breaking in a new barrel

J

jackh

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 18, 2008
683
1
College Station, TX
#1
with a new rifle on the way, i thought id read some about breaking in your barrel. i read a bunch of different techniques involving a ton of cleaning after very few shots. however, i read an article from a barrel builder that thought it was all a bunch of bull and new other barrel builders that sent break in instructions with the barrels simply because it took life off the barrel, meaning ppl would come back to them for more barrels (sorry if that doesn't really make sense). so, what do yall do? do you even break it in?

http://www.6mmbr.com/GailMcMbreakin.html
 
#3
Re: breaking in a new barrel

Life is too short. I just shoot it.

And you answered your own question. If you ask 10 people this question you will get 10 different answers.

Just to add one more to your list. Some builders and barrel makers include break in procedures because they are tired of people asking this same question.
 
#4
Re: breaking in a new barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: HateCA</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I just shoot it.</div></div>
 
#8
Re: breaking in a new barrel

I swab a new barrel with some oil...dry it out with a few patches...then shoot. All of my rifles that have been built by Terry Cross or GAP have shot one hole groups at 100 yds for their first three shots...I figured why bother going through some break in ritual...how much better is it going to get.

Also for some perspective...on rare occasions we would get a new barrel for one of our M40A1's...it would come with a new round count book. The 2112's never shot more than a few rounds threw it...maybe 3 to 7. Even if we knew about some break in regime we only had BreakFree to use with it and a bore snake.

Buy the best barrels and you don't have bother...that's been my experience.

--KJ
 
#9
Re: breaking in a new barrel

I'll tell ya what USMC armorer told me, after building me a match grade Garand....

"Just shoot the %&$*er."


I'll let you figger out the " %&$* " part.

smile.gif
 
#10
Re: breaking in a new barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LoneWolfUSMC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There is. The trend is that break-in is a ritual to satisfy the owner. Not a requirement for the rifle. </div></div>

Concure. It helps with getting to know your rifle. Its kinda of like getting a new girlfriend, mistress whatever floats your boat and giving her the once over when in all reality you should just bang the piss out of her and get it over with. Check out youtube for barrel break in there are some funny vids about this subject I would recommend watching.
 
#11
Re: breaking in a new barrel

I know an old gunsmith who spent summers with P.O. Ackley. They spent a good deal of time experimenting with loads, new chambering, blowing up guns and such. Max always maintained that by the time you finished sighting-in the new rifle, barrel break-in was complete.
Interesting aside, he had a 55 gallon drum stacked full of Hart barrels.
 
#13
Re: breaking in a new barrel

I have noticed that factory barrels will "break in" in regards to accuracy, ie they will get better after a number of shots, my last savage got real consistent after 100 or so shots.

From what I have read, shoot the gun, then after your first range day work to get the copper fouling out of the rifle. That may be easy or painful, it wasnt terrible in my gun but it took some time. Then shoot until accuracy drops off and repeat.
 
#14
Re: breaking in a new barrel

This is the proper barrel break in for all new and re barreled rifles.
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TRRahHX9Zkg"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TRRahHX9Zkg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
 
#15
Re: breaking in a new barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is the proper barrel break in for all new and re barreled rifles.
</div></div>
That's a minute of my life I'll never get back.
frown.gif


I'll take a factory tube and run JB paste on a tight fitting patch through the bore before firing it. Then just shoot it, when accuracy falls, clean it some. Premium after market barrels are already lapped, shoot em.
 
#16
Re: breaking in a new barrel

That was a resident hide member: Nobody. He is not around any more as he was hard to get used to.
smile.gif
However it is used to demonstrate that you do not need break in and that the question came up SO MUCH that he felt he had to make the video. He was ornery but his shooting and hunting skills can not be argued from what I remember of him.
 
#17
Re: breaking in a new barrel

i simply zero it and get on with shooting , i dont really buy into the fire a round clean the barrell and repeat again and again, im far far from any guru on the subject but have yet to see any advantage to going through any big ritual.time would be better spent creating dope and practicing , cleaning only when the accuracy begins to drop. just my opinion
 
#18
Re: breaking in a new barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Mechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is the proper barrel break in for all new and re barreled rifles.
[ </div></div>

I thought that was kinda funny.

I'll eat my hat if that was 700 yards, tho.

Time between the report and the hit was about the same time my AR15 hits at 200 yards.

Unless his round is going like 17,000 fps.
 
#19
Re: breaking in a new barrel

Clean a new barrel and then shoot it. When you are storing the rifle for a long time run an oiled patch or a bore mop through to help seal the metal from the air. Run a patch through your bore before shooting to push any particles, obstructions, and oil out of your barrel. Thats it,
 
#22
Re: breaking in a new barrel

Oh yeah, almost forgot -


FAR FAR more important for a new gun / rifle, than any barrel break in procedure, is to properly lube the working parts.


Newbs always fergit that. Heck, I fergit that sometimes.
 
#24
Re: breaking in a new barrel

One of my favorite cleaning methods for powder fouling/residue is to push a special copper jacketed cleaning patch through the tube at a fairly high rate of speed, preferably somewhere between 2600 and 3600 feet per second. However it usually (always) leaves more powder fouling that needs to be cleaned.;)

It's kind of like the instructions on the shampoo bottle meant to double sales: lather, rinse, repeat.
 
#25
Re: breaking in a new barrel

So lube parts before first trip out, possibly clean it well before first trip. Then shoot till accuracy drops off and clean again. Do yall suggest just running a bore snake though after each trip to get any big stuff out?
 
#26
Re: breaking in a new barrel

Does anyone here have any experience with using smooth kote and BP2000 dry lubricant products?

I have started the "break in" process this weekend on my .308

It consisted of

1) Running a patch down the barrel to remove factory mess
2) Running a few patches with rubbing alcohol down the barrel to remove any factory oils
3) Running a few patches of Smooth Kote liquid into the barrel. This must be allowed to dry for 2 hours.
4) Running a bore mop up and down the barrel with BP2000 moly powder.

This process apparently fills any low spots in the barrel and makes cleaning a lot easier

Now im going to clean the barrel with sweets 7.62 and rubbing alcohol and then reapply some more smooth kote and BP2000.

I have pushed about 60 rounds down the barrel yesterday.

This is my first centrefire rifle, so im not sure how certain this method is however I sounded good to me as some match barrel makers supposedly use this method.

I guess i will find out if its been working for me or not
smile.gif
 
#27
Re: breaking in a new barrel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: garandman</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Mechanic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This is the proper barrel break in for all new and re barreled rifles.
[ </div></div>

I thought that was kinda funny.

I'll eat my hat if that was 700 yards, tho.

Time between the report and the hit was about the same time my AR15 hits at 200 yards.

Unless his round is going like 17,000 fps. </div></div>

I'd probably start eating your hat. Nobody really didn't have a reputation as a liar. A bullet going to 700 yards will only take a few tenths of a second longer than one going to 200.
 
#28
Re: breaking in a new barrel

just talked to a buddy of mine. he said his cousin went to like marine sniper school and told him their break in procedure: thoroughly clean after every shot for 20 shots. then thoroughly clean after every 5 shots for 100 rounds... sounds like a huge pain in the ass lol
 
#29
Re: breaking in a new barrel

I've never followed any sort of break in ritual, but then again, most of the rifles I have bought over the years have been used (so I assumed they were already "broken in"). Now, every rifle I buy does get a thorough initial cleaning, but that's about it.

Of course, I can relay this information. I bought a 20" SS Lothar Walther early this year for an SPRish AR build, and was able to pick the barrel up directly here in GA. I specifically asked the guy about any necessary break in, and he simply stated "shoot it".
 
#30
Re: breaking in a new barrel

I'd definitely clean it and lube it properly before firing it after receipt. The rest is subject to whom you might be asking.

I don't like to let a bore sit with fouling for very long, i.e. more than a few days to a week. I think it initiates bore pitting. Even of you don't clean it, at least put in a coat of oil, to act as an oxygen/humidity barrier. Sometimes that fouling crap acts like it's alive and has teeth, especially in areas of high humidity.

Bore life is based mainly on number of rounds and the rate at which they are being fired, whether of not there's a break-in regimen being followed. Several hundred rounds into the lifespan, I doubt it would be possible to determine whether a break-in was performed or not. Abrasives have an extremely limited value inside bores, and should only be used to resolve a specific problem. That's a personal opinion.

Greg
 
#31
Re: breaking in a new barrel

maybe those marine snipers had to fully take down the rifle completely so they can learn how to take down and put back together, not so much that the rifle actually needs it, just a thought that came to mind. it reminded me of forest gump when he broke down his gun and put it back together in record time.

i think ill just thoroughly clean it before firing and after getting the scope sighted in, thoroughly clean it again.
 
#32
Re: breaking in a new barrel

FWIW...I've just got a new GAP with Schneider barrel.

On receipt...cleaned it and oiled the barrel. Some evidence of copper on the patch (from test or proof firing?)

I then followed the break-in instructions suuplied by GAP (at the same time as working on zero, so it wasn't a waste of ammo!) plus an extra 10 rounds.

20 rounds in all (10 x shoot one, clean then 5 x shoot two, clean).

Absolutley no copper fouling evident at all.

Maybe this is just the make of barrel, maybe not...I'm not qualified to say.

Do I think the "break in" was necessary? In this case, other than putting a heat cycle through the barrel, maybe not.

Each to their own
wink.gif
 
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