Barrel break in idea?

Consider, also, that true .22RF match chambers have throats/leades as short as possible, for the sake of optimum accuracy - many actually force the bullet some distance into the origin of the rifling. Centerfires also benefit from minimal bullet travel before engaging the rifling, and for the same reason.

PRD1 - mhb - MIke

And as Mike posts above, I've found that very same thing to be true. My CZ 457 LUX has one of those chambers where the front bearing surface band is guided by the leade, very slightly into the bore. Note my attempt at an arrow:

Vettepilot555 said:

The operative words there are "some folks."

Then there's those that "have to ask the wife...." Luckily, I won't put up with that one.

Vettepilot

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Do you have a wife? Is she happy? Does she have a brain? Do you even consider her in your life decisions?

PRD1 said:

Consider, also, that true .22RF match chambers have throats/leades as short as possible, for the sake of optimum accuracy - many actually force the bullet some distance into the origin of the rifling.

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My 1911 Marvel Conversion has a chamber throat so close that a CCI round is a bit of a press fit and the extractor will not pull one.
I am shooting it in the IDPA .22 Specialty Division that started up here under the panicdemic shortages, and having to ask to "unload through the muzzle" at the command of Unload and Show Clear was getting tiresome.

So I tried all the LR on hand. Aguila was the same as CCI but Remington Golden Bullets were apparently just a smidgen smaller and would extract. Now I look at the round count and load my magazines such that the required number of shots are with CCI but finishing with a RP in the chamber, which I can eject when completed.
Frex, a stage in tomorrow's match is 16 rounds. So my first magazine is loaded with 11 CCI, the second with 5 CCI over 5 Remington. If I have to fire a makeup shot, the Remington will feed, fire, and function.
Not likely as accurate as CCI, I was given some Remingtons by a target shooting friend who found them unsatisfactory in his CZ, but good enough for an 8" IDPA Zero ring.

My thoughts on barrel break in:

I've never seen a new rifle that didn't shot more accurately after a few rounds had been through the barrel. I'm convinced that breaking in a barrel does help. Some may only need a dozen rounds or so, others may not start to show improvement until 100 rounds or more.

What I don't subscribe to are the elaborate schemes where you clean after each round for X number of shots. Then clean after every 5 rounds, then every 10 rounds and so on. The only possible advantage is that it is going to be easier to clean after only 1,5, or 10 rounds initially. The barrel can't count and doesn't care how many rounds are through it between cleanings.

I shoot and clean as needed. Over time accuracy improves and it gets easier to clean.

When i shot my new rifle the other day. I cleaned it when i got it. Followed by an oil patch. I shot it slowly. Keeping the barrel relatively cool. Cleaned it when i got home. Oiled again. Im ready for the next outing. Probably this afternoon.

Back in the early days of Made For Cable TV shows, there was one on shooting.
The host's idea of preparing a new rifle's barrel for best shooting was to clean it with soap and hot water, boiling water rinse.
Who can say it didn't work? You can't treat the same barrel two different ways from brand new.

I have 2 barrels to "break-in" on our trip to the range, one mfg says to fire 10rnds and clean before each shot then every 2rnds, other mfg was 10rnds cleaning each shot then 15rnds cleaning every 3shots then cleaning every 5 shots, I have always heard of doing it in 5 shot groups cleaning every shot then every 2 shots then every 3 shots all this is done not allowing the barrel to get hot. I've always been scared of the "lapping" bullets, seems to me it would also mess up the throat creating more bullet jump. Does someone have something like valve grinding compound that could be used with a cleaning patch and a rod? seems like if you did that with something to save the crown or bore would save some time at the range.

rdnktrkr said:

I have 2 barrels to "break-in" on our trip to the range, one mfg says to fire 10rnds and clean before each shot then every 2rnds, other mfg was 10rnds cleaning each shot then 15rnds cleaning every 3shots then cleaning every 5 shots, I have always heard of doing it in 5 shot groups cleaning every shot then every 2 shots then every 3 shots all this is done not allowing the barrel to get hot. I've always been scared of the "lapping" bullets, seems to me it would also mess up the throat creating more bullet jump. Does someone have something like valve grinding compound that could be used with a cleaning patch and a rod? seems like if you did that with something to save the crown or bore would save some time at the range.

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If the maker of your barrel also fitted and chambered it, follow his recommendations for break-in. You should NEVER use any abrasive in your barrel for the purpose of 'break-in'. Lapping of the bore, if done, should be done by the barrel maker before the barrel is finished and fitted. Attempts at lapping a chambered and fitted barrel can cause damage at the throat and muzzle, and 'fire-lapping' is almost certain to affect the throat, with uncontrolled effects on accuracy. The best procedure for the typical barrel (and owner) is just to shoot and clean in the normal manner.

PRD1 - mhb - MIke - barrel maker, retired

Just shoot it & clean it. Ya wanna follow some “mystical” 27-step process of yore? Go for it. Just don’t claim it somehow works better.

There is nothing special about barrel steel. A barrel break in isn’t some kind of metal conditioning process that you can somehow mess up if the steps aren’t followed to the letter. The intended purpose is to knock off the high spots in the bore. This happens normally through shooting. Barrels which have been hand lapped, is basically the same as if 50, 100, 200, etc., rounds were shot. It’s just a sped up means. The cleaner doesn’t matter. The oil doesn’t matter.

I have a differing opinion.

My last 3 rifles I’ve taken the time to “break in.”

My method was 1 shot, clean, for 5 shots. Then 2 shots and clean, for 5 cycles (10 shots). Then good to go.

the 3 are the three most accurate guns in my safe, pure coincidence? Maybe. But they are also the easiest ones to clean.

Next week I’m gonna do the exact same thing to my Douglass Supreme barrel we just chambered and fitted on my old 788.

Hoping it shoots as well as the 3 previously mentioned guns.

Normally with a new barrel there is roughness that will collect/cause copper fouling. The main purpose of break-in is to control this build up. Most of the fouling will be in the transition area where the chamber meets the rifling. It's just a area that the reamer left a little rough. Depending on the barrel quality you may or may not have any fouling down the barrel. When I get a barrel that is leaving copper down the barrel, I will hand lap the barrel with some JB Bore Paste. Every mfg has their own recommendation for break-in. I would recommend what the mfg suggest. There is different break-in procedures depending on weather the barrel is CrMo Steel or SS. The break-in procedures are quite different.

Here is Shillen's Procedure

CrMo
5-25 one shot cycles
2 2 shot cycles
1 5 shot cycle

SS
5 1 shot cycles
1 3 shot cycle
1 5 shot cycle

Note you need to use a Copper Solvent cleaner. What your looking for is Cu fouling.

I always use bear grease or whale blubber.

Steel jackets are very soft iron. Almost no carbon @ all. A barrel is a chromium & molybdenum alloy. The softness & thickness of iron jacket is not going to hurt it @ all.