New Gun (Barrel breakin)

[TSLPE]

Bought a new browning bar 30 06 sarfari model. Been watching utube videos on barrel break in. Some say you need to do it and others say you don't. I'm leaning towards just cleaning in before I shoot it and then again when I'm done. First new gun I've bought in 25 years. What do you all think???

[Killmore]

If it was me, I would clean the barrel then shoot two rounds then clean again and do that for half the box then go 3 rounds and clean tell the box is empty. That way you are giving your gun the best change to be accurate..

[CaNINE]

This is the break-in procedure recommended by Benchmark Barrels.  I would buy some inexpensive factory ammo and follow this method while you're doing a rough sight-in of your scope.  Then your ready to start load development.

-Shoot three 5 shot groups - clean between each group with a proven copper solvent*
-Shoot a 10 shot group - clean with a proven copper solvent*
* We find Bore Tech Eliminator to be an excellent choice.

[Larry S.]

I, too, did a lot of reading and I found this link:

http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/Barrel_BreakIn_II.asp

The problem, for me, is this:

Regardless of all of the hoopla, I'm old-fashioned, opinionated, and too darned used to what's worked for me to change now.

I've been hunting for 37 years. In that time, I've "broken in"  seven different hunting rifles. I did this by cleaning the barrel very well prior to my first trip to the range and, then, putting a box of ammunition through the rifle I'm shooting over a long enough period of time so as not to overheat the barrel. I then took it home, called it good, and proceeded to shoot them like any other rifle I hunt with.

Most of my rifles group handloads under an inch at 100 yards. Two or three group around 3/4" of an inch. The best rifle (shooting-wise) that I own is also the least expensive - a Marlin XL-7 in .270 cal. That one will shoot the whiskers off of the left cheek of a gnat at 100 yards...if I can do my part. My worst shooter groups at around 1.25 - 1.5 inches.

So, as with "which is the best rifle for deer?"; "which is the best round for elk?"; "do I really need a magnum?"...herewith, let the arguments begin.

To buttress my old codger beliefs, though, I've attached an 8-round grouping from the Marlin (with a 9th round "proof shot") to go along with what I've said. The three "flyers" in the 8-round group were caused by the muzzle blast of a ported magnum on the next table.

I truly wish the fleas of a thousand camels would descend upon people like that.

Larry S.

PS...Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them and some of them truly stink. That includes mine. But it is mine and I'll stick with it. And, to borrow a phrase from Ebeneezer Scrooge, in the matter of barrel break in, I say "Bah! Humbug."

[Stein]

I'm pretty anal about this, here is what I would (and have) do:

1.  For the first 10 shots, clean after every shot including the copper remover.  Loads of fun.
2.  For the next 20 shots, clean after every 3 shots, again with copper remover.
3.  For the next 20, clean after every 5.

Then, I never remove the copper again.  With my barrel, I use a brush and then two patches and it is sparking clean.  My first shot from a clean barrel hits exactly where the next ones do, so I don't have to worry about taking a clean gun hunting.

Both my Remmy 700 and my daughter's stock Savage Axis shoot comfortably under 1 MOA, closer to 0.6 if we do our part.  I figure you need to run 50 or more to work up a load, might as well take the time to break it in right.

[coachcw]

I like steins method except  I copper clean my bore after every  session  . Once I clean my gun I don't oil the bore just dry lube. Then I foul one shot threw it  before hunting. All ways clean breeach to muzzle and remove brush or swabs before pulling back down. The crown is to be treated like a babys ass.

[300rum]

I am in the "shoot it group".  I just built another AR10 with a Black Hole Barrel on it.  I asked the Black Hole guys what to do and they said shoot it.  That's what I have done and it rings the gong out to 1K all day long.

If the barrel is new I certainly would not run a brush down it, maybe a cloth with a mild solvent but only if it is dirty in the first place.

If your accuracy suffers then try cleaning it but that won't happen for many, many rounds.     

[TSLPE]

Thanks for your opinions. Just finishing up mounting the scope. Hopefully in a week or so I can get out shooting! Hope it shoots as well as people say it does!

[Firedogg]

It's a BAR so it is going to get dirty from all the gases. Clean every few shots. After range time tear it down and really clean it. Be carefull when reassembling that you don't tighten the front piece in the fore end too much or you will get problems with ejecting casings.