I have used this product for a couple of months. It really eases the cleaning process and makes the barrel spotless. Have had no problems with damage to stock or bedding yet.
Would most still reccomend shooting a couple then cleaning and so on... Isn't the process of breaking in a barrel designed to "burnish" the barrel to make it clean easier. With wipe out the barrel can always be clean without mechanical methods.
Question to forum: should this product replace the typical method of breaking in a barrel?

[ 08-31-2002, 16:20: Message edited by: grkldoc ]

Now that you have opened the door - what do you guys think of Flitz to clean an older barrel or polish a new one? Locals tell stories of how well they work, and how they don't work at all - thanks for your input.

Wipe out works great, I don't see it replacing barrel break in though. I've used Flitz to clean a few old military barrels that looked like hell. Basically, it's an abrasive. I've also used valve grinding/finishing compound mixed with engine assembly lube. That worked well, too. You just have make sure you clean the barrel really well with regular cleaners once you're done with the abrasives. I pull the action from the stock and flush with brake cleaner. Then clean and oil. Keep in mind, these aren't something you do with a prized barrel, it's something you try when everything else hasn't worked. FWIW - Dan

Barrel break-in involves the frictional effect of a bullet travelling down the bore and affecting/polishing the minor imperfections of the bore surface.

It seems to me this process would be enhanced if the bore is clean for the initial shots. If the imperfections receive a layer of copper fouling that is not removed, the imperfections will remain in place longer than if they were directly exposed to the passage of the bullet. Subsequent shots fired will only lay down additional fouling material and further protect said imperfections.

I subscribe to the break-in procedure suggested by Sinclair and Gravatt in their, "Precision Reloading & Shooting Handbook." This process emphasizes a clean bore for the various steps of break-in.

Having said that, Wipe-Out cannot replace the break-in procedure, but it could be used to clean the bore thoroughly during the session. The only problem I visualise is the speed of Wipe-Out. It is rather slow.

I still prefer to use CR-10 or Sweet's to remove copper when breaking in a barrel as I find them more convenient at the range. Wipe-Out is used later for regular maintenance.

Regards,

~Holmes

Kenny Jarrett developed a method for breaking in, and also described the rationale for it. He gives talks on barrel care now, and I went to one of his seminars.

Kenny says that the break in procedure blends the dissimilar machining zones of the chamber leade and the barrel proper.

I have used his procedure on three new rifles now, and it seems to help subsequent cleaning. Of course some other method might do as well too.

jim dodd

I've used wipeout on a few guns and also love it.
RE the flitz--I've used it a few times and find it confusing. You can take a perfectly clean barrel and work some flitz down it and your patch will get black as coal and then a wierd metalic smell comes out of the barrel. I'm afraid to use it "straight up" and now put very little on a patch with kroil oil. Flitz is an excellent brass cleaner when a few drops are put in a tumbler or you spin a dirty case into a cloth with some flitz. It just seems like some kind of chemical reation happens inside a barrel and it scares me.

I had the same question about barrel break-in when I started using Wipeout. I don't have the luxury of the amount of time it takes to clean after each shot so I clean after every 10 shots. The fouling and powder residue are removed with Sweets and Kroil then Wipeout is applied for 10 minutes. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes. Before the rifle is returned to the safe I use JB Bore Bright for 60 strokes and then remove that with Hoppes or Kroil followed by 2 dry patches. I am using this process on a new CZ550 in .270 and it seems to be working ok. At least the bore is getting easier to clean....only time will tell.

Good Hunting,