New Rifle Barrel Break-in for Accuracy?

[G8rHunter]

How to Break-In a Rifle Barrel
How to break-in a new rifle barrel
BGFTRST: Seasoning Your New Rifle : Cabela's
The Dirty Little Secret of Gun Cleaning

Okay, I know many disagree but here's the articles I read from reputable sources. The last article is by a Cabela gunsmith.

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[11Charlie]

Well this is going to be interesting!

 

[bbbass]

The only things from those articles that I agree with (I have not the patience to read in entirety) is:

1. Every two people will have three opinions.

2. Clean the bore before you shoot it to remove manufacturing compounds.

Other than that, whether you clean it every shot for the first 10, or every 10 for the first 100, makes little difference. In principle, what they are saying is correct, but it can be overdone to the point of ridiculousness. As said before... just shoot it! Particularly for a hunting rifle of avg quality vs a bench rest competition rifle. The avg hunting rifle is going to have factory ammo put thru it... not accurate to the nth degree anyway. For a .22lr, we shouldn't even be discussing it... Just shoot it! Clean it when you get home, then go do it again, and again and again...

 

[bbbass]

I find little logic in using a softer material to "lap" finish a harder material. Correct me if I am wrong but using a soft stone and oil to sharpen a knife takes many many strokes, yes?

Look, I am not the most experience with breaking in new rifles. Prob somebody here that is more expert. I won't mind being corrected.

 

[titsonritz]

If a barrel needs to be "broken-in" than it is not a precision barrel to begin with, hence what is the point.

How to Break-in a Barrel

 

[Kruel J]

If a barrel needs to be "broken-in" than it is not a precision barrel to begin with, hence what is the point.

How to Break-in a Barrel

There is no point. It's a needless "warm and fuzzy" concocted by manufacturers.

 

[Mister Bisley]

I'm a fan of breaking in a rifle barrel. You take the time to break in a vehicle...I don't see how this is any different.

I know there is debate about this topic but I personally believe my firearms are more accurate in the long run because of it. It may not matter to some and may be a myth after all, but what does it hurt to put in a little extra work in the beginning?

I get enjoyment out of babying my firearms...heck I don't even use boresnakes or 3-piece Aluminum cleaning rods. Only one piece carbon fiber rods going into their holes

 

[deadeye]

Barrel break in??
Barrel break in?
precision rifle break-in How?

 

[Kruel J]

I'm a fan of breaking in a rifle barrel. You take the time to break in a vehicle...I don't see how this is any different.

I know there is debate about this topic but I personally believe my firearms are more accurate in the long run because of it. It may not matter to some and may be a myth after all, but what does it hurt to put in a little extra work in the beginning?

I get enjoyment out of babying my firearms...heck I don't even use boresnakes or 3-piece cleaning rods. Only one piece carbon fiber rods going into their holes

I'm sure it doesn't "hurt" anything, but it's a waste of time. If that's your thing, that's your thing.

 

[MannyGlocks]

Mister Bisley,

One piece carbon fiber rods are something I've never heard of...until now.

Reading up on them make me cringe thinking of all the scrape-y metal ones I've used.

Back when I was an avid kayak paddler, all my paddles were carbon fiber, my lightest at 20 Oz. cost $400.00 and I bought it about 18 years ago. No telling what they'd cost now...?

Carbon fiber is darn good stuff for many an application, pity I didn't know sooner of cleaning rods being made of it.

Thanks, I'll be getting 1 or 3.

She who must be obeyed, buys pricey electronics gadgets at the drop of a hat, so what's a few carbon fiber cleaning rods?

Honey, guess what I'm gonna buy?

What?

Please, stop yelling....!

 

[Mister Bisley]

I'm sure it doesn't "hurt" anything, but it's a waste of time. If that's your thing, that's your thing.

That's like your opinion man. Waste of time like trying to convince me that breaking in a barrel is a waste of time?

 

[Aero Denezol]

I went through the break-in process with my Rem 700. It's a cold hammer forged bbl, which means the bbl is crushed on a mandrel, not sure how many burrs that would produce vs. a button rifle bbl like a Savage or an AR has... Anyway, I did the Remington recommended method of shoot and clean up to 100 rounds. It took HOURS, during which time I wished I still smoked to combat the boredom.

After break-in, the rifle shot like crap and kept shooting like crap until 1. I replaced the trigger, 2. I adjusted the cheek weld/eye-relief, and 3. I started spending money on some better ammo. So, bottom line, not sure "break in" made a bit of difference. But if you're OCD like I am, you will want that piece of mind. I would do it again.

 

[Kruel J]

That's like your opinion man. Waste of time like trying to convince me that breaking in a barrel is a waste of time?

Yup!

 

[Member 34319]

I recall the guy behind a very high end barrel manufacturer saying something along the lines of, if I sold you a barrel that requires break in I'd be selling you a really crappy barrel. (Shilen)

Guns that require breaking in, in my opinion are a poorly designed weapon.

Yes that includes high end 1911s.

 

[bbbass]

If a barrel needs to be "broken-in" than it is not a precision barrel to begin with, hence what is the point.

How to Break-in a Barrel

Still trying to figure out how a soft material wrapped in copper can polish the burrs from a crappy barrel or a chromed barrel.

I'm sure it doesn't "hurt" anything, but it's a waste of time. If that's your thing, that's your thing.

I guess I could bump up the level of my OCD.

I probably won't buy it until someone can show me pics of the diff on a microscopic level.

 

[Kruel J]

I recall the guy behind a very high end barrel manufacturer saying something along the lines of, if I sold you a barrel that requires break in I'd be selling you a really crappy barrel. (Shilen)

Guns that require breaking in, in my opinion are a poorly designed weapon.

Yes that includes high end 1911s.

Shilen makes fine barrels. I run one on an AR build. I didn't break it in either.

 

[Kruel J]

Still trying to figure out how a soft material wrapped in copper can polish the burrs from a crappy barrel or a chromed barrel.



I guess I could bump up the level of my OCD.

I probably won't buy it until someone can show me pics of the diff on a microscopic level.

That's the thing, nobody has been able to definitively prove that "breaking in" a barrel does anything for life expectancy or accuracy.

 

[bbbass]

That's the thing, nobody has been able to definitively prove that "breaking in" a barrel does anything for life expectancy or accuracy.

Lots of conflicting opinions in the gun writer's world. You know what they say about opinions!

 

[G8rHunter]

The only things from those articles (I have not the patience to read in entirety) is:

1. Every two people will have three opinions.

2. Clean the bore before you shoot it to remove manufacturing compounds.

Other than that, whether you clean it every shot for the first 10, or every 10 for the first 100, makes little difference. In principle, what they are saying is correct, but it can be overdone to the point of ridiculousness. As said before... just shoot it! Particularly for a hunting rifle of avg quality vs a bench rest competition rifle. The avg hunting rifle is going to have factory ammo put thru it... not accurate to the nth degree anyway. For a .22lr, we shouldn't even be discussing it... Just shoot it! Clean it when you get home, then go do it again, and again and again...

One thing is that the topic of breaking-in a rifle bore is highly conflictual with opinions all over the map. BBBass, I read somewhere that. 22 ammo is the dirtiest, so would the. 22 need cleaning as much or more than any other rifle? I am not trying to argue with you or anyone else out there, just trying to make sense out of what seem to be legitimate articles. BTW, a couple of those articles were deep, although it is my experience that reading articles that are initially over my head become understandable over time. It's merely a matter of jumping in and learning to swim. I'm throwing this question out there for whoever wants to reply, why would a Cabela gunsmith recommend actively cleaning through the first 100 rounds? And, why would he say the biggest problem with gun inaccuracy is improper, unthorough, rifle bore cleaning? Is the main problem that most gun owners are mostly doing a sloppy job with the rifle bore? Again, I am curious, not picking a debate with anyone! not thoroughly

 

[Mister Bisley]

That's the thing, nobody has been able to definitively prove that "breaking in" a barrel does anything for life expectancy or accuracy.

Wouldn't it be the same for disproving? That's why I say it can't hurt. It maybe antiquated advice, but I always thought the gun legends forgot more about firearms than the newer experts would ever learn.