Barrel break in

[Bad Bob]

Anyone have a good simple formula on how to break in a rifle barrel??  In what secquence should I clean with what?  Thanks.

[C.J]

there are lots of different ways you basically just want to season the bore so it wont foul as bad 1 way is to shoot once then clean do this for 10 rds then clean every 2 rds for the next ten rds then clean every 3 rds for the next 9 rds that about it lets see what everyone else has to say

[mr.frosty]

What CJ said. thats how I did a break in on my 300WSM but I used a good cleaner then oiled then ran a dry patch before the next shot.
and let the barrel cool a couple minutes after each shot,buts that me.

[Ramrod]

Or, you could have a gunsmith lap it, or do it yourself. For those who might not know, "breaking in" a barrel is really nothing more than using the bullets to smooth out the toolmarks and ragged edges left by the manufacturing process. But these same sharp edges are tearing the jackets of the bullets up, so you have to clean ALOT untill they are worn down and the bore slicks up. Lapping the barrel produces the same result and generally means little or no break in.

[jackfish]

Clean it good when you get it and then just shoot it and clean it.  Stop shooting and let the barrel cool when you can't keep your hand on the barrel.

[borg1]

I've read that all bores have microscopic pores in the metal.  A break in, as described above, then, does at least 2 things:

1) a clean barrel insures tool marks, etc., get worn down by the bullet and not coated by fowling so the bullet goes over it...  i usually polish the bore with a non embedding bore paste.  it does not damage the bore, but takes away many tooling marks in the barrel...

2) a clean barrel insures these pores, on each shot, get a little carbon residue in them.  I guess several shots out of a clean barrel deposits thin layers of carbon until most should be filled at the end of the break in process.  This also ensures that barrel fowling will be easier to remove thereafter.

That's what i've read and heard (2), but i am still wavering on the edge of the thought that its a load of crap.  Anyone read same things???
 :wink:

[Dave in WV]

IMHO it's more important to clean all of the fouling out of a barrel than how you do it. I tried the method where you shoot one shot and clean, two shots and clean and progress to more shots between cleanings until you have shot 10 shots. The barrel is still difficult to clean. The last time I cleaned that rifle I used a 50/50 blend of Kroil and Shooters Choice with a nylon brush. I finished up with Sweet's 7.62 solvent and used the nylon brush and it cleaned up much faster.

[lilabner]

If you want to see the recommended breakin for a new benchrest rifle, go to benchrest.com and then to FAQs. It is a time consuming and elaborate procedure, but if it is good enough for an expensive custom built benchrest rifle, it is probably good enough for a sporter.