Barrel break-in...how critical?

[albertadave]

OK, I'm a little embarassed to admit this, but here goes. A year and a half ago I bought a 300wsm tikka stainless. Out of ignorance, I did not do a proper break in on it, I wasn't even aware there was a break in procedure, not being a real "gun guy" After reading on here and other places, and attending Dick284's seminar, I am now a little better informed, and am wishing I had done my research in the first place. My question is: What potential damage have I done to this rifle? Have I shortened the life of the barrel? Anything else I should know or can do to partially rectify this? Note: I have cleaned the gun regularly and it does group well if I'm doing my job. Has about 120-140 rounds through it.

[wbyfireman]

Let’s talk barrel break-in: I believe Kelly McMillan of McMillan rifles said it best, “this barrel break-in processes keeps us in business”. This shoot and clean, shoot and clean every round or few rounds break-in process only damages your new match barrel and/or significantly decreases the barrel life. Though I didn’t speak with Kelly on this subject I’ve read what he’s written and it mirrors my own findings.

A lot of barrel manufactures state the need for a breaking in a barrel, but when you ask for actual test data they don’t have any. Then when I asked how they came up with their barrel break-in procedure, they said this is what they’ve come up with by testing lots of new barrels. For some reason they don’t like it when you keep asking re-clarifying questions they don’t have answers for. I’m not saying there not knowledgably barrel makers as they are. They build some of the top barrels in the country.

Some barrel manufactures have now tired to re-clarify there stance saying that a barrel break-in procedures helps to smooth the transition from the newly cut chamber into the throat area of the bore. Now there is some merit to this statement except that the fact a cotton patch isn’t going to do squat to help remove any rough areas. Bullets passing down the barrel will help smooth the chamber/throat area. It may take just a couple of shots or it could take a lot, but it depends on how well the chamber was cut.

[Dick284]

Dave:
The only reason I perform any sort of barrel break in especially with barrels which are not hand lapped(all the big name factories), is to make cleaning easier down the road. We can debate whether or not improves accuracy, till the cows come home, since most of us with our hunting type rifles will never need, nor realize the miniscule advanteges it possibly may contribute.
My routine is simple.
Clean first
Shoot and clean for the first 3 shots, then shot a 3 shot group and clean, do another 3 shot group and clean, then shoot till you see a marked reduction in accuracy, then clean, and then keep track of when your accuracy drops off and track that to optimize your accuracy.
That's five times cleaning, and if you use a bore guide and minimize the use of a brush(only used for carbon fouling) you will not degrade the life of a barrel, any faster with routine cleaning.

[catnthehat]

I clean a barrel out first before I shoot it, to get the crud and other stuff.
As far as "breaking it in' goes , I don't normally shoot new factory rifles, so my break in for a used rifle is to compeltly strip anything out of it , then shoot it.

My custom barrels are smooth enough that I run a shot, thenn run a patch through it just to check fouling, then run five shot groups in 4 sequences, checking to see if there is any difference iin group size.
Sometimes it can be dettected, sometimes not.
I then shoot , only cleaning with Amzoil till the groups open up, then i'll decopper.

It's worked for me that way and many others for years, some guys have a different regimen they follow.

My smallbore rifles don't get cleaned nearly as much, except for the boolts and chamber faces.

Cat

Some barrel manufactures have now tired to re-clarify there stance saying that a barrel break-in procedures helps to smooth the transition from the newly cut chamber into the throat area of the bore. Now there is some merit to this statement except that the fact a cotton patch isn’t going to do squat to help remove any rough areas. Bullets passing down the barrel will help smooth the chamber/throat area. It may take just a couple of shots or it could take a lot, but it depends on how well the chamber was cut.

This is exactly what Kenny Jarrett cited as being the reason for barrel break in...he uses a combination of shooting and cleaning for the first 100 rounds. He claims it's critical and I'd tend to believe him. It's a fairly complex process but requires regular use of copper cleaner for first 100 shots. He convinced me!

[sullijr]

If you think a copper bullet going down a new a steel barrel isn't going to leave something behind too bad.I clean after every shot on a new rifle for the first 5-10 to identify a possible problem.A huge copper deposit after 1 or 2 shots is easier explain to the dealer than after a box full.

I have broke in cleaning between each shot for the first box then after every couple for the next few boxes. I don't know the science behind it but i found accuracy was not optimal till after about 80 shots. I'll stick to this method for my future rifles.

[Bushrat]

I don't bother with barrel break in anymore, never found it to make a difference in the amount it fouled or how it shot. Thats quite subjective as one wouldn't know after 'breaking' in a barrel if it made improvement over whether it were not broken in, vice versa, you cannot tell if you don't break it in if it would have shot or cleaned better if you had.

What I do know after examining many barrels with a borescope it that wether its cleaned between shots or not the high or rough spots needing to be smoothed down are always the clean spots with no copper build up that are being smoothed off by the bullets passage, just like a plow going over a road, it smoothes off the high spots and fills in the low spots, so all those reamer and tooling marks still get shined up, (they never go away) cleaned between shots or not, and not polished any better when they are cleaned between those shots. Personally I don't see the need for cleaning between those shots and unless you have a borescope you don't know wether your getting it clean between shots anyway, you have no way of telling, you can't see it by looking down the bore with your eye or with one of those bore lights, just because your patch with copper cutter on it dosen't come out blue does not mean there is no copper in that barrel. Looked at far too many guys guns who think they have got a spotless bore, gone through their cleaning regimen and breakin, etc. are all proud of their accomplishment.....when they look through a borescope, 90% of the time their expression changes to a "how can that be" expression.

There's nothing wrong with a break in and if it floats your boat thats a good thing. As many old barrelmakers are famous for saying , cleaning right never hurt a barrel, cleaning wrong will kill it quick, always use a proper fitting bore guide, if your cleaning without one and your rod has a bow in it as your running it down the bore then your are damaging the throat of your bore.

[raised by wolves]

Barrel break-in only sells ammo. The reality is basic physics and mechanics, every shot wears the inside of the barrel. The first 5 to 10 shots with a new rifle and scope will be plenty to "break-in" a barrel. Any miniscule dent, crack, or fissure inside the barrel will be filled with portions from the outer surface of the projectile. Also, any microscopic extras clinging to the inside of the barrel that remain from production, or edges and protrusions will be removed by the firing of each subsequent cleaning and firing.

The more you shoot, the more you wear out your barrel, but that is what is intended for. It is a tool that wears out - eventually.

Clean it well and ensure the barrel, chamber and bolt face are clean and dry before firing. After repeated firing, and over the course of use, the sight alignment may require adjustment as the rifle will slowly change the fall of shot with continued wear on the barrel.

I have heard of some rather bizarre processes of x amont of rounds followed by a cleaning, then x more rounds and another cleaning, etc. My former career was in balistics and I have never yet heard anyone with legitimate documentation behind their names profess to this type of process.

If you feel this is something you must do, you won't hurt your gun that much. If anything, you will become more familiar with the rifle as each one shoots its own way with different ammo. Hopefully, this will help the shooter develop their own shooting style.

[SakoAlberta]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

This is exactly what Kenny Jarrett cited as being the reason for barrel break in...he uses a combination of shooting and cleaning for the first 100 rounds. He claims it's critical and I'd tend to believe him. It's a fairly complex process but requires regular use of copper cleaner for first 100 shots. He convinced me!

Kenny Jarrett Knows a thing or too about accuracy. My Cooper rifles are hand lapped but Cooper still recommends a break in for everything but .22lr.

Originally Posted by SakoAlberta

Kenny Jarrett Knows a thing or too about accuracy. My Cooper rifles are hand lapped but Cooper still recommends a break in for everything but .22lr.

Ya, I'd tend to take his word on barrels for sure! I'd never considered the machining difference between barrel and throat but when he explained it, it all made sense. Now break in seems more important than ever regardless of whose barrel you are using. Old dogs can learn new tricks..well at least those willing to learn!

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by sheephunter

Ya, I'd tend to take his word on barrels for sure! I'd never considered the machining difference between barrel and throat but when he explained it, it all made sense. Now break in seems more important than ever regardless of whose barrel you are using. Old dogs can learn new tricks..well at least those willing to learn!

The problem is, Jarret , Bordan, Boyer, and several other top BR shooters can never agree on two things together, and barrel break in is one of them, as well as cleaning styles.
Same as Shilen , hart, and douglass barrel companies!!
When talking about the best method of barrel making, the only thing the can agree on is that the skill of the barrel smith will have an outcome on the finished product.

I've talked to many true experts on the subject of break-in and cleaning as well, and all had different answers......
Cat

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I've talked to many true experts on the subject of break-in and cleaning as well, and all had different answers......
Cat

Yah it's kinda like listening to politicians

[Dmay]

Barrel break in is always a contentious topic.

But, to the original question: your hunting rifle with 120 or so rounds through it, cleaned regularly, has not been harmed in any way without having been "broken in"......if it shoots decent, thats all that matters.

[packhuntr]

Not sure what to think about break in. I could show you a bunch of rifles that were built years ago, and are still being shot, that will shoot as good as any production rifle that has had this done.

keep a strain on er.

[John Spartan]

I don't bother with barrel break - in. What I do look for is where the first shot goes and then where subsequent shots go. Some guns shoot slightly differently when shot from a cold clean barrel and then again from a cold seasoned barrel. Depending on barrel quality, I've found slight changes over the first 100-200 shots but once beyond that, the shooting tends to be fairly consistent.

As long as the rifle shoots consistently, I'm happy.

[Big Buff]

Originally Posted by John Spartan

I don't bother with barrel break - in. What I do look for is where the first shot goes and then where subsequent shots go. Some guns shoot slightly differently when shot from a cold clean barrel and then again from a cold seasoned barrel. Depending on barrel quality, I've found slight changes over the first 100-200 shots but once beyond that, the shooting tends to be fairly consistent.

As long as the rifle shoots consistently, I'm happy.

Neither do I, never done it before.

The cold barrel is an important issue, probably a good 90 %(I am guessing) of all kills are with a cold barrel. Most rifles are sighted with a few rounds through it......? I still have difficulty with this concept. I can remember that during my last year of high school, we were recruited to do some target shooting for the army, and we always put two shots in the wall next to the target to warm up the barrel.

[roger]

after dicks course i have been making adjustments to my regimen.
i would say that cleaning wrong is worse than never cleaning... i believe that the breakin is critical to anything mechanical..
my spanking new bobcat skidsteer has 100hr of lite duty and varible rpm, the quads had a breakin period (then they got broken ), trucks cars etc..

after a dusty/dirty hunt I will take my rifle into the shower and rinse it in clear water to get the grit and or grime of it first, disasemble it, dry it and begin the cleaning process. the dirt would be like sandpaper to the surfaces

if nothing else..having to clean 11 times in the 20 rounds slows the process of shooting the first box of shells, for the guy with the itchy trigger finger and a new gun!!!

[ctd]

Breaking in the barrel.
That means to ensure that you do not shoot to many rounds through it to warp it (let it cool between subsequent rounds). Ensure that you clean it properly after use. (to me this means run a patch through the bore after use wet, then run a few dry then another wet) mainly to get the big stuff off. I never clean a bore spotless.
Make sure that the bore, chamber and bolt face is free of debris before and after every use.

[Roughneck12]

None at all. Clean it before shooting the first time and have fun. You have done no damage to your rifle.

Originally Posted by delburnedave

OK, I'm a little embarassed to admit this, but here goes. A year and a half ago I bought a 300wsm tikka stainless. Out of ignorance, I did not do a proper break in on it, I wasn't even aware there was a break in procedure, not being a real "gun guy" After reading on here and other places, and attending Dick284's seminar, I am now a little better informed, and am wishing I had done my research in the first place. My question is: What potential damage have I done to this rifle? Have I shortened the life of the barrel? Anything else I should know or can do to partially rectify this? Note: I have cleaned the gun regularly and it does group well if I'm doing my job. Has about 120-140 rounds through it.

[sweed]

Originally Posted by delburnedave

OK, I'm a little embarassed to admit this, but here goes. A year and a half ago I bought a 300wsm tikka stainless. Out of ignorance, I did not do a proper break in on it, I wasn't even aware there was a break in procedure, not being a real "gun guy" After reading on here and other places, and attending Dick284's seminar, I am now a little better informed, and am wishing I had done my research in the first place. My question is: What potential damage have I done to this rifle? Have I shortened the life of the barrel? Anything else I should know or can do to partially rectify this? Note: I have cleaned the gun regularly and it does group well if I'm doing my job. Has about 120-140 rounds through it.

Hi can i ask u what DICK284 seminar is

Thanks

[albertadave]

Originally Posted by sweed

Hi can i ask u what DICK284 seminar is

Thanks

Dick284, one of the board memebers here and an extremely knowlegable guy, put on a shooting seminar this past winter.