It seems you hear alot of people saying you should, and you shouldn't ,well thats what I gathered from my limited internet reaserch, but is it really that important, and what if you don't break it in? What does it actually do to the barrel?...
RE: Is it really important to break-in a new barrel?
Well, this is something I did for a while because I thought it was absolutely necessary (based on what others told me), but it didn't take me too long to realize I was wasting my time. So, now I no longer bother with this. I just make sure the barrel is clean before firing a round through it for the very first time then thoroughly clean it after each range session (20 to 25 rounds).
RE: Is it really important to break-in a new barrel?
In the past I had never thought of it much but when I get my custom barrel I will follow the instructions to the letter. Only then will I know for sure if it makes any difference.
RE: Is it really important to break-in a new barrel?
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 any tiny rough spots remaining in the barrel by shooting thru the totally clean barrel. The point of complete cleaning before the next shot is to expose the ultra tiny burrs to the next bullet. If there is copper in front of the burr, the bullet will not scrape off the burr, but will just pile up more copper.
You can tell that you have completed the break in when the barrel begins to clean up very easily. That absolutely cannot be predicted for any given number of shots. A top quality barrel such as a Shilen may take five or ten while a typical factory barrel could take a few dozen. Bottom line is, the barrel is broken in when it's broken in. Only the shooter can decide if it's worth the effort.
RE: Is it really important to break-in a new barrel?
Read Brian Peirce's article about breaking in a rifle in last months Rifle Mag. He's the first one I have know that has took a methodical look at braking in a barrel. Everyone else opinion is just that. I do it for one reason alone. I find a barrel to produce large velocity spreads while new. I want to hurry this along, and get right to load development without a 100 rounds. I find upwards of 100fps velocity spreads with a 308 with a new factory barrel. After 10 breakin rounds, that number drops to 25fps. Alot of guys I see that don't break in, have to shoot 3 fouling rounds to get that spead. I do not. I only have to shoot 1 fouler.
Don't take alot of peoples advise. Go out and find out for yourself. Get a Chrony, or/and a hawkeye borescope. Look thru the barrel before 10 rounds and after (cleaning every shot). Then try another rifle when you have the opportunity without the breakin. Bet it will take 100 rounds to get some of the roughness out of the barrel. I even go a step further and use JB's abrasive cleaner to hurry along the smoothing process.
RE: Is it really important to break-in a new barrel?
I agree with the fact that everyone has a opinion. My opinion is that if you are a shooter that shoots alot you will break in your barrel fast enough just shooting and cleaning regularly. If you are a shooter that just hunts you will probably not ever notice the difference only shooting your firearm a couple times a year. Let us know what you decide worked best for you.
Is it really important to break-in a new barrel?
