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Rimfire Barrel Break In Question.

Pa.Mike

Silver $$ Contributor

I always break in my centerfire barrels but was wondering about average . 22 RF and .17HMR regular production barrels on Ruger , CZ and other mid priced firearms. If so is there a recommended procedure ? Thank you for any thoughts you may have on the subject !
 

only problem is that C4 is about 50 bucks a pint, but it works great. Using this method, I broke in a wood-stocked CZ Varmint and shot my first 2500 with it in ARA competition. Although now that has a good layer of seasoning I only clean it every couple of hundred rounds and make sure it has at least 50 down the tube before competitions.
 
A 22 rimfire and a 17 hmr are two different animals. You're shooting a lead lubed bullet in one and a vmax or similar in the other.
Agree totally. Lead bullet rounds at fairly low velocity as compared to true jacketed bullets (NOT copper washed) at a much higher velocity......like a centerfire. I broke in my CZ 457 .17hmr Varmint barrel just like I do a new centerfire barrel. Don't know if it was the break in procedure, or if I won the 'CZ barrel lottery', but the rifle shoots lights out. Much better than the used 453 .17hmr varmint I had.

I do agree with Lee to a point on .22lr, but since the OP asked about factory barrels, that is also a different animal than custom .22lr barrels. A properly lapped custom barrel, IME, needs frequent cleaning to be at it's optimum, but really no break in is needed. Factory barrels seem to be all over the place as to what they really like. If I was breaking in a .22lr factory barrel, I would clean it right out of the box, then shoot it and keep the bore cleaned frequently (say every 50rds) for a several 100rds. After that, I would test different round counts before cleaning to see what that particular barrel liked as far as cleaning. This will show on the target when accuracy either improves, or degrades, according to the frequency of cleaning. Just my 2 cents worth.

Scott
 
There is something that should be mentioned and this applies to SS match barrels.
A new barrel really needs nothing but proper cleaning.
A new chamber needs proper a “seasoning” and cleaning regimen, and far too many don’t pay close attention to this single factor.
A brandy new barrel is going to build carbon in the throat faster for a while and then it kind of stabilizes. It has to be kept clean properly.
For all the guys that still insist on abrasive techniques for this…..think about it. You paid good money for a round, centered chamber. How much JB does it take to take a tenth out…..usually from one side or the other.
This alone is what lead many to use stuff like C4 for this task alone…..safe, effective, chamber unaltered.
 
Agree totally. Lead bullet rounds at fairly low velocity as compared to true jacketed bullets (NOT copper washed) at a much higher velocity......like a centerfire. I broke in my CZ 457 .17hmr Varmint barrel just like I do a new centerfire barrel. Don't know if it was the break in procedure, or if I won the 'CZ barrel lottery', but the rifle shoots lights out. Much better than the used 453 .17hmr varmint I had.

I do agree with Lee to a point on .22lr, but since the OP asked about factory barrels, that is also a different animal than custom .22lr barrels. A properly lapped custom barrel, IME, needs frequent cleaning to be at it's optimum, but really no break in is needed. Factory barrels seem to be all over the place as to what they really like. If I was breaking in a .22lr factory barrel, I would clean it right out of the box, then shoot it and keep the bore cleaned frequently (say every 50rds) for a several 100rds. After that, I would test different round counts before cleaning to see what that particular barrel liked as far as cleaning. This will show on the target when accuracy either improves, or degrades, according to the frequency of cleaning. Just my 2 cents worth.

Scott
Hi Scott,

I missed that part about the 17hmr. I saw rimfire break in keep forgetting about those 17's

hope you are doing well.

Lee
 
For what it's worth, factory produced match rifles such as those used in 3P shooting, including Anschutz, FWB, Walther, Bleiker, and G&E don't have a recommended "break in" regimen.

If some factory barrels do shoot better after a few hundreds of rounds, it may be because there is some degree of "smoothening" or something else occuring inside the bore, but it must be difficult to see with a borescope.

A lengthy period of time may pass in some cases before some barrels shoot to their potential. According to Bill Calfee, some factory barrels with minor imperfections such as small burrs in the leade may experience improved accuracy performance after a few thousand rounds are shot. The many rounds passing by the burr may reduce it in size so it no longer causes damage and irregularity to the bullet.
 

only problem is that C4 is about 50 bucks a pint, but it works great. Using this method, I broke in a wood-stocked CZ Varmint and shot my first 2500 with it in ARA competition. Although now that has a good layer of seasoning I only clean it every couple of hundred rounds and make sure it has at least 50 down the tube before competitions.
Enjoyed the read, thx for the link!
 
On factory barrels I would clean real good, get the factory grease and oil out. then shoot 200 rds of copper plated Hi-speed .22 ammo. Clean real good again . and start testing ammo for what the rifle will like!
 
For what it's worth, factory produced match rifles such as those used in 3P shooting, including Anschutz, FWB, Walther, Bleiker, and G&E don't have a recommended "break in" regimen.

If some factory barrels do shoot better after a few hundreds of rounds, it may be because there is some degree of "smoothening" or something else occuring inside the bore, but it must be difficult to see with a borescope.

A lengthy period of time may pass in some cases before some barrels shoot to their potential. According to Bill Calfee, some factory barrels with minor imperfections such as small burrs in the leade may experience improved accuracy performance after a few thousand rounds are shot. The many rounds passing by the burr may reduce it in size so it no longer causes damage and irregularity to the bullet.

one of the mysteries of RFBR…….. many Lilja barrels seem to get quite a bit better after a few bricks, wish I knew why but a fact of life.
Lots of guys with them , give up on them way early, I am shooting a couple now that seem to be coming around nicely……go figure.
 
I know my 457 CZ OEM barrel did not settle in until around 1000 round count. I have also noticed that around 40-50 RC after cleaning I get an upward POI change of about 1/4 inch at 50 yards. I have tested that twice now and the same thing happens each time even after allowing a 15 min cooldown. So now I do not clean between targets and head to the match with a slightly dirty barrel
 
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