How do you guys like to break in a new barrel?

The last 2 barrels that I broke in I started by cleaning it first. Then I shot 1 shot and clean for 20 rnds. Then I shot 5 shots and cleaned for 20 rnds. and then 10 shots and cleaned for 20 rds. and called it good. You could feel by the end of the process that the barrel had smoothed out and it was progressively easier to clean.

I shoot 1 and clean for the first 5 and then shoot 5 and clean until the barrel cleans "easy". Usually am done by 20 rounds.

Fifty strokes with Butch's bore paste first thing to polish it with.

Then a good cleaning and shot ten moly coated, wiped it out good, wet/2 dry, then started shooting.

Never looked back. Seems to wipe out easy with one damp, and two dry patchs. Never gets clean, stays dark with the moly. That's all this new .223 barrel has ever had thru it. Shows no sign of copper. Has about 500 thru it so far.

IF: you ever want to clean a bore to the steel. Get some of that Blue Wonder Gun Cleaner, a brass brush. Soak the brush, take ten strokes, ten minute break, ten more wet strokes. Then patch until clean.

Make sure to follow up immediately with gun oil on all metal surfaces this stuff touches. OR ELSE!!! Surface rust will hit it within minutes, for sure over night.

IT will also clean rust off any metal surface too. SO, if and when you miss a spot, or forget to oil it afterward. Just clean it good again with this stuff, then make sure you oil it. Will be fine.

Don't get it on your stock, this WILL take ALL finish off, and will take all oil out of the stocks. COUNT ON IT!!

You won't ever find a better gun cleaner, I promise you that much.

IF you've never tried Blue Wonder products before. Contact Ken, and ask for a sample. He'll be glad to mail you one. Tell him I sent you and it will make him happy.

George

Thanks for the good tips guys. hopefully i can get out next week end and give it a good break in.

Coyote Caller

I'm not a believer in barrel break-in. Shoot varmints and do a bit of Bench rest shooting. I'll tell you of the people I know in the sport you don't see BR guys doing barrel break-in. I've tried it both ways and I have found nothing to make me believe anything is to be gained in a quality barrel.

Custom barrels are already lapped. So I would not be using any JB or anything else abrasive in one of those barrels. Having said that I'll say a factory barrel might benefit from that. But first I'd shoot it and see if the barrel appeared to have a coppering issue. I did in my .17 Remington and I JB’ed it and it did seem to help somewhat. But that was a non lapped factory barrel.

I would just zero the thing in and use some care in cleaning it regularly. I heard a lot about the break-in process. But the fact is I've seen no data done on a large number of barrels using scientific control methods that would suggest that there is a real advantage. If one of you guys has some of this done under a controlled test and a large number of barrels I'd sure like to have a copy of it to read and I'm sure that others here would have the same interest. Barrel makers yada yada yada I want empirical evidence and scientific testing data.

I pretty much agree with JJ. I've tried it both ways and can't tell a difference. I don't think the barrel can count. So if I shoot 1 or 5 or 10 rounds at a moderate pace before I clean, I don't see how it will affect the outcome. Please note "moderate pace", I avoid a heated barrel at all times.

Whether it's a real benefit or not, there is really little wasted effort in doing it. I clean the barrel thoroughly. I have to site in anyway, so fire single rounds & clean between for ten, Then fire 3 shot groups & clean between for 4 groups. Clean thoroughly & shoot away. My scope is now zeroed, so I haven't wasted much time or money doing it. If you are shooting a ai or wildcat round you are gettign fireformed brass, so? I'll agree w/ jay & iwz though, a $500 hand lapped barrel should need no break in.

I notice an increase in time between need for cleaning I.E. (fouling) after a break-in process. I have also witnessed the opposite practice, as every BR shooter I talk to on the line, works their load ladder while breaking in a barrel. Montana Extreme 50BMG makes break in a fast process.

after an average of say 50-65rnds, I can see a HUGE dropoff in copper fouling. But,..this is taking into account a break-in process with very aggressive copper solvent between shots.

It won't make more accuracy,.but it will extend it's life