barrel break in

[7mmag6]

do you guys break in new barrels and if so what is your procedure?, also is it really that important?

[Johnny_Revolver]

Hasnt this come up before? However, many many school`s of thought here, some folk will clean after each shot then shoot five and then clean for the next ten and all this sorta business, both my new rifles I shot and looked after each shot, and cleaned when I got home. I clean after each use basically, my .223 shows little sign of filth, my .308 looks like a football stadium after a game after a handfull of shots. If I bought a moderately expensive rifle with a varmint barrel, or replaced a barrel with say, a Shilen or something I probably would go out the range and do the drill, whats it gunna hurt?

[7mmag6]

you are absolutly correct http://www.gunandgame.com/forums/bar...t=barrel+break

[rebel727]

I've got a Mike Stone and an Obermeyer. The Mike Stone was lapped after installing. I cleaned them before they were ever fired. Took them out and fired ten rounds and cleaned them again. Next set was 20 rds. The Mike Stone makes 1 hole groups (bullet sized) at 100 yds. The Obermeyer groups aren't much bigger. The Mike Stone is a medium target barrel, the Obermeyer is a sporter.

[Gyrene]

7mmag6 - As was stated, there are almost as many schools of thought as there are shooters, when it comes to barrel break-in.


The following are my thoughts, and I have never, never worn out a barrel in over 55 years of shooting:

The main thing I adhere to is that the barrel does not get overheated, when I can put my bare hand on the receiver ring and any part of the barrel, and hold on without getting burned, it is not too hot. I can't adhere to this during a rapid fire string in an NRA/CMP match though.

As to cleaning between shots, I believe that Mr. McMillen has the right idea, as he taught some of the barrel makers the business, and one of them started up the "Break-In" concept. Mr. McMillen says anything that goes through the barrel reduces the life of the barrel by one shot. He also says the first shot is the best one, and after that it is just downhill.

To analyze that, if Mr. McMillen is correct, you should get maybe an extra 50 to 150 shots through your barrel, if you don't do a "Break-In" procedure, then you get the extra 50 to 150 shots out of the barrel. If Mr. McMillen is wrong, then he gets to sell you another barrel, sooner.

If the proponents of the break-In procedure are correct, then you get some possibly more accurate shots throughout the life of the barrel, and it is easier to clean. If they are wrong, then you wear out your barrel sooner, and they get to sell you another barrel, sooner.

I have worked at rifle ranges for quite a number of years, off and on since about 1950 and full time for the past 10 or so years, and the only people I usually see breaking in their barrels are the "Bench-Rest" shooters, and some "Newbies". The 'Bench-Rest" shooters are the only people that I have known to change barrels, except for people who have bought rifles with bad barrels, and they get the barrels changed right away.

The people who shoot CMP/NRA Competition are seldom found with a cleaning rod in hand, and many of the best CMP/NRA shooters that I know (they shoot at Camp Perry regularly), claim to me that they do not clean their barrels during the shooting season; unless they have accuracy problems, and then they claim they need to shoot 100 to 200 shots, without cleaning, to get back in the game. With modern powders, it is not necessary to rigorously clean the barrels, unless you are having an accuracy problem! Remember, the best shooters shoot fouling shots before beginning the match!

If you think about it, metal parts that work together for a long period of time need to be made to work together (or "Broken-In). Gear sets, or piston rings and cylinder walls are some examples of things that should be broken in. Even Jerry Miculek who specializes in doing "Trigger Jobs" on S&W revolvers says, "You can pay me to do it, or you can shoot 1,000 rounds and do the job yourself."

The reality the barrel sees, is a new bullet each time, and while the barrel may be "Broken-In", the bullet is new each time. Does it pay to "Break-In" one gear of a gear set? Or the Cylinder, but not the rings?

BREAK-IN? WHY? WHAT DO YOU GAIN? YOU DO LOSE TIME!

`

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Gyrene

7mmag6 - As was stated, there are almost as many schools of thought as there are shooters, when it comes to barrel break-in.


The following are my thoughts, and I have never, never worn out a barrel in over 55 years of shooting:

The main thing I adhere to is that the barrel does not get overheated, when I can put my bare hand on the receiver ring and any part of the barrel, and hold on without getting burned, it is not too hot. I can't adhere to this during a rapid fire string in an NRA/CMP match though.

As to cleaning between shots, I believe that Mr. McMillen has the right idea, as he taught some of the barrel makers the business, and one of them started up the "Break-In" concept. Mr. McMillen says anything that goes through the barrel reduces the life of the barrel by one shot. He also says the first shot is the best one, and after that it is just downhill.

To analyze that, if Mr. McMillen is correct, you should get maybe an extra 50 to 150 shots through your barrel, if you don't do a "Break-In" procedure, then you get the extra 50 to 150 shots out of the barrel. If Mr. McMillen is wrong, then he gets to sell you another barrel, sooner.

If the proponents of the break-In procedure are correct, then you get some possibly more accurate shots throughout the life of the barrel, and it is easier to clean. If they are wrong, then you wear out your barrel sooner, and they get to sell you another barrel, sooner.

I have worked at rifle ranges for quite a number of years, off and on since about 1950 and full time for the past 10 or so years, and the only people I usually see breaking in their barrels are the "Bench-Rest" shooters, and some "Newbies". The 'Bench-Rest" shooters are the only people that I have known to change barrels, except for people who have bought rifles with bad barrels, and they get the barrels changed right away.

The people who shoot CMP/NRA Competition are seldom found with a cleaning rod in hand, and many of the best CMP/NRA shooters that I know (they shoot at Camp Perry regularly), claim to me that they do not clean their barrels during the shooting season; unless they have accuracy problems, and then they claim they need to shoot 100 to 200 shots, without cleaning, to get back in the game. With modern powders, it is not necessary to rigorously clean the barrels, unless you are having an accuracy problem! Remember, the best shooters shoot fouling shots before beginning the match!

If you think about it, metal parts that work together for a long period of time need to be made to work together (or "Broken-In). Gear sets, or piston rings and cylinder walls are some examples of things that should be broken in. Even Jerry Miculek who specializes in doing "Trigger Jobs" on S&W revolvers says, "You can pay me to do it, or you can shoot 1,000 rounds and do the job yourself."

The reality the barrel sees, is a new bullet each time, and while the barrel may be "Broken-In", the bullet is new each time. Does it pay to "Break-In" one gear of a gear set? Or the Cylinder, but not the rings?

BREAK-IN? WHY? WHAT DO YOU GAIN? YOU DO LOSE TIME!

`

Great post Gyrene! Enjoyed it immensely! :nod:

[ruger22com]

Mr. McMillen was talking about centerfire rifles, and I agree with him 100%
(though I am a firm believer in fire-lapping)

Rimfires are a similar story. Many shooters and even barrel makers promote breaking in. I ran some tests on both factory ruger 10/22 barrels AND aftermarket barrels (green mountain) and I found that both barrel types improved in accuracy as they "wore in" regardless of cleaning between rounds or not. Again, fire-lapping did improve accuracy and did it faster, and molyfusion also helped condition the barrels for easier cleaning.

So I would say, a break-in in not needed..but heck, it also can't hurt. (and rimfire barrels last a LOT LONGER than the centerfire barrels Mr. McMillen was talking about).

Bob