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**Mr Blu** · 10-14-2014, 8:00 AM

For me, "break in" consists of 20 rounds of Federal Gold Medal Match or similar by Federal.

About the 1st 5 shots will smooth out any remaining machining issues, as well as to make sure the firearm functions properly, but the 1st 20 shots is really just to foul the barrel for other ammo to be more accurate.

What really gets "broken in", is the seating of the stock with the action.

Other than that, "break in" for a firearm essentially doesn't exist.

**Mr Blu** · 10-14-2014, 8:05 AM

Originally posted by CRTguns

I'm bore snake guy.
I have won enough trophies and prizes to suggest that a boresnake is good.

I love boresnakes. If anything else, because of their practicality of transportation and ease of use. If you have a boresnake and a small bottle of CLP, or equivalent, you're pretty much set wherever you go.

**SansSouci** · 10-15-2014, 8:18 AM

I agree with posters who've posted break-in is BS. All I do is give new guns a thorough cleaning, especially bores, to assure all packing grease is removed, and then shoot 'em like I normally would. Once-in-a-while I'll clean barrels at ranges if I'm working up hand loads and plan on shooting upwards of fifty rounds. I try to let my barrels cool between groups.

A rifle is a pretty simple piece of equipment. As long as it's made of good components, it ought to last a hunter's lifetime. I seriously doubt that a hunter who owns a good-quality rifle could shoot-out his barrel in his lifetime. You figure a half-dozen zero-confirmation rounds before hunting season begins and a shot, maybe two at each head of big game. By the end of hunting season, a hunter might've fired a dozen rounds, tops. I've know hunters who've made a box of cartridges last many seasons.

Now bench rest shooters are a different breed of cat. If they're going to shoot thousands of rounds a year, I can see how barrel replacement would eventually be necessary, especially to keep their tiny groups tiny. In contrast, a hunter might fire a couple hundred rounds during his lifetime.

**tamalpias** · 10-15-2014, 10:46 AM

All I know is of my 3 bolt guns 2 took 200+ shots to start getting accurate. My 22 hornet was super accurate right out of the box. I didn't do anything special to it other than cleaning it more often when it was new.

**Metal God** · 10-16-2014, 7:49 AM

Before break-in You can see the chatter/tooling marks on the lands

After break-in You can see that they have been smoothed out a bit

WOW nobody ever showed you guys before and after pics

, haha anybody rethinking there thoughts on the issue

The thing about the pics is it does not show if just shooting 50rds through the barrel with no cleaning in between will do the same thing . Next new barrel I get I'll cast the chamber before and after 50rds with no cleaning and see if the results are the same

If breaking in a barrel is such a waist of time . Why do all the custom amd match barrels get lapped ? In a way isn't lapping a barrel breaking it in ? I agree breaking in a cutom or match barrel would be a waist and could even be bad . How ever I have no issue with breaking in a foctory mass produced barrel where the cutters , reamers and other tools my not be as sharp or the CC is not as high as a custom barrel maker

**Mr Blu** · 10-16-2014, 11:05 PM

Originally posted by Metal God

Before break-in You can see the chatter/tooling marks on the lands

After break-in You can see that they have been smoothed out a bit

WOW nobody ever showed you guys before and after pics

, haha anybody rethinking there thoughts on the issue

The thing about the pics is it does not show if just shooting 50rds through the barrel with no cleaning in between will do the same thing . Next new barrel I get I'll cast the chamber before and after 50rds with no cleaning and see if the results are the same

If breaking in a barrel is such a waist of time . Why do all the custom amd match barrels get lapped ? In a way isn't lapping a barrel breaking it in ? I agree breaking in a cutom or match barrel would be a waist and could even be bad . How ever I have no issue with breaking in a foctory mass produced barrel where the cutters , reamers and other tools my not be as sharp or the CC is not as high as a custom barrel maker

That's really cool.

What did you use to cast the barrel???

**LynnJr** · 10-16-2014, 11:31 PM

cerrosafe is good for making chamber casts.
I get a kick out of the posters asking what Kteiger or Bartlein would say as I posted it earlier and they recommend it..