What is your method of breaking in a new barrel? I will be breaking in a new Rem. Sendero in .25-06.

I'd surf around custom barrel makers sites and see what they recommend. Most seem to have a preferred method.

H. C.

I must agree with Big Daddy ( and with a handle like that who wouldn't) that the Sinclair/Gravatt method is certainly top shelf. If you don't have their 10th edition reloading and shooting handbook, get it. It's incredible. Nuff said.... GIG'EM AGS.....Jim

Shark Bait,
Here's Shilen's recs for their new barrel break-in:
"How should I break-in my new Shilen barrel?

Break-in procedures are as diverse as cleaning techniques. Shilen, Inc. introduced a break-in procedure mostly because customers seemed to think that we should have one. By and large, we don't think breaking-in a new barrel is a big deal. All our stainless steel barrels have been hand lapped as part of their production, as well as any chrome moly barrel we install. Hand lapping a barrel polishes the interior of the barrel and eliminates sharp edges or burrs that could cause jacket deformity. This, in fact, is what you are doing when you break-in a new barrel through firing and cleaning. Here is our standard recommendation:

Clean after each shot for the first 5 shots. The remainder of the break-in is to clean every 5 shots for the next 50 shots.

During this time, don't just shoot bullets down the barrel during this 50 shot procedure. This is a great time to begin load development. Zero the scope over the first 5 shots, and start shooting for accuracy with 5-shot groups for the next 50 shots. Same thing applies to fire forming cases for improved or wildcat cartridges. Just firing rounds down a barrel to form brass without any regard to their accuracy is a mistake. It is a waste of time and barrel life."

Here's their FAQ section. Has some good info:
http://www.shilen.com/frequent.htm#How%20should%20I%20break-in%20my%20new%20Shilen%20barrel?

Gary T.

Take a look at the Krieger site....it isn't the barrel you are breaking in so much but rather the throat. A cutting or forming in a barrel is mostly "down the barrel" while cutting the chamber is basically perpendicular to the barrel. It is this interface that you are mostly "breaking in".

DB Bill, I found a Krieger site (http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/index.shtml), but didn't see any info about breaking in barrels. Is there a different site or might the info have been on a older version of this site? Gary T.

[ 06-13-2002, 07:23: Message edited by: Gary T ]

Thanks for the info Y'all! Sounds like I need to be prepared to spend alot of time at this. Well at least it will be worth it in the end.

Barrel break in seems to be surrounded by a lot of witchcraft and juju. I shoot high power competition and go thru about 4000 rounds a year, at that pace barrels are a throw away item like tires. I have done both the shoot 1 and clean and the just go out and shoot it at the advice of one of the countries best competition gunsmiths and have come to the conclusion that if its a good barrel it doensn't need it and if its a rough factory barrel it won't help much, sort of like Moly,but lets not bring that topic up.

Kevin, I'm with you. It didn't take me long to realize what a waste of time this barrel break-in nonsense is. My advise: Thoroughly clean the barrel before firing a round through it for the first time and then do a thorough cleaning every 20 rounds or so. I'd have to say the rifles I didn't "break in" are my most accurate ones.