Accuracy during barrel break in

[LDHunter]

Just remember that a gun that's guaranteed to shoot sub moa does mean it will shoot every load sub moa. My wife's bergera shoots some loads 2.5 moa at 100. But will shoot 1/2 moa with its preferred load

After bedding any of my rifles I have never run across a load either factory or handloads that shoots over 1.5". I have been shooting for over 50 years and until I got my rifles bedded properly I had problems like you had for most of my life.

Of course that is assuming that you have a quality rifle barrel in the first place but so far every rifle I've had bedded has become quite the shooter. I haven't even started load development on some of them because they shoot so well with factory ammo.

I had one barrel that simply wouldn't shoot and it was finally determined that it was bent. I had bought it used and had a bunch of trouble with it and finally a barrel scope inspection found that it fouled heavily on one side of the barrel and then upon further inspection it was bent ever so slightly.

That rifle got a new barrel and VOILA... Problem solved.

 

[hunterdan]

Try the 140 ELD-M. My Savage 6.5 Creedmoor didn't like the 143 ELD-X either but when I switched to the 140 ELD-M it shot .5 are less consistently. The 147 ELD-M also shot very well.

 

[Joefrazell]

After bedding any of my rifles I have never run across a load either factory or handloads that shoots over 1.5". I have been shooting for over 50 years and until I got my rifles bedded properly I had problems like you had for most of my life.

Of course that is assuming that you have a quality rifle barrel in the first place but so far every rifle I've had bedded has become quite the shooter. I haven't even started load development on some of them because they shoot so well with factory ammo.

I had one barrel that simply wouldn't shoot and it was finally determined that it was bent. I had bought it used and had a bunch of trouble with it and finally a barrel scope inspection found that it fouled heavily on one side of the barrel and then upon further inspection it was bent ever so slightly.

That rifle got a new barrel and VOILA... Problem solved.

Yeah bedding is definitely a good thing. However I've bedded several rifles and yes it does help and yes it can fix a problem but I personally don't think it's the answer for all accuracy issues and thats from my experience. I've got some rifles that shoot everything I put through them but alot of rifles are finicky in my experience. I personally think that bullet design and powdes have alot to do with accuracy. I personally bed every rifle as long as it's wearing a decent stock. I've seen it so many times where a gun will shoot one load good one load bad. It's all about harmonics. When I say her gun shoots 2.5 moa with certain loads it's a powder issue. Also, 2.5 is exceptionally bad. Most are 1.5-2" but when it shoots another load .5 moa there's no problem with the gun, it just needs the right load. I've seen people and have personally chased my tail over a bedding, scope, rail, rings ect. Issue all because a gun didnt like the first few loads I threw at it.

 

[CaptnC]

I'm not very good at shooting groups but if I shot a 1.5" group at 100yds I would be looks for something serously wrong! I'm bad at shooting groups but that would really shock me to see a group like that.

I've got two rifles that were finished last year that I shot at 100yds during break in. And both shot exceptionly well with me being on the trigger.

This is a 300wm that I grabbed a load out of thin air to do barrel break in.

This is the other rifle that was finished last year...264wm just as with the 300wm I just grabbed a load out of thin air avd shot it. The hole to the left was from the concussion from the shooter next to me. I felt the blast as I broke the shot. The one to the right is what I aways do when I pull a shot!

Both are 5 shot groups at 100yds. Both groups were the first 5 "shot for group" after a 15 shot break in.

Something close to this is what I would expect to see at break in!

 

[gohring3006]

I wouldn't do anything, until I was satisfied with my break in procedure is complete.

When I break in a barrel, I pay some attention to groups, but I'm more interested in getting the burrs out of the throat.
Afterwards, I work up a mid range load that gives me decent accuracy. Then after 200 rounds, I get serious with load development, or look for a accurate factory load.

 

[7stw]

I wouldn't do anything, until I was satisfied with my break in procedure is complete.

When I break in a barrel, I pay some attention to groups, but I'm more interested in getting the burrs out of the throat.
Afterwards, I work up a mid range load that gives me decent accuracy. Then after 200 rounds, I get serious with load development, or look for a accurate factory load.

I agree, 100 percent on that statement. With that few amount of rounds through it, custom barrel, or not, its really to early to be looking for bugholes.
Horizontal stringing screams bedding, but, with the barrel, being no where's near broken in yet, I'd wait til you shoot a few more through it. At twenty rounds, you probably should still be shooting, and cleaning, and my experience, groups don't appear, until you are well beyond the break in period.
Custom barrels USUALLY, break in earlier, sometimes take a little time. I've had factory barrels break in in less then fifty rounds, sometimes more.
If your gonna shoot factory fodder, you're probably gonna have to try several brand's. I personally think it will come around.
Cheers

 

[CaptnC]

When I'm breaking in a barrel I always try shooting a group just to break up the process. Both of the targets I posted earlier were shot after 15 shots, being deep cleaned between each of the 15 shots. Then 5 and deep clean again, do that for three 5 shot groups. Both were the first five shots after the 15 single shots.

I got that from a barrel maker some time ago.

Any way...I don't see any reason to not try to shoot a group during break in...does it mean anything...I don't know...but some times you see some great potential early on!

 

[Deleted member 48126]

I'm not very good at shooting groups but if I shot a 1.5" group at 100yds I would be looks for something serously wrong! I'm bad at shooting groups but that would really shock me to see a group like that.

I've got two rifles that were finished last year that I shot at 100yds during break in. And both shot exceptionly well with me being on the trigger.

View attachment 93089

This is a 300wm that I grabbed a load out of thin air to do barrel break in.

View attachment 93091

This is the other rifle that was finished last year...264wm just as with the 300wm I just grabbed a load out of thin air avd shot it. The hole to the left was from the concussion from the shooter next to me. I felt the blast as I broke the shot. The one to the right is what I aways do when I pull a shot!

Both are 5 shot groups at 100yds. Both groups were the first 5 "shot for group" after a 15 shot break in.

Something close to this is what I would expect to see at break in!

That's a real honest assessment of yourself captnc. I only shoot 3 shot groups for pride because I start putting pressure on myself with 5 and 10 shot groups and my groups start to open up much like yours. A lot of my rifles will never know their true potential because I am behind the trigger.

 

[Rich Coyle]

[QUOTE="300whisper, post: 1416759, member: 48126"I only shoot 3 shot groups for pride because I start putting pressure on myself with 5 and 10 shot groups and my groups start to open up much like yours. [/QUOTE]

The ten shot group is the real potential of your rifle. I have a .25" barrel that will do 1/4" three shot groups a lot. But when I overlay them they are about the same as a ten shot group and come in about 3/4".

 

[Bbear]

Factory rifle I'll do a 20 round break-in. After market rifles get cleaned and shot. I don't always expect pin-point accuracy but I should have a decent group.

This is the first 3 shots out of a 358 Win Pac-nor barrel.Hornady factory ammo.

 

[7stw]

That's a real honest assessment of yourself captnc. I only shoot 3 shot groups for pride because I start putting pressure on myself with 5 and 10 shot groups and my groups start to open up much like yours. A lot of my rifles will never know their true potential because I am behind the trigger.

I'm with you on that as well. I can't tell you how many times I've shot a bug hole three shot group, then I'll try to tweak out four and five, you know the dril, fliers. If I overlay the targets, the bugholes are lined up, but the fliers usually are not.
You're right, its the pressure we put on ourselves. I'm not a five shot shooter, but can get good info with repeat three shot groups. I know I just ruffled some five shot shooters feathers, but at least I own it, its me, not the rifle. I've even had some guys who CAN shoot five shots, shoot it, and all is good.
It's all good.

 

[Canhunter35]

A friend has a b14 hmr also, with factory 140eldm it shot 2", shot factory 120 amaxs around .5moa. He's put a 100 rounds down it, that same lot of 140eldm shoots about 1". Barrel break in exists, at least in a lot of factory barrels. We made a load and it's .5moa with 5 shots. Keep shooting, try some different factory ammo, it'll like something better, but it'll break in and tighten in a few more boxes of shells.

 

[284ackley]

Afternoon everyone! Finally got out and shot my new bergara b14 hunter in 6.5 creedmoor. I only have 22 shots through it. Grouping has been sporadic. My last two 3 shot groups held almost perfectly flat, (.05") vertical but one was 1.5" horizontal other was 2". This is using Hornady 143 ELDM.

My question is, what is to be expected for accuracy during barrel break in? This is my first new rifle since I learned how to actually shoot decently. I know my model 700 .300 win mag has gotten more accurate over time but back when I broke the barrel in I couldn't hold a 4" group at 100 to save my life.

A quality barrel that's bedded correctly will show near max accuracy right on shot one. Your group indicates changing position behind the gun in-between shots.