Not a Turkey Gun question--Breaking in a Rifle Barrel

[jperrotti]

Anybody got any suggestions. A google search reveals variations of shooting 50 rounds and cleaning every 5th. Does this improve accuracy? That can get expensive...

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

Not really.  Break in precedures are more a myth than anything.  If you ever get a good quality barrel like a Lilja, Shilen, Broughton, or Benchmark, there really is no need to break one in.  They will shoot from the get go. I had a Copper 57LVT 17HMR and I followed the break in process.  But it shot great from the get go.  I really just wasted my time.  Most manufacturer barrel break in procedures actually came about because of the customers calling in and asking about a barrel break in procedure.  Heck Shilen used to not even have one, but the customers more or less with their myth way of thinking and wanting one they adopted one to please them.  

I owned a Benchmark barrel 22lr on a Suhl 150 gun.  It stacked bullets from day 1.  

I can show you some groups if you like at 50yds.  A Bic ink pen will cover all 5 shots.  

[davisd9]

Centerfire or rimfire?  I would clean the gun really well before I ever shot it.  I clean mine before and after deer season.  I clean it before I check zero.  I shoot about 5 shots, then let it cool down and then another 5 shot group.  After that I do not clean it again until after the season unless it gets wet.  Then I go through the process again.  Good Luck!

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I clean every gun before I shoot it that I buy. 

But if you get a good barrel just to prove a point they will shoot great from the start.  This Benchmark barrel was a tackdriver with good ammo.

Here's a few of the groups it shot. 

I would clean it after every 200 rounds or so.



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[ILIKEHEVI-13]

A few more.



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[ILIKEHEVI-13]

Here's a picture of the first one with Bic ink pen over the 5 shots. 

That gun would shoot through almost the same hole.   

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[jperrotti]

Wow that's some good shooting.

Yeah I wasn't sure if I'd actually notice a difference or not.

It'll be a CF .280.

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

It definately won't hurt anything to shoot a new barrel and after say 5 shots run a good quality rod and brush with some good solvent followed by about 5 patches.  You can do this for the first 20 rounds or so if you like.  I ran a brush and some patches on the Benchmark barrel after the first 5 shots or so and did do it a few more times.  But did it make the gun more accurate?  Definately not.  

[davisd9]

Read the book that came with it.  Not sure about rifles but a lot of pistols are now coming with grease in them.  It is a good idea to clean it with a good solvent and wire brush just to make sure nothing from the factory messes with the POI.  That is a great caliber by the way and I think you will really enjoy it.  This is my opinion from my experience on my gun so you and others may disagree.  I have found that cleaning a barrel and then shooting will throw off your zero some.  If you were to clean the gun after every shot then accuracy may be better, but with a centerfire you clean it then foul the barrel and as long as it does not get too nasty then it should put up nice groups.  I doubt I shoot more than 20 rounds through my .270 a year, that is on the bench and hunting.  Maybe 5 at deer and three or four at coyotes.  So cleaning it before the season and then after the season is all I need.  Good Luck!

[Reloader]

I feel you'd be spinning your wheels for breaking in a rimfire as the bullets are soft.  Just clean them and shoot.

For a CF, I always do a break in procedure.  I can't say it makes a big difference, but enough barrel makers have suggested break-in procedures over the years that I always sort of felt it dang sure wont hurt, so might as well.

There are many different break-in procedures floating around the net.  I feel most are excessive personally.  I always clean the bbl to start, then fire, run a copper solvent patch, 3 passes with a brass brush(chamber end), dry patch, chamber patch, shoot again, and repeat for about 10 rounds.  After that I jump to group shooting and clean when needed.  Some barrels foul faster than others and some shoot better slightly fouled.  I always throw together a load for break-in, usually some cheap bullets I have on hand.  The break-in procedure gives you a chance to get your scope close and practice your form. 

Some guys will do the 10 and then do it for 3 groups of 3.  I always sort of figured the groups might as well be the beginning of load development and I never look back after the first 10 besides routine cleaning/copper removal.

Also, some solvents will need alittle barrel time to dissolve the copper.

Good Luck,

Reloader