever supplied you with the faulty information did not own or probably never even saw a strain gauge or piezo pressure testing barrel. You can run yours over the ragged edge if you have no concern for your own safety. The unfortunate thing is that guys like you publish dangerous information that someone else may use.

 

[Ackley Man]

 

[Ackley Man]

View attachment 409682

FACTORY LOADED AMMO PRODUCED 50k PSI

 

[ntsqd]

[HIJACK] Just as an aside, there's no SAAMI chamber for 6PPC, but there is Factory Loaded ammunition? How did that happen? [/HIJACK]

 

[Ackley Man]

[HIJACK] Just as an aside, there's no SAAMI chamber for 6PPC, but there is Factory Loaded ammunition? How did that happen? [/HIJACK]

Contact Sako or HMS and ask them.

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hsmammunition.com

 

[BARNDOG]

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?

Google Bartlein barrels. Also GA Precision web sight. top barrel Mfg. and top rifle builder.
The 260 REM. Is a very accurate round. Lapua Scenar 139 gr. Is extremely accurate. 45 grains of H4350 is a good place to start. Depending on your barrel, expect 2850 FPS. It is a great hunting bullet. Also the Lapua 123 gr. Is excellent bullet for more speed and great accuracy. Forget destroying a new barrel with JB's. Go to Benchrest Central and ask the benchrest shooters f about JB's and others questions.
Those guys know!!!!

 

[6MM06AI]

I started using Wipe out patch out a long time ago! That stuff is very amazing to use. I love it. Try it for yourself and see if you like it.

 

[Ray Gross]

[HIJACK] Just as an aside, there's no SAAMI chamber for 6PPC, but there is Factory Loaded ammunition? How did that happen? [/HIJACK]

It is a CIP standardized caliber

 

[Mikecr]

I don't wish to hijack this thread.