Barrel break in procedure, how many of you do it?

[twofifty]

I didn't think this was your first rifle...but posted the info for those who might be starting out.

In your experience, how many rapid-fire rounds of 22-250 can a guy put through a heavy-barrel and still remain on the safe side of accelerated erosion?

[depopulator]

I have used the thorough 1 shot-then-clean break in on a few guns when I first got started. Looking back, IMO, I have found no appreciable gains from this method, in fact, maybe the contrary.

The method I have used for a long time now, for both my factory and custom barrels, has been to clean the new barrel first, followed by 100 strokes with JB Bore Paste, followed by a good scrub, then off to the range to shoot the crap out of 'em. These have been among the most accurate and easy to clean barrels I have had, by far.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by Precisionshooter

Just remember to coat your barrel with a good oil when you put it away in storage whether you leave copper in the bore or not (how do you tell if you don't have a bore scope anyway...). Rust doesn't sleep....add dissimilar metals and some humidity and nasty rust starts which usually worsens if not addressed... Do the rust pits make a difference...depends...

How many of you inspect your bores with a borescope (say Hawkeye or equivalent) before and after?

Exactly, If you can't see what's actually going on in your barrel your peeing into the wind.

[Dark Wing]

I did the barrel break in procedure with my 300 WM. The one thing I noticed was that it was a lot easier to clean after a session at the range than my 270 and 30 06.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

You are likely 100% correct about accuracy but I'd just worry about the long-term barrel damage a rough spot could cause if copper is allowed to build up on it. Likely not a big deal as you pointed out on custom barrels but on something like a Remington 710? Anyhow, lots of schools of thought and I just subscribe to the better safe than sorry school and let each barrel tell me how much break in is required.

Money spent on a rifle does not always mean you get a better bore. There are some mighty high dollar rifles sitting on shelves that if bore scoped would sometimes make you want to switch barrels with the cheap ones. It annoys the crap out of me to see $4500 dollar guns on the shelves with $20 barrels on them.

[Unregistered user]

Here's a good article on this subject in this month's free E-mag

http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Oli...tingSportsUSA/

It's on page 14 "Let the barrel tell you".

[wwbirds]

twofifty, no, not my first rifle but still I am glad you posted that response for many can probably use it.
Can't really answer the rapid fire question on how many rounds for have never had any reason to shoot rapid fire. Even if I sit on the hill for gophers with my boys and we are playing with long range 22-250's generally there would be a minute or two between shots and multiple rifles so no heating of the throat/action/barrel would occur.
I am not really concerned about 30 break in rounds shortening my barrel life for several people felt I would have to rebarrel the BRNO after 3-4000 rounds due to the speed. Literally thousands of rounds later it is still going strong. Built in 1964 the owner used it a lot until 1987 when I bought it from him.
I believe normal factory ammo is about 3650 fps but I find I get my most accurate groups at 3320 and maybe it has something to do with the 12 -1 twist in the Brno handling slower bullets (and lighter) better. The 14-1 twist in the 26 inch medium barrel on Varmint Stalker will be interesting to play with.
I am just like a kid with a new toy as the 6.5 - 20 VXL Varmint hunter Extreme is installed on Browning and this is the first rifle where the bolt doesn't come up near the 30 mm tube of the scope. The high lift butter knife action on the brno didn't like this scope and a Gustaf also had to be installed with medium rings to clear the bolt.
I am finally able to keep this scope low to the barrel as the vxl is intended.
We are supposed to be chinooking tomorrow, yeah time to play.
Rob

[LongDraw]

I believe that breaking in a factory tube is a complete waste of time and ammo.

With a custom hand lapped tube you will minimize copper fouling with a break-in which you will see in 5 to 15 rounds, the patches during break-in tell the story. All but one of my custom barrels simply do not copper foul; they also clean up with 3 patches.

Try this with a factory tube and you will still get copper fouling. Hey maybe someone has had luck doing this with a factory barrel, but I have yet to see it.

There is a great video on the Lilja website showing a factory barrel vs a custom hand lapped barrel with a borescope. Pretty tough to imagine you will smooth out the machine marks in a factory tube once you see how rough they are.

[BallCoeff.435]

-just a safety observation here.

A few years back I took a lady friend to the range to show her how to shoot her nice brand new expensive pistol. After looking it over, the first thing I noticed was that the slide was a little greasy. I disassembled the thing and found the slide and barrel were completely full of factory grease. After cleaning off the slide, spring, barrel, and bore, I put a mag of rounds through it. Everything was fine.

I'm not sure what could have happened with firing into a barrel packed with grease, but I doubt it would've been good news.

No matter where a new or re-barreled rifle came from, I'd run a dry patch through it first before the first shot.

[Dean2]

Cat is right, there is no right answer. It really is "do what you believe in" and what gives you confidence. The best Benchrest, High Power and Long Range shooters as well as the best custom barrel makers don't agree on barrel break in.

My experience matches Depop, except I don't use paste ever. Clean the new barrel to spanky clean before you ever shoot it, it is amazing how long this can sometimes take. Then shoot it without ever geting them hotter than you can comfortbley touch indefintiely, if you can avoid it. Clean them spanky clean when you get them home. Have never cleaned a rifle at the range and only carry a collapsible cleaning rod in case I need to pop something out of the chamber.

Have also never got a rifle that I thought copper fouled bad, but that could be perspective. I expect some copper after firing 50 to 200 rounds at the range and gopher shooting have put as many as 600 rounds through a gun between cleanings. Wipeout left to sit two or three times has always gotten the copper out of any barrel I ever owned.

[260 Rem]

I always do a 15 shot "clean-after-every-shot" break-in. I trust that barrel maker recomendations are credible ... On the user end, none/few of us have the luxury of testing two identical barrels from the same lot and reamer. Barrel makers, at least have the potential to make such comparisons. I think the test really is - "Given the opportunity to purchase one of two identical rifles with 30 shots down the tube ....would you choose the one that had been properly broken in over the one that had been fired without cleaning?" If you don't care, don't do the break-in....

"Given the opportunity to purchase one of two identical rifles with 30 shots down the tube ....would you choose the one that had been properly broken in over the one that had been fired without cleaning?"

Kenny Jarrett believes it's so important that he actually does the break in for the cutomer before it leaves his shop. I must admit that my thoughts on break in changed a lot after talking with him and seeing the bore scope video and photos that he had.

[elkhunter11]

"Given the opportunity to purchase one of two identical rifles with 30 shots down the tube ....would you choose the one that had been properly broken in over the one that had been fired without cleaning?"

The more important question is,if you worked up loads with both,could you tell which one was "properly" broken in?

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

I think the test really is - "Given the opportunity to purchase one of two identical rifles with 30 shots down the tube ....would you choose the one that had been properly broken in over the one that had been fired without cleaning?" If you don't care, don't do the break-in....

Watching some guys 'break in' their rifles I would say no. Some are so rammy, no bore guide, shoving the cleaning rod out the muzzel a foot and a half dragging it back over the crown etc. I've seen more rifles damaged by this breakin process than helped. Now if it was 'properly broken in' by someone who knew what they are doing I would still say no as I would prefer to do it myself, that is if I thought it was necessary.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

The more important question is,if you worked up loads with both,could you tell which one was "properly" broken in?

No

[wwbirds]

well no earth shattering news but just put another 6 shots through it at 35 yards on a Leupold target and all 6 in the square although no noticeably tight group (my fault, it is still cold and windy out there). Less cleaning today from 6 shots than the single shot yesterday before patches came out clean. When I was doing some research on this particular Browning I thought I read "hand lapped" but when I went to site yesterday all I could find was "hand chambered".
Since I am not a gunsmith by any stretch of the imagination could someone point out the difference as I am assuming a production Browning is a production rifle as referred by several members above while the custom rifles seem to have more "hand" s on finishing.
thanks
Rob

[bwest270]

How are you cleaning your barrel? I use a method advocated by a fellow named Jackie Schmidt from Houston,Texas. He holds and has held numerous benchrest records so I bow to his superior knowledge on the topic. When asked if he felt the barrel was absolutely clean after this method he replied,"Probably not,but its clean enough to set world records with."
Of course a bore guide is a prerequisite and of course the dirty patch is never pulled back over the crown of the barrel. Jackie uses Butches Bore Shine exclusively.

1. 3 wet patches
2.10 strokes with a brush
3.4 wet patches
4.Wait 10 minutes
5.2 wet patches
6.3 dry patches
7.1 oil patch
8.1 dry patch

[wwbirds]

I outlined my cleaning procedure (with a bore guide) yesterday in the initital post but I am using Barnes CR10 instead of Bore Shine.
Rob

[depopulator]

Originally Posted by bwest270

How are you cleaning your barrel?

Wipeout!

[bingo1010]

wipeout is very good, and a time saver. but it doesn't remove carbon fouling, that requires good old scrubbing.

[Hank Hunter]

Just remember to shoot it and enjoy. All this cleaning crap is complete B.S.. I have never done the one shot thing in more than 35 years of shooting (Hunting Rifles). The only people who spout about are the barrel makers and of course the companies that make all the miracle cleaning products that will make your hunting rifle a benchrest laser . I clean my rifles after each trip to the range, whether it is 5 shots or 50 and I never clean it during hunting season

[elkhunter11]

All this cleaning crap is complete B.S.. I have never done the one shot thing in more than 35 years of shooting (Hunting Rifles).

Since you have never tried it,what proof do you have that it is B.S.?

[Hank Hunter]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Since you have never tried it,what proof do you have that it is B.S.?

You think I shoot alone. Have had many buddies over the years who do it. Not knocking them, each to their own. I am saying I have never seen proof of it making a difference

[bwest270]

I have to admit to using wipeout occasionally. I worry about all that foam spreading back into the chamber (and beyond) and leaving some kind of residue. Anyone found a technique to keep wipeout from travelling back into the chamber?

[elkhunter11]

I am saying I have never seen proof of it making a difference

And I have not seen any proof that it doesn't make a difference.Since I can't prove that it either works or doesn't,I won't make claims one way or the other.

As for my own barrel cleaning methods,I use Sweets 7.62,Dewey rods,and a good rod guide.I prefer not to use brushes unless I run into some really tough fouling,then I use bronze brushes.If a new barrel fouls more quickly,I clean it more often,but I don't use a specific method for all barrels.

[Hank Hunter]

Mr elkhunter, I could care less about your opinion, this is not personal. Just my feelings based on my experience. You are entitled to your choice and I certainly wont lower myself to attack you about it.

[elkhunter11]

You are entitled to your choice and I certainly wont lower myself to attack you about it.

Yet you attack the whole idea of a break in procedure for barrels by calling it B.S.You might as well just tell the people that use a barrel break in procedure that they are full of B.S.
And I never attacked you personally,I simply asked what proof you had that barrel break in procedures are all B.S.I thought that you might actually have some proof,apparently not.

[bingo1010]

Originally Posted by bwest270

I have to admit to using wipeout occasionally. I worry about all that foam spreading back into the chamber (and beyond) and leaving some kind of residue. Anyone found a technique to keep wipeout from travelling back into the chamber?

it won't hurt anything, there are cleaning tools built just for cleaning chambers as well as the bolt lug recess area.

[Hank Hunter]

You are entitled to your opinion, for me my proof is that in all those years none of my buddies who done that one shot/ clean procedure never had any more accuracy benefits from those firearms. Again just my opinion. If you dont like it, too bad, you will get over it

[LongDraw]

Originally Posted by bwest270

I have to admit to using wipeout occasionally. I worry about all that foam spreading back into the chamber (and beyond) and leaving some kind of residue. Anyone found a technique to keep wipeout from travelling back into the chamber?

I use a 6" piece of vinyl tubing and squirt it in from the action end. Wait 20 seconds until you remove the tube and I have never had a problem with it expanding back. In my gun vise I also keep it angled slightly forward to drain out of the muzzle end.

Wipe-out is great stuff!