Breaking in a barrel...yes, no, maybe so?

[I Am Hero]

Well I know this topic has been beaten to death in the past, but the problem I saw when I started researching this is that both sides of the argument have a pretty valid reasoning for what is "proper".

I had a 338 Lapua built by PCR recently and I cleaned it right when I got it and then put 5 rounds through it, cleaned it. Put another 5 rounds through it, cleaned it. Put 13 rounds through it, and haven't cleaned it again.

I know some places like DPMS say "shoot, clean, shoot, clean, shoot clean, shoot shoot shoot, clean....etc etc" but I also read the article that was published by one of the barrel manufactures (I don't remember who it was now because it was about a year ago) and they said that a little bore snake or copper brush won't do jack to get 416 grade SS out of a barrel. In fact they said the bullets will do the job themselves when it comes to smoothing out the internals.

So a couple of questions I have:

1) What do you do with your barrels?

2) Does this affect barrel life or accuracy?

3) Those of you who have shot out a barrel or two on your rifle; how necessary is all of this?

The cleaning shoot constantly is a real drag, especially when I get a new rifle and the weather is shitty out. I guess if I am going to be cutting 1/4-1/2 MOA out of my accuracy or shortening my barrel like by 300 rounds then it might be worth it. But are the "negative" effects really that negative?

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[bjay]

I have several custom barrel.. none of it taste shoot n clean method.. for me breaking barrel is shooting1-200rounds your barrel is now ready to go

 

[Echo4Bravo]

I'm interested to see what everyone has to say on this topic as well. Seems everyone has their own ritual or say it is a total waste of time. Any smiths or barrel makers have an explanation one way or another?

 

[djskit]

For the after market custom barrell...total waste of time.

Please someone post up "I didn't break in my **insert name brand** barrel and boy did I regret it" because I have yet to ever see anyone post it or have a conversation with anyone who said it.

What I will say, is that some barrels need to "settle". I've had some that take about 200 rounds to get there. I generally clean a couple times during the first 200 - but the whole shoot 1, clean 1 is baloney.

 

[Recreational Shooter WA]

I think you will find this write-up to be informational and will hopefully help to answer some of your questions.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...jective-research-barrel-break-procedures.html

 

[I Am Hero]

I think you will find this write-up to be informational and will hopefully help to answer some of your questions.

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...jective-research-barrel-break-procedures.html

Thank you! This is the exact article that I read previously and I couldn't find it back.

 

[djskit]

This is my favorite article on the subject....

The Rifleman's Journal: Equipment: Barrel Break-In

 

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

The late Gale McMillan (McBros Rifles) used to say he personally knew the barrel maker who had started the "break-in myth," and why. If he could convince his customers to burn 10% of their barrel life just breaking them in, his barrel sales should increase by the same amount.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

The late Gale McMillan (McBros Rifles) used to say he personally knew the barrel maker who had started the "break-in myth," and why. If he could convince his customers to burn 10% of their barrel life just breaking them in, his barrel sales should increase by the same amount.

How to Break-in a Barrel

 

[damoncali]

Break-in is an unmitigated waste of time, ammunition, and barrel. There are few certainties in life. This is one of them.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

if you try it and it actually works, you've lost that oppurtunity

if you did try and it doesn't work, you've still got in some trigger time, rounds on paper toward a zero, and have made sure that everything is tight.


i'll shoot clean shoot clean until a group forms, but that's about it. and usually no more than 15-20 rounds - it just may be the barrel "settling" in.

 

[Bender]

This is my favorite article on the subject....

The Rifleman's Journal: Equipment: Barrel Break-In

This!!! ^^^ x1000%

 

[Lowlight]

Just came from a week long visit of Bartlein Barrels, got a complete behind the scene look at their entire operation, including their process. The entire time I had two video cameras with me.

Barrel break in, cleaning, etc was not only discussed, it was documented. (More on that later)

Rifles, especially barrels have a language, they speak to those sharp enough to not only listen but understand. It's the same as film, the director speaks to the audience using color, composition, etc., each scene tells the viewer more than the words the actors speak. ( Google: Scorsese on the language of film) they (barrels) will tell you exactly what is needed by way of cleaning and break in.

I'll be walking out clips, if you pay attention you might learn something. Here is a clue, one side of just one barrel rifling machine has over 2.8 million cutting strokes, (a stroke is only 1 direction) so pay attention to what the barrels says. It's 2014 things have changed.... Better bullets, powders and especially Barrels.

 

[TacticalBoltKnob]

The only process of barrel break in that I buy into is dry patching the barrel after the first 5 shots or so to push out any micro metal fragments from the bore before the next shot, otherwise they can scratch the bore when the next bullet comes flying through. After that, just shoot it.

 

[Lowlight]

Premium Barrels are Hand Lapped, Like George is doing here,

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