Barrel break in

[Chad280]

My rifle should be done here soon, (I hope) As far as loads to shoot just to break the barrel in do you guys shoot a regular loaded round or a reduced load?

 

[ShootDots]

Up until last year, I used to load "reasonably full power loads" and fire, clean, fire, clean etc.. til the copper stopped. But the barrels have become so good as of the last 2 years that I simply fire and clean as if it was an already "broke in" barrel.. I find NO IMPROVEMENTS in barrel life or accuracy for doing it the way I used to..

 

[Cold Bore]

As far as loads to shoot just to break the barrel in do you guys shoot a regular loaded round or a reduced load?

uh oh.....

 

[fastarget]

Regular loads, shoot 5 clean with carbon remover, shoot 5 clean again, after that clean after shooting session. custom barrels are hand lapped and should not require much break in. I have not had any problems , but this question is always controversial

 

[msinc]

I don't know if reduced or "light" loads do anything for you as far as break in goes...I have a borescope so I can see what's going on fouling wise and I will say that the main thing is to try and keep the copper cleaned out as you do this. If you shoot until the bore is puked up with copper and keep on shooting you wont hurt the barrel, but you wont be doing much to break it in either. You have to try to keep the copper out as much as possible so that it actually does break in. I am just now breaking in two new barrels and am trying out the new Dupont Enduron powders that are supposed to keep copper from building up. It seems to be working pretty good. I am able to get several more rounds out in between cleaning, the bore cleans up way faster and easier and it really does seem to be breaking in faster than usual. Both barrels are cut rifling and both were pretty rough, in fact they were way rougher than what I expected to see from the makers that made them.

 

[1shot]

My rifle should be done here soon, (I hope) As far as loads to shoot just to break the barrel in do you guys shoot a regular loaded round or a reduced load?

Chad280
You have a PM

 

[K22]

I have never found it necessary to employ the elaborate break in procedures advocated by many. I shoot normal loads in a new barrel. I clean as I normally do for all my rifles with is anywhere from 20 to 30 rounds depending on the cartridge's degree of overbore. It works for me.

 

[hogpatrol]

 

[Joe Salt]

hogapatol you got enough pop-corn?

Before I even send on shot down the barrel I use JB on a brush with a patch rapped around it. I have a rod with a crank handle that I spin by hand so I can feel what the patch and brush are doing, or if there are any burrs. I then put on a new patch and repeat till the JB is about out. Then I go in with more patches with Kroil till its clean. Wipe dry then do the same thing with Flitz! What a shine. And I really do this because it takes all ruff stuff out that the reamer leaves. Now when you start to fire some rounds you don't get as much copper pealing off from the machine marks. Then fire one shot clean two shot and clean then five shots and clean. Now your GOOD to GO.

Joe Salt

 

[butchlambert]

Don't we have a search function on the forums anymore? There are many many threads on this and the same"stuff" is posted every time.

 

[hogpatrol]

Don't we have a search function on the forums anymore? There are many many threads on this and the same"stuff" is posted every time.

Yeah, but we'd miss the entertainment value brought on by the newbies.

 

[Erik Cortina]

Below is my detailed break in procedure.















That's it. After that, I just shoot it. Hope this helped.

 

[WyleWD]

To be on the safe side, follow the instructions on barrel break in from your barrel manufacturer. If you have a problem with it, that is one of the first things they'll ask you. Trust me. WD

 

[comagutsa]

my new hart barrel i just put on said it doesnt need to be run in on their web site , but i still did 1 shot clean x5 then 3 shot clean x3 and thats all it need and it didnt take to much time out of my day ,
least i know i have done everything and if it doesnt shoot its not from not running it in

 

[Cold Bore]

I have a rod with a crank handle that I spin by hand so I can feel what the patch and brush are doing, or if there are any burrs.

So you "spin" the JB and Flitz in the barrel, not just simple lengthwise strokes?

 

[Ggmac]

Barrel break in was a myth created by a barrel manufacture . More barrels are damaged , worn by cleaning than by shooting . Does anyone remember there fathers or grandfathers changing barrels every year ? Granted that's OVER simplified but on the right track .
Shoot the thing . Buy a Borescope , see for yourself . The inner web is not the answer to all , do your own test .

 

[JRS]

http//www.6mmbr.com/gailmcmbreakin.html

 

[Ggmac]

I'm sorry if I was tech savy I could link to the multiple Precision shooting articles related to barrel break in and the begining of the "Procedure". The barrel manufacturer saying , it'll sell more barrels !
Articles printed in reputable magazines are vetted for content and not just some single opinion . My quotes are not exact but the message is .
If I'm layed up any longer I may have time to research the article if anyone's interested .
Gary

 

[rpierce]

If you have a good barrel installed correctly there won't be any machine marks. The first shot will take them out if theres some tiny ones. Not sure how many times Ive taken a barrel with 5 rounds through it to a match and pounded the x ring. Heck my 284 shehane barrel had a 200-17x at 600 yd fclass for its first relay that previously only had 5 rounds through it to sight it in. Oh and that was fireforming brass The barrels clean up in a handful of patches. Go ahead though and waste a half day cleaning and doing this "break" in procedure everybody says is necessary. My break in procedure is a lot more fun lol.

 

[taliv]

Don't we have a search function on the forums anymore? There are many many threads on this and the same"stuff" is posted every time.

here's something a little different...

I've been documenting my break in testing with pictures on another forum.

In short, i postulate that a short break in process is conducive to low SDs by eliminating copper fouling as a variable. (i make no claims regarding accuracy, though tighter velocity spreads obviously affect vertical dispersion at longer ranges)

On one barrel, i document the break in, then clean again at various intervals, after 25 rounds, up to a couple hundred, to demonstrate that copper does not build up meaningfully after break in.

On the other barrel, I document the break in (2 rounds), then chrono at various points and am over 500 rounds.
At 182 rounds, (180 rounds since it was cleaned) I chrono'd and got
2779
2779
2783
2782
2779

which is a 4 FPS ES and a 1 SD.

At 390-400 rounds, I chrono'd 10 rounds and got an ES of 11 and SD of 3 FPS. The point being, the barrel hasn't been cleaned since the 2nd round. So, 398 rounds since it was cleaned, and it's still shooting reasonably low ES. AND, once the velocity stabilized, from 182 to 400 rounds, the Mean has only moved 2 FPS.

I'm sure lots of people get low SDs on this site too. My experience is that when i don't do a break in, I have to clean more often and I can get 1 SDs but not for very long. Usually only from 5 to 20 rounds or so after I clean, then my SDs go up to 7-10 FPS. But without copper in the barrel, I can go hundreds of rounds and still get very stable results. I get the same accuracy at 100 yards either way.

you can read the thread here http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=797080.

I'd be curious to hear if anyone else sees similar results on the chronograph.

edit: 4 days ago, btw at 515 rnds, i screwed it up and had to foul back in for a few rounds, but the last 4 rounds over the chrono were
2783
2783
2782
2777

then yesterday i went and chrono'd 2 rounds just to check before i drive to the Accuracy International Long Range Classic in FL today and the results were
2782
2779

so from round 182 to 535, my average velocity has changed less than 2 FPS