RE: Barrel break in
Well I can tell you the break in procedure that I use. There is more than one method but they are similar in the sense that you will spend lots of time, use lots of patches and brushes, and fire few shots.
For the first 10 shots I shoot once, then clean after each shot. For the next 15 shots I will shoot 3 times then clean. For the next 40-50 shots I will shoot 5 times then clean. Then I am done.
For cleaning, I first use patches with Shooters Choice until the powder residue is gone, then I run a few patches with CR-10 copper remover to get the barrel coated with copper cleaner. I let it set a few minutes then use a bronze brush with copper remover and start really getting at it. I use at least 20 full strokes with the brush, putting more solvent on every few strokes. After that, I then run patches with copper remover on them until I dont get anymore blue (a lot of the blue you'll get right awayis from the brush, the copper remover will dissolve that too). Once I dont have any more blue (dissolved copper) I then run 2 dry patches, then 1 shooters choice patch to clean any ammonia residue, then 1 dry patch, then 1 patch of Hollands bore lube. Done.
There are lots of arguments as to whether this is all worth it. I think the barrel cleans a lot faster and easier with a break in. I do this for all my rifles, but it pays off more on my prairie dog guns which get cleaned more oftenin one day than most deer rifles get cleaned all year.
One more thing, if you decide to do the break in dont use moly bullets, combined technology, or the blue barnes bullets. You need have the copper in contact with the barrel steel.