M14 Forum

Daves762

Ok so I have read everything there is to find on the internet about new barrel break in. However I respect the opinions of the folk here more than random strangers.....although I realize that all you folks are in fact random strangers.....

That being said....

So with a brand new custom rifle back from the gunsmith, what "break in" procedures would YOU subscribe to?????

Thanks....

perazziboy

I don't remember the sequence right now but go to the Krieger website. They have their recomendation

for breakin there and that is what I have used in the past. They make the best barrels (IMHO) so I take

there advise. Have fun with it!

lefty o

with a good quality barrel, shoot and clean for about 10 shots. a quality hand lapped barrel will usually quit fouling in 10 or less. main point is to use a bore guide (action specific, not the generic ones), and a quality one piece cleaning rod.

bd111

My 5.56/.223 AR spacegun upper came with a stainless 26" Krieger. The mfr's recommendation was shoot-and-clean, as explained above. These are real slick, hand-lapped barrels, so I wondered whether they needed a break-in but went with it anyway. Two shooting sessions. It MIGHT run a little cleaner than my 20" Bushmaster factory barrel. OTOH, the longer barrel is leaving less powder unburned. Other barrel mfr's may or may not tout a break-in, so go with what your mfr says. We've got a lot of talented people making high-quality barrels for bolt guns these days.

wbm

Most barrel makers have a "break in" procedure because they are aware that most shooters have heard that this is what is supposed to be done.

Shilen has a break in procedure but they also state "By and large, we don't think breaking-in a new barrel is a big deal."

On a quality lapped barrel you may end up just screwing up a good polish job with a bore brush.

Daves762

Thats why I'm asking guys I keep getting conflicting signals....

shadowrider

If you have concerns just use a properly sized jag and patch with a good copper solvent after every round for about 20 rounds or so. Forgo the brush altogether and don't leave the copper solvent in it too long. Personally after breakin I think a little copper actually helps accuracy, but each gun is it's own individual. About the only thing I use is a bore snake if in the field and a good carbon fiber one piece rod and jag/patch back at home. I generally just use Ballistol and am getting good results.

philip26p

I just got my bolt gun as well, I looked everywhere to see if breaking in was needed or not, from what I read most were saying not. I just shot five ran a brush down once and then a patch a few times, still not sure if it did much but the gun shoot great.
On a side note I just got done loading up some loads for the gun and look forward to shooting them tomorrow.

45.308

Proper break in; load, chamber a round, press trigger, repeat until empty, reload, chamber a round, press trigger, repeat until empty, repeat whole process until out of ammo or done shooting for the day.

One of my current bolt guns, cleaned at 100 round count, 300 count, then 500 round count to 1100 rounds without cleaning over about 3 month time spand and this bolt gun still can put 5 shots @ .5moa of course when I do my part.

In my opinion, its a myth that someone thought up. Cleaning the bore can do more damage. I was watching a TV show awhile back and the gun guru said to clean after every 20 rounds even if at the range, to stop and clean after 20 rounds. I even heard now that Glock barrels should be broke in with proper procedures.

But, its your firearm, your money and time so do what you think should be done. If it eases your mind, then do it.

BLACKTAIL 8541

A top quality barrel should need little if any break in.

1 shot and clean methods if not done properly harm the barrel more than help.
If you must, I recomend shooting 5 rounds and cleaning with a 1 piece coated rod, bore guide and quality brass jag with solvents. Do this for a maximum of 5, 5shot groups. Anything more is a waste of time and ammo.

Some weapons shoot better with fouled bores and some shoot better with clean bores. Just something to keep in mind.

After your break in, keep a log of the amount of rounds fired and do not clean the bore untill you notice accuracy starting to drop off. This will give you a good ideal of when the bore needs cleaning on a regular basis. If you must clean after range sessions, just run a couple of wet patches with you preferred solvent followed by a patch with a good oil and then a couple of patchs to dry the bore.
Most all rifles will shoot to the same point as before the patches and will show little if any cold bore first shot shift..

adrbe

This is what it all comes down to for me. I clean my barrel once every 300 rounds or so, which happens to be about once per range trip.

It has been suggested that the barrel break-in procedure was intended to sell more barrels by increasing wear on the barrel through customer cleaning.

Bamban

+1 on over cleaning.

A war story here:

One of our HM shooters, a former AMU shooter, installed a new Krieger barrel in his AR, cleaned the chamber, BCG, and barrel after installation. He zeroed the sights and shot in matches without ever cleaning anything afterwards. At 3700 the rifle did not go bang. Cleaned the rifle again and repeated process - shot in more matches without cleaning.

At the state service rifle championship, 3500 rounds since the last cleaning the rifle did not go bang in the middle of the standing phase, he took the BCG apart, removed the crud to free the firing pin and finished the match. Here is the kicker -- He won the 600 yard event in the field of about a hundred shooters and present were a bunch of HMs and MAs.

He replaced the barrel shortly thereafter.

wbm

Jerry Tierney also raised a lot of eyebrows with his cleaning regimen but he wins. He found his vertical spread really improved with a "dirty" barrel.
He is a class guy....even shares his load data.


http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek053.html

lefty o

if you are damaging your barrel by cleaning it, you need to step back and get some help. cleaning using proper methods will cause 0 damage to a barrel.

angelonm

I agree. proper cleaning should not damage barrel.
I dont agree with all this shoot/clean shoot/clean stuff. There are records that might never be broken before all this "proper barrel breakin stuff started"
Just maintain your weapon and it will preform.

I have a 03A3 that i rebarreled with a NOS Remington 4 groove 11-43 barrel.
You can see tooling marks up and down the bore. After every trip to the range you can visually see copper in the bore. Initially i would clean and clean till no more copper. Then trip to range and more copper. Got tired of it and never bothered again. Now i run a wet patch of CLP to remove powder fouling.
Gun shoots. Now matter how hard i try to screw up it just keeps hitting bulls.
Barrel will last longer than me.