Barrel break in

[bomberodevil]

I just purchased my first "above average" rifle, a Christensen Arms Mesa in 6.5 CM. My other rifles are Remingtons and Rugers, most bought used. This is the first rifle that came with specific break-in instructions, so why not spend an afternoon at the range getting familiar with the new gun.

CA break-in process isn't too bad. Shoot 2 groups of 3 rounds, and clean well. Repeat to 50 rounds. It took me about 2-3 hours, and the manufacturer really emphasized the process.

 

[Jluck]

I just purchased my first "above average" rifle, a Christensen Arms Mesa in 6.5 CM. My other rifles are Remingtons and Rugers, most bought used. This is the first rifle that came with specific break-in instructions, so why not spend an afternoon at the range getting familiar with the new gun.

CA break-in process isn't too bad. Shoot 2 groups of 3 rounds, and clean well. Repeat to 50 rounds. It took me about 2-3 hours, and the manufacturer really emphasized the process.

My patches were clean at 16 rounds in my Christensen ELR. Fire one-Clean, fire one-clean for 5 rounds then.. fire three-clean for two sessions. Fire five clean and it was super easy to clean and very little fouling. I didn't see the need to keep going personally.

 

[elkaholic]

My patches were clean at 16 rounds in my Christensen ELR. Fire one-Clean, fire one-clean for 5 rounds then.. fire three-clean for two sessions. Fire five clean and it was super easy to clean and very little fouling. I didn't see the need to keep going personally.

Thats very similar to what I do and with the same results

 

[Mram10us]

Krieger does have a break in procedure for their barrels.
https://www.kriegerbarrels.com/faq#breakin

They refer to the throat as the most important part, but you cant break in the throat unless you break in the rest of the barrel at the same time. Total performance is the goal. It is their sales pitch to imply that their barrels don't need anything because their bore is as good as it gets. Having looked through many barrels with a bore scope and broke in many barrels and finding that there are other barrels that require less break in than Krieger.

I still use many Krieger barrels and like them but don't believe everything that "ANY" manufacture says until you test it many many times.

Just saying

J E CUSTOM

I understand what you are saying, but for some reason the owner of the company doesn't think it is important (he explains at the 1:00 mark in the video I posted). I have tried it both ways and all of my rifles shoot very well. I'm not new to this either going down both roads. It's impossible to do a procedure and go back in time and test again with no break in and visa versa.

There are many experienced people in both camps and both work if you clean with the right equipment.

 

[yoteslayer]

I always like doing it cuz it gives you information about your barrel good or bad if you own a barrel company you probably select the cream of the crop so probably not as important if he gets a stinker he can just replace it but the average shooter can't the other thing is there are many people on this forum that think a barrel won't shoot until at lest 100 rounds is on it but all that is essentially is braking in the barrel just not with a strict regime my 2 cents

 

[Danehunter]

Ya know, I didn't break in my two Browning X-bolt Pro rifles because they sere factory lapped. They still cleaned up easily and always shot very accurately.

Reloaders maybe should roll 10 bullets in medium fire lapping grit and 20 bullets in fine fire lapping grit (Tubbs or NECO) to "break in" non factory or hand lapped barrels. Just clean between each shot if you have the patience.

Eric B.

 

[bomberodevil]

My patches were clean at 16 rounds in my Christensen ELR. Fire one-Clean, fire one-clean for 5 rounds then.. fire three-clean for two sessions. Fire five clean and it was super easy to clean and very little fouling. I didn't see the need to keep going personally.

I didn't get quite the same cleaning results, maybe my break-in loads were a little "dirtier" than yours. I just loaded some ELDM with 40 grains of H4350. But it wasn't significantly carbon saturated.

Both the Mesa and the ELR have a 416R stainless barrel, but yours is carbon wrapped. That shouldn't make any difference in the level of carbon deposited inside the barrel.

Although I wasn't load developing, it sure is a sweet shooting rifle!

 

[KyCarl]

I cleaned a rifle for a friend last weekend he's used nothing but a bore snake
for the last 10 years or so..about once a year! It was so crappy I had to drop down a jag size to get carbon cleaner down it then a nylon brush then some Sweets
After 2 hours it really looked nice! I was really surprised that it had held up so well?

 

[J E Custom]

Soooo tell me about breaking in a barrel?

I understand what you are saying, but for some reason the owner of the company doesn't think it is important (he explains at the 1:00 mark in the video I posted). I have tried it both ways and all of my rifles shoot very well. I'm not new to this either going down both roads. It's impossible to do a procedure and go back in time and test again with no break in and visa versa.

There are many experienced people in both camps and both work if you clean with the right equipment.

I can't argue with that . But as I have said I only have to convince my self that something works or doesn't. I read many post that the person doesn't do a break in, and is very happy with there accuracy. I am Not happy with 1 MOA and At one time I was. Back then I didn't even know what break in was and for sure didn't understand why anyone would bother.

Once I began chasing the accuracy potential, I learned that there were many accuracy procedures that I did not practice that could help improve the accuracy of my weapons. Once I tried many of them and tested to prove one way or the other, I found many things that would help. Breaking in a barrel is just one of them and shooting a barrel for 50 to 100 rounds and deciding to clean back to bright metal and doing a brake in proved to me that it was worthwhile. Now my starting point for accuracy is 1/2 MOA or less and my goal is sub 1/10th MOA. This is not easy and is not always possible but I have to try.

On a lighter note, If I owned a company like krieger, I would never break in a barrel.
I would have someone do it for me. So I could just go shoot and enjoy.

If I was the only one left in the world that did break in, I would continue to do so because I have seen the results and measured the benefits. Shooting groups is not a good way to evaluate accuracy results unless you have many groups to average the results because of the human factor. We never shoot exactly the same so it takes a history to validate any real results.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Mram10us]

I can't argue with that . But as I have said I only have to convince my self that something works or doesn't. I read many post that the person doesn't do a break in, and is very happy with there accuracy. I am Not happy with 1 MOA and At one time I was. Back then I didn't even know what break in was and for sure didn't understand why anyone would bother.

Once I began chasing the accuracy potential, I learned that there were many accuracy procedures that I did not practice that could help improve the accuracy of my weapons. Once I tried many of them and tested to prove one way or the other, I found many things that would help. Breaking in a barrel is just one of them and shooting a barrel for 50 to 100 rounds and deciding to clean back to bright metal and doing a brake in proved to me that it was worthwhile. Now my starting point for accuracy is 1/2 MOA or less and my goal is sub 1/10th MOA. This is not easy and is not always possible but I have to try.

On a lighter note, If I owned a company like krieger, I would never break in a barrel.
I would have someone do it for me. So I could just go shoot and enjoy.

If I was the only one left in the world that did break in, I would continue to do so because I have seen the results and measured the benefits. Shooting groups is not a good way to evaluate accuracy results unless you have many groups to average the results because of the human factor. We never shoot exactly the same so it takes a history to validate any real results.

J E CUSTOM

I doubt anyone on here is wanting a 1 moa rifle. I am curious, how do you test a barrel to see if barrel breakin works or not?

I'm very interested in the things you do to make a rifle that shoots in the zeros. Could you post a video of the first range session as a benchmark? Or even post a target with all shots fired? A lot of people post one nice group, but very few show all groups which would put it in perspective. Thanks

 

[manitou]

I NEVER have broke in a barrel in 50 years of shooting (started at age of 7). I have a friend that does it religously. The result? We both have multiple 1/2" or less guns. I won't keep a rifle that won't shoot well under and inch at 100.

 

[Kmccord]

I have gathered that hammer forged barrels and hand lapped button rifle barrels do not need it and that you are just wearing down the lands by over cleaning. So I am guessing that buttoned rifled non lapped barrels would be the only ones that would benefit from a barrel break -in. I am no expert on the subject and would like to hear the opinions of those that know much more then I do.

I have heard several times that too much cleaning will wear out the barrel, I do not understand how a cotton patch or nylon brush wears down riflings. How is cleaning a barrel measured for wearing one out?

 

[sturner]

The guy that builds our rifles does not recommend break in, so far we (me and two friends) have
3-22-250 two less than .5 and one .23 moa
1-6.5 creedmore .5 moa
1-300 WM .75 moa this is the only one broke in (was not recommended but done anyway)
1-28 Nosler to be determined
I did all the load development myself so know what was done from start to finish load

 

[J E Custom]

I doubt anyone on here is wanting a 1 moa rifle. I am curious, how do you test a barrel to see if barrel breakin works or not?

There are several things that I look for while breaking in a barrel. Now I only test break in with a chronograph to see when top velocity average is reached (There are several test on this post that this test has been performed) Also at the range, I clean every shot until the barrel needs little or no cleaning and copper buildup is almost non existent. then when I get home and do a final cleaning I bore scope the barrel to see if I can tell the difference and the quality of the bore and throat. The bore scope is a very useful tool but it takes many years of use to be able to detect small improvements. and break in sometimes will expose defects that copper fouling would cover up if not broke in.

Break in is also a good time to evaluate basic load components like primers and bullets before starting load development. I shoot/hunt with a clean barrel, so this is the condition I do load development in. Fouling deposits changes every time you fire the weapon so the most consistent a barrel is is when it has no fouling.

Keep good records and you will decide which way is best for you. Accuracy doesent come easy and one has to work for those sub 1/4 MOA loads and be anal for sub .099 accuracy, but it is achievable.

J E CUSTOM