Breaking in a new rifle barrel. Need to or myth?

[KFhunter]

a benchmark barrel that's been hand lapped is not the same thing, apples and oranges.

The OP has factory rifles with production barrels.  They haven't been lapped, a proper break in procedure can (poorly) replicate the missing lapping procedure that benchmark and other custom barrel makers do.


but hey what do I know  keep going on custom gun maker sites and apply the info you've googled to production rack guns.

[lord grizzly]

following that logic no barrel would ever get shot out

No breaking them in is starting to shoot them out, not make them “better” hence my comment about refining

[KFhunter]

correct - it's just taking a short cut into the sweet spot, kinda like an engine makes more power after it's made a few runs down the track

[lord grizzly]

a benchmark barrel that's been hand lapped is not the same thing, apples and oranges.

The OP has factory rifles with production barrels.  They haven't been lapped, a proper break in procedure can (poorly) replicate the missing lapping procedure that benchmark and other custom barrel makers do.


but hey what do I know  keep going on custom gun maker sites and apply the info you've googled to production rack guns.

Well I could have typed it myself but why? It’s an old article, this thread just reminded me of it. Guess next time I’ll post three to four personal references for you to cross check me. Bet you’d be surprised some of the company I keep. I won’t try and help in the future, sorry

[KFhunter]

Oh don't get all bent because I threw some snark back at you 

[N7XW]

I don't believe it would benefit a custom barrel but could benefit a production barrel.  As others have said, it certainly cannot hurt, provided you are careful and meticulous with your cleaning.  Don't be careless or you could cause more harm than good.  I notice groups start shrinking after a certain amount of copper deposition occurs.  It will vary depending on the rifle of course but the change in accuracy is noticeable.

[runamuk]

Who knows, some uptight dude years ago told me to do break in. Blah blah copper blah blah float barrel, new trigger, lapped my barrel  all done by me btw with a bit of help.  Gun is now awesome not jyst according to me.
The last three guns sighted in with help by text in less than 10 shots, havent cleaned any of them, past experience cleaning wrecks my pattern.

But you do what makes your socks roll. If you like cleAning then make it part of your sight in.

[Jonathan_S]

I’ve got a beautiful barrel that I’ve only ran a few patches through from an HCA build and it doesn’t foul. getting a Krieger barrel in a few months. Doubt it will need a break in period.

Bought a Remington a few years ago that fouled like crazy and took over two hundred shots before it stopped needed a cleaning every 10-20 rounds. Same with a Ruger American that took about 60

Apples to oranges is an understatement for this question

[Biggerhammer]

Barrels are bored, chambers are reamed. It all depends on the barrel and the boring job. Depending on the barrel manufacturer some boring jobs are much cleaner than others. It's a good idea to shoot a round, then clean. Let the barrel tell you what's going on. Use a good bore solvent like Butches bore shine. If you run a couple patches after the first shot and you still get blue coloring on the patch then you need to clean the bore more. If you shoot that first round and the bore cleans up quick with minimal "Blue" on the patch then your good to go. All barrels are different, even the best top end premium barrels may need several good cleanings. It all depends on the speed they were bored and the condition of the tooling. Tooling wears just like any other cutting edge.

I've had rifles built with many different barrels:

Krieger
Benchmark
Hart
Schneider
Rock Creek (Super accurate)
Bartlein
BlackHole
Douglas
McGowen
Obermeyer
Shilen
Pac-Nor
ARP
MOD 1
Brux

And many others that were made by the above but rebranded. I'll got with a cut rifle barrel every time over a button pulled. I will take a Rock Creek or a Benchmark barrel above all the ones I have used. If I had to choose just one barrel manufacturer out of all the above listed barrels. I would go with Benchmark, amazing spooky accurate super clean barrels.

The worst barrel I have ever shot in over 30 years. When it comes to a break in. Was my Howa Alpine 6.5 Creedmoor. That barrel bled "Blue" for 200 rounds. Then it settled down and cleaned up. It would shoot 1/2 MOA for 21 to 25 rounds and then it opened up quick!

[257 Wby Mag]

Myth



RIP Tod Riechert

[jdb]

Does anyone really think a soft brass bullet and a nylon brush is going to hone the hardened steel over and above the hardened steel tools that were used to finish it? Think about it...

arent they copper??

[Jonathan_S]

Does anyone really think a soft brass bullet and a nylon brush is going to hone the hardened steel over and above the hardened steel tools that were used to finish it? Think about it...

Those tools weren’t super heated and moving 3000fps though

I had an older Savage that would shoot well, similar to @Biggerhammer, where it would open up wide (not from heat) after a few five round groups. After diligently stripping it down to clean steel after every five shots for a hundred rounds, I found it held zero and tight groups for dozens and dozens of shootings.

I mean you can literally see the difference after a proper (when needed) break in. How is this even an argument?

[Magnum_Willys]

Like others I use Boretech or Boretech copper remover with patch and nylon brush and watch how much blue is on the patch to indicate when barrel is “broken in”.   I put heat shrink tubing over brass ferrule or it will give you blue readings.   I wouldnt bother with a hunting gun to hit a paper plate at 300 yards but if you are shooting golf balls you try every trick with the big guns.

[jay.sharkbait]

A myth perpetuated by irrelevant counter monkeys.

[Curly]

Most (maybe  even all....) manufacturers say to break-in the barrel. Most of their instructions are similar.  Seems like they would know best, so I follow their instructions.