Author Topic: BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO  (Read 2733 times)

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Offline BIG JAKE

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« on: February 23, 2004, 02:12:29 PM »
HEY GUYS TRY TO REFRESH MY MEMORY? ANY SUGGESTION ON BREAKING IN A NEW BARREL? I'M OLD SCHOOL. TAKE TO RANGE AND SHOOT,SHOOT,SHOOT TILL IT GETS HOT STOP, SHOOT SOME MORE TILL SHOULDER GETS SORE STOP. OLDER NOW TAKES SHOULDER LONGER TO STOP HURTING NEED SOME HELP. YOU KNOW AGE AND EXPERIENCE BEATS YOUTH AND ENTHUSIASUM, SORT OF THING. :wink:  :wink:  :wink:
squeeze it, don't pull it!!!!

Offline Big Blue

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2004, 02:24:54 PM »
BIG JAKE,
  Check the Faq that Duce posted at the top of this forum, there are a couple of suggestions there on breaking a barrel in. We must have gone to different schools together, I just shoot the barrel in.
Don

Offline BIGBOREFAN

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2004, 02:28:26 AM »
I have to admit I have never broke a barrel in. I'm like Big Blue I just shoot them. My guns are for hunting not bench shooting and when dealing with inexpensive guns I do not think there is a major advantage to breaking in a barrel. Man, I may have started something with that last statement.


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Offline Badnews Bob

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2004, 06:47:41 AM »
I've done both and to tell the truth most rifles shoot well enuff that I don't shoot them well enuff to tell the diffrence. Ithink you gotta be one hell of a shooter to make a diffrence. :wink:
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Offline missed_shot

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2004, 08:37:28 AM »
Don't shoot over 20 rounds per hour and change the oil after every 100 rounds . That should keep your barrel out of trouble. :twisted:
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Offline BIG JAKE

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2004, 09:49:22 AM »
Thanks guys I guess I'll keep doing what I did before. I never had any problems with the old way. I just read and hear different things and try to keep and open mind. My grandfather once told me an idiot knows everything and a genious knows nothing. I't took me awhile to figure out what he meant but I did. thanks for the info. :wink:  :wink:  :wink:
squeeze it, don't pull it!!!!

Offline Big Blue

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2004, 02:33:39 PM »
BIG JAKE,
  I went to Borders book store today, or as I call it, the library. They had a book on accurizing rifles, so I thought I'd take a look at their advise on barrel break in. Other than fire lapping, and hand lapping, they said to shoot and clean, recommend cleaning after every five shots for the first hundred. Their idea is that the bullets will break the barrel in if they can contact the barrel, without copper or lead fouling getting in the way. I have considered using a metal polish, and a tight patch to do the chamber area, and maybe the barrel, but I could never find a polish that seemed appropriate. So I'll just keep on shooting.
Don

Offline bull b 25-06

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2004, 06:00:26 PM »
Hey BIG JAKE, i've been breaking mine in with J-B BORE BRIGHT (ultra fine bore finishing compound). You put it on a cleaning patch using a cleaning jag and make about 80-100 passes through the bore. Pretty easy really. It takes care of any corrosion or rough spots anything that copper or lead could adhere to.I also reuse the J-B about every 100 rounds depending on how dirty my cleaning patches star getting after shooting. Any gun shop should have the stuff for about$6-$8.You will be amazed on how shiny it makes the bore.

later bull b 25-06        :D
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Offline Sourdough

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2004, 07:51:03 PM »
I was reading an article last night, an interview with custom barrel maker Bo Clerke.  This guy makes barrels for major manufactors, custom barrels for top competators, and classified stuff for the military.  They asked him about breaking in new barrels.  He said that's "Hogwash, the first shot breaks the barrel in".  He then showed the interviewer a target with a 3/8" group of ten shots, first ten shots out of a new barrel.  

That's all I've ever done with my Handis, or any of my guns.  The handi's shoot real tight, right out of the box.  Just have to find the right ammo sometimes.
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Offline BIG JAKE

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2004, 09:57:21 AM »
It seems like the common ground with most them is to shoot but make sure the barrel is perfectly clean so the bullet makes contact with the lands.
squeeze it, don't pull it!!!!

Offline TOGO

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2004, 03:16:25 AM »
Big Jake,

   I work at a rifle range part time and I saw someone breaking in their barrel using an interesting method. He was using a little bottle of graphit he got from a locksmith. What he did was swab the bore with graphit then fire one round, swab with hoppes #9 then with graghit, fire 2 rounds, repeat proceedure and fire 3 rounds, keep doing that all the way to 10 rounds. It worked very well, I watched his fist size groups get reduced down to shots into the same hole. Graphit is a lubricant but with pressure and velosity the graphit acts as an abrasive.

Offline Wlscott

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2004, 04:37:53 AM »
I have also read from custom barrel makers that if you "lap" your barrel with a mild abrasive compound like JB you can take the "sharpness" off of the edge of the rifling.  

I don't remember exactly where I was reading this at, but it was on another forum.  One poster asked this exact question, and one of the answers was from a custom barrel maker (one of the big names, but can't remember which one).  

He told him that when he makes a barrel, it gets hand lapped before it ever leaves the factory.  They also shoot a group with that barrel to ensure the utmost accuracy.  Most of his clients were benchrest shooters, and occasionally he would get a barrel back on a warrenty claim for accuracy.  

He would bore scope the barrel, and if he saw that the edges of the rifling were not sharp, the warrenty was voided due to an abrasive compound being used on it.  

I don't know how much of this applies to Handi rifle barrels, but I though I'd throw it out there anyway :grin:
You haven't hunted......Until you've hunted the hunters

Offline BIG JAKE

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2004, 10:03:18 AM »
The .243 I'm talking about was rough from the first cleaning. you could feel the patch snagging all the way down the barrel. The bronze brush would do the same. I cleaned  it thoroughly with shooters choice and rinsed the bore and chamber with gun srubber before going to the range. I shot no more than a box of shells at a timeand recleaned as stated above. Each time out the groups got better. Now I'm at 120 rounds and their a heck of alot better. The cleaning has gotten much much  better.
squeeze it, don't pull it!!!!

Offline 223Shooter

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BARREL BREAK IN; HOW TO
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2004, 12:14:13 PM »
I bought my .223 NEF Handi rifle back in October 03. I did nothing special except shoot about 30-50 rounds thru it...clean the barrel with Sweets and Outers, and brush the barrel. I did this for about 200 rounds. It started to get pretty accurate with the BlackHills ammo I was using. I still clean the same was now. My NEF likes a clean barrel. I do handload now. My accuracy is now at 3/8" at 60 yds (my back yard). I have a 3-9x40 Bushnell Scopechief on my NEF. I love this gun !!...... :D