poll: barrel break in

[XVIga_Rob]

barrel break in is really a smoothing effect about the throat.

The following break in procedure is based on experience and should be considered only as a guide. Results may vary based on a number of different variables. Some of these variables might require more or less cycles. Initially, you should perform the one shot and clean for five shots. Try this and observe if the amount of fouling reduces between cleanings. If it does not, continue with your one shot procedure until foiling is perceived to be reduced. At this point begin a 3 shot then clean procedure. Again take note of the amount of fouling and when it has reduced, then it is time to move up to 5 shots then clean.

[triggs75]

I clean it with a few patches when I first get the barrel. Take it out and shoot it then bring it home and clean it. Then after that I cleanwith a few patches after a couple hundred rounds. I don’t clean out copper until it starts shooting bad.

The tooling and machines barrel companies have now are much more precise and tolerances are great “if they change out their tool heads ” with that really don’t see a need for break in. As said on a few other forums and podcasts barrel companies created barrel breakins to have people stop calling them asking them how to break a barrel in and wouldn’t understand it’s ok to just shoot it. Could be true, who knows

[bsumoba]

25 rounds down a new barrel at 100 yards, cleaning it only a couple times in between.

A 26 round ladder test at 1,000 yards to tell me where the tune is at (and it was very apparent from the test where the load should be, and wasn't too far off from previous loads).

59 round palma match (15 rounds at 800,900, and 1K yards) to validate the load shoots well...and it was good enough for a 1 pt win over some very good shooters.

I'm ready for a big match!

Break in....what break in?

[threeperreaper]

Well I did it....

I took my new rifle to the range and made up my own break in process...

1 shot, then clean
3 shots (to get the gun close to zero), then clean
10 shots, then clean
20 shots, then went home and cleaned

Not saying this is better than any other break in process, I just didn’t feel like cleaning the fun 10 times and figured it was better than nothing

By the end of the day I was shooting great groups (for me) at 200 yards...and I fully realize my groups may have been just as good if I didn’t do any sort of break in process....

My understanding is that there is some sort of “smoothing out” process that occurs and that it occurs faster with a clean barrel (which is why a ‘break in process’ helps)...I don’t believe your rifle will shoot worse if you don’t do a break in process, but that it may take more rounds before you see the same consistency.

I have another gun of the same model that is just as accurate

[bsumoba]

Rough chamber jobs are the main reason for needing a break in. The bullets going down the barrel, burnishes the throat area which is typically the roughest part of a new barrel.

[Excommunicado]

There is a U-Tube video on John Krieger, owner of Krieger barrel. He was interviewed at a gun show and he only repeated about 5-6 times that barrel break-ins is no longer necessary and most 'over clean' their barrels.

[LynnJr]

That's not what he said in this YouTube video.

https://youtu.be/3d0-FOEpAuw

[meno377]

OP. FWIW. Cue up to 4:40. He starts talking about the break in process. At 7:30ish he explains what to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LitGDerYR6Y

[longrange1]

its funny how much this subject comes up and how divided ppl are about it.

the gun smith that chambered my first after market barrel kinda laughed when i asked him what he thought about barrel break in and this is what he said...

ive seen more barrels ruined from improper cleaning than any other reason.
most of how a barrel is going to shoot and clean up depends more on the guy cambering the barrel and the tool he is using than the barrel itself.

if the guy is just blow and go and or using dull tools the tooling marks left in the chamber are going to be harder to get smoothed out...if he goes slow,takes his time,keeps his tools sharp and uses quality lube then the tooling marks will be minimal.

he said he did not look at this from a break in stand point but more so to see what the barrel wanted...

shoot 1 clean....if very light blue or no blue shoot 10 then clean and your done...if dark blue shoot 1 clean if still dark shoot one more and clean...regardless of blue only shoot 3 and clean then shoot 10 and clean if still dark blue bring it back i did something wrong...i never took one back.

the shoot 1 clean was to see how the barrel was going to foul the 10 is to season the barrel.

my latest smith believes in the full break in of shoot 1 clean x5 shoot 3 clean x3 shoot 3-5 5 shot groups and clean in between groups.

when he chambers a barrel he goes in .050-.060 pulls out and flushes the chamber and reamer...he has chambered at least 10 barrels for me and in every one i only shot 1 round and clean then the 10 and clean...they just do not hold any copper.

[Kwikvette]

I won't say what's right, what's wrong, etc.

Will just give my experience;

New build, bartlein barrel, began load development until I found the right load, and kept shooting up to +800 or so rounds.

I remember meeting someone at the range doing a "barrel break in" and I asked if it worked for him. He said he read about it online and was suggested to do so by many people he met.

Anyway, that day, I had that rifle I just described and told him that after my build was completed, I only cleaned it prior to firing the first round. Since then I never cleaned it out because accuracy was consistent at 3/8" 5 round shots at 100 yards.

Am I wrong? I don't think so considering the accuracy stayed the same until about 1,000 rounds and then I finally cleaned my rifle. Since then, I've been shooting and have yet to clean it.

Is he wrong? I don't think so either since he was claiming his rifle was shooting well. I've yet to see him at the range again to get a follow-up but others seem to mimic the same I've read here.

I will say that over cleaning, or cleaning done incorrectly, will do more damage.