Riffle Break In?

[Sitting Bull]

I just purchased a new Marlin 444. I read through the manual and nothing said about breaking in a new rifle.
What do you guys have to say.? Does it make a difference ? What is your routine with a new rifle?
Thanks

[Dick284]

Clean first, shoot it.
Clean after the first 20-40 rounds.

[sns2]

Listen to the advice given above ^^^

Do not be swayed by the noise about barrel break-in. Think of who really benefits... barrel makers and ammo companies.

BTW, congrats on a nice gun!

[Sitting Bull]

Thank you I'll post some pictures. Fit and finish is real nice for a New Marlin.

[Full Curl Earl]

Do not be swayed by the noise about barrel break-in. Think of who really benefits... barrel makers and ammo companies.

Like that noise?
Breakin isnt just lobbing rounds into the dirt, its shooting and learning your new rifle and adjusting sights, evaluating the action, is it trouble free, etc
Clean, shoot 1, clean, shoot 5, clean, shoot 5, clean, shoot 10, clean.
Or something close to that.
Then, since its a lever action and has some moving parts, re-tighten all screws.
Have fun.

[kingrat]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Clean first, shoot it.
Clean after the first 20-40 rounds.

X2 I've done the shoot,clean, shoot,clean method and variations of it and honestly dont notice a difference. I now do the above.

[brewster29]

Suggest you dismantle the lever, remove the bolt, clean and lube everything inside the action, reassemble and then cycle the lever a few hundred times whilst watching your fave hockey team in action. Then dismantle, clean and lube again. That should lap in the moving parts.

You might also want to do something with the loading gate before it takes the end off your finger. Lots of good stuff on the net and YouTube about softening the gate spring and sharp edge on the loading port, as well as the whole cycling/lapping process.

Enjoy your new toy!

[6.5 shooter]

Clean to get rid of machining oils....Shoot clean when accuracy falls off...seeing as it is a lever gun that will be never...

"More barrels are ruined from cleaning then from being shot"...don't remember who said it. Having once fallen into the keep it super clean crowd...I never ruined a barrel but I never saw any great improvements in group sizes either...MAYBE for the bug hole shooter it matters but for us mere humans..not so much.

[Savage Bacon]

You can try cleaning it after every round fired just be sure.


There's a great video on YouTube where the guy throws his rifle on the ground and kicks it around a bit to break it in. Then fires a few shots and it works just fine.

Either of these methods will work.

[EZM]

I'd definitely clean a new gun. And I've done the break in thing too. I've also done the shoot it and clean when it needs to be cleaned thing too. I see no difference.

The only thing I'm careful with, is not shooting strings to quickly the first time, or any other time really to overheat the barrel. But I guess that's kind of a different story.

[Foonus]

An interesting read here about barrel leading.. his tests are done with a PCP airgun but the process remains the same.
https://www.jimmiedeesairguns.com/gu...need-to-do-it/


I have a CZ-455 bull barrel .22. When I got it I went out and got the 100% solid lead eley match ammo. Used that exclusively for the first few 2-300 rounds for the same process he used in his article. Using the stingers now in it, accuracy has always been good.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Dick284

Clean first, shoot it.
Clean after the first 20-40 rounds.

This is about as tough as I’d make it.

[6.5 shooter]

I have a CZ-455 bull barrel .22. When I got it I went out and got the 100% solid lead eley match ammo. Used that exclusively for the first few 2-300 rounds for the same process he used in his article. Using the stingers now in it, accuracy has always been good.[/QUOTE]

Be Careful with the stingers they are based on longer brass then most .22 cartridges you could run into issues. CZ... USE to cut their chambers to semi match specs and hence the cautionary note..But that may have changed since moving the manufacturing to the USA.

[waldedw]

I'm kind of an inbetween guy when it comes to barrel break in, I make sure it's nice and clean before I shoot it, get all the packing oil and grease off everything and out of the barrel, then i'll shoot 2 or 3 groups of 3 during sight in then give it a cleaning, and repeat after the next 2 or 3 groups, after that well i'm a bit of a clean freak so every time I have a range session it gets cleaned, doesn't matter if it's a rifle or my shotguns, they never go to bed dirty