RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

Ive used Winchester Ballistic Silvetips with good groups but the coated bullets are a pain to clean up after shooting. I forget what grain they were. I used them for deer. I think they were 110gr.

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

This has been posted several times. There are those that say it isn't necessary and some, me included, say you should 'break in' a new barrel/rifle. There are different methods including the clean after each shot for the first 10 rounds, then after each 3 shots for the next 30 or so. Now for the why. Most people believe that this is done to improve accuracy. Not true - at least not immediately. The purpose of breaking in is to remove the minute burrs in the rifling and allow for easier cleaning in the future due to less fouling accumulation. That is where the accuracy factor comes in. After years of shooting (normal shooter shooting a box of ammo a year), even after cleaning after each session, fouling can build up which can deteriorate accuracy. This would be especially true for those old timers who think that running a patch of Hoppes #9, a couple dry patches and then an oiled patch down the bore is all that is required to clean it.
So its your investment - if you don't want to go through the trouble of breaking in your new barrel so be it. IMO the hassle in the beginning is worth it in the long run.

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

I clean mine good after each time its shot. I keep running patches of hoppes no9 down the bore until they come out clean then i use some copper remover if i have she a bunch of rounds.

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

Since you already had the barrel lapped, there is really no reason to do a "break-in", they do the same thing. Just shoot it, make sure it doesn't get hot and then clean it every time after you shoot it. ;)

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

I'm shooting 3 and now 5groups ofHornady's 75 grain V max loads from a cold barrel andthen running a bore snake with Butch's gun oil through the barrel 3 to 5 times.
After each group the barrel is hot and the groups at 100 yards are 2" apart and thegroups at 200 yards are 3" apart.
I am newto rifle shooting as I previouslydid all my hunting with shotguns.
Does this seemnormal and I just suck (and need more practice) or what??

Concerned; Rammer/Jeepkid Help

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

Make sure you have a VERY solid rest if you want really tight groups. Thats not too bad for a new shooter, I would expect better out of the rifle. Let someone else shoot it and see how it does. Also, maybe try shooting 10 or 20 before cleaning, some rifles shoot best a little dirty.

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

My Remington 700 243 shot the 75gr VMaxs fairly well, yours might not like them. Its actually been a few years since I've shot my 700. I might hafta load 10 of the Vmaxs up an go do some bangin now.

For now, I'd work on your breathing an trigger control. The rest will come with practice.

I also never let a rifle barrel get overly warm. I shoot 3 shot groups mainly, I'll shoot the group. Walk down range to my target, while leaving the action open on the rifle to cool. Then I take my time getting back, and if I am shooting more than 1 rifle, I'll shoot that rifle next and give the other plenty of time to cool off. When I find my load, I then cold bore sight in my rifle. I shoot one shot, and let the gun cool for a good 10 minutes, then shoot my 2nd shot, and so on.

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

I saw on a hunting show that stated a barrel will be broken in after about 200 rounds, so from 0-200 groupls should get better, then after somepoint maybe 2000 rounds itll get worse. But I'm not sure, I think jarret rifles say they'll shoot the best from day 1. All I can suggest is spacing shots, letting the barrel cool, or at least not overheat, don't just blast 5 rounds in 30 seconds. I read somewhere that after 3 quick shots of a .257 wby, water will boil off the barrel. heat is what will really increase wear/ ruin a barrel. keep it clean, but I don't think you need to go overboard, just after each day of shooting?

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

A three shot group should take you an hour if its cold outside and you are letting the barrel cool properly. In the summer it can take three hours.

Honestly, all you are doing is decreasing the life of your barrel. As bronko said... it is your investment. And even he, who is a barrel break in believer, said that breaking it in has no immediate effect on accuracy. If you shoot your rifle normally, and clean it regularly, it will be "broken in" just the same.

It sounds to me like you are not letting the barrel cool enough. Your gun should be capable of better than 2" groups at 100 yards... I'll put it this way, if its not under 1.5" then its going back to the factory. Simple fact is that not all guns are going to shoot under 1", especially with factory ammo. You can spend a lot of time and money and blood pressure points trying to find a load for an innaccurate rifle to make it accurate. 2" ain't bad... you just need to find a load it likes. And let the barrel cool. I'm not worried about a 3 shot group that will hide under a quarter... I'm worried about firing a shot at 5 pm... then coming out at 5pm again the next day and cutting the same hole as yesterday.

The more you shoot that gun with a hot barrel, the shorter your barrel life will be. I've never worn out a gun... and honestly I don't think I know a person who has a hunting rifle that has worn one out.

RE: Breaking in a new rifle?
 

Just about every custom barrel maker out there recommends some sort of breakin.