Advice please.

I have just taken delivery of a new stainless/synthetic Ruger M77 mkII in .300 Win mag.

Is there anything I should do before firing it ?

Anything I should do whilst firing it ?

I have cleaned it with sweets 7.62 solvent using a bristled bore brush, but that`s all so far.

Any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance
Morton

I wouldn't worry about it too much, but if you want, clean after the first 3 shots at the range, and run a patch of Kroil after the Sweets, then 2 dry patches, then commence shooting, do this for the first 9 shots and don't worry about it after that, though I'd clean the barrel after about 20 shots after that. Had a guy at work with a Sako 300WM that didn't clean his barrel for about 100 shots, told him I'd clean it for him since I was reloading for him, took only 3 wet patches of Shooters Choice, and 3 applications of Sweets, clean as a whistle, he now gets >moa with 3 shots, BTW, when I do a complete clean, it's 3 patches of Shooters Choice, dry patch, then do the Sweets thing as directed on the Sweets bottle, then a wet patch of Kroil, followed by 2 dry patches, done. Jay

I suggest the following, but it's just my routine and it has always worked for me:

I use Butches Bore Shine or Shooters Choice combined with Kroil (2/1 ratio).

Shoot and clean for the first 15-20 rounds.
Shoot and clean every 5 for the next 15. Done.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use a good bore guide and a single piece cleaning rod. I use coated rods from Bore Tech. Dewey is good and Pro Shot is good but the latter is not coated.

I run a wet patch through the bore on the cleaning jag and continue to run wet patches until they look relatively clean. Then I take the bronze brush and run it back and forth about 5-10 times. Then a dry patch. Then a wet patch again. Then 2 dry patches. It is work but it is worth it.

In fact, my PacNor barrel on my 30.06 was broken in very methodically (as are all of my rifles), but the point here is that I have put over 35 Barnes triple shocks through it and there is not one streak of copper yet. Accuracy is still great and this is verified with a bore scope.

Good luck.

I think the single most important thing about bbl break in is cooling periods. The greatest potential for damaging a new tube is over heating it.

Another thread disgussed tests done by the military reguarding accuracy. Of a large number of rifles tested, the optimum accuracy was not obtained until after several "thousand" rounds were fired.

My personal break in approach consists of several hundred rounds interspersed with regular cleaning and cooling periods. I use JB's bore paste on occasion and Hoopes #9 regularly.