Breaking in new barrel

[T.Rhodes]

Shilen has a 'procedure ' because clients have asked for one. Their opinion is with their barrels, just go shoot. That's what I have done and it works pretty well, for me.

 

[sundance]

Krieger laps their barrels before they ship. I don't think anything I can do to that barrel makes it better. I shoot moly in my varmint rifles so I don't have to do much cleaning . Before I put a cleaning rod in one I borescope it to see if anything needs to be done in there.
Like K22 I have seen people at a local public range with new factory rifles shoot and clean after every shot. Some of them are kind of scary with their cleaning rod handling.And no bore guides.

 

[butchlambert]

My thought for a few years has been a lapped good brand of barrel needs no formal break in. The only thing to address is the throat and leade as the chamber reamer leaves fluff "burrs". I use a good bronze brush and wrap a little 0000 steel around the brush. Take your hand drill and polish the throat for about 5 seconds, clean your barrel and it is "broke in".

 

[Ned Ludd]

 

[johara1]

I guess if you don't use above scope you will never know. i shoot one and clean, then bore scope it and if i find copper i clean it out and go through the procedure again. Once it shows no copper thats it, done. For the rest of the barrels useful life you should never see copper again. jim

 

[WyleWD]

What does your barrel manufacturer have to say about it?

^^^^ I'm with Terry. If it doesn't shoot and you call the manufacturer, they will ask you how you broke it in. Had a partner go through this a few years ago with a bad cut rifled barrel. WD

 

[moajoe]

Had a new Brux barrel installed on my F-Open savage last August. Was recommended that I do the shoot one clean for 5 rounds then shoot 3 then clean for 15 rounds then you are good to go. My question is where did this process originate? The new high end barrels today are finished way smoother than say 25 years ago.
Has anyone done a side by side with two identical barrels (same reamer, same caliber). I know that two barrels will not be exactly identical but probably close. Do the shoot and clean process on one and just shoot the other with no other cleaning procedure then test each side by side for accuracy and vertical. I'm betting the variance is going to be too small to make a difference.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[JRS]

Had a new Brux barrel installed on my F-Open savage last August. Was recommended that I do the shoot one clean for 5 rounds then shoot 3 then clean for 15 rounds then you are good to go. My question is where did this process originate? The new high end barrels today are finished way smoother than say 25 years ago.
Has anyone done a side by side with two identical barrels (same reamer, same caliber). I know that two barrels will not be exactly identical but probably close. Do the shoot and clean process on one and just shoot the other with no other cleaning procedure then test each side by side for accuracy and vertical. I'm betting the variance is going to be too small to make a difference.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Possibly started by the person Gale McMillan sold his barrel making equipment to

 

[butchlambert]

Read post #23

 

[JohnKielly]

Has anyone done a side by side with two identical barrels (same reamer, same caliber). I know that two barrels will not be exactly identical but probably close. Do the shoot and clean process on one and just shoot the other with no other cleaning procedure then test each side by side for accuracy and vertical. I'm betting the variance is going to be too small to make a difference.

It's been my understanding that the run in is to smooth the machining of the lede where it's cut during chambering.

 

[butchlambert]

It's been my understanding that the run in is to smooth the machining of the lede where it's cut during chambering.

You are correct John.

 

[JohnKielly]

Sorry, Butch, I managed to miss your earlier post.

 

[Rogmay]

Put my first aftermarket barrel (shilen select match) on a savage single shot action for f-class last year, bought a box of Hornady superformance ammo, first 7 shots went into about a 1" group, kept shooting, suddenly the gun was smacking 1/2 moa groups! after 20 rounds went home and cleaned! My son and I shared that 6.5 creedmoor for our first 2 matches (about 250 rounds each match) and would clean on average about every 300 rounds. With hand-loads that gun is still shooting 5 shot 1/4" groups! That was my breakin!

 

[butchlambert]

Put my first aftermarket barrel (shilen select match) on a savage single shot action for f-class last year, bought a box of Hornady superformance ammo, first 7 shots went into about a 1" group, kept shooting, suddenly the gun was smacking 1/2 moa groups! after 20 rounds went home and cleaned! My son and I shared that 6.5 creedmoor for our first 2 matches (about 250 rounds each match) and would clean on average about every 300 rounds. With hand-loads that gun is still shooting 5 shot 1/4" groups! That was my breakin!

Keep on and it will shot 1/8" 5 shot groups.