Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Guns N Gear Barrel break in

I follow Fred Sinclair's method of Sinclair international in one his books on precision shooting.its like anything else in this world some people try to perfect their yard work or their golf swing and the next guy could care less.there definitely is benefit to barrel break in though I've done it on enough barrels to know I'll keep doing it it that's just me

Since I develop loads for all my rifles by the time I take it hunting... the barrel is broke in plenty good. I will shoot a couple hundred rounds through it usually and clean it multiple times within that process.

I clean my guns every time I shoot them. Period. But - at the beginning of hunting season I will shoot 1-2 to foul the barrel and then I will hunt with it all season and clean it after the season is over.

Total waste of time.

I've got one I just built that I shoved a load that shot well in another rifle in the chamber. Shooting about .35 MOA with no barrel break in at all.

Its a Kreiger.

I would respectfully argue that the barrels where you have seen good results from a break-in process probably would have shot great anyway.

Since it's not possible to compare results from the same barrel with and without a formal break-in process, then it remains smoke and mirrors. Some of my most accurate rifles never had a formal break-in process. I shoot as much as I will shoot that day or trip, wipe the rifle down, pull an Otis Ripcord with a little oil on it through, and put the rifle back in the safe.

From the Shilen website -

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.

Running a patch down a barrel after X numbers of rounds does absolutely nothing to the steel (barrel). Unless you are using some form of lapping compound. Every barrel gets “fire lapped” when you shoot it. If the machine tooling was at or near it’s end of life, when your barrel was made, may copper foul more than one after a tooling change. Chances are the results after “breaking in” a barrel will be exactly like the results if you chose not to. I’ve got rifles that have never had a patch run through them. If and when the groups start opening up I’ll clean it. But not before as there is no problem to fix.

barrel break in is a myth makes you feel special doing it or buying a barrel that calls for it, its for show just shoot the thing. I may be wrong but Id expect to see a barrel break in procedure in atleast one of our armed services sniper training manuals if it made a difference.

I clean the rings, ring screws, base screws, recoil lug, and bore before load development. Barrels will break in on their own. Clean when necessary

Funny thing it's a very simple thing to do and as you go through the process you'll notice and see the reward(barrel will go longer in round number without copper sticking to barrel which in turn means longer shooting sessions before accuracy falls off or easier cleaning when you get home)if any amount of effort is put into doing a simple barrel break in.no harm can be done.theres no myth about its common sense once you learn what your doing.its even practical on economy rifles.its alot about learning each barrel you own and at what point accuracy improves or falls off.many competitive shooters know their barrel needs up to 100 rounds of fouling before their barrel is gtg before a rifle match for example.it's all a process.

Yeah, what do barrel manufacturers (Shilen) know anyway?

Bartlein the best barrels in the world recommend a barrel break in.my match grade shilen select grade fouls worse than any of em I own it needed break in worse than any but I haven't got round count down barrel enough to smooth it out yet.it does shoot decent though.you can throw names and i can throw names all day long who see break in as beneficial (nosler) lots of good info on barrel break in it's real easy y'all take something so easy for granted.yes barrel break in is very controversial but it's common sense once you've done it a few times and you've educated yourself about it.

Try it for yourself don't listen to anyone else then make a decision.theres as many who do it as folks who don't mainly more progressed rifleman will know.hey it doesn't fit your style don't knock someone else's knowledge or experience

I've been educated in it ... thanks though

😄

I have read in more than one place, that there are more barrels damaged by improper cleaning than by shooting.
I have 6 custom rifles with Shilen and Dougless barrels that shoot just fine with out barrel break in.
They are cleaned when it is nessary

With or without break in?

No one is saying “breaking in” a barrel hurts the accuracy, just that it isn’t necessary.

You are right about improper cleaning.

Gun Dock
I left out an important word, I corrected it.
I Do Not waste my time and ammo on barrel break in

^^^. You left OUT another one

I suppose it depends on the rifle. My latest didn't really start grouping well until I was 60-70 rounds in with several cleanings. It went from a 8 inch group at 600 yards to a 4 inch group. I switched factory ammo once during that process, thinking that the rifle didn't like the 1st ammo but then went back and shot the first loads again and it was shooting much tighter groups.

I will never shoot 1000 rounds though a hunting rifle. I will dead long before that happens.

Improper cleaning with the wrong equipment will definitely damage barrels. ALWAYS use a coated cleaning rod and a good bore guide. Be careful when drawing the rod back over the crown of the barrel.

Use good solvents. I have switched to Bore Tech Eliminator for most of my cleaning and use a nylon brush. Good solvents will do most of the work if you let it sit in the barrel for an hour.