How long to break in a barrel

[bedrok]

What's the most rounds you've put through a new barrel to get it shooting it's best? I put well over a hundred rounds through my latest (PacNor, 7mm WSM) including proper break in and it consistanrly shot 2.25 to 2.5 MOA with all my favorite loads. The spread was almost all windage with the vertical spread under .5. At around 125 to 150 rounds it tightened up to approx. 1.25. Now at almost 200 it's usually just under 1. In the past I've never known a barrel to need more than 30 rds. through it to do its best, as long as I've found a load it likes. Any one else experienced this?

 

[rscott5028]

What's the most rounds you've put through a new barrel to get it shooting it's best? I put well over a hundred rounds through my latest (PacNor, 7mm WSM) including proper break in and it consistanrly shot 2.25 to 2.5 MOA with all my favorite loads. The spread was almost all windage with the vertical spread under .5. At around 125 to 150 rounds it tightened up to approx. 1.25. Now at almost 200 it's usually just under 1. In the past I've never known a barrel to need more than 30 rds. through it to do its best, as long as I've found a load it likes. Any one else experienced this?

1.25 MOA is too much even for a brand new custom barrel.

Have you discussed this with your smith?

How did the rifle shoot before the rebarrel?

Was there any other work done on the rifle?

Have you been through all of the do-it-yourself accurizing steps? e.g. check torque on all of your screws, make sure barrel is free-floated, nothing touches the barrel while shooting....

You shot "your favorite loads." But, did you work up a load specifically for this rifle?

-- richard

 

[J E Custom]

The best barrels normally break in with 10 to 12 shots. some take 15 to 20 but I have seen
factory barrels continue to foul after 60 rounds.

I would think that a PacNor should break in after 10 to 15 rounds.

I think something else is wrong.

Test: shoot 5 rounds and then clean with a good bore solvent. If it comes clean after 3 or 4
patch and cleans, It is Broke in. look for another problems.

J E CUSTOM

 

[BUNDUKI]

i had a pac-nor barrel in 300wm installed on a m700. it behaved in the same way with lateral stringing i tried everything(different scope/rings/bases etc), took it back to the smith twice in the end i traded it in as it never shot better than 1.25moa . got a Kreiger barrel now no problems.

 

[Mikecr]

Barrels are a crapshoot
I'd roll the dice again