Have I ruined my new rifle?
This might sound a bit obsessive but.....
I've been a pistol shooter and recently purchased my first rifle, a Savage 10FP.
I cleaned it and then went to the range and shot about 50 rounds through it with cleaning between shots. Afterwards, I read several threads about barrel break-in and it's importance in keeping the rifle accurate.
Have I "damaged" the rifle? Any suggestions on what to do next?
Also, what is your opinion on using bore snakes on this rifle?
Thanks
I've been a pistol shooter and recently purchased my first rifle, a Savage 10FP.
I cleaned it and then went to the range and shot about 50 rounds through it with cleaning between shots. Afterwards, I read several threads about barrel break-in and it's importance in keeping the rifle accurate.
Have I "damaged" the rifle? Any suggestions on what to do next?
Also, what is your opinion on using bore snakes on this rifle?
Thanks
0
-
I keep the gun clean and oiled, but never went through any particular "break-in" period. To some, that is an unpardonable sin, but most of my guns shoot well in spite of my negligence. [;)]
Welcome to the mad-house, er forum. [:D]
In life, two things are guaranteed: You were born, and you will die.
What happens in between is up to you.0 -
TAKE YOU GUN OUT TO THE RANGE AND JUST SHOOT AND ENJOY IT. AFTER SEVERAL 100 ROUNDS YOU WILL KNOW. IF YOU CAN'T TELL, IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. BORE SNAKES WORK VERY WELL. GOOD LUCK
I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.0 -
Could somebody please explain the science/theory behind breaking barrels in?? Forgive me for being so ignorant. I've been a hunter and I have been around riflemen since I was a little kid, and I ain't never heerd o' no such thing. Then again I never was around when a new rifle was taken fresh out of the box, or when a new barrel was put on a favorite action.
Also, are factory rifles typically test-fired before being distributed?0 -
welcome Medic, no problem on the break in if you want to clean good if you don't want to clean good, it's kinda like fairy tales and legends with a dash of voodo If its a carbon steel barrel you'll want to keep it oiled, my view is every time you shoot a round it cleans it self. if there was that much build up from shooting multiple rounds the barrel would eventualy clog and the bullet would get stuck, ever hear of that? me neither so save it for the campfire tales. 0 -
Although some may disagree, I think it's like Bill wrote "Much to do about ..." well forget the rest.
cbxjeffIt's too late for me, save yourself.0 -
Medic
Probably no real harm done but, go to www.kriegerbarrels.comfor a lesson on new barrel breakin. It makes good sense to me.
Lots of luck and keep shooting.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jamesgray
Could somebody please explain the science/theory behind breaking barrels in?? Forgive me for being so ignorant. I've been a hunter and I have been around riflemen since I was a little kid, and I ain't never heerd o' no such thing. Then again I never was around when a new rifle was taken fresh out of the box, or when a new barrel was put on a favorite action.
Also, are factory rifles typically test-fired before being distributed?
Break in of barrels was a common necessity when they were cut rifled. They could be lapped with a poured lead lap or just shot. Most of those barrels started to shoot very well after a couple hundred rounds. Some took more & some less. The old Apex barrels were extremely accurate but only after about 300 rounds IME. Now I see they have a set of bullets that are impregnated with abrasive to "lap" bores which is totally uneccessary with button rifled barrels and a waste of money not to mention wearing your barrel needlessly. Most Muzzle loading barrels are still cut rifled and I lap those on the guns I build before shooting. The cut rifling is much rougher and needs some smoothing out to shoot best.
Greg Sefton0 -
In most every case copper fouling is the worst problem you are going to encounter. If you fired 50 rounds and cleaned your barrel between each shot you actually cleaned it too often (according to some). Most people like to shoot 5 rounds (depending on the type of barrel steel used) and then clean, checking for the fouling to begin to drop off. Did you damage your rifle- not in my opinion. I am inclined to agree that most of this "break in" is a sort of black magic, but you really have nothing to lose by doing it and there may be a slight gain in accuracy in the long run. How much this matters depends on what type of shooting you do and the over all level of barrel quality that you begin with. I assure you when I took delivery of my new Steyr CISM Match rifle a few months ago it went through a VERY careful break in. Did it matter? Probably not, but when you start getting into the $4000+ range on certain firearms it is better to be safe than sorry!
Mark T. Christian0 -
Thanks a lot for the help guys. 0 -
yesh yesh
gfegfdh0 -
It is not an accuracy issue,.....it is a method of extending the time between foulings and slightly longer barrel life (accuracy wise).
The seasoning of the barrel pours, with small amounts of copper, makes the bore smoother and therefore it will strip less copper as the bullet passes through the bore. Therefore it will foul less, clean easier, and subsequently shoot accurately slightly longer. It does not make the barrel more accurate in the strict sense of the expression.
Fouls less
Cleans up easier/quicker
shoots accurately for maybe a few hundred more rounds
Most any benchrest champion will tell you they break in their barrels. I always break in a new barrel,....you have everything to gain and nothing to lose. You have to figure out which ammo it wants to shoot, so do that while breaking in the barrel, and NO barrel life has been lost.[8]
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
11 comments