Barrel break in accuracy

[RCMSTER]

Surprised smith didn't leave you instructions.

Instructions I got from Hart was to go shoot it like normal. They said their barrels don't need a break-in period. Now In actuality, that may or may not be true, but that came directly from Hart.

 

[manitou]

I never break in my barrels other than clean them good after purchase and take it easy on them when zeroing and working up loads. I know... blasphemy to some, but many others agree with me.

 

[RCMSTER]

I never break in my barrels other than clean them good after purchase and take it easy on them when zeroing and working up loads. I know... blasphemy to some, but many others agree with me.

I'm cleaning every 10 rounds. Is it going to help? I have no idea, but it's not going to hurt.

 

[manitou]

I'm cleaning every 10 rounds. Is it going to help? I have no idea, but it's not going to hurt.

Yeah, I clean after initial zero, which is usually a few rounds, then will usually find a load pretty quick and clean, then tweak for accuracy. So in a way, that is my break-in.

 

[vancewalker007]

I'm cleaning every 10 rounds. Is it going to help? I have no idea, but it's not going to hurt.

Cleaning to steel can change the barrel harmonics until some copper builds back up. Some barrels are more sensitive to this than others. As the barrel wears in cleaning that much really isn't necessary. The caveat to that is a 300 WSM Sako A7 I have that starts shooting bad after about 20-25 rounds and then requires a little cleaning.

 

[RCMSTER]

Cleaning to steel can change the barrel harmonics until some copper builds back up. Some barrels are more sensitive to this than others. As the barrel wears in cleaning that much really isn't necessary. The caveat to that is a 300 WSM Sako A7 I have that starts shooting bad after about 20-25 rounds and then requires a little cleaning.

I'm only going to clean every 10 rounds for the first 50 or so rounds. After that, not nearly so much.

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

I'm only going to clean every 10 rounds for the first 50 or so rounds. After that, not nearly so much.

the color or your patches will tell you if you need to remove copper fouling less often...or more often

 

[RCMSTER]

the color or your patches will tell you if you need to remove copper fouling less often...or more often

Copper fouling is blue, right?

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

Copper fouling is blue, right?

yes..baby blue

 

[RCMSTER]

yes..baby blue

Thank You

 

[jacktheaxe]

So, I just got my rifle back from the gunsmith where I had a new Hart barrel put on, and some work done to the receiver. Caliber is 25-06. I'm just a little disappointed in the fact that with 116 grain hammers, I can only get to 3.050 OAL before I'm into the lands, but not sure I'm concerned with that yet. First 20 rounds thru the barrel have yielded pretty mediocre results as far as accuracy, so I guess my question is this. Would it be normal for a rifle to shoot more accurately after say, a hundred rounds are put through it, or not so much. I haven't done any load work-up yet. I figure I need to get some rounds thru it before I go there, but just curious as to what you really good shooters' opinions are as to accuracy and a new barrel.

My gun smith seats my 6mm .90 deeper than Sam spec more of the bullet is in the neck more accurate
if the powder your using is not letting you set it deep enough that is the only issue I could see with what you think is a problem

 

[STGguy]

Don't read anything it to just yet, it may not be the powder your rifle does not care for or even the primer, some rifles are just finicky, however that does not mean they aren't capable of incredible accuracy, I've had rifles that refused to shoot anything well for the first 200 rounds or so, its been over 25 years or so since I in countered a barrel so problematic, before I give up on one particular bullet I'd try at least 4 or 5 different powders, you may even find it just does not care the 116 gr hammer, the 110 or 117 could very well shoot the lights out.

I've found that usually the bullet is the biggest variable in load dev. followed by powder, charge, seating depth- how far off or into the lands, etc.

 

[RCMSTER]

I've found that usually the bullet is the biggest variable in load dev. followed by powder, charge, seating depth- how far off or into the lands, etc.

I just ordered another hundred 116 hammers, so hopefully that's not the issue. They definitely shoot better out of this Hart 8 twist barrel than they did out of the winchester 10 twist.

 

[The Badger]

The twist is an 8 twist. I might try different brass and different charge of Rel 26 when I get home from work tonight. My factory barrel was a 10 twist, and there was no marginal about that. A couple of the 116 hammers hit the target sideways.

If they are key holing into the target, that's much more like that bullet not stabilizing and not the propellant/charge choice. I think I'd do a check of the barrel's twist rate with a cleaning rod to make sure 1 in 8 is actually what you ended up with.

Starting over with a ladder using your 120 core-lokts is a good bet. Cup-n-core being a much shorter bullet. My last new 25-06 barrel was a brux 1 in 10. Broke it in using 117 Sierra GK's with RL-22. Stayed fairly mild on the load until I had about 100 rounds through it, as it was still picking up a little speed each session. Stabilized around 90 rounds. Have had good results with Sierra 117 Pro Hunters as well as 110 Accubonds with RL-23 turning out to be the best powder in it at near book max.