22 barrel break-in ammo?

[calibanman]

Why is it that many of you recomend cci's to break-in new barrel? I have a brand new one and want to know if I need to buy some for the first few hundred rounds.

[wadalaba]

CCI mini mags pretty much are good ammo.

It goes bang every time, and its pretty clean compared to federal/remington bulk packs which may be hit or miss when it comes to misfires. Although I haven't had any problems with federal 745 so far (2 bulk packs)

[Izzy43]

I doubt it will make any difference which ammo you shoot first. Rem GB are crap and dirty, I would avoid that. CCI Mini Mags, Blazer, Win333, Federal 550, Federal Lightning (510B), Federal Automatch (AM22) and Centurion HV has all worked well in my Savage MKII.

[postal]

Semi auto, its common to use higher velocity rounds to break in the action for it to wear in and cycle properly.

No barrel break in necessary on a 22lr.

After about 1000 rounds, it should be broken in pretty good, and shoot whatever the gun likes and is most accurate.

[shooterdude]

I don't normally volunteer this information but since someone asked about breaking in a new .22 caliber barrel I will share my coveted procedure:

On shots 1-10 I clean the barrel after every round but starting with the first odd shot fired by using a bore snake and CLP, after every even round I clean the barrel with a different bore snake using Hoppes #9. On shots 11-23 I clean the barrel on every odd round with the bore snake and the hoppes # 9 then every other even round with the bore snake and CLP. For shots 24-51 I clean the barrel every 3rd odd round with a nylon round brush soaked in Rem Oil and every other even round with a bore snake and CLP alternating with the other bore snake and Hoppes #9 for the shots in between the other even shots. The critical factor is to let the barrel cool completely down between every 3rd cycle of cleaning between even shots and only cool down 50% between every 2nd cycle of odd shots. From shots 52-109 let the barrel cool down 50% and then use the bore snake and hoppes #9 to clean the barrel every 5th round and Rem Oil and the bore snake every other even shot fired and the bore snake with CLP every other cycle of 5 shots after the 3rd 5 shot cycle that the hoppes #9 was used.

This procedure will definitely make your stock barrel shoot as good as any match barrel but only if you truly believe this to be true.

[calibanman]

oh I believe Obiwan. Cheers.

[Rigma]

I too believe...

I just think I need 2 more beers and a new pencil to write it down...

[CmpsdNoMore]

When I got my new Green Mountain bull barrel I put it on the rifle and started shooting. It has had sub 1 MOA accuracy since day one.

[postal]

Do you sacrifice a black cat to the rifle gods pouring blood in the barrel while you chant some monotone incantation while doing this ridiculous cleaning/break in regimen?

No- I truly believe your regimen is wrong for a 22.

I do sort of the same break in for a high power like you explained, but no way would I waste my time doing that on a 22. Even a $3K Anshutz or something, I'd just buy some quality ammo and shoot it.

That type of break in is for high power rifle- 22lr is low pessure- not only is it unecessary, its actually harmfull. More damage is done by improper cleaning than shooting a 22. World class competitors with 22lr never clean the gun unless it HAS to be cleaned because accuracy dropped off. Then it takes quite a few rounds to foul the barrel for accuracy to come back. They'll clean the action for proper functioning, but not the barrel until they HAVE to. A lot of high power guys are starting to let the barrels go until accuracy drops off at 400+ rounds.

[CalNRA]

first I ever heard of "breaking in" a 22LR barrel.


Bad enough that every other week we get new shooters asking about how detailed and how often to clean the darned things.

[phish]

majority of .22 ammo is lead, I can't see how soft lead would even begin to burnish away tooling marks in a factory barrel