15 replies to this topic

[seebass]

I have a 40 round process I go through that takes a half day at the range. I have my standard cleaning tools, extra patches I also have my copper and powder solvents with me.I start by cleaning the factory grease and oil off and re oiling the gun. I also give the barrel a good cleaning before I go to the range. Once at the range I shoot this pattern.1 shot, scrub and clean barrel with both solvents until COMPLETELY clean. (10x's) takes about 2 hours or so. 10 bullets 3 shot group, scrub and clean barrel with both solvents until COMPLETELY clean. (5x's) takes another hour. 15 bullets 5 shot group, scrub and clean barrel with both solvents until COMPLETELY clean. (5x's) takes an hour or a bit less. 15 bulletsThis usually takes me 4-5 hours... I take a break after the first 40 then go back and see what I kind of groups I can shoot. That's about all I do to "break in" my barrels.... What about you? How do you go about it? Do you even do anything but take the gun and start shooting?

[ShooterJohn]

I've tried every process there is and they shoot just as well if you just go shoot them.

[tawnoper]

I've tried every process there is and they shoot just as well if you just go shoot them.

+1Exactly. Done that laborious chore on a few guns. While it doesn't hurt a thing, I never noticed a difference.I give them a really good cleaning before shooting them...then again once I get home from shooting them. All broke in.

[Shoot-it]

I took Sj advice years ago and it works.I don't even clean them when new just shoot a few hundred rounds and come home and clean .Then work up some loads and experiment.What you need to do is get a 6 foot steel pipe and walk around with it to simulate that heavy calling rifle you bought.

[Divernhunter]

I run a bore snake or a few patches(dry) thru the barrel to be sure nothing is in the barrel. The go to the range and shoot. The only "trick" that is needed is to not let the barrel get so hot that you cannot hold it. When it gets hot just stop shooting until it cools down. Damage to the barrel(or wear) goes up as the barrel gets hotter. This is true with a new or a much used barrel. After I am done I will clean it. After that it gets cleaned when I get around to it. My barrels shoot well(some better than I do) and last thru many rounds.The only thing that the shoot and clean thing does is make sure you do not over heat the barrel. Ask McMillan rifles. In truth you could actually be doing harm if improper cleaning is done. More rifles have been ruined from improper cleaning than lack of cleaning. Many rifles shoot better with a barrel that is not real clean than if it is very clean. I take that back. Whatever way a person "breaks in" a barrel which in their mind helps the barrel shoot better will do so. It really does not make it shhot better BUT it does make them think it does. Shooting is also very much a mental game. So if you think it helps then your mind-set is better and you tend to shoot better.

[dangerranger]

Not just the barrel, But I clean every inch of a new gun inside and out. I once bought a Russian double shotgun that had about a teaspoon of debris mixed into its action, and stock, Plus a handfull of heavy grease. Once all that was cleaned out I take them out and shoot them. Rifles the same way. DR

[Jason]

I wipe off the excess oil and go shooting. I shoot it a lot. I might go out a couple more times and shoot it some more. Then I might clean it. It has worked well for years. Most guns I've shot seem to shoot better dirty, particularly rimfires.

[Frank]

That's about all I do to "break in" my barrels.... What about you?

No such thing. A marketing gimmic that some folks suspect was started by a custom gun / barrel maker.I say that after friends & I have shot NUMEROUS, off the shelf, brand new rifles over several + decades that produced 1 hole, 5 shot groups right from the get go. Some groups from 1/8-3/8". WHY, would one need anything better, especially in a hunting rifle?Now if one just enjoys going through all that timely, & semi-cost(lier) process then that is cool. Btw, it can also reduce barrel life, especially on hot rods such as 22-250, 220 Swifts, 257 Wby mags etc. But again, whatever one enjoys or feels needing to do. It's all good. LOL

Ask McMillan rifles. In truth you could actually be doing harm if improper cleaning is done.

Exactly, DR... In fact at one time anyway, if McMillan found out that a customer used JB bore cleaner in his barrels, he voided the warranty. That stuff is abrassive, and dulls the edges of the rifling, and probably should only be used in the worst of fouled barrels. I know one Gunsmith that won't use it, no matter how fouled the barrels are. Not sure I would agree with that, but one should be aware before using that stuff.

[OrneryOlMofo357]

In this case, its a stock barrel on a Remmington. It will either be a shooter or a tomato stake. lol But seriuosly, cleaning prior to shooting it is all that I do to mine. Now maybe Id do something after spending 3-$ 500 dollars on a custom barrel, but for the average store bought firearm, I doubt that you would gain anything. But if you enjoy doing in a barrel break in, then do it. Good luck with the new rifle.

[lif2fsh]

Load fire repeat. Have been fortunate to fire a lot of guns and never broke one in.

[Bisley]

I would give just about anything to know where this shoot once, clean, shoot twice, clean again started in the first place. I somehow picture an ammo manufacturer CEO with stocks invested in a gun cleaner company rolling around in money laughing at all of us. I can't help but think of the words I just read on the other post about the .22 Hornet:

Don't believe everything you read...........

Ain't that the truth! Just shoot it!

[docskinner]

Nice to see so many of you have the same break in procedure I do!

[ehd]

load her up and let her rip.

[clampdaddy]

I've only "broken in" one of my rifle barrels and the only reason I did it was because the manufacturer of that particular rifle uses Badger barrels and according to literature that came with the rifle Badger will only honor accuracy complaint warranties to those that do a break in as per their instructions. Would they ever be able to tell if a barrel was really broken in?.....probably not, but I figured it was the honest thing to do just in case I ever had to have it warrantied.

[Divernhunter]

^{I must add to my above post that if it is a mil surplus rifle I take it completely apart and clean any cosmoline out of the total rifle including the stock. I soak bolts etc in solvent, blow them out then use brake clean spray and blow them out the some oil or Tri-Lube spray. Clean the barrel and lightly oil it. This is really important to clean any firearm with a floating firing pin such as a SKS.My first answer was for commercially made sporting firearms.}

[Bisley]

Would they ever be able to tell if a barrel was really broken in?.....probably not, but I figured it was the honest thing to do just in case I ever had to have it warrantied.

Probably not?! It is metal, and a tool. It would be like having to use your brake (rotors) one time, then cleaning them. Then using them twice down the road, and then cleaning them. How in the world can one tell? And who made up how many times this process should be done anyway. Every piece of metal is different, so is every rifle then!. Makes for a nice write up, and makes a gun rag author sound like they know what they are doing though