Lots of ideas on break in - here's some interesting read:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12582
What are the steps you take to break in a new rifle barrel?
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Lots of ideas on break in - here's some interesting read:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12582
There are actually two stages of break in. The first requires specific procedures. The second does not and is just the process that the rifle goes through as you shoot it. Most rifles will continue to increase in accuracy naturally during the first 100 to 200 rounds fired IF you do the first stage of break in properly.
The idea is that the barrel of a new rifle has imperfections in it and the break in is to smooth those imperfections out. Because part of that smoothing process actually creates debris in the barrel the break in is to make sure as much of that debris is removed from the barrel as possible rather than being re-implanted randomly by the next shot fired.
This is my recommendation for first stage break in:
This is our preferred break in process. It's a little over the top, but we know it works. We use Outers Nitro Solvent Gun Cleaner and Outers Gun Oil. The primary reason for using Outers is because you can get the Solvent in aerosol and I use the Oil because I don't like to mix brands of cleaning liquids.
1) Point the barrel down and spray the solvent from breach to muzzle while rotating the rifle so the solvent coats the barrel well on all sides. Keep spraying until the solvent is freely running out of the muzzle. Every time you spray the barrel it should be done like this.
2) Using a bore guide and with the breach end slightly higher than the muzzle, scrub the barrel with a brass brush 20 strokes. One time down and back is one stroke. Make sure the brush completely clears the muzzle and the chamber before reversing direction. Do not slam the brush into the muzzle when pulling it back towards the breech. The crown is delicate, treat it that way.
3) Repeat step one.
4) Use a well fitted jag and patch the barrel until you get clean, dry patches. Use a clean patch on each stroke. The patches don't need to be spotless. There is a good chance you will pick up a little dirt from the chamber.
5) Fire one round and repeat steps one to four.
6) Repeat step five a total of five times.
7) Fire three rounds and repeat steps one to four.
8) Repeat step seven a total of five times.
Make sure to swab the chamber after each cleaning so you do not get any build up in it.
You will have fired a total of 20 rounds and cleaned the rifle 10 times.
Lightly spray the barrel with the oil and patch dry if you will be storing the rifle for any length of time.
There are some barrels of very high quality that do not need to be broken in because they have already hand lapped the barrels at the factory. These are typically expensive after market barrels. You can also hand lapp a barrel instead of a break in by firing. I have done it with great results, but man, it's a pain in the ass. This is the system I used on the Bushmaster about 15 years ago. It took over four hours to get that barrel smooth.
You will know you have broken the barrel in well when you can apply steady pressure to the rod when patching and it travels down the bore without any catches or change in required pressure to move it.
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Last year, I adopted a method shared with me by Wes from MSTN. He recommended KG-2 bore polish for break in. I used the cotton cleaning pellets available from Brownells and a jag that screws into the pellets. This allows you to use a push/pull method and work alot faster. I applied KG-2 to the pellets and used a one piece cleaning rod. I started with a focus on the throat and lead portion of the chamber, running the polish back and forth for a couple hundred strokes. I changed the pellets as they wore and reapplied polish as needed. Then I moved on to the bore, working the full length of the barrel to the muzzle for another couple hundred strokes. You MUST remove the polish from the chamber and bore when done. I used a couple of wet / dry patches and a bore mop to remove the polish from the barrel. As you work the bore, you can feel tight spots smooth out. This method will basically smooth the throat and bore by the same mechanical process as shooting it, without wasting ammo and having to go through the additional steps to remove copper. It will also make cleaning easier down the road. As a side note, KG-12 Bore Cleaner is one of the best copper solvents on the market.
I shoot about 100 rnds through it. (That's all I can afford.)
Clean it when I get home.
Wish that I could afford more ammo a month later.. so I clean it again.
Shoot 20 rnds that I happen to find in the range bag.
Clean it when I get home..
Wait 3 more months.. get the itch to go to the range.. cant afford the ammo so.. I clean it again..
After all.. I did just bought this gun.. which means money is tight.. haha
Clean it when I get home.
Wish that I could afford more ammo a month later.. so I clean it again.
Shoot 20 rnds that I happen to find in the range bag.
Clean it when I get home..
Wait 3 more months.. get the itch to go to the range.. cant afford the ammo so.. I clean it again..
After all.. I did just bought this gun.. which means money is tight.. haha
OK, fair question. Is the difference in break in for say a medium quality AR (PSA?) an equalizer for a more expensive barrel? Also, is what we are talking the difference between a 1 inch or less group at 100M or is the difference greater then that?
I guess what I'm going for here is by pushing the timing and other measures I can cut a few 10ths off my time with my Cleveland on the track but its not something I do with my daily driver. So transferring that over to rifles, what is my real rate of return for a break-in on a non-sniper variant.
I was issued a new M16 on a couple of occasions in the past M16A1 & M16A2 as new and I didn't do anything but zero, qualify expert and deploy... So for my new FN FAR as an example that hasn't been fired yet how much difference do I get?
I guess what I'm going for here is by pushing the timing and other measures I can cut a few 10ths off my time with my Cleveland on the track but its not something I do with my daily driver. So transferring that over to rifles, what is my real rate of return for a break-in on a non-sniper variant.
I was issued a new M16 on a couple of occasions in the past M16A1 & M16A2 as new and I didn't do anything but zero, qualify expert and deploy... So for my new FN FAR as an example that hasn't been fired yet how much difference do I get?
Trying to break in a chrome lined barrel on a gun that will realistically never be better than 1.5 - 2.0 moa gun is a waste of time IMHO. This basically applies to any AR, unless it's a stainless barreled precision gun. Break in may give you a minor improvement in accuracy, but it won't shrink groups in half. It will help consistency by reducing the effects of barrel fouling, but from an accuracy standpoint, it will take a good shooter and good glass to see any difference. I've done it on a precision AR and my bolt gun, but can't say it made any appreciable difference in accuracy. It has made cleaning easier though. IMHO, Unless you're a benchrest shooter, it's really not a big deal. I never break in my chrome lined ARs, I just shoot 'em.
some of the best barrel makers in the world disagree on barrel breakin..but their barrels rarely need it..
having had the pleasure to see a new and subsequently shot barrel with a bore scope the one area of most new factory barrels that needs help is the throat. the chamber reamer leaves that area a bit rough compared to the rest of the barrel.. shooting will eventualy smooth this area out. Another method to smooth it fairly quickly is to use lapping bullets such as Tubbs..personally I only use the very fine grit bullets and no more than 6-8 of them..make them myself ..several kits out there to do this..even a case filler that does it for you reloaders
it will smooth out the throat in a hurry and also lengthen it so don't do many or use course grit like 220.
barrels that exhibit bad fouling or build up of copper can be helped by a product call Dyna bore coat. the stuff is a ceramic coating that you literally shoot into the bore..the heat from friction sets the stuff.. really helps a rifle that is tough to clean. doesn't help a bit for accuracy that I've seen
lapping a barrel youself is a bit tricky as the reverse of the lead lap at the end of the barrel and in the chamber actually wear those two spots more than the res tfo the barel. this is why your custom barrel makers lap before chambering and cut at least 1" off the end of the muzzle end.
personaly outside of the lapping bullets I simply try not to over heat the barrel during the first 50 or so rounds and then clean it really well.
every barrel is unique it seems some like a bit of fouling to shoot well and others hate it.
the dyna boat coat stuff is really nice Makes cleaning much easier....you do have to drop using copper bore brushes but you really don't need those today with the better solvents we have..many do not recommend brass brushes at all.
to each his own based on their own experience
having had the pleasure to see a new and subsequently shot barrel with a bore scope the one area of most new factory barrels that needs help is the throat. the chamber reamer leaves that area a bit rough compared to the rest of the barrel.. shooting will eventualy smooth this area out. Another method to smooth it fairly quickly is to use lapping bullets such as Tubbs..personally I only use the very fine grit bullets and no more than 6-8 of them..make them myself ..several kits out there to do this..even a case filler that does it for you reloaders
it will smooth out the throat in a hurry and also lengthen it so don't do many or use course grit like 220.
barrels that exhibit bad fouling or build up of copper can be helped by a product call Dyna bore coat. the stuff is a ceramic coating that you literally shoot into the bore..the heat from friction sets the stuff.. really helps a rifle that is tough to clean. doesn't help a bit for accuracy that I've seen
lapping a barrel youself is a bit tricky as the reverse of the lead lap at the end of the barrel and in the chamber actually wear those two spots more than the res tfo the barel. this is why your custom barrel makers lap before chambering and cut at least 1" off the end of the muzzle end.
personaly outside of the lapping bullets I simply try not to over heat the barrel during the first 50 or so rounds and then clean it really well.
every barrel is unique it seems some like a bit of fouling to shoot well and others hate it.
the dyna boat coat stuff is really nice Makes cleaning much easier....you do have to drop using copper bore brushes but you really don't need those today with the better solvents we have..many do not recommend brass brushes at all.
to each his own based on their own experience
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