Barrel break in

[375 Ruger Fan]

LOL. God bless you. I am just trying to imagine myself with the self-discipline to remember to maintain that sort of count during shooting.

I have a Ruger Number 1 in .270 that I purchased at the Rod & Gun in Wertheim Germany in 1974. I have no idea how many head of game I took with it while stationed in Germany for five years - but it would be well over a hundred (helped a forester with his shooting plan on a 4k acre revier in the Spessart mountains). It has subsequently taken many whitetail and seen a lot of rounds down range at various stops over nearly five decades. I fired it about six weeks ago, and it clover-leafed its favorite 150 gr load with typical monotony. It has never had a bore brush or solvent through it - ever. Most years it gets a couple of patches with a bit of balistol.

And Hogpatrol - no problem - that would indeed be hell.

@Red Leg sir: With all due respect, I don't think the Drill Sergeant would be very happy with you.........

 

[Fred Gunner]

Yup…I’ve read all about shooting a “dirty” Barrel …I know in my hart dirty barrels give the most consistent accuracy. (you only get one shot through a “clean barrel…Truth)

But Nope after 20 years of inspecting every weapon from 9mm to 120MM for turn-in…I am incapable of placing a dirty gun into my gun safe…I’ve tried so help me god I’ve tried…Can’t do it sorry!

PS: The Pope waved his magic scepter last Easter and made Hell disappear Poof! So no worries?

 

[GuttormG]

So, what about the shots fired at the factory when they tested your new rifle? Did they clean between each shot?

 

[Hogpatrol]

So, what about the shots fired at the factory when they tested your new rifle? Did they clean between each shot?

Is that still done? I'm thinking maybe the premium guns but just wondering if the mass market manufacturers just fire one shot and ship them.

 

[mark-hunter]

Is that still done? I'm thinking maybe the premium guns but just wondering if the mass market manufacturers just fire one shot and ship them.

Yes it is done.

Some rifles (incuding cheaper ones) get certifiacate with test target.

Also, in EU, certificate of the proof house is required for every firearm. This includes test firing with proof loads, if not in factory then in proof house.

 

[mark-hunter]

Is that still done? I'm thinking maybe the premium guns but just wondering if the mass market manufacturers just fire one shot and ship them.

Yes it is done.

Some rifles (incuding cheaper ones) get certifiacate with test target.

Also, in EU, certificate of the proof house is required for every firearm. This includes test firing with proof loads, if not in factory then in proof house.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I got test target with new CZs and Anschutz rimfires. The CZs had so much gunk in the bores I couldn't tell if they cleaned them. The Annies were clean.

 

[Rob404]

I know CZ does but it not for break in but most likely a function test My CZs came with the test results, I don't remember if my Winchester did or not

 

[mark-hunter]

Except for rimfire, all of my barrels are aftermarket, lapped barrels both cut and button rifled. I clean after the first couple rounds and then go ahead and shoot as normal. For today's mass produced factory barrels, I believe break in is a waste of time.

I pre clean any new barrel as well as the action. At the range I run a Frog Lube patch down the barrel each time for the first 4 shots, then run a patch after 4 shots and will pretty much follow that pattern for the first 50 or so shots I use the number 4 because most sporter barrels will get pretty warm after 4 shots. After the range session I'll let the barrel cool down run a wet patch down followed by a dry. I also use a one piece graphite cleaning rod

All this cleaning, means full cleaning with copper solvent?

 

[Hogpatrol]

All this cleaning, means full cleaning with copper solvent?

Yes.

 

[Milan]

I know CZ does but it not for break in but most likely a function test My CZs came with the test results, I don't remember if my Winchester did or not

All CZs used to come with open sights and the factory targets were proof of rifle being sighted in with those. 3 shots had to group inside the specific target zone to pass QA. Their 22's came with similar target but those were at shorter distance. Pistols too I think. They may still do it, even with their sightless guns. I believe, the guns you received had minimum 4 shots through them. Proofing shot and then the 3 sight in shots. I doubt they were cleaned between shots. But they also never had stainless, hand-lapped barrels, so the chro-mo barrels needed more shots to break in anyway.

I only break in custom barrels like Kreiger or Lilja and I do each as they recommend. I tend to believe Krieger with respect to the throat break-in vs. rifling. I now clean rifle barrels much, much less than I used to. I used to be unable to put a gun away, even during hunting season, with a dirty barrel. I have one target 6.5x55 now that has gone 300 rounds without cleaning. I will see when the accuracy drops off and then clean. Even my .308s now go few matches before I clean them. I also have barrels that we checked with bore-scope and they were already pitted and otherwise worn due to neglect or just hard life and age and they shoot well. I have one that looks pristine inside yet just will not shoot any factory ammo well, so I will try hand-loads and if those do not shoot, it's coming off. I have a "cheap" Rem 700 5R barrel that I did break in and it shoots better than one of my Kreigers but is still harder to clean....I guess I'm trying to say that when it comes to barrels, it depends. I'm sure one can damage one or one can keep one pristine but how it shoots is probably driven by other factors. Now if one shoots extremely well and you ruin it, oh well...that is indeed a shame. But for average hunting rifles/barrels, I would not sweat it as much. Now, rust on the gun on the other hand...I still can't stand.

 

[BobT]

I think barrel break in was created by the folks who sell barrels for a living

 

[sestoppelman]

If the break in is done for the reasons outlined above by Kreiger sure, why not? If one is thinking that somehow the break in will make his rifle more accurate than it would if not done, well good luck proving it. You cant, its not possible to prove it helped on one barrel because you can only shoot/break in a new barrel once. I don't think it hurts and I have done it on occasion but not often.

 

[Philip Glass]

As my late brother would say “if you live on a ranch you shoot guns, if you live in town you clean guns”.
That said I have taken some shooters advice and done the break in procedure that has you cleaning after successive rounds. I don’t know what the truth is on this matter!
Good discussion.
Philip

 

[mark-hunter]

Yes.

Thanks!

 

[mark-hunter]

Some makers reccomend break in. Recently I saw Bergara user manual that reccomends break in procedure, and exact sequence of shots followed by cleaning was described.

Some makers do not reccomend this.

Personally, my view is:
Hunting rifle, does not need to be broken in.
Match rifle, does.

For Bergara, I was not surprised on this makers recomendation.
If lapping and polishing of barrel costs in production process (and it does), and then they removed this procedure from production line, then they created cheaper product, with part of process to be completed by end user. (owner),
if this makes cheaper product, why not?

 

[GuttormG]

As a barrel maker I have looked in thousands of new and used barrels with a bore scope and I will tell you that if every one followed the prescribed [one shot, one clean] break-in method, a very large number would do more harm than good. The reason you hear of the gain in accuracy is because if you chamber a barrel with a reamer that has a dull throater instead of cutting clean sharp rifling it smears a burr up on the down wind side of the rifling. It takes from one to two hundred rounds to burn this burr out and the rifle to settle down and shoot its best. Any one who chambers rifle barrels has tolerances on how dull to let the reamer get and factories let them go longer than any competent smith would.

Another tidbit to consider--take a 300 Win Mag that has a life expectancy of 1000 rounds. Use 10% of it up with your break-in procedure. For every 10 barrels the barrel-maker makes he has to make one more just to take care of the break-in. No wonder barrel-makers like to see this. Now when you flame me on this please [explain] what you think is happening to the inside of your barrel during the break in that is helping you.

Consider this: every round shot in breaking-in a barrel is one round off the life of said rifle barrel. No one has ever told me the physical reason of what happens during break-in firing. In other words what, to the number of pounds of powder shot at any given pressure, is the life of the barrel. No one has ever explained what is being accomplished by shooting and cleaning in any prescribed method. Start your barrel off with 5 rounds and clean it thoroughly and do it again. Nev Maden, a friend down under that my brother taught to make barrels was the one who came up with the [one shot one clean] break-in method. He may think he has come upon something, or he has come up with another way to sell barrels. I feel that the first shot out of a barrel is its best and every one after that deteriorates [the bore] until the barrel is gone. If some one can explain what physically takes place during break-in to modify the barrel then I may change my mind. As the physical properties of a barrel don't change because of the break-in procedures it means it's all hog wash. I am open to any suggestions that can be documented otherwise if it is just someone's opinion--forget it.

It all got started when a barrel maker that I know started putting break-in instructions in the box with each barrel he shipped a few years ago. I asked him how he figured it would help and his reply was if they shoot 100 rounds breaking in this barrel that's total life is 3000 rounds and I make 1000 barrels a year just figure how many more barrels I will get to make. He had a point; it definately will shorten the barrel life. I have been a barrel maker a fair amount of time and my barrels have set and reset benchrest world records so many times I quit keeping track (at one time they held 7 at one time) along with High Power, Silhouette, Smallbore national and world records and my instructions were to clean as often as possible preferably every 10 rounds. I inspect every barrel taken off and every new barrel before it is shipped with a bore scope and I will tell you all that I see far more barrels ruined by cleaning rods than I see worn out from normal wear and tear. I am even reading about people recommending breaking-in pistols. As if it will help their shooting ability or the guns'. -Gale McMillan

Maybe not true, but hell-its fun anyway.

 

[JGRaider]

When I get a new rifle, I clean the barrel down to metal with JB's bore paste, and then apply Dyna Tek Bore Coat. It's a fantastic product. I do this whether it's a custom barrel or not.

I find barrel break in to be a total waste of time.

 

[Milan]

When I get a new rifle, I clean the barrel down to metal with JB's bore paste, and then apply Dyna Tek Bore Coat. It's a fantastic product. I do this whether it's a custom barrel or not.

I find barrel break in to be a total waste of time.

Isn't that the same thing? The paste essentially does what the shoot+clean procedure does, does it not?
It's kind of like people running lapping compound on the bolt. I'd rather use the rifle a lot and let it smooth itself out.

 

[Shootist43]

Like anything else, in gun barrels you get what you pay for. Quality Custom barrels are usually hand lapped at the factory and a break in protocol probably isn't required. On the other hand, barrels produced for the "masses" are not hand lapped and would probably benefit from a break in procedure. The majority of powder solvents do not address copper fouling. I do a thorough job of copper removal. Like IdaRam I use Bore Tech CU+2. Whenever I purchase a used firearm it gets a complete copper removal treatment before I fire it. You'd be surprised how copper fouled most barrels are.