Barrel break in on savage

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by elkchaser

Elk 11
I always shot 3 at each target since I started

What was your break in procedure again. Start there.

[elkchaser]

1 shot clean the barrel first 10 shots but I still shoot the same target for 3 shots before I go to the next target then after the first 10 shots and cleaning I move to 3 shots and cleaning what's wrong with that ?

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by elkchaser

Elk 11
I always shot 3 at each target for the first box and a half since I started .The gun was cleaned before starting to remove as much dirt and filings . I am just shooting it to season the barrel and that's what I found . Not a match shoot here guys and once I break them in usually with cheap factory ammo I have some fire formed brass for the gun to go reload and try to find it's best combo for tight groups later . So In short I believe it helps if you don't agree with my findings take it with a grain of salt . That's just how I do it !

The other factor that you seem to be neglecting, is that some rifles shoot best after a fouling shot or two . If you clean the barrel after every shot, for the first ten shots, every one of those shots would have been a fouling shot. Then the first shot out of your next five groups would have been a fouling shot. As such, I wouldn't pay too much attention to the accuracy of those first twenty five shots.

As I said, the value of using a break in procedure can't be proven one way or the other, so just do what makes you feel best about it.
I do clean a new barrel more often, and I watch closely to make sure that I don't let the fouling accumulate, but I don't use an actual procedure.

[elkchaser]

I honestly don't pay any attention to the seasoning shots ! I don't care what it shoots during break in but still try to hit the target .lol I take my info after with the bullet and powder combos I try next time I go out shooting that's what's matters . I was just really surprised how much my girlfriends light weight hunter didn't seem to like the fusion 150 gr factory ammo . I used it in my 243 when I broke it in and almost didn't want to hand load by the end of breaking in the barrel the groups where so tight . But I did and even found a better load .

[gitrdun]

My break in procedure for factory barrels. I haven't applied to the my Jury nor McGowan.

1. Remove barreled action from stock. Obviously scope also if there is one.

2. Pour boiling water down the barrel so that it becomes so hot that you need oven mitts to hold it.

3. Soak a caliber appropriate mop with Dawn dish detergent (best grease busting) and boiling hot water. Run it back and forth through the bore.

4. Pour boiling water down the tube to rinse it out.

5. Run a jag soaked with Butche's #9 or your favourite crud buster through the tube.

6. Pour boiling water down the tube to rinse it out. Run a clean patch though it.

7. Soak a patch with JB's Bore Bright on a caliber appropriate jag down the bore. 5 strokes in, 5 strokes out...NO MORE.

8. Repeat steps 2 through 4. Then run a dry patch through it.

9. Soak a patch with Remoil, or G96 and run it a few times through the bore.

10. Apologize to wife for messing up the kitchen sink. Clean up after yourself. All is good.

Put aside about a half hour to do this.

[elkchaser]

Girtdun I like that way saves on a lot of ammo ! How often do you clean after shooting ?

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by elkchaser

Girtdun I like that way saves on a lot of ammo ! How often do you clean after shooting ?

As with most of the other guys, only when accuracy falls. Unless my gun has been subjected to inclement weather conditions, rain, snow etc. Or falling in the creek as I did last year.

[Savage Mike]

Just find a system that makes you happy at the end of the day.

[gopher]

Originally Posted by Savage Mike

Just find a system that makes you happy at the end of the day.

Isn't that a fact! Plus it sure is nice to see this thread back on track.

Barrels don't last that long and they are cheap good thing too...

[260 Rem]

Kreiger, whose barrels are well represented among the equipment lists of the top twenty competitors in International Bench Rest Shooters Association competitions, recommend the break-in of their barrels...more precisely ...the throat. Google their website for the "why" and procedure, which in short, involves "shoot and clean" cycles. It is my understanding, BI does not directly benefit accuracy, but potentially reduces the future rate of copper fouling, which is recognized to impact on both accuracy and consistency. I recall, one respected SBR competitor who frequents this site occasionally, saying that he would welcome competing against shooters that do not practice a BI procedure.
I generally do between 5-10 shoot-and-clean cycles with each new barrel, regardless of brand. With all the respect due those who fear the extra "wear" on their barrels, it does not deter me from the prospect that the accuracy of one of my 308 Win barrels starts to fall off at 2500 rounds rather than at 2510 .... due to my doing a ten shot BI.

[Pathfinder76]

Why not just lead lap after chambering?

[Smokinyotes]

I'm not sure if it's right or wrong but I shoot 1 clean 1 for the first 20 rounds using microlon gun juice. After doing this on about a half dozen new rifles, it seems like the barrels clean up pretty quick.

[marxman]

Originally Posted by Savage Mike

Just find a system that makes you happy at the end of the day.

thats right we should respect all barrel breakin beliefs

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by chuck

Why not just lead lap after chambering?

Lapping is done before chambering, even if you did it after chambering it would only smooth the bore, it wouldn't smooth the reamer marks from chambering that are left on the throat and the beginning angle of the leade of the lands where they angle/ramp up out to the full height of the lands.

Personally I think this 'funnel' area of the lead can be polished with a tight jag and some JB paste and simply bumping the leade a few dozen times. I look through the borescope before the barrel is fired and in most chambering jobs, factory or custom the tool marks are sharp or in other words somewhat aggressive. After bumping this area with a tight jag and JB it looks much smoother and less aggressive as far as the rotational cutting marks left by the reamer. I also think break-in by firing and cleaning does the same thing in the throat but does it not by cleaning but rather by firing numerous shots and the cutting or 'cutting torch' effect of the hot gases and flame created by combustion of all those break-in shots which erodes the sharp edges of the reamer marks in the throat.

I think barrel break in is a very subjective topic, it's resultant value is dependant on the mindset, notions and beliefs of the shooter and those who influence him.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Lapping is done before chambering, even if you did it after chambering it would only smooth the bore, it wouldn't smooth the reamer marks from chambering that are left on the throat and the beginning angle of the leade of the lands where they angle/ramp up out to the full height of the lands.

Personally I think this 'funnel' area of the lead can be polished with a tight jag and some JB paste and simply bumping the leade a few dozen times. I look through the borescope before the barrel is fired and in most chambering jobs, factory or custom the tool marks are sharp or in other words somewhat aggressive. After bumping this area with a tight jag and JB it looks much smoother and less aggressive as far as the rotational cutting marks left by the reamer. I also think break-in by firing and cleaning does the same thing in the throat but does it not by cleaning but rather by firing numerous shots and the cutting or 'cutting torch' effect of the hot gases and flame created by combustion of all those break-in shots which erodes the sharp edges of the reamer marks in the throat.

I think barrel break in is a very subjective topic, it's resultant value is dependant on the mindset, notions and beliefs of the shooter and those who influence him.

I have had a couple of barrels lead lapped after chambering. One of them was the most consistently accurate rifle I owned. It was done to address a tight spot in the bore which created strange problems. This corrected it and it had zero ill affect on the leade.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by chuck

I have had a couple of barrels lead lapped after chambering. One of them was the most consistently accurate rifle I owned. It was done to address a tight spot in the bore which created strange problems. This corrected it and it had zero ill affect on the leade.

Exactly, Barrel lapping done correctly will have no effect on the leade only the bore. To clarify what I mentioned by 'bumping the leade' I mean with a jag with a over thick or double patch and JB that will fit in and polish/smooth the reamer marks in the leade but won't fit down the bore. Smooths those land ramps down so they don't strip copper from the bullet as it passes through the throat and swages down to fit the bore.

[qwert]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

Exactly, Barrel lapping done correctly will have no effect on the leade only the bore. To clarify what I mentioned by 'bumping the leade' I mean with a jag with a over thick or double patch and JB that will fit in and polish/smooth the reamer marks in the leade but won't fit down the bore. Smooths those land ramps down so they don't strip copper from the bullet as it passes through the throat and swages down to fit the bore.

For clarification please, is this done using in-out strokes or rotationally?

[Bushrat]

In and out, rotationally the patch will hang up on the faces of the land ramps and the jag will rotate but the patch won't. Reamer marks are always rotational, smooth or round off the sharp edges of the reamer marks with back and forth motion.
I use a bore guide that keeps the rod and jag centered so you bump it dead center, not off to one side or other. I'm not recommending this anymore than I recommend barrel break-in.
I only do this if the borescope shows that there are really rough reamer marks on the leade. It appears to smoothe the sharp edges off, weather it does any good or not who knows. Its like barrel break in, Personally I have no idea if it does much of anything but use up good patches and cleaner. I think barrel break-in might help some barrels, some others it might do more harm than good.
Your mileage may vary.

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by qwert

For clarification please, is this done using in-out strokes or rotationally?

Speaking of doing it rotationally, have read a few articles where guys drill the bases of bunch of the bullets they plan to use in a gun, thread them to a rod use a bore guide, put lapping compound on the bullet and inset it until it touches the lands and spin it until the slug is worn down, disgard, thread a new one on, repeat until they have the throat matching the ogive of the bullet perfectly. Some swear by it others swear at it, makes me go Hmmmmmm......lol.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by qwert

For clarification please, is this done using in-out strokes or rotationally?

Stick with in-out. You can't handle rotational.