Something to think about - barrel break in.

gitrdun · #1 02-01-2017, 12:46 PM

Considerations for the procedure of shoot X amount of rounds, clean, shoot another X amount, clean and repeat. This is a new custom barrel. Fellow claims poor accuracy for this barrel. He hasn't cleaned it, just shot a few rounds and brought it over. I should clarify that this is NOT a barrel made by any our our fine Alberta barrel makers, however I will not discuss the source.

I let the barrel marinate in Accelerator and WipeOut overnite. This is the first patch that came out of it. Notice the nice little curly metal particle just below the jag hole. A smaller one above. Both are magnetic. I think that you can click on the image and see it enlarged.

After, a second patch is run through. Now, a very shiny yellowish particle, just to the left of the jag hole. Likely bullet jacket material.

To me, this examplifies the reason why I do not like the procedure of barrel breaking in by first passing a high velocity round through a bore that is of unknown condition. I know that many approve of it and use it, and I do not wish to argue over it. But I do have my own way of preparing a barrel to be shot, squeeky cleaned, polished, cleaned again and treated with G96 to finalize. I use boiling hot water, Dawn dish detergent, JB bore bright.

harv3589 · #2 02-01-2017, 01:20 PM

Very interesting.

fish_e_o · #3 02-01-2017, 02:03 PM

that chip came out of the bore after it was fired!?

how #1 does it get left in the bore #2 stay there after shooting

gitrdun · #4 02-01-2017, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

that chip came out of the bore after it was fired!?

how #1 does it get left in the bore #2 stay there after shooting

Good question. I have no idea.

Kurt505 · #5 02-01-2017, 02:53 PM

Doesn't the procedure for all barrel break ins start with "clean barrel"?

Whether a certain barrel comes with a specific break in procedure or not, I always do my own.

1. Clean barrel, soak overnight in wipeout then scrub clean with brush and solvent, and patch with G96

2. Take one shot and scrub with brush and solvent. Repeat for first 5 shots.

3. Take two shots and scrub with brush and solvent.

4. Take three shots then scrub with brush and solvent.

5. Take five shots then scrub with brush and solvent. Repeat one more time.

6. Clean one last time then patch out with G96 and she's good to go!

It takes me one box of cheap factory ammo to break in a barrel. Not sure what good it does, but I know it don't hurt anything.

duceman · #6 02-01-2017, 03:29 PM

i think ' break in ' has a lot to do with barrel maker's quality. i put a patch thru my last build after chambering/fitting. one more after that to be sure it was free from debris.
i tested a load with 6 rds, 1 to check pressure and get scope zeroed. fireformed 94 more rounds. the gun shot in various ways; off bags and bench, offhand, more bags and bench, etc. accuracy was the same from the first group to last group. when i finished the first hundred i put a patch through, filled it with wipeout, let sit overnite, filled with wipeout again, and put two patches through to remove the wipeout.IMG_0761.jpg
virtually zero blue stain in the wipeout on the second squirt after sitting overnite.
this has been my experience with all 5 of my jury barrels, as well as ones i have had installed for other shooters.
i loaded for a weatherby vanguard in 300 wby last weekend, as well as a rem in 300 rum. both guns were new, guys brought them over with the brass from the factory rounds they put through, 60 and 80 respectively. both guys claimed they cleaned their guns and were ready for load dev. a pic of the wipeout after sitting in the bore for 20 min and then another squirt. very different things going on between barrel makers for sure when it comes to finish. lee

duceman · #7 02-01-2017, 03:31 PM

for some reason my second pic of a real pretty blue glob of wipout wont load. i'll try again later

6MT · #8 02-01-2017, 03:48 PM

Did that "chip" come from the round being extracted? I have seen small pieces of brass on cleaning patches when I do a break-in at the range. And those pieces are from the extractor "chipping" the base. The piece ends up on the chamber/bore and gets picked up by the cleaning patch.

gitrdun · #9 02-01-2017, 05:12 PM

What I'd like to know is where did that curly metal chip come from. Especially after behind told that it had been fired since the barrel was installed. The fact that it is curly tells me that it's machining residue. But it still doesn't add up.

elkhunter11 · #10 02-01-2017, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitrdun

What I'd like to know is where did that curly metal chip come from. Especially after behind told that it had been fired since the barrel was installed. The fact that it is curly tells me that it's machining residue. But it still doesn't add up.

What kind of bore guide did you use? Could the metal have been from the threads in the receiver/barrel that ended up in the action, and the patch picked it up there?

gitrdun · #11 02-01-2017, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

What kind of bore guide did you use? Could the metal have been from the threads in the receiver/barrel that ended up in the action, and the patch picked it up there?

I use the basic MTM bore guides elk. Properly selected for action length and bore diameter. I've already considered where you're going with this. I've asked the owner to show me his spent brass. It's a 30-06 AI. I've concluded that the chip could not have resided in the bore but instead was residing in the chamber area. If so, there should be tell-tale marks on spent brass.

elkhunter11 · #12 02-01-2017, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gitrdun

I use the basic MTM bore guides elk. Properly selected for action length and bore diameter. I've already considered where you're going with this. I've asked the owner to show me his spent brass. It's a 30-06 AI. I've concluded that the chip could not have resided in the bore but instead was residing in the chamber area. If so, there should be tell-tale marks on spent brass.

About the only explanation that I can think of, is that it was in the chamber, or in the magazine area, and the bore guide pushed it into the chamber when you inserted the bore guide to clean the bore.

gitrdun · #13 02-01-2017, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

About the only explanation that I can think of, is that it was in the chamber, or in the magazine area, and the bore guide pushed it into the chamber when you inserted the bore guide to clean the bore.

Not in the magazine area. When I Wipeout a bore, I strip the gun down to bare barrel and action because Wipeout can be so darned messy. I'm thinking chamber.