Breaking in a new Gun

[Bigahh]

Is there a specific procedure to follow to break in a new barrel/gun? I thought I read somewhere that it is a good idea to clean the barrel after each shot for the 1st 10 rounds fired. Anyone know about this?

[Idiot]

Yeah, that rumor's been around for awhile. Make sure you've removed excess grease and oil from the action and barrel (the barrel should be dry) and go out and shoot the thing. When you're done shooting or when the gun is dirty, clean it. No break in required.

[Shasta]

Here is an interesting link on the subject:

http://www.badgerbarrelsinc.com/barrels ... .htm?76,12

[Old Savage]

I have a Rem Model 7 in 7-08 in Stainless with just short of 1000 rds through it. For the first few hundred rounds I just shot it and cleaned it. Then I went through a procedure very similar to what Stallman describes - thereafter the barrel definitely copper fouled less and was more accurate. I used CR 10 to clean between shots. Some barrels it doesn't seem to matter. They just shoot good from the get go.

[horsesoldier03]

I was trying to figure out the same thing on the last new rifle I purchased. I googled it and found a break in suggestion for Shilen barrels.

http://www.shilen.com/faq.html

[BenT]

NEW GUN ! Did Obama send you a check already . I better go check the mailbox!

[Tycer]

I'm going to do the Badger Barrels routine on my new BLR.

[Fairshake]

The breaking in of a new bbl is worth the time and effort. Back in 1985 I attended the FBI Sniper School. After returning to my Dept. and talking them into buying two McMillan's for the SWAT team. McMillan sent the rifles with the suggested break in which was cleaning after each shot for the first 10 and then after each 5 rounds. My rifle placed 5 rounds of .308 into 1 hole for record with several officer's present. I think after that, I broke in each new rifle.

[TX Gun Runner]

reposted

[C. Cash]

To some it is required SOP, to others it is a quite worthless proceedure. It sounds reasonable to me, but I wouldn't take it past the first 20-30 rounds. For those who make fun of you for doing it, you can justify it as simply "cleaning as you go". Rather than firing 30 rounds and cleaning your gun with 30-40 patches, you have simply used those 30-40 patches along the way. On your 30th shot, one pass of the brush, a wet/dry and your good to go. Kind of like doing the dishes as they hit the sink, at the end of the day your not staring at a pile of them, just one or two.

I broke in my 356 Big Bore 94 this way and I am glad I did. It does very well when I do my part.

[Bigahh]

Very nice Mr. Cash. I believe I will do the same. You cannot argue with success!

[C. Cash]

Thanks Bigahh! I seem to have "lost" some of my other targets , but that is generally what my Big Bore will do, even with me pulling the trigger. If you plan on going cast, I would go jacketed bullets first during the proceedure and then cast after your done if you want to go that route. Good luck and have fun.

[alnitak]

OK, now I'm concerned. It seems the general consensus is that, yes, one should follow a break in procedure that includes cleaning after every shot for x number of shots. So, does that mean I really messed up my Browing SRC in 45-70? When I got the rifle, I put about 25 shots through it (slowly) in the first shooting session. These were Ultramax round-nosed, flat-point, cast 405 grain loads. I cleaned the rifle that night after the session. Have I irrevocably messed up the potential accuracy of the rifle by not following the shoot one and clean for x shots routine? Can I "undo" my mistake in any way?

[Old Savage]

NO read my last post.

[Tycer]

OK, now I'm concerned. It seems the general consensus is that, yes, one should follow a break in procedure that includes cleaning after every shot for x number of shots. So, does that mean I really messed up my Browing SRC in 45-70? When I got the rifle, I put about 25 shots through it (slowly) in the first shooting session. These were Ultramax round-nosed, flat-point, cast 405 grain loads. I cleaned the rifle that night after the session. Have I irrevocably messed up the potential accuracy of the rifle by not following the shoot one and clean for x shots routine? Can I "undo" my mistake in any way?

You've not messed it up.

[kimwcook]

I've read different points of view from different barrel manufactures. To the point you'll only be wearing out a barrel by shooting lapping compounds or cleaning to much. I believe so long as you're not throwing jacketed and cast through the same bbl., some caveats apply, and you keep them cleaned before any long term storage, you're okay.

[Idiot]

OK, now I'm concerned. It seems the general consensus is that, yes, one should follow a break in procedure that includes cleaning after every shot for x number of shots. So, does that mean I really messed up my Browing SRC in 45-70? When I got the rifle, I put about 25 shots through it (slowly) in the first shooting session. These were Ultramax round-nosed, flat-point, cast 405 grain loads. I cleaned the rifle that night after the session. Have I irrevocably messed up the potential accuracy of the rifle by not following the shoot one and clean for x shots routine? Can I "undo" my mistake in any way?

This is the problem with nonesense like this. You have not wrecked your gun. Go on shooting it knowing it's no less accurate than it would have been if you'd wasted your time and money pretending to be a benchrest shooter. Levergun barrels have stress points where sights are screwed in and dovetails are cut in. Not to mention that extra twist needed to get the sights lined up. The fact that you didn't use some Greek cure all to dress your barrel after every shot and then let it rest until the moon is three-quarter full is the least of your worries. Your a hunter; whether your slug takes out the top of the heart or just punches a hole through the bottom dosen't matter - its dead.

Since this post began I've been wringing my hands, worried sick about all of my used rifles and carbines (which are most of my collection), wondering deep down inside if they all could have been half minute shooters if only the original owner had used a little Windex and bacon grease.

[C. Cash]

Hey Alnitak,

I'm not sure there will ever be a general consensus about anything with this bunch. It's just that the negative opinions have not shown up in full yet. It's just something to tinker with(the only way to really tell is if you had a number of guns which were identical in every way, and you shot half with the proceedure and half without...all quite impossible). So, it's just a theory. Nothing to worry about at all if you haven't done it. As stated, it's not going to affect your functional accuracy in a lever if your even going to effect it at all. But, if a guy has fun trying to make a cluster of bullet holes smaller, why not? That is frustr....er....fun to many of us. Again, a fellow really isn't going to be cleaning the rifle any more than he will have to after a range session, if you think about it. I can't come up with why you'd be using less brush/patch strokes at the end of a 30 round high powered center fire rifle than you would if you just ran a brush and wet/dry patch after every shot, and using a 100% cotton patch in a Chrome Moly Steel barrel will not wear anything out in that short amount of time. I've never been able to do it. It should only take one or perhaps two wet/dry after each shot. If you getting copper your going to have to pay now or pay later...why not remove it while it is not layer upon layer? The only question is, do have enough time at the range to clean as you go? All just things to think about, and to come to your own conclusion on. Some sick puppies actually have fun this way.....

PS...firelapping is a whole nuther process, and yup, also a controversial subject!

[alnitak]

PS...firelapping is a whole nuther process, and yup, also a controversial subject!

And here I was, just going to ask about that and whether or not I should do it. So...what do think??

[alnitak]

Your a hunter; whether your slug takes out the top of the heart or just punches a hole through the bottom dosen't matter - its dead.

Yeah, I figure that extra 1/4" of accuracy is beyond my skills to even notice (especially with iron sights).

Since this post began I've been wringing my hands, worried sick about all of my used rifles and carbines (which are most of my collection), wondering deep down inside if they all could have been half minute shooters if only the original owner had used a little Windex and bacon grease.

Me too. But I can't do anything about those used rifles I bought. However, the SRC is new, with only about 30-35 bullets through it, so I figured there still might be a chance to "fix" it.

[C. Cash]

Alnitak, I sure wouldn't firelap.....not unless you had a gun which, after much effort and experimentation with loads, did not shoot worth a hoot AND had a very rough bore or constriction point which caused bullet deformation. My Big Bore has a slight constriction in it but still shoots good. It would be a last resort option to a problem gun to me, although there are fellas that do it without hesistation.

[Hobie]

I shoot my guns and when finished clean them. I never let the barrel get too hot to touch. That is the extent of any "break in". I don't see anything wrong with it, if you like cleaning but it is also a good excuse to get out of the house and go to the range for an extended session!

[TX Gun Runner]

My hunting jacket guns I shoot 3 shot clean it . and must be over 1 hour before I shoot it again for the life of the gun . My target jacket bullet shooters I clean every 5 shots for the 1st 100 rds and then every 10 shot from then on . My cast bullet shooters each gun is different , it take about 1,000 rds to season a barrel and it only takes one jacket to screw up a seasoned barrel . My cast bullet shooters the more I shoot them the less I need to clean them . My target or bench cast rifles about every 20 to 25 rds under 90 degrees and cast SASS/CAS guns I shoot the whole match without cleaning and once seasoned they NEVER lead up , just the forcing cone get a little lead in the pistols , and that 14 yrs of shooting SASS/CAS .

[Bigahh]

OK, now I'm concerned. It seems the general consensus is that, yes, one should follow a break in procedure that includes cleaning after every shot for x number of shots. So, does that mean I really messed up my Browing SRC in 45-70? When I got the rifle, I put about 25 shots through it (slowly) in the first shooting session. These were Ultramax round-nosed, flat-point, cast 405 grain loads. I cleaned the rifle that night after the session. Have I irrevocably messed up the potential accuracy of the rifle by not following the shoot one and clean for x shots routine? Can I "undo" my mistake in any way?

I really do not think you have a thing to worry about. If you clean your barrel on a regular basis you did not hurt it in any way.If you go back to the post by Shasta and click on his link about Badger barrel break in it stated the reason was to prevent excessive copper build up, and it helped seal the pores. I don't think that not breaking in your barrel this way could ever hurt the accuracy in any way, but it may help prevent excessive fouling. 10 shots are all that is really required, so along with Tycer I will go ahead and do it.