Barrel break in

[Mr Drysdale]

I purchased a new Tikka 7RM last year. I decided that I would break in the barrel as suggested on several sites I visited. Clean before first shot and between each shot through 10 shots. Then I cleaned after three shot strings for 9 shots. This was a pain but allowed the barrel to cool between shots.The rifle was a shooter right from the get go. Ended up using Core Lokts in 150 grain as they shot very well and are plenty good for Whitetails. I don?t know if the break in helped with accuracy BUT I can tell you it did with cleaning the bore. I started cleaning guns Friday night and continued on Saturday. One pistol and five long guns. The 7RM was shot as much if not more than the other four rifles but cleaned up in a Jiffy with very little copper build up. I will be breaking in any new rifles in the future.

 

[ssssnake529]

Some folks say that barrel break in is important and some folks say it isn't.

I do it, because I figure it doesn't hurt, and it might help.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

I used to worry quite a bit about barrel break in... but I've had so many recently that have shot straight from the box that I don't worry about it as much anymore. The one thing I don't do with any barrel but especially new one's is heat them up. I used to do the clean between first 10 shots then 2 or 5 rounds between cleaning, etc... but I don't know that it made my guns any more accurate.

A friend of mine had purchased a used kimber that we took to the range a 2nd time and he feared the worst (after the 1st) that it was one of the "lemons". Like you we gave it a healthy scrub and it absolutely shot lights out... so well I tried to buy it off him but he wasn't having it. In my recent experience keeping the bore clean is everybit, if not more, important than the break in.

I have a 20" AR with a decent scope that was hitting golf balls at 300 with no break in....

my take is it can't/won't hurt... but might not be all that neccessary either.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I think the main thing that has made sense on the subject to me (not an expert) is during the first shots the fresh throat might shave off bits of the jacket which melt and cake onto the barrel. Thus why they want you to make sure your cleaning solvent is suitable for copper removal. Cleaning after each shot for the first bit removes this before the next round is fired and similarly the next round of cleanings after the shot groups while the throat wears in a bit. Otherwise the fouling supposedly becomes more stubborn to remove.

As for the tikka cleaning easier that likely has more to do with the bore not being as rough as some other production guns. My factory tikka cleans much faster than a factory rem 700 I have (the bore on that thing like to build up some stubborn copper fouling but it does shoot pretty well still). My premium after market barreled guns clean even faster as you'd expect since the bore is likely smoother.

 

[rayporter]

I screwed on a new krieger barrel yesterday and cleaned and fired a shot and cleaned it. after a couple of shots i went to 2 and 3 shots as I made brass for the barrel. at about a dozen shots there is always a definite change in the barrel. it is quite noticeable - at least in custom cut rifled barrels.

could you just fire 12 shots and get to this point right away [ and have the barrel clean and shoot well]? I don't know - and I am not going to find out the hard way. after all, how hard is it to do a break in of a dozen shots?

one thing I KNOW you must do it to clean the new barrel very very well before you shoot. I have pushed gunk out of factory barrels for literally hours in preparation for the first shot.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I went thru all that cleaning, shooting, cleaning, BS like you did with, my Rem 700 7mm Mag and it shot good and cleaned easily (yup, works !).
With my, New Tikka T3 stainless Factory bbl. .270 WSM, BEFORE, I shot it, I cleaned the Fact. test shots out with CR-10 then, I wrapped a bronze bore brush with a couple of Patches (tight fit) then lathered on, a bunch of, JB's bore Cleaner, brushed back n forth, 15-20 times, cleaned it again to get the JB's out. The Tikka .270, shoots SUB MOA (5 shot groups @ 100) and I have shot 4, 3 shot 1.25 inch groups,.. at 200 Yards ! Love this, easier way, to "break in" a Fact bbl, IMO !
140 Accubonds at, 3,135- 3,140 FPS, needless to say,.. I'm VERY, happy ! Bore shines like Chrome and easy to clean !

 

[Jimbob]

Barrel break in I have used is clean after every shot for first 5 then after every 3 shots foir the next 5 groups, this uses a box of 20.

My findings were similar to the op. No gain in accuracy that I could tell but cleaning was a huge difference. At first cleaning was difficult and took a few rounds to get a clean patch. At the end of break in the barrel was simple to clean. So maybe just the shooting would have smoothed things out and it would still have cleaned easier and maybe not. It doesn't hurt to do it.

 

[hooker]

Proper Barrel Break-in Procedure - YouTube. I don't throw my new Kimbers on the ground. But, I'm with this guy. My current Sako A7 really starts to shine at 60rds.. What a waste of ammo for a proper break in. Shoot the piss outta it! Shoot it clean! JM2C.