New rifle barrel break in
What is involved in breaking in a new rifle barrel?
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go to badgerbarrels.com and read what Ernie sez.
If you know it all; you must have been listening.<br>WEAR EAR PROTECTION!0 -
Personaly I prefer offering a "goat entrail" sacrifice to the barrel gods after consulting tea leaves, as that is what works best for me.
Actually I clean the barrel first (factory residue) shoot and inspect for "orange streaks", continue shooting until they appear, than clean and repeat. As proper cleaning can take 1/2 hour or more (not just shoving a patch thru the barrel) time becomes a issue.
Some people like the clean, shoot 1, clean, repeat 5 times, shoot 2, clean, repeat 5 times, shoot 5, clean, repeat, until a total of 100 rounds have been fired.
IOW, it's personal opinion as to weather or not it does any good. Gail Mcmillen (benchrest shooter and part of the Mcmillen gunsmithing family) consideres it a total waste of time and cleaning supplies, while other top benchrest shooters consider it a necessity.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
What most fail to realize is that breaking a barrel in is nothing more than smoothing out the tool marks and any burrs that may be in the barrel after the rifling process is completed. Most high end barrels require very little "break in" because enough care was taken to hand lap the barrel after the process was completed. All the cleaning does is keep the copper and lead and powder from being trapped under the burrs as the bullets go through and smooth out the barrel. As a general rule the smoother the bore and the less a barrel fouls, the more accurate it will be. That being said, my breakin is to fire 1 or 2 shots. clean. Pay attention to how much effort is required to get the barrel clean. This will give you a clue to the condition of the bore. Next get some JB bore paste. Put it on a barrel mop and get to work. Clean, shoot a couple, and clean again. Notice the effort required to get it clean. If very little was required, use the JB again. Just dont use as many strokes. If after a couple of rounds of this, the barrel is still hard to clean, use some flitz metal polish in place of the JB. Ammo is expensive and the less I have to throw away trying to "break in" a barrel the better.
Everyone has a photographic memory. Only some have film.0 -
I do the 1 shot clean thing for ~15-20rnds. then 3 shots and clean for ~20 more. By then a good match barrel should be showing NO copper in between cleanings of 5 shots or even 10 shots. Several of my match barrels only show 1 green patch after 40rnds at a match!!
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
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First get your self a chicken, two fly swatter, black pen, 293 pennies and a hand full of cemet mix.
Now ...
EDITED FOR CONTENT!
If force ain't work'n... Your not use'n nough of it.
I know the spelling is bad but guess what I DON'T CARE0 -
Generally poor shots do little to break in their barrels. Dead chickens and incantations at midnight probably do as much for their marksmanship as barrel breakin. However, if you walk the line at Camp Perry with the best rifle shooters in the nation virtually everyone of them breaks in their barrels. Macmillan's comments were a self serving attempt to have others believe his rifles were better than other's...they are not.
For an average to sub-average shooter who only takes 100 yard or less shots at Bambi during deer season you really don't need to breakin a barrel. For someone who puts thousands of rounds through his match rifle in competition...well you already know what to do. Beach0 -
Beachmaster, those are interesting and provoking thoughts you've penned but let us not lose sight of the fact that a SP306 obviously does not shoot thousands of rounds a year from the bench and does not "already know what to do" that's why he's posting the question. Maybe we should try to help him out rather than take shots at somebody else on the Forum. Besides I thought the "goat entrail sacrifice" bit was quite amusing. Back to the topic I have always had good luck with the shoot one shot, clean and repeat ten times and keep doing it through 3 shots and clean and 5 shots and ten shots etc., but I'll leave it to someone with far more experience to explain it,( Beachmaster?) 0 -
Snellstrom,..obviuosly you havn't been around for all the BS answers from the non-beleivers or should I say, less than match grade shooters, who have babbled back and forth on this site over the years about how barrel break-in is meaningless or that it is superstition. Beachmaster I am sure is tired of seeing those who strive to aquire correct knowledge and proceedure, get poor or in many cases absolutely flase information due to he said/ she said data or information generated by opinion rather than fact, as I have have become over the years as well. No one is claiming to be the be all, end all source of correct information,..but barrel break-in is done by the best shooters in the world,..and is common practice at any match in any discipline of shooting. I don't beleive I have ever talked to any other shooter at the matches I attend,..who didn't first break-in the barrel. I know you just havn't been here to see all the rediculous attempts at discrediting break-in,..so I am simply explaining Beachmaster's position,..and mine as well. I see you break yours in also,..so I will refrain from any explanation of it's benefits. The naysayers,....usually aren't a threat on the line anyway.
Also,..ya may want to check beachmaster's qualifications,..
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
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Would you use the same "shoot once or twice, clean and inspect" method to break in a new pistol/revolver barrel? 0 -
It's not necessary for a pistol. JustC eloquently summed up my feelings. Breakin procedures have been discussed many times on this board. I initially spent a lot of effort attempting to inform others of the benefits of breaking in a match rifle or even a top grade hunting rifle. I learned my procedure from one of the top 1000 yard competitors in the nation. I grew weary of the naysayers, many of whom have never even stepped out on the 600 or 1000 yard line, rationalizing why it's a waste of time. I finally realized that for them it was a waste of time...they simply don't have the skill to justify the effort.
A quick check of the GB archives will give you two or three of the best procedures. Wherever you compete ask one of your club's High Masters what procedure they use. Most would be more than happy to assist you. Beach0 -
Please don't get me wrong I wholeheartedly agree that barrel break in is a must, I also don't want in the middle of someone elses quarrel, what I was hoping for is that someone with lot's of real experience could walk SP306 through the steps to answer his question about barrel break-in and emphasize to him its merits. I would walk him through the steps but instead I'd like to hear what someone else says about it so maybe I can learn a thing or two as well. Not looking for a fight, but not backin down either! 0 -
Snellstrom,...that was exactly what I was getting at. I tried not to offend ya,..just explain some of our past discussions on the subject and to let you know you are among those of us who take things seriuosly. Stick around a while and you will see what I mean. I have no problem sitting down on the bench next to Bill Shehane,..Rich DeSimone (current IBS 1000yd light gun world record holder) Dave Tooley, Bob hart, etc as I know my equipment is up to the task on any given Sunday. I know I have prepped my barrel accordingly,....now if I lose due to poor shooting or incorrect decisions/adjustments made due to a changing condition,..then that is a reflection on me for that afternoon,....but my barrel is ready for the match. Too many folks shoot too little and equate opinion or folklore with what is the ONLY commonly accepted practice for absolute accuracy beyond all other purposes. Hope I made that clear enough to introduce no offense to you,..as you obviously share Beachmasters' and my method of obtaining THE group in the x-ring.[8D]
I can't speak to Tailgunner's method,...but one thing I am sure of,..I would expect him not to make a win on my relay something which would be taken by myself,..very easily. He speaks too much of the truth for me to doubt his ability one iota.[8] I am sure he is a competitor worthy of sharing a campfire with,...and picking his brain for some tips I may use the next time. Like I said,..he has far too much technical knowledge in his repitior (sp) to be taken lightly.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
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Either way you want to do it is fine. I just prefer to run a bore mop with JB bore paste or Flitz down the bore than take away from barrel life by burning up a bunch of ammo in the sake of smoothing it out. The same results are achieved but by two different methods. Either one will work. The barrels I have worked with JB and Flitz shoot just as good as the ones that had about 150 rounds put thru them with a bunch of scrubbin in between. The JB method is easier on the rifle, easier on the shoulder and a hell of a lot easier on the wallet.
Everyone has a photographic memory. Only some have film.0 -
Thank You Just C, Savage, and Beach. I do enjoy being a part of this forum. 0 -
Savage,...Why not do the load work-up while breaking in the barrel? that's what I do,..and that wastes no barrel life what-so-ever. I had my accuracy load in my 300RUM Light Gun, long before the barrel even "went to sleep". ~88rnds,..and my fouling was virtually non-existent.
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
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