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Joined: Dec 2004
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Speaking of custom barrels only, pray tell me what you are breaking in.
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Joined: May 2016
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One a factory barrel, I clean it down to metal with WipeOut, then wet the bore good with EezOx, let sit overnight/muzzle down. I then run a bore snake through it and start shooting. After every three rounds or so, I'll pull a wet w/EezOx bore snake through a couple times. I do that for 20 rds or so. After that, I only run a bore snake wet after a range session. I'll pull a dry one in between different powders/load workup. On a new barrel, I will do the wet one after each shot for five rounds, then repeat above. I used to do the 20-50 rd breakin, but I couldn't see any benefit. I did, one time, during "Break IN" shot 20 rds of Fire Lap (5 Medium, rest Polish) through a stainless Remington factory 300 RUM. It smoothed out the visible chatter marks. I've had several barrels, factory and custom, that needed a few "settling in" fouling shots after the WipeOut cleaning, even later on.
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Joined: Jan 2011
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OP
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I was not talking about cleaning or break in process just curious if it will shoot better after x amount of rounds. Was out shooting this weekend and it looks like .8 to .6 is as good as its going to get. Once again better than any stock rifle I own
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Joined: May 2016
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I would imagine that after 50rds, any barrel on anything "is what it is". Sure, they may or may not need a few fouling shots after a good cleaning, but yeah, that's a lot of rounds.
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Joined: Nov 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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I think the only way to test whether breaking in a barrel is worthwhile would be to make two barrels from the same blank, then break in one, and just shoot the other. That might prove something for THAT blank, but nothing else, I suspect. Too many variables in play to make a definitive judgement, but like Steve Gash once remarked, it don't hurt anything.
I think frequent cleaning in the early stages, along with possibly not letting it get too hot, might not be a bad idea. Also suspect that the action settling in to the stock may be a factor in any supposed benefit. Still, some pretty knowledgeable folks are believers.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Campfire Outfitter
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I break them in, at least the custom barrels. I do the shoot one clean one for the first ten rounds then go shoot them, it's always worked well for me. I don't know if it helps any but a gunsmith down the road from me that held pretty much every benchrest record out there in the 1980's recommended I do it so I do. He's got the name in the record books, the guys throwing rifles against rocks don't, so I figure I'll listen to him over the others.
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Do what you want, I am not offended in the least if you dont break-in your new rifle barrels but I go through a little routine similar to what I read gun writer David Petzal does, I clean between each shot for the first 5 then I shoot two 3 shot groups cleaning between each group and Im done, it may or may not matter but Its little trouble and I feel better after I do it 👍.......good shooting to all 😁.......Hb
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Still no answers to why you are "breaking in" a barrel. Tell me what breaking in does for you. Speaking of custom barrels only.
Do I know the Mississippi smith?
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Still no answers to why you are "breaking in" a barrel. Tell me what breaking in does for you. Speaking of custom barrels only.
Do I know the Mississippi smith? If you looked at the bore under magnification you would see tears and rips along with small burrs, the better the tooling the better the surface finish, some materials machine better than others, some manufacturers machines, are better than others, there are many variables. Custom barrels are going to have a better surface finish than standard factory barrel where money is a big concern. Shooting and cleaning between shots removes these irregularities for the barrel instead of forcing them into the surface of the barrel or deforming the bullet itself. It pains me to think that a man buys a rifle to shoot, yet refuses to simply run a patch thru that same rifle between shots, the rifle is new, the optics are new, you need to site the rifle in so why not take a moment and do it right ?
Writing here is Prohibited by the authorities.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 46,098 Likes: 6 |
Yep. Barrel break-in is a myth.
Pure and simple. I thought the same thing. I put a new shilen select match on my .308 last year cut to 20" and I was going to just roll with it. Guy at our camp told me about the "break in" process of new barrels. 1 shot, clean between each shot, do this 5 times (5 shots total) ----- was shooting 3" groups (was pissed with results being new barrel) 2 shots, clean between each 2 shots, do this 5 times (10 shots total) ---- groups closed down to about 1.5" (some hope) 3 shots, clean between each 3 shots, do this 5 times (15 shots total) ---- groups were getting under moa (thumbs starting to point up) 4 shots, clean between each 4 shots, do this 5 times (20 shots total) ---- Groups were about .75 moa with factory loads We then cooked up some hand loads with a recipe for his 5r milspec 308 to try in mine. My Shilen liked those loads better than his rifle. When it was all said and done, his hand loads were shooting .5" moa at 200 yards. the barrel break in was at 100 yards. Now, for the last 30 years, I have never did a barrel break in, ever. If I bought a new rifle, mounted an optic and went at it. Figured since I had a custom gun built, I should take his advice. Well being a skeptic, I did it. The results didn't lie. Now this was only my case and the 1st time that I had ever done it, but it did work on my new barrel. I've had more than one rifle (with custom barrels) that needed a few rounds down it after a thorough cleaning before it settled down and shot good groups. What you saw can easily be explained by the same. In any case, when you say "results don't lie" just realize that you have a sample of one with no control, nothing to compare it to. You can't really draw any conclusions from that kind of "test."
A wise man is frequently humbled.
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Joined: Sep 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2010
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Someone said.........
All bullschidt that makes those with OCD feel good.
I agree. Jerry
jwall- *** 3100 guy***
A Flat Trajectory is Never a Handicap
Speed is Trajectory's Friend !!
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I run a patch with Hoppe’s No. 9 through a new rifle barrel and then go shoot it. There is a lot to be said about not overheating a barrel (either new or old) and I let my guns cool down between shots at the range.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson
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Joined: Nov 2003
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now I shoot mostly cast bullets in the 35-458 caliber rifles BTW Ive read several places that, FOR CAST BULLET SHOOTING, long term tests were done, and if you carefully clean fairly new barrel rifling and spray the moly dry lube sprays into the barrel, then swab the moly into the rifling at fairly frequent intervals and consistent, use the moly after bore cleaning it tends to reduce bore wear. lead build-up and increase accuracy with cast bullets used Ive used the moly after each bore cleaning for 20 plus years and it does make a noticeable difference, 1" 3 shot groups from reduced power loads in my 458 LOTT, 458 win and 450 marlin are not all that difficult most of my handloads are in the 1500fps-1900 fps velocity range with 350-405 grain bullets no deer or elk shrugs off a well placed hit with a 405 grain cast bullet in the 1800-1900 fps range and all three rifles do that easily ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/422424.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/molysp1.JPG) ![[Linked Image]](http://www.grumpysperformance.com/molysp2.JPG)
Last edited by 340mag; 07/03/19.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,346
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,346 |
Still no answers to why you are "breaking in" a barrel. Tell me what breaking in does for you. Speaking of custom barrels only.
Do I know the Mississippi smith? If you looked at the bore under magnification you would see tears and rips along with small burrs, the better the tooling the better the surface finish, some materials machine better than others, some manufacturers machines, are better than others, there are many variables. Custom barrels are going to have a better surface finish than standard factory barrel where money is a big concern. Shooting and cleaning between shots removes these irregularities for the barrel instead of forcing them into the surface of the barrel or deforming the bullet itself. It pains me to think that a man buys a rifle to shoot, yet refuses to simply run a patch thru that same rifle between shots, the rifle is new, the optics are new, you need to site the rifle in so why not take a moment and do it right ? Yeah, I got me a bore scope. The custom barrels that I use are lapped barrels. If you look through your bore scope on a freshly chambered barrel, you will see a little "fluff" from chambering in the throat. If you will get a quality bronze bore brush, chuck it into your Makita or Dewalt drill. Run it in the throat for about 5 seconds. Your barrel is broke in. If I had a barrel blank with tooling marks in the lands and grooves, back it goes. They ain't cheap.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Still no answers to why you are "breaking in" a barrel. Tell me what breaking in does for you. Speaking of custom barrels only.
Do I know the Mississippi smith? It’s mostly for smoothing out the reamer marks from the throat as I understand it. He’s right across the line in Independence LA, Don Geraci.
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,346
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,346 |
Still no answers to why you are "breaking in" a barrel. Tell me what breaking in does for you. Speaking of custom barrels only.
Do I know the Mississippi smith? It’s mostly for smoothing out the reamer marks from the throat as I understand it. He’s right across the line in Independence LA, Don Geraci. Known that old fool for many many years.
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did you reglass bed and float this new barrel that is very important too, i have even found stocks with aluminum blocks in stock shoot even a little better if you glass bed over those blocks and it improves groups .10 or .20 but it all helps. some barrel brands are more accurate too and the machinist who put the barrel on is important.for break in on a new barrel just use Wipe out and patches but i don`t over shoot a new barrel either maybe 10 shots in a day ? i have my own range so its easier for me too. good luck with your new barrel,Pete53
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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Obey lawful commands. Video interactions. Hold bad cops accountable. Problem solved.
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Break In RINKHint..................
Brad says: "Can't fault Rick for his pity letting you back on the fire... but pity it was and remains. Nothing more, nothing less. A sad little man in a sad little dream."
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