breaking in a rifle?
 

how is this process done and how will i know when it is totally broke in? also how often do you clean the bore of your gun.. every 10,20 shots. i have a 308. i hear some people around here say "i clean mineafter every shot"and i hear others say "i clean mine after the season but i cleans the rest of the gun every time i go out"

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

[align=center]FAQs: Barrel Break-In Procedure[/align]

[ul][*][size=2 align="left"]Fire one round[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push wet patches soaked with a powder solvent through the bore[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push wet patches soaked with a copper solvent through the bore[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push a patch with 2 drops of oil through the bore[/size] [/ul][ul][*][size=2 align="left"]Fire a 3 shot group[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1 after each group[/size] [/ul][ul][*][size=2 align="left"]Fire a 5 shot group[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1[/size] [/ul]

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

The previous post came from the Savage Arms website in the FAQ's. Here is the link -

http://www.savagearms.com/cs_barrel.htm

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I think that with todays CNC built guns and advanced machining technology, all those "shoot and scrub" theories are just a bunch of jaw flappin by old timers who just want to have something to talk about. "Technically" a gun is NEVER broken in. Each time you pull the trigger a little of the barrel goes with it, so why worry about cleaning an ever changing surface?

As with engines. heat is the enemy of ANY barrel, new or old. So keep the temps down and a simple pass through the barrel with a Boresnake after every shot (or even 2nd one) is sufficient. Every rifle I have had for the last 10+ years have been broken in this way and they drive nails when fed good ammo and kept in reasonable condition.

Good luck,
RA

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I clean after every shot for the first 9 or 12 shots (3-4 2 shot groups) and then after every 3 shot group until I leave the range I don’t know if it makes a difference but as it doesn’t do any harm then why not do it as it just might do some good.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

With an average off the shelf rifle I wouldn't bother with it. With a custom match grade barrel I'd probably follow the barrel maker's recommendation (which is what I'm going to do when I get my Sako back with the new Lilja tube). Personally, having done it to some rifles and not done it to others, I don't think it's a big deal at all.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

Well, I've got to agree some and disagree some. It really depends on the barrel. Some barrels come out really good out of the milling process and some come out a bit rough. It's the rough ones that need TLC when breaking in. You will know after 5 rounds or so if you are getting excessive copper buildup. I use Wipeout and or copper melt. If the patches have some copper, then a more liberal break in is fine. If the patches are loaded, it may take 50 rounds or so to smooth things down.

I usually run the first bullet through the chrony and then fire a 3 shot group.....then check things out. My last Tikka was "broken in" in 12 to 15 rounds. Usually by the time you've sighted it in and fiddled with the loads.....she is ready. I always clean after each of the first three 3 shot groups then go from there. Good luck and regards, Rick.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

Ray - most custom barrel manufacturers recommend something similar to what you posted. My only comment would be - why not use a combination powder/copper solvent (like Shooter's Choice) and just brush for ten strokes? Also, Shooter's Choice will leave the bore with a slight amount of oil in it. You don't want to shoot the next shot out of completely bone dry barrel - but you also don't want to ever shoot a round out of an oiled barrel. You can actually change the way a barrel air guages by firing one shot through an oiled bore. After pushing the last patch soaked with Shooter's Choice, I would recommend a dry patch before the next shot. Otherwise good information. Roskoe.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

When I broke in my last rifle I cleaned the barrel after every shot for the first five shots I think, then after every 3 shot group then cleaned it once more before I left the range. Figured I'd make sure I did things right and cleanin your barrel that many times isn't going to hurt your gun at all. Better safe than sorry.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I dont see how cleaning it after every shot can hurt the barrel. I usually just clean the heck out of it beforeI go out withit. ThenI shootabout 3-5 roundsthrough it and then run a boresnake with some solvent on it a few times. After about 20 rounds or so I just run a dry boresnake inbetween each 3-5shot group.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I've done it many ways and can tell no difference from not doing it at all.....Further I've seen no data at all to convince me that there's value to "breaking in" a gun.

Clean the oils from the factory and go sight it in.....then go hunting.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

Well Vapodog, you, IMHO,are dead wrong. I break in and shoot at least 10 rifles a year with Wilson. Douglas, A&B, and on and on barrels and if you want to shoot sub 1/2 MOA you better be taking your time and doing it right. I've seen alot of premium barrels ruined by just putting some oil? in the barrel and then go hunting. That's why there are so many rifles on GA, AA andGB that look good and can't hit squat. You have been lucky. I have built over 100 custom Mausers in my lifetime, have my own range and I speak the truth. Like I said before, some need TLC and others don't....I'm not going to take a chance on a 400 dollar barrel and action....no way. Good luck, Rick.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

What I don't understand is that if there is validity tothe "break-in" process there would be no inaccurate rifles. I am sure you can damage rifles by doing the "wrong" thing, eg scratching the rifling with multiplesection aluminum rods or shooting down a barrel wet with oil, but to think the only variable in accuracy is the cleaning interval/method of cleaning the barrel seems to ignore things like bedding, free floating etc.

Maybe thebenefit of the break-in process is that it slowsthe (over-excited) shooter of a new rifle to a rate of fire that doesn't cook the barrel.

CE

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I have done it with all of my new rifles and they will all group beautifully with many different factory loads. I usually break in 3 or 4 new barrels a year for friends simply because they dont wanna take the time. I never figured shooting free ammo out of someone elses brand new gun was a chore...lol.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I have never done anything special to break in a new barrel. I guess I use Vapos method. I clean the barrel before I use it then try to keep it fairly clean after that. I do not however let my barrels heat up much ever. I also tend to run my velocities quite bit lower that most reloaders. Accurate loads are much more important to me than velocity and as a rule, most loads are more accurate when reduced 5-8 percent from listed max. It is true that on rare occassions, max loads are more accurate. Usually not though. Depends on the powder and the nature of the beast.

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

I’m not sure if does anything or not but I do go through the process just for the heck of it. It’s not going to hurt...

RE: breaking in a rifle?
 

48thguns, there is not a consensus among custom barrel makers about a break in procedure.Some say to do it, some don't. The late custom barrel maker Gale McMillan thought it was a bunch of nonsense andthe guys at Hart Barrels don't think it's necessary either. I haven't been to Shilen's website in a long time, but I knowthey used to mention on there that they didn't think barrel break-in was a big deal.They said theyincludedbreak-in instructions with their barrels only because that's whatsome customers wanted.

When I get my Sako back with the new Lilja barrel I'll probably grudgingly do whatever Lilja recommends for break-in. But whether I do or not, I absolutely know for a fact it won't impact my deer hunting one iota. In 30+ years of deer hunting with rifles I can tell you that I've never, ever missed one because my barrel wasn't "properly" broken in.

Remember, this site is about hunting. It's not about competitive benchrest shooting orshooting game at 1000+ yards. There are other sitesdedicated to those things.The averagehunter does not need to go through some tedious break-in ritual with his rifleto be successful. I'm sure it won't hurt anything, but it's certainly not absolutely necessary.