barrel break in procedure

dc deputy · #1 02-29-2012, 02:38 PM

there might already have been discussions on this topic, i tried a search but i didn't seem to come up with much. i was just wondering about the typical barrel break in procedure. i recently purchased a savage 11/111 long range hunter in 7mm rem mag. i haven't shot it yet but looking forward to doing so very soon. i searched the savage website for info on this topic and found suggestions to shoot 1 rd and completely clean the barrel repeating this 10 times and then shooting 5 3 rd groups and cleaning the barrel between each group and then shooting 3-5 5 rd groups and cleaning the barrel between each group. just wondering if this is something that should really be done or if there are different or better ways of breaking in the barrel. thanks in advance for any input.

Curt NCP · #2 02-29-2012, 03:00 PM

I shoot Benchrest and don't do that BUT...... Clean first using a good bore guide (Sinclair) and a one piece cleaning rod like Dewey w/ brass fittings only.
Never Never heat the barrel up so no more than 3 shots at most before letting it cool. While letting it cool you can clean it if you like but do it after 6 shots just to see if there is any copper. If there is alot of copper you may want to do this several times.
I just got a 7mm mag and use JB bore paste along w/ the copper cleaner and don't forget to patch w/ oil to keep it from rusting.

MZ5 · #3 03-01-2012, 08:59 AM

Here are Gale McMillan's thoughts on barrel break-in. He is/was not a supporter.

Here are Gale McMillan's thoughts on the use of bore guides. He is/was not a supporter.

I've written the below about barrel break-in in the past, so I'll paste it in here:

Barrel 'break-in' is nothing more than shooting the rifle, but cleaning much more frequently than you would normally for the first xx number of shots. Some aftermarket barrel suppliers say it's very important to do it, while others claim it's a load of hogwash. One famous barrel/rifle maker even said that the procedure was invented by his competition in the industry to increase barrel sales!

Every person has their opinion on whether it's necessary or beneficial or not. Personally, my brother and I both have observed that factory rifles (i.e. Ruger, Browning, Savage, Remington, Winchester...) will shoot better as you put rounds through them for the first xx number of shots. However, we've observed that this improvement takes place regardless whether you clean between every single shot at first, or just treat the rifle like you've owned it for years and clean it each ...whatever you usually do; each shooting session, each hundred rounds, each year ...whatever. If you don't shoot your rifle(s) all that much, then the 'break-in' procedures listed all around the 'net may help yours come up to its best potential noticeably sooner.

No matter who tells you what, there is an incontrovertible fact in play:
Shooting a gun wears the interior surface(s) of the barrel.

Whether that wear is serving to eliminate the imperfections in the barrel and thus improving the barrel's potential for accuracy, or whether it's eroding the perfect interior surface and thus reducing the barrel's potential for accuracy is the question. And in fact, both of those things will happen at one time or another over the life of the barrel/gun. Choose accordingly.

kdub · #4 03-01-2012, 09:48 AM

This topic surfaces quite regularly here on the forum and I thought we had made a "Sticky" out of the last foray. Searching the forums and Archives, can't find it, so when all comments are garnered for this thread, think we'll hang it up at the top.

My past comments regarded a report in "Rifle" magazine (Wolfe Publishing) not long ago on the subject. Upshot of doing various break-in methods on several new rifles came down to the author stating there were no benefits or adverse effects of either meticulous cleaning between shots or shooting a series of shots before cleaning. The only caveat was to not overheat the barrel while shooting. Final comment about religious cleaning while shooting was "If it makes you feel good that you are accomplishing something, then go for it."

Darkker · #5 03-01-2012, 10:04 AM

+1 to MZ5 & Kdub

Whatever lets you sleep at night.

DCAMM94 · #6 03-01-2012, 10:08 AM

The following is from the FAQ section on the Match Grade Machine website. I bought a barrel from them for my encore in 376 Steyr, and they include the same recommendation with the barrel when sent. Just another method. Also note the follow up question:

Q: How do I break my barrel in?

A: Break in your new barrel through firing and cleaning. Here is a standard recommendation: Clean after each shot for the first 5 shots. The remainder of the break in is to clean every 5 shots for the next 50 shots. This is a great time to begin load development. Zero the scope over the first 5 shots, and start shooting for accuracy with 5-shot groups for the next 50 shots.

Q: If I don't follow the procedure exactly will it ruin my barrel?

A: No. The procedure offered is merely a good guideline. I have customers who don't even bother to break in their barrels and they seem to get quite good results. My advice is to try it and see what you think. If you think you have a better method, don't be afraid to give it a try as well.

broom_jm · #7 03-01-2012, 01:12 PM

The only thing I will claim with any enthusiasm is that breaking in a barrel can make them consistently easier to clean. This can even be seen with older barrels that have not been cleaned in a long time. By shooting and cleaning, with whatever pattern of shots/cleaning you prefer, you will likely find that cleaning takes less time and effort to complete. This process will familiarize you with the gun and often leads to shooting that gun a little better.

I will not say that breaking in a new barrel has any absolute benefits, but I WILL say that keeping your barrel clean, and not allowing it to get over-heated, will definitely give you better accuracy over a longer barrel life.

dc deputy · #8 03-01-2012, 01:46 PM

thanks for the info guys. it sounds like there are some differing opinions on this matter and a guy just simply chooses to believe whatever method he decides. not sure what i will do but i'm guessing i'll probably follow the manufacture's recommendation fairly closely. might be kinda painstaking but i guess i'll get some good practice in shooting and cleaning my gun. thanks again for the info, much appreciated.

Cheezywan · #9 03-01-2012, 03:57 PM

I'll go out on the limb only this far on this topic.

Start out with a "pristine clean" barrel for best results. How to get there is almost another subject, so I won't go there.

Need a baseline to compare to! Past that, I'll just follow along and read what you riflemen have to say.

Regards to all,
Cheezywan

fred243 · #10 03-01-2012, 04:24 PM

I've read many different ways to do this and they all are any where from 30-50 shots for the procedure. Savage and Weatherby both use a 40 shot break-in procedure IIRC. The one i follow is and you can google this, the speedy method named after Speedy Gonzales. He is a national champion, world record holder and in the Benchrest Shooters hall of fame. You don't have to use the exact cleaning products he uses but use some good stuff. Good luck to ya !

StretchNM · #11 03-01-2012, 06:00 PM

I must have read what DCAMM94 posted at one time or another, because that's what I do with every new rifle I get. And I do it for the reasons Broom Jm posted. There is some reason and madness to the method, to be properly explained only in the longest posts.

Keep it from ever getting too hot to hold and keep it clean. THose are the rules I impose upon myself. When I'm at the range, break-in or not, I'm constantly reaching up and placing my left hand on the barrel. Warm is ok. Too hot to leave it on there is too hot for me. I don;t let it reach that point.

Humpy · #12 03-01-2012, 06:59 PM

I have tried several of the years and finally settled on this.

1. Clean barrel with bronze brush and defoul as the proof/targeting rounds have left copper in the bore.

2. I use Mothers Aluminum Wheel Polish from automotive section at Walmart. Does a great job of removing copper but not abrasive enough to hurt steel.

3. Run a patch wet with Mobil 1 down bore and leave it wet and shoot it one round. Clean again with Mothers.

4. Repeat step three about five times and then go to three shots and clean with Mothers.

5. Then go to five rounds and clean with Mothers.

If you have ammonia based bore cleaner put it in bore and you should not see over a trace of blue. But then again I have borescoped new barrels as of late and they look like they were rifled with a mill bastard file and a brick and it is harder to break them in.

kdub · #13 03-02-2012, 06:36 AM

Humpy - "...rifled with a mill bastard file and a brick...." - My observations also!!!!!!

Unless getting a hand lapped barrel already installed, plan on spending a bunch of time either lapping yourself or shooting a bunch of jacketed ammo to achieve that mirror finish.

Humpy · #14 03-02-2012, 06:55 AM

Well let me add to Kdub. I got a couple barrels from a old barrel maker out west about ten years ago and did not put them on immediately. Well about four years ago I put one on and started to break it in. It was a button rifle configuration and it never broke in so I borescoped it and found out why.

When a good barrel is to be button rifled it is supposed to be drilled, then reamed and then buttoned and stress relieved. Some stress relieve before and after rifling which is better.

Well this barrel was drilled and not reamed and buttoned. The top of the lands had curled up metal on them! ! ! ! !

In an effort to smooth things a touch I made up oil hardening tool steel bullets at .300 diameter and shot them. Nothing changed. I finally got up to .302" diameter and the curled up metal remained little changed.

Bear in mind it was/is acceptable as a hunting rifle as it shoots about 2 1/2" at 100 but I am a competition shooter and when they won't print an inch at 100 (or I get to 3500 rounds) they come off and are set back a set of threads and shot another 3500 rounds as Kdub points out they have had lots of lapping from jacketed ammo so why waste it. This is for 30 cal barrels, 7MM and 6.5 barrels get set back sooner as they wear faster.

Cheezywan · #15 03-02-2012, 04:28 PM

Wondering if what you bought were ever intended to be rifle barrels Humpy. Maybe just tool set-up or something?

Lots of smooth-bores can do 2.5 inch @ 100 yards easy. "Why" bother to rifle it if your not going to do good work? Just does not make sence!

Reminds me of a out of work computer progammer that spends his/her time writing computer virus's.

Cheezywan

MZ5 · #16 03-02-2012, 05:13 PM

Yep. Also makes a person hard-pressed to dislike hammer forged production barrels.

Humpy · #17 03-02-2012, 05:25 PM

Ain't that the truth. I think he just had some locals hired to work for him. Guy was in his 80s and had been making barrels for over 50 years. He had about three younger guys working for him and you know how that goes.

If you think that was a trick how about this one.

I had a Pattern 14 receiver that needed a barrel. You have to special order a barrel at 1.250 for the P14/1917Enfield chamber end and that would be near on 200.00 now.

The barrel that was on it had seen lots of Cordite and I checked it out and it shot about 18" at 100 yards with every round incoming tumbling and making holes that even printed the boat tail of the bullet.

I got some 1903A3 drill rifles about five years back and of course the chambers had a plug welded in them. When I removed the barrels I put them in band saw and starting cutting them off till there was no more plug. One finished out at 18 5/8" from the muzzle back and the bore appeared unfired. It is a Nov 44 Remington barrel with two grooves.

Well I cut the P14 barrel about 3 inches in front of the action and drilled it out to where it had a 11/16 hole in it which is the size needed for 3/4x16 tap and I tapped the barrel internally.

Next I noted the 1903A3 barrel hole was not in the middle of the material so I chucked it up on centers and turned the outside of the barrel to .750" and bore was then centered and I threaded it 3/4X16 and screwed them together and chambered the new barrel section in 30/303.

What is a 30/303? Many years ago I got a 303 Brit FL die (RCBS) made up to size a 303 case to load 308 diameter bullets. Then I got a Elliott 303 Brit reamer and standard Brit reamers are cut to chamber the 215 grain bullet the Brits used to load about 85 years ago so there is lots of freebore and throat. If you loaded something like a 150 grain bullet in it, the bullet would have free jump of maybe 1/4". Since I had a 30/303 die why not a 30/303 reamer to go with it?

I sent the reamer off to Manson Precision reamers and had Dave take the 303 Brit and put a short throat on it like I have on my match 30.06 chambers. .100" freebore and 2 1/2 deg throat so when 30 cal bullets are loaded they are right at the rifling and will shoot much better. Thus a 30 cal neck/throat and 303 Brit case body making it a 30/303.

I also had the body of the reamer cut down so fired cases only expanded about .003" to extend the case life by reducing the amount it expanded on firing.

While the barrel was off the P14 I lapped the bolt so both lugs contacted. The receiver was made by Winchester around 1914. I also bedded the action with Marinetex.

Started shooting this thing about three days ago with pulled 173 gr. Match bullets. First five rounds were loaded very hot and barrel action covered with sandbag to see if there was going to be a barrel failure issue. First five went fine so I mounted a scope mount on the barrel so I could put a 2-7X NC Star pistol scope on it in front of the action which allows me to use the clip slot on the rifle.

Took about 15 rounds to sight it in and last five rounds I fired it shot 5Xs at 100 yards on a 25 yard pistol target with the pulled 173s. I knew right then I had a winner.

I shot it today 10 rounds of 168 gr. Winchester match bullets with same load (40 gr. 4895). First four rounds on first target are about 1 1/8". Fifth shot I held off to center it better and opened the group to about 1 3/4".

Second target I put first four shots in 5/8" and fifth shot opened it up to about 1 1/4". Trigger pull is original arsenal with about 9" of creep and variable weight and rough so it is going to need some stoning to make it more conducive to getting off good shots.

I am pretty sure I can get this thing shooting under an inch for five rounds after I work the trigger over. Barrel finished out at 18.5". I check the muzzle with a CMP gage and it is "0".

I am still breaking it in and so far I have 35 rounds on it using the same five cases so they have been loaded seven times. Primer pocket is still tight and I will stress relieve the necks. They are MkVII cases made in 1944. I am going to see how long I can keep these cases going while breaking the barrel in.

Several years ago I built up a P14 heavy barrel, heavy stock with receiver mount scope using Douglas barrels. One for me and one for my buddy. They both shoot extremely well.

Davers · #18 03-03-2012, 02:26 AM

Here's how I break-in a new barrel:

1. I clean (VERY CLEAN) the bore of ALL oil followed by using a degreaser developed for firearms.

2. I load-up several light loaded rounds using SR-4759 powder and a cast lead bullet (plain base).

3. Clean the bore with a bore snake after EACH shot, making several passes through the bore from the breech end.

4. After firing no less than ten rounds of my light loaded cast bullets; I once again "Super Clean" the bore, using Hopps #9.

5. I've found this the best method for breaking in my rifles.

TMan · #19 03-03-2012, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt NCP

Never Never heat the barrel up so no more than 3 shots at most before letting it cool. While letting it cool you can clean it if you like but do it after 6 shots just to see if there is any copper. If there is alot of copper you may want to do this several times.
I just got a 7mm mag and use JB bore paste along w/ the copper cleaner and don't forget to patch w/ oil to keep it from rusting.

I started using Trail Boss with heavy bullets for this. My recent break in was a .280 Remington Mtn Rifle. I found I could put 10 175gr Hornady's down range, barely warming the tube on a hot day. Like most newer barrels these days, it felt coarse in spots when I gave it it's first session from the factory. I wetted the bore with Benchrest to get the black stuff out, and used Remington 40X with a series of tight patches. I was able to get the bore "snag free" in exactly four boxes of 20, cleaning every 10 rounds. I started each session with a 3 shot group of Remington factory 140gr. Groups dropped from 3 @ 2" to 3 @ < 1". Hornady 139's and 154's consistantly shoot less than 1" for 3 shots.

The big advantage with the Trail Boss is the ability to shoot through 20 rounds quickly without the barrel burning hot. I used the same approach with my 7-08 Mtn Rifle and my Ruger 77/.243.

Like Curt, I'm not a fan of "toasting the tube" at any time, having ruined a couple barrels on prairie dogs.

spitfire_er · #20 03-04-2012, 12:13 PM

I have built several rifles with Harts, Kriegers, Rock Creek, Shilen barrels. I have never done break in and they all shoot like fire and clean easily.

I'm doing load development now on my F-class .280 Imp with a Krieger. I cleaned it, shot a test round to check the chamber job, cleaned it, then fired 21 rounds while doing load development. It is now clean and waiting for my next round of testing. My 20 rounds agg was .55" at 100.

I don't feel breaking a barrel in will gain me anything. I would agree that it tends to put premature wear in the barrel just because you are running your cleaning equiptment down your bore more often.