How do you break in your barrel?

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Well, it seems like the OP was asking what each of us does individually and what our personal opion on break in is. Don't know why people are arguing my than just to argue, but whatever, I'll answer the op.

I do nothing special on rifles. The first Rem700 I got I would shoot 3-5 clean, repeat, after about 3 groups I got tired of the nonsense, zeroed the gun, cleaned it and took it home.

Now I just swab them out and shoot them.

On auto pistols, I don't so much break in the barrel but I like to break in the slide, so I cycle it by hand about 100-400 times (depending on the weapon), take it down, clean and grease, applying oil where needed, then I put 200-400 rounds down range on her first trip, then clean the living crap out of her, oil and grease again. Makes her feel all smooth and heavenly :)

My "thoughts" on barrel breakin?? There may be something to the "throat deburring" nonsense that internet articles like to talk about, but I never really understood how gliding metal would smooth out a much harder barrel medal. I try not to think about it and if I were going to do a barrel break in again, I would do it to annoy people at the range.

1. Buy a live chicken.
2. Go to the range.
3. Teach the chicken to shoot.
... Well, there's several steps but it basically ends the same way no matter how you do it, several people stop by to ask what the hell is wrong with you before they leave.
 
I don't do anything to break in a barrel.
It's not like it's the 18th century anymore. Pretty much everything you can buy from a brand name maker is going to be very nice metal and quality will be very good.
So, I clean and shoot.
 
It is my understanding that barrel lapping increases accuracy and decreases barrel life. I doubt it does a statistically significantly better job than shooting 200-300 rounds through the gun. Go shoot 20 rounds for 10 days in a row. Keep every target. I bet your groups tighten significantly.

In my opinion barrel break in is a waste except where it forces the shooter to take careful, multiple shots with a firearm the shooter is not familiar with. I can't remember ever cleaning the barrel of a new gun and the initial patch showing damage from the metal.

This business of closing the bore pores without copper and lead MAY be true. And MAY make it easier to make a barrel spotless.

But effect accuracy, for 99.9% of us I don't think so. I think comfort with the firearm is much more important to accuracy than anything else.
 
I never heard about breaking in a barrel until I got on this site.
All my rifles will kill a deer around or below 100 yards-- In MI that is fine with me.
 
@jcwit

I'm not at all looking for accuracy. So long as I have fun, hit my target, and learn, I consider that to be enough. I tried the accuracy thing and going for long distance marksmanship is definitely not my game. Skeet, however, is.
 
I never heard about breaking in a barrel until I got on this site.
All my rifles will kill a deer around or below 100 yards-- In MI that is fine with me.
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@jcwit

I'm not at all looking for accuracy. So long as I have fun, hit my target, and learn, I consider that to be enough. I tried the accuracy thing and going for long distance marksmanship is definitely not my game. Skeet, however, is.
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Hey guys, go back and read my post #35 and note what I said about hunting rifles.

Howard, Try that rifle at your local Benchrest match and see if it puts any money in your pocket. Meat on the table is one thing and money in the purse is another. Yes they do hold them in your area, if in fact you are located in SE MI, check out the club shoots Hillsdale MI club.

I was RSO at the NRA National Smallbore Metric Matches this last week at Bristol, In., and the purses were well worth it. IIRC top prize was $500 or more.

Precision accuracy does pay off!
 
@jc
Jc, I have enuf problems staying alive without looking to get into shooting matches.
I have been shooting 60 some years--I am happy with that.
You have fun now, hear...............
 
I guess the 10 guys that had the $2,000 + match grade center fire rifles in everything from .223 to .308 and up with their $500+ optics should have done better barrel break-in routines when my $500 Ruger 10/22 with a $100 BSA Sweet .22 Scope beat them all at a 100 yard bench rest competition. Only one rifle beat mine out of 12 of us entered....

Oh well, to each his own. Some people just have fun doing the fancy routines, more power to them.
 
I subscribe to the theory that all new firearms are possessed so I immediately (or as soon as possible ;)) take any new one to the range and shoot the H*** out of it. :D
 
I guess the 10 guys that had the $2,000 + match grade center fire rifles in everything from .223 to .308 and up with their $500+ optics should have done better barrel break-in routines when my $500 Ruger 10/22 with a $100 BSA Sweet .22 Scope beat them all at a 100 yard bench rest competition. Only one rifle beat mine out of 12 of us entered....

Oh well, to each his own. Some people just have fun doing the fancy routines, more power to them.
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Post a picture of a target!
 
Any old timer here remembers a thread on TFL where Gale McMillan simply said, just shoot it.
 
Yes that has been brought up, but out of 4 barrel makers I picked at random he was the only one to give that advice. The other three suggested to do a break-in.
 
this pretty much sums it up.....
http://www.6mmbr.com/gailmcmbreakin.html
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Already been thru that.

And this also pretty much sums it up! Would not just have been easier to read the posts the first time?

I realize neither one of the below shown custom barrel makers have no idea how a customer should treat the barrels they make. But then the customer does win matches.


http://www.shilen.com/faq.html#question10

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Break_...246-wp2558.htm

http://www.riflebarrels.com/support/...aintenance.htm
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I assume these makers know nothing about their products?????????????

The above sites were also gleaned from 6mmbr web site.
 
I wonder how many custom barrel makers would warranty a barrel that had been "broken in"?
I assume these makers know nothing about their products?????????????
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Or maybe they know their barrels haven't been properly finished? Just a thought.
 
the fact is......no one has shown any definitive proof that "Breaking-in" a barrel has ANY effect on performance...

...if its such a wonderful thing, ide imagine it would be pretty easy for someone to prove it actually works.....however, ive yet to see anything.
 
Nor has anyone shown the opposite to be true.

For some oddball reason I tend to believe the makers. Just as I follow the maintence recommendations of vehicles I buy and all other products. For some reason the maker usually knows his product, not sure why.
 
Thanks, fellas! This has been one of the better threads I have read. Several posts have contained serious food-for-thought!

Geno
 
Nor has anyone shown the opposite to be true.

For some oddball reason I tend to believe the makers. Just as I follow the maintence recommendations of vehicles I buy and all other products. For some reason the maker usually knows his product, not sure why.
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......thats akin to saying "no one has ever proved god doesnt exist."

the burden of proof falls on the people making the claim......you are the people saying "barrel break-in does XXXXX"...its up to you to prove it.

if i were to come to you and say that the world is actually cube shaped.....and you called me on it, and asked me to prove it.........how would you react if i said "no, you prove it isnt"



secondly, i hear some barrel makers suggest a "break-in".........but they never say exactly why.......

what is to gain from "breaking in" a professionally lapped and honed barrel?

just because a company suggets a certain practice.....doesnt mean its effective....or even good for the barrel.....
....heck, at one time, doctors practiced blood letting to cure diseases and treat ailments......dont see that being practiced too commonly now-a-days....
 
All I can add Cameron is that is your opinion, such as it is, just as I have my opinion such as it is.

No we do not use blood letting as a cure, no more than we stone witches or burn them at the stake to save ourselves.

Now lets get to some
INTERNET IS SERIOUS BUSINESS
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interesting tidbit from Shilen Barrels

How should I break-in my new Shilen barrel?
Break-in procedures are as diverse as cleaning techniques. Shilen, Inc. introduced a break-in procedure mostly because customers seemed to think that we should have one. By and large, we don't think breaking-in a new barrel is a big deal. All our stainless steel barrels have been hand lapped as part of their production, as well as any chrome moly barrel we install. Hand lapping a barrel polishes the interior of the barrel and eliminates sharp edges or burrs that could cause jacket deformity. This, in fact, is what you are doing when you break-in a new barrel through firing and cleaning.
Here is our standard recommendation: Clean after each shot for the first 5 shots. The remainder of the break-in is to clean every 5 shots for the next 50 shots. During this time, don't just shoot bullets down the barrel during this 50 shot procedure. This is a great time to begin load development. Zero the scope over the first 5 shots, and start shooting for accuracy with 5-shot groups for the next 50 shots. Same thing applies to fire forming cases for improved or wildcat cartridges. Just firing rounds down a barrel to form brass without any regard to their accuracy is a mistake. It is a waste of time and barrel life.
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http://www.shilen.com/faq.html#question10


from hart barrels

We do not believe that a break in procedure is required with our barrels. If you follow our normal cleaning procedure, outlined in this brochure, you should not have any problems with your new rifle. You always want to clean your rifle as often as your course of fire will allow. If you have time to shoot one and clean, that would be fine, but we personally do not feel it is necessary. Please be sure to only use the cleaning solvents listed in our cleaning instructions.
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http://www.hartbarrels.com/faq.php


the fact that there are so many differing opinions among barrel makers should lend credence to the fact that "break-in" has no performance enhancing abilities.
 
the fact that there are so many differing opinions among barrel makers should lend credence to the fact that "break-in" has no performance enhancing abilities.
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And of course due to the fact there is so many differing opinions among barrel makers should lend credence to the fact that "break-in" does in fact have performance enhancing abilities.

Who knows for positive which way it in fact goes. You have your opinion as do I. Respect mine and I will will yours. Neither of us know for positive.
 
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