To break in or not to break in

[AllOuttaBubblegum]

Having only owned a few bolt actions, and most of them used, I came upon a Howa 1500 recently that's still unfired.
It seems the consensus I've read online is split on whether or not to break a modern barrel in.

Is it worth it to take the time to break in said rifle, or is it just hokum on a factory made gun?

 

[imacoonass01]

Larry says to do it for accuracy. Who knows?

 

[Jaxxas]

If it shoots like crap outta of the box whatta ya got ta lose?

 

[hkshooter]

Waste of time and ammo.

 

[TerryN]

A myth, invented by barrel makers to help you wear your new barrel out more quickly.

 

[tac-40]

Certain barrel makers have a process you need to follow when shooting their rifle barrels for the first time. Other makers don't say anything. My own process is this: I fire 5 rounds of one brand of ammo, then clean the barrel (foul out and copper remover followed by swabs till clean then an oiled patch), pick five of a different brand with same bullet style and weight and repeat the first steps. By the time all of the test ammo is fired, that barrel should be broken in and RTG. Doing it this way also allows me to see which bullet and brand that shoots best out of this rifle. Then get some more of that good shooting stuff and zero the sights/scope and call it done.

 

[Right Side Up]

In my decades of experience, a bullet going down a new barrel will lay down a lot of copper, even the so called lapped barrels from the top end makers. I fire one shot and clean the copper out until the barrel stops picking up a lot of copper. It's usually less than 10 rounds, not a big deal at all.

That's how I do things. I don't care how bad others that are lazy mistreat their guns. Their mileage varies.

 

[gunplumber]

Gail McMillan says it's a complete waste of time.

 

[hairygreek]

There's a good thread out there somewhere (maybe arfcom), where a real ballistics researcher talks about barrel break in. From what I recall it wasn't worth doing. Actually some copper fouling made the barrel smoother inside.

 

[W.E.G.]

I’ve been shooting my new White Oak upper for a couple months.

Shot it in a match today. 600 yards. Tricky wind. Managed a 190 out of possible 200. I figure about 400 rounds down the barrel so far.

I haven’t so much as bothered to clean it.

I put a little bit of oil on the bolt sometimes if I remember.

 

[OhioPlinker]

"More barrels are ruined by cleaning than shooting".

 

[AllOuttaBubblegum]

I have the manual here, it doesn't say anything about break in. That said, it has a long winded (and very opinionated) diatribe in it about the dangers of hand loading
and why nobody should do it. So I think the manual is kind of bs, reason I'm asking here.

 

[Hoban806]

I've heard the theory that barrel break in procedures are more about getting you to take it apart and put it back together enough for familiarization, than any actual changes it imparts to the barrel's surface.

 

[NFADLR]

If its cold and snowy outside and its nice and warm inside by all means break in..

Just what came to mind.

 

[Mbell]

I just put three down the barrel and that’s about it

 

[otis61]

I have the manual here, it doesn't say anything about break in. That said, it has a long winded (and very opinionated) diatribe in it about the dangers of hand loading
and why nobody should do it. So I think the manual is kind of bs, reason I'm asking here.

Howa is telling you not to reload because it's dangerous?


So is driving a car, or riding a bike.

 

[ByronF]

Larry says to do it for accuracy. Who knows?

Larry sells ammo and barrel cleaning products.

 

[meltblown]

Larry says to do it for accuracy. Who knows?

I thought he was a thief?

 

[TenTea]

Uncle Larry wouldn't lead us astray, would he?

 

[Jeff in Pa]

My "high tech" approach is as follows.
1) fire first shot and look at case for any bad signs.
2) fire four more shots and run dry patch thru bore looking for excessive fouling or a torn patch.(meaning sharp edge)

3) don't get barrel hot for first 40 or so rounds.

Works for me.

 

[alphadog58]

Interesting the different opinions on barrel break in. Recently picked up a Interarms Mark X in 30.06. Basically a Yugo commercial Mauser in a glossy Fudd gun stock. I don't think the old boy who owned it ever shot it. Has iron sights no scope. Ran a wet patch through the bore, no copper, nothing. Will be running some M2 ball through it to start and to sight it in, then I have a bunch of freshly made reloads to give it a workout and see how the reloads shoot compared to the M2 ball. I'll pace the shots so's I don't get it too hot.
Larry

 

[davedude]

In my decades of experience, a bullet going down a new barrel will lay down a lot of copper, even the so called lapped barrels from the top end makers. I fire one shot and clean the copper out until the barrel stops picking up a lot of copper. It's usually less than 10 rounds, not a big deal at all.

That's how I do things. I don't care how bad others that are lazy mistreat their guns. Their mileage varies.

This makes sense to me.

 

[ByronF]

In my decades of experience, a bullet going down a new barrel will lay down a lot of copper, even the so called lapped barrels from the top end makers. I fire one shot and clean the copper out until the barrel stops picking up a lot of copper. It's usually less than 10 rounds, not a big deal at all.

That's how I do things. I don't care how bad others that are lazy mistreat their guns. Their mileage varies.

What happened when you fired ten rounds then cleaned it?

 

[Right Side Up]

What happened when you fired ten rounds then cleaned it?

In the beginning I would clean the carbon and the copper out after every shot until the barrel smoothed out enough to stop picking up a lot of copper. Never took more than 10 shots, usually 6-8. After that I could go a whole session then would clean again.

I once had a rifle with a Shilen barrel that lost its accuracy after about 200 rounds. Turns out it had a carbon ring in front of the throat. JB bore paste took it out and the groups tightened back up. I read about that in the Benchrest magazines

 

[ByronF]

In the beginning I would clean the carbon and the copper out after every shot until the barrel smoothed out enough to stop picking up a lot of copper. Never took more than 10 shots, usually 6-8. After that I could go a whole session then would clean again.

I once had a rifle with a Shilen barrel that lost its accuracy after about 200 rounds. Turns out it had a carbon ring in front of the throat. JB bore paste took it out and the groups tightened back up. I read about that in the Benchrest magazines

How can one conclude that the best way to do something is the only way they've tried? The statistics and design of experiment to conclude that such a break-in process makes a difference would be cost-prohibitive. Not saying its the wrong way, just that I seriously doubt anyone has proven it.