Match Barrel break in....

[haole_boySS]

I am following the break in procedure for my new Armalite AR-15. Its kinda tedious but I dont want to mess anything up.

Has anyone else done this or am I wasting my time?

Andy

 

[Strongbad]

There's about a million different opinions on breaking in a barrel. Most barrel mfgs. have a link on break in suggestions. Check Shilen's website, I know they've got a suggested procedure and I'm sure that Hart, Pac-Nor, etc. etc. have one too. Hopefully if you got a good custom barrel it was lapped from the mfg. to smooth it up, in which case break-in is somewhat moot. I think the whole thing is really subjective and relies alot on "gut feeling" more so than actual tangible results... if you catch my meaning.

 

[GunGoBoom]

Do a search here on barrel break in. There have been lotsa discussions on it. I personally am still running with the theory of "if the late great Gale McMillan said break-in is bunk, then it's bunk until someone of equal stature says otherwise". (i.e. wasting your time).

 

[Strongbad]

Finally, someone who agrees with me on this! I actually became pretty good friends with the sales/customer service person at Shilen a few years ago and asked him about the whole break in thing once. He said to "shoot it until accuracy starts to drop off, then clean it, otherwise don't worry about it". Or something along those lines.

 

[Mike Hull]

I also agree that barrel break in is hogwash.
Some manufacturers put break in instructions with a rebarreled rifle because they think people expect that sort of thing.

Shoot it and enjoy, clean it when it gets dirty, or the groups start to open up.

 

[USSR]

Funny how the guys with the finest custom barrels where break-in is least necessary do it, and the guys who have production barrels that double as copper mines find it unnecessary. I guess it's all about the accuracy level you are willing to accept.

Don

 

[Jim Watson]

I recently bought a Krieger barrel, I broke it in by their instructions. 13 shots, 7 cleanings, big deal.
I guess if you buy a McMillan barrel you can not break it in because the owner says you don't have to.

 

[Buzztail]

There is a big difference between a "match barrel" and a hand lapped work of art. I have match quality barrels on pretty much everything I own. My 6mm BR is another kind of beast all together. It takes 3-5 patches to clean it after a trip to the range. Hand lapped barrels are sweet

 

[USSR]

It takes 3-5 patches to clean it after a trip to the range. Hand lapped barrels are sweet

Ain't it the truth.

Don

 

[swingset]

I don't believe, and I say this from years of personal experience with both breaking in and not breaking in stainless factory barrels, that it improves accuracy at all.

What it DOES do, and I know this is true in my experience having identical barrels that were both broken in and not, is "season" the barrel a bit and makes it less prone to fouling....and also easier to clean. A sort of "layman's lapping", if you will.

Now, if it fouls less, then in that way it's more accurate than a barrel that fouls quickly and the accuracy falls off. I know Benchrest shooters have noticed this too, as I've heard them comment on this phenomona and its benefit during a string of shots where fouling could enter into their results and spoil a match. Hence, alot of bench rest shooters break their barrels in.

McMillan addresses break-in in sharpness of metal/accuracy terms alone, and doesn't address, ever, what to me is the REAL benefit of the slow breakin process. So, on that note, I think he's being very short sided and is frankly wrong about it.