Barrel Break In Needed?

[Ignatz]

This question may start a war but do you really need to break in a barrel? I have heard from one side that if you don't clean the barrel spotless after each one of the first 20 shots that you have destroyed it. Then Ross Seyfried in Rifle magazine says that barrel break in is a bunch of snake oil. I have only bought two new rifles but a bunch of used ones. The new ones, one got cleaned after five shots for the first 40 shots the other one I grabbed the wrong cleaning kit so I fired about 50 shots before it got cleaned. So far both are shooting just fine

[westbronco]

The main reason you break in a new barrel is to make it easier to clean. If there is any improvement in accuracy, it's nearly impossible to measure. That said, if you are talking about hunting rifles that get cleaned a couple of times a year, it's not worth it to break them in.

On the other hand, if you have varmint rifles that might get cleaned ten times in an afternoon's shooting, it is worth doing. You can break in any barrel at any time as you are just smoothing out the tiny rough spots in the barrel by shooting thru a clean barrel. Let me know if you are interested and I'll email you instructions. Good luck.

[Vapodog]

For hunting rifles and even many varmint rifles the only accurate statement I've ever heard about breaking in a barrel is " It don't hurt".

[ktscontender]

This is one of those ask 10 people get 10 answers questions and really none of them are wrong.

I started using Mpro-7 Gun cleaner and oil several years ago and you'd be hard pressed to convince me there is a better cleaner on the market. Non-Toxic and orderless I think you could brush your teeth with this stuff and suffer no ill effects.

Starting with a brand new barrel I'll clean it once real good. With used bbls. I'll clean them 2-3 times to start then let it soak over night to insure I've gotten any built up crud out.
On the range when doing the initial test of the bbl. (new or used) it gets cleaned every 5 rounds for the 1st 50rnds.

The procedure is to pump 2-3 shots of MPro-7 down the tube, run a brush(Bronze or nylon your choice) thru 4-5 times, give it one more pump, let set for 10 min or so, then patch out.

As stated, this does nothing for accuracy but alot for 'conditioning' the bbl. and making it easier to clean in the future. After the initial testing, if the bbl. is accurate enough to throw in the keeper pile, it will get cleaned after each trip to the range or, when expected accuracy starts to fail. After the 'break in' cleaning is as easy as the above procedure and in most of my bbls point of impact does not change between a 'fouled' bbl. and a 'cleaned' bbl.

You can check out MPro-7s website for more info if you'd like
http://www.mp7.com/

[diyj98]

Perform a search in this forum and you'll find of ton of information from "experts" that are both for and against it. My personal opinion is that more barrels are damaged than helped because so many people don't use their cleaning rod correctly. I've tried various breakin methods but gave up on them several years ago.

You won't destroy it. You might make it very difficult to clean however. I do think that a rifle will not settle in until about 100 rounds. I have chronographed loads with new rifles, and they seem to have real high velocity spreads up to 100 rounds. Then the spreads start coming down a tad. I believe break in helps to speed up this process a tad for a barrel to smooth out and shoot consistently.

[pharaoh2]

While it's true to be said, "It don't hurt" cause it doesn't, it's also not really necesary. I've always heard it said it involves the virgin metal bonding with copper jacketing, and creating a type of permanant fouling. I regard that as nonsense. I've experimented with several new guns, both breaking them in and not. Considering that they were all different brands, I've never owned a rifle that shot over an inch at a hundred yards. And as for saying a properly seasoned barrel lasts longer, I don't buy it. But thats just my opinion. BUT, make sure you clean a brand new gun VERY carefully. They come from the factory lubed up, and I've seen guys come to me crying there cartridges or shells wont chamber,(crap in the chamber). As soon as I look down the bore, chances are it hasen't even seen a patch run through. Also, if left uncleaned before the initial firing, you may have yourself a nasty case of excessive pressure. Take care.

[skeeter 7MM]

All I do is clean it throughly and go to the range(I usually shoot 3 shot groups and let her cool between) Then home and clean her out, I do this for the rest of its life, you'll never find a uncleaned gun in my safes. If for whatever reason a gun shots better with a fouled barrel I will shot my fouling shot and then clean the outside only until the hunt is finished or weather diticates it.

About the only thing I have heard is a must with a new rifle is clean it before shooting it to remove the excessive oil they use at the factory. I have been told the best way to break in a barrel is shoot it. Keeping it relatively clean will minimize the effort to remove copper, fouling, etc when you do sit down to clean.

[firsttimeelkhunter]

I say break it in. I have expereinced un-broken in barrels that did not shoot as well as thier counterparts that were. I shoot 3-5 and clean.....three times. Then about 15 shots and clean again. If you check the barrel maker sites, they pretty much all say the same thing.

[driftrider]

From my limited experience I'd tend to agree that "breaking in" a barrel has its greatest effect on ease of future cleaning.

When I got my Ruger M77VT MkII 22-250 I hand lapped the bore with JB Bore Paste right out of the box. Then I did a 5 shots then clean routine for the first 40 rounds. What I noticed was that after each 5 shot string the cleaning became a little faster and easier. There was also less evidence of copper buildup after about 20 shots (the patches stopped turning blue/green when I ran copper solvent down the barrel). After that 40 shots or so I no longer have any significant copper fouling and I can clean the barrel spotless withing 10 patches. I also have found that I seldom need to use a brush anymore. I scrub with a bore brush about every 100 shots. For the most part it just takes a few patches of solvent followed by a few dry patches right after I fire my last shot of the day while the barrel is still warm.

As far as accuracy goes I cannot say. I lapped the bore before I shot the rifle so I have no before & after experience with that, and the group sizes have been fairly consistant since the beginning. The only improvement has been reduced fouling and easy cleaning.

Mike