ORIGINAL: Ignatz
This question may start a war but do you really need to break in a barrel?
NO!
Then Ross Seyfried in Rifle magazine says that barrel break in is a bunch of snake oil.
Ross knows what he's talking about -(usually!!)
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
You've answered your own question - both are shooting just fine! According to Harry Pope, and more modern barrel makers who should know, more barrels are ruined with cleaning rods than any other way!!