or listen to Gale McMillan :
Posted: 01-24-2000 08:57
Do your rifle a favor and clean it well after every group and forget all the break in BS
Posted: 01-27-2000 08:57
I will make one last post on this subject and appeal to logic on this subject
I think it is the height of arrogance to believe a novice can improve a barrel
using a cleaning rod more than that a barrel maker can do with 30 years of
experience and a * million dollars in equipment . The barrel is a relatively
precise bit of machining and to imagine that it can be improved on with a
bit of abrasive smeared on a patch or embedded in a bullet. The surface finish
of a barrel is a delicate thing with more of them being ruined with a cleaning
rod in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use one. I would
never in a million years buy a used rifle now because you well may buy
one that has been improved. First give a little thought to what you think you
are accomplishing with any of the break in methods. Do you really believe
that if what you are doing would help a barrel that the barrel maker wouldn't
have already done it. The best marketing advantage he can have is for his
barrels to out perform his competitors! Of coarse he is happy to see you
poking things in your barrel . Its only going to improve his sales. Get real!!!!
I am not saying the following to brag because the record speak for it' self
McMillan barrels won the gold at 4 straight Olympics. Won the Leach Cup
eight years running. Had more barrels in the Wimbledon shoot off every year
for 4 straight yearsthan any other make. Set the national 1000 yard record
17 times in one year. Held 7 world records at the same time in the NBRSA .
Won the national silhouette matches 5 straight times and set 3 world
records while doing that . Shot the only two 6400 scores in the history of small
bore and holds a 100 yard world record that will stand for ever at .009 of one
inch. All with barrels the shooter didn't have to improve on by breaking
them in.
Posted: 09-25-1999 10:10
The break in fad was started by a fellow I helped get started in the barrel
business . He started putting a set of break in instructions in ever barrel he
shipped. One came into the shop to be installed and I read it and the next
time I saw him I asked him What was with this break in crap?. His answer
was Mac, My share of the market is about 700 barrels a year. I cater to
the target crowd and they shoot a barrel about 3000 rounds before they
change it. If each one uses up 100 rounds of each barrel breaking it in you
can figure out how many more barrels I will get to make each year. If you
will stop and think that the barrel doesn't know whether you are cleaning
it every shot or every 5 shots and if you are removing all foreign material that
has been deposited in it since the last time you cleaned it what more can
you do? When I ship a barrel I send a recommendation with it that you clean it
ever chance you get with a brass brush pushed through it at least 12
times with a good solvent and followed by two and only 2 soft patches. This
means if you are a bench rest shooter you clean ever 7 or 8 rounds .
If you are a high power shooter you clean it when you come off the line
after 20 rounds. If you follow the fad of cleaning every shot for X amount
and every 2 shots for X amount and so on the only thing you are accomplishing is
shortening the life of the barrel by the amount of rounds you shot during
this process. I always say Monkey see Monkey do, now I will wait on the
flames but before you write them, Please include what you think is happening
inside your barrel during break in that is worth the expense and time you
are spending during break in
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