New Rifle Barrel Break-in for Accuracy?

[Kruel J]

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

Yup!

 

[Goosebrown]

Breaking in a barrel is fantasy. It's like going to a fortune teller, if you think it helps then go for it.

Clean before shooting. Shoot till your barrel is fouled, sight in and load development, shoot for score. Clean with a dry brush ONLY WHEN VISIBLY DIRTY and then refoul before competing again. clean with solvents at the end of the season only.

Barrels presumably come to you as good as they are ever going to be. Every shot diminishes it.

That all from McMillian who made the best barrels for ages. He felt that breaking in a barrel that will maybe be good 2000 rounds makes yo replace the barrel 20% faster. Money-making gimmick.

 

[Kruel J]

Breaking in a barrel is fantasy. It's like going to a fortune teller, if you think it helps then go for it.

Clean before shooting. Shoot till your barrel is fouled, sight in and load development, shoot for score. Clean with a dry brush ONLY WHEN VISIBLY DIRTY and then refoul before competing again. clean with solvents at the end of the season only.

Barrels presumably come to you as good as they are ever going to be. Every shot diminishes it.

That all from McMillian who made the best barrels for ages. He felt that breaking in a barrel that will maybe be good 2000 rounds makes yo replace the barrel 20% faster. Money-making gimmick.

This!

 

[rcnpthfndr]

i don't. premium barrels already come lapped from the manufacturer. even regular barrels are better than those made just 10 years ago. when I get a new barrel or gun I pull a snake through it to get any possible factory crud out. after that I clean it when accuracy drops off. never did follow the mantra of barrel break-in as I have never seen any benefit from it

 

[G8rHunter]

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.

The Dirty Little Secret of Gun Cleaning
This article shows pictures of the inside of a bore--before and after cleaning. I could easily be talked out of cleaning my rifle barrel too often or simply procrastinating and skipping it occasionally. Not suggesting that you are implying that I am OCD. I think you are saying that some can become OCD over gun cleaning. I am nowhere close to being OCD, and there are times when my wife wished I was OCD about domestic stuff.

 

[KKG]

I didn't watch the video and didn't read the other replies but I can do is tell you what I do. One round clean, another round etc. for to the first 20-100 rounds, depending on how the patches look, dirty or clean.

next I shoot 5 then 10 then 20 shots at up to 600 or more meters depending on what the use will be. I also use whatever position I would normally shoot at, NO less Sleds because that takes the Human out of the Equation.

Finally I can enjoy my new Toy.

 

[11Charlie]

Like a new sports car. Drive it like you stole it!!

 

[Mooseman]

I am a Competition Shooter , gunsmith, and machinist for over 40 Years and I break every barrel in with a set procedure.
Clean from The breach to muzzle after every shot for the first 5 , then clean after every 3 rounds , for 5 times =20 rounds.
Then, i shoot for accuracy 5 to 10 rounds and watch for the groups to shrink. Clean after 10 rounds and shoot again. When the groups tighten to bug holes (cloverleafs) i stop cleaning. I had a .17hmr Marlin that took 35 rounds to go from 2 inch group to bug hole .
Some guns will take 50 + rounds .
I disagree that its a "Fantasy" because the proof is in the shooting. The inside of any new barrel is going to have some microscopic edges that need to wear in , Even Krieger, Shilen, and Douglas, etc.
.22lr barrels are slightly different in that using a lubed lead bullet , it takes a few rounds to "foul" the barrel with the particular lube and ammo you are using. Our "Team Winchester" group here in the SE has shot hundreds of thousands of rounds testing and practicing for upcoming matches using various model 52's , model 75's , and some Martini International guns and every time you switch ammo and even lot numbers , the grouping changes until it fouls in with the lube (using weighed and certain lot number ammo).
Our group usually takes the top 3 places in the matches in Factory Heavy Barrel class.

 

[Mister Bisley]

I am a Competition Shooter , gunsmith, and machinist for over 40 Years and I break every barrel in with a set procedure.
Clean from The breach to muzzle after every shot for the first 5 , then clean after every 3 rounds , for 5 times =20 rounds.
Then, i shoot for accuracy 5 to 10 rounds and watch for the groups to shrink. Clean after 10 rounds and shoot again. When the groups tighten to bug holes (cloverleafs) i stop cleaning. I had a .17hmr Marlin that took 35 rounds to go from 2 inch group to bug hole .
Some guns will take 50 + rounds .
I disagree that its a "Fantasy" because the proof is in the shooting. The inside of any new barrel is going to have some microscopic edges that need to wear in , Even Krieger, Shilen, and Douglas, etc.
.22lr barrels are slightly different in that using a lubed lead bullet , it takes a few rounds to "foul" the barrel with the particular lube and ammo you are using. Our "Team Winchester" group here in the SE has shot hundreds of thousands of rounds testing and practicing for upcoming matches using various model 52's , model 75's , and some Martini International guns and every time you switch ammo and even lot numbers , the grouping changes until it fouls in with the lube (using weighed and certain lot number ammo).
Our group usually takes the top 3 places in the matches in Factory Heavy Barrel class.

BINGO

 

[bbbass]

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

Oh, I'm not thinking you're argumentative! I get it. You want to learn and to get it right. Unfortunately, there probably is no "right" thinking on this... unless they can show me micrographic pics. Facts remain facts, and opinions are still just that no matter who writes them.

Sooo. Let's disregard breaking in a .22lr rifle, because for the most part it's not an accurate round and "most" rifles other than Anschutz etc do not have the kind of accuracy that would benefit.

Yes, .22lr is dirty. Yes, a .22lr rifle probable "needs" cleaning more that others. But IMO cleaning it when you get home should be good enough. I don't even do that. Why? Because I'm lazy and because I am not competing in 50yd Small Rifle Benchrest competition. I'm only plinking, shooting ground squirrels, and shooting rock chucks. I don't care if I miss a tin can at 25yds, I don't care if I miss a ground squirrel, I just take another shot. Because .22 ammo is cheap! And rock chucks are so big I can't hardly miss one at the distances I shoot with a .22lr.

But the area on a .22 semi that most needs cleaning is the breech and action. If I wait too long in between cleanings, this area will get gummed up and than failure to feed, and failure to eject start happening.

As regards why a writer recommend active cleaning:

1. How did "global warming" get to be a "scientific consensus"? From the research I have done, one scientist cherry picked some data, then other scientists claimed to have "peer reviewed" his published study when what they really did was rubber stamp it. Lazy, and group think.

2. Writers get paid to produce words/articles... When I was the PR rep for a company, I wrote newspaper articles, press releases, and gave speeches, and radio interviews. I got paid to produce both effective and informative info as well as a good image. I enjoyed the presumption of being an "expert" in what my company did. My boss rarely checked my work, and in fact once told me to lie. The only way I would have been caught out was if a member of the public found something that was untrue. In this case, how could anybody "prove" that cleaning a rifle every round for the first 10rds "doesn't" help. Well, you'd have to have a scientific study. And even then there would be those that wouldn't disbelieve it.

So I didn't say don't clean your .22... I said I doubt that a "break in" routine would be of any value.

 

[G8rHunter]

I am a Competition Shooter , gunsmith, and machinist for over 40 Years and I break every barrel in with a set procedure.
Clean from The breach to muzzle after every shot for the first 5 , then clean after every 3 rounds , for 5 times =20 rounds.
Then, i shoot for accuracy 5 to 10 rounds and watch for the groups to shrink. Clean after 10 rounds and shoot again. When the groups tighten to bug holes (cloverleafs) i stop cleaning. I had a .17hmr Marlin that took 35 rounds to go from 2 inch group to bug hole .
Some guns will take 50 + rounds .
I disagree that its a "Fantasy" because the proof is in the shooting. The inside of any new barrel is going to have some microscopic edges that need to wear in , Even Krieger, Shilen, and Douglas, etc.
.22lr barrels are slightly different in that using a lubed lead bullet , it takes a few rounds to "foul" the barrel with the particular lube and ammo you are using. Our "Team Winchester" group here in the SE has shot hundreds of thousands of rounds testing and practicing for upcoming matches using various model 52's , model 75's , and some Martini International guns and every time you switch ammo and even lot numbers , the grouping changes until it fouls in with the lube (using weighed and certain lot number ammo).
Our group usually takes the top 3 places in the matches in Factory Heavy Barrel class.

Well, fella's, pick your poison, but I am following this guy's advice!!!

 

[G8rHunter]

Oh, I'm not thinking you're argumentative! I get it. You want to learn and to get it right.

Spot on, brother, I'm just wanting to do it right! I figure if I develop good habits with a .22 and 12 gauge, it will transfer over to other weapons I own later.

 

[Kruel J]

Spot on, brother, I'm just wanting to do it right! I figure if I develop good habits with a .22 and 12 gauge, it will transfer over to other weapons I own later.

So you're going to break in a shotgun barrel?



Ok.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

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 agree, i shoot them. thats it.

 

[bbbass]

The Dirty Little Secret of Gun Cleaning
This article shows pictures of the inside of a bore--before and after cleaning. I could easily be talked out of cleaning my rifle barrel too often or simply procrastinating and skipping it occasionally. Not suggesting that you are implying that I am OCD. I think you are saying that some can become OCD over gun cleaning. I am nowhere close to being OCD, and there are times when my wife wished I was OCD about domestic stuff.

Nah, the OCD comment was made in reply to another poster. (Note: I am bad with housecleaning).

Again, disregarding break-in... The problem: lead/copper fouling. What is it? It's when the bullet passes down the bore and the lands and grooves cause material to build up in the barrel. IMO primarily in the grooves. When "stuff" builds up on the lands, it increases the deformation of the bullet, decreasing accuracy. When "stuff" builds up in the grooves, it can cause the edges to be not as effective, decreasing accuracy. How often will that happen? Depends on the barrel, the barrel material, the shooting/cleaning routine at the range, and on the individual loads used.

Since I'm lazy, I clean my .22lr when I feel like it. Which might be at the end of the season, or might be when it starts to be even less accurate then it already is. I clean my varmint rifles every time I come home. And my hunting rifles get cleaned before verifying zero every year. YMMV

So... the decision is made then. I'd say we can stop talking about this then, but that NEVER happens. We're like a bunch of old wimen around here. (No offense to the OldBroad contingent!!!)

 

[Ura-Ki]

I days gone by, a good break in was needed to remove the micro machining tool marks and such, such a break in usually involved Fire Lapping and a good cleaning between shot strings.
Todays barrels are much more precisely machined and should not require a break in period to get the most out of it. Most barrels get lapped in by the manufacture now days any way, removing the need for the shooter to do so.

So, on to an idea here, using the 1911 as an example, any place where you have a hand fit, tight clearence metal on metal surface, a small amount of break in may( may) be needed, the idea is that you want those parts to wear in and "take a set" to each other and that should be the extent of the break in. Sort of like breaking in an engine you just built!

A bullet fired down the bore of a barrel is like a high speed polishing compound, the bearing surface of the projectile gently polishing out the miro tool marks and imperfections that will be present, even after being lapped!
( this is why a barrel only has so many shots before accuracy goes away)

I make no claims of expert here, but having seen how barrels are made, and the amount of machining imperfections before the lapping prosess, i can tell you, it is quite nessessory to get it as close to mechanical perfection, and the better the job the barrel maker does, the less work you and I might need to do when we get it!

 

[G8rHunter]

So you're going to break in a shotgun barrel?



Ok.

I meant consistently cleaning it. I haven't done this with my 12 gauge. I happened on the information, because I bought a. 22 rifle. As I am understanding it, the breaking-in is about rifles shooting cartridges, eh?

 

[titsonritz]

Breaking in a barrel is fantasy. It's like going to a fortune teller, if you think it helps then go for it.

Clean before shooting. Shoot till your barrel is fouled, sight in and load development, shoot for score. Clean with a dry brush ONLY WHEN VISIBLY DIRTY and then refoul before competing again. clean with solvents at the end of the season only.

Barrels presumably come to you as good as they are ever going to be. Every shot diminishes it.

That all from McMillian who made the best barrels for ages. He felt that breaking in a barrel that will maybe be good 2000 rounds makes yo replace the barrel 20% faster. Money-making gimmick.

Exactly. Read that link I posted (#5) and the one at the bottom of that.

I think the McMillian's know a think or two about precision rifles...

Check Out the Legendary .009″ Group By Mac McMillan « Daily Bulletin
A Canadian sniper breaks the record for the longest confirmed kill shot - but how?

 

[Dwesson]

I am a Competition Shooter , gunsmith, and machinist for over 40 Years and I break every barrel in with a set procedure.
Clean from The breach to muzzle after every shot or the first 5 , then clean after every 3 rounds , for 5 times =20 rounds.

You should do this anytime you clean a gun so you minimize damage to the crown.

Then, i shoot for accuracy 5 to 10 rounds and watch for the groups to shrink. Clean after 10 rounds and shoot again. When the groups tighten to bug holes (cloverleafs) i stop cleaning. I had a .17hmr Marlin that took 35 rounds to go from 2 inch group to bug hole .
Some guns will take 50 + rounds .

Your groups shrink as the copper jacket fills in imperfections in your rifling. This isn't "break in". You can experience this joy over and over again if you use a copper solvent that strips copper like Sweets or Butch's Bore shine.

I disagree that its a "Fantasy" because the proof is in the shooting. The inside of any new barrel is going to have some microscopic edges that need to wear in , Even Krieger, Shilen, and Douglas, etc.

Yes, but cleaning your barrel after every shot, overy other shot, every 3 shots, every 5 shots if the moon is waxing but only ever 2 shots when it's waning until 20, 30 or 100 shots total is all nonsense. What you just described can be accomplished by shooting the rifle.

Can you explain why you feel the need to clean the gun after x amount of shots until y total shots have been achieved? What purpose does this serve?

I've owned a Krieger, Bartlein, White Oak, and Shilen. My break in procedure is to shoot them. They all group well if I do my part.

Put me in the barrel break in is voodoo camp.

 

[Mooseman]

Even Nosler recommends a similar procedure to mine...
Custom Rifle Barrel Break-In Procedure
as does Browning...
What is the recommended procedure for breaking in a new barrel?