breaking in a rifle?
03-20-2006, 02:24 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: jacksonville illinois USA
Posts: 700
breaking in a rifle?
how is this process done and how will i know when it is totally broke in? also how often do you clean the bore of your gun.. every 10,20 shots. i have a 308. i hear some people around here say "i clean mineafter every shot"and i hear others say "i clean mine after the season but i cleans the rest of the gun every time i go out"
03-20-2006, 02:28 PM
#2
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Frankston Texas
Posts: 102
RE: breaking in a rifle?
[align=center]FAQs: Barrel Break-In Procedure[/align]
Q. What is the barrel break-in procedure?
A. Although there may be different schools of thought on barrel break-in, this is what Precision Shooting Magazine recommends:
STEP 1 (repeated 10 times)
[ul][*][size=2 align="left"]Fire one round[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push wet patches soaked with a powder solvent through the bore[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push wet patches soaked with a copper solvent through the bore[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Push a patch with 2 drops of oil through the bore[/size] [/ul]STEP 2 (repeated 5 times)
[ul][*][size=2 align="left"]Fire a 3 shot group[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1 after each group[/size] [/ul]STEP 3 (repeat 5 times)
[ul][*][size=2 align="left"]Fire a 5 shot group[/size][*][size=2 align="left"]Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1[/size] [/ul]They recommend the use of a patch with 2 drops of oil after the cleaning so that you are not shooting with a dry bore. It is also advisable to use a powder solvent and copper solvent from the same manufacturer to be sure they are chemically compatible.
03-20-2006, 02:30 PM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Frankston Texas
Posts: 102
RE: breaking in a rifle?
The previous post came from the Savage Arms website in the FAQ's. Here is the link -
http://www.savagearms.com/cs_barrel.htm
http://www.savagearms.com/cs_barrel.htm
03-20-2006, 02:50 PM
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,052
RE: breaking in a rifle?
I think that with todays CNC built guns and advanced machining technology, all those "shoot and scrub" theories are just a bunch of jaw flappin by old timers who just want to have something to talk about. "Technically" a gun is NEVER broken in. Each time you pull the trigger a little of the barrel goes with it, so why worry about cleaning an ever changing surface?
As with engines. heat is the enemy of ANY barrel, new or old. So keep the temps down and a simple pass through the barrel with a Boresnake after every shot (or even 2nd one) is sufficient. Every rifle I have had for the last 10+ years have been broken in this way and they drive nails when fed good ammo and kept in reasonable condition.
Good luck,
RA
As with engines. heat is the enemy of ANY barrel, new or old. So keep the temps down and a simple pass through the barrel with a Boresnake after every shot (or even 2nd one) is sufficient. Every rifle I have had for the last 10+ years have been broken in this way and they drive nails when fed good ammo and kept in reasonable condition.
Good luck,
RA
03-20-2006, 03:42 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NSW AUSTRALIA
Posts: 214
RE: breaking in a rifle?
I clean after every shot for the first 9 or 12 shots (3-4 2 shot groups) and then after every 3 shot group until I leave the range I don’t know if it makes a difference but as it doesn’t do any harm then why not do it as it just might do some good.
03-20-2006, 04:03 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: breaking in a rifle?
With an average off the shelf rifle I wouldn't bother with it. With a custom match grade barrel I'd probably follow the barrel maker's recommendation (which is what I'm going to do when I get my Sako back with the new Lilja tube). Personally, having done it to some rifles and not done it to others, I don't think it's a big deal at all.
03-20-2006, 04:21 PM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 505
RE: breaking in a rifle?
Well, I've got to agree some and disagree some. It really depends on the barrel. Some barrels come out really good out of the milling process and some come out a bit rough. It's the rough ones that need TLC when breaking in. You will know after 5 rounds or so if you are getting excessive copper buildup. I use Wipeout and or copper melt. If the patches have some copper, then a more liberal break in is fine. If the patches are loaded, it may take 50 rounds or so to smooth things down.
I usually run the first bullet through the chrony and then fire a 3 shot group.....then check things out. My last Tikka was "broken in" in 12 to 15 rounds. Usually by the time you've sighted it in and fiddled with the loads.....she is ready. I always clean after each of the first three 3 shot groups then go from there. Good luck and regards, Rick.
I usually run the first bullet through the chrony and then fire a 3 shot group.....then check things out. My last Tikka was "broken in" in 12 to 15 rounds. Usually by the time you've sighted it in and fiddled with the loads.....she is ready. I always clean after each of the first three 3 shot groups then go from there. Good luck and regards, Rick.
03-20-2006, 04:27 PM
#8
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Colorado
Posts: 4,127
RE: breaking in a rifle?
Ray - most custom barrel manufacturers recommend something similar to what you posted. My only comment would be - why not use a combination powder/copper solvent (like Shooter's Choice) and just brush for ten strokes? Also, Shooter's Choice will leave the bore with a slight amount of oil in it. You don't want to shoot the next shot out of completely bone dry barrel - but you also don't want to ever shoot a round out of an oiled barrel. You can actually change the way a barrel air guages by firing one shot through an oiled bore. After pushing the last patch soaked with Shooter's Choice, I would recommend a dry patch before the next shot. Otherwise good information. Roskoe.
03-21-2006, 12:45 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: WYO
Posts: 2,298
RE: breaking in a rifle?
When I broke in my last rifle I cleaned the barrel after every shot for the first five shots I think, then after every 3 shot group then cleaned it once more before I left the range. Figured I'd make sure I did things right and cleanin your barrel that many times isn't going to hurt your gun at all. Better safe than sorry.
03-21-2006, 05:27 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Berkeley Springs, WV
Posts: 1,293
RE: breaking in a rifle?
I dont see how cleaning it after every shot can hurt the barrel. I usually just clean the heck out of it beforeI go out withit. ThenI shootabout 3-5 roundsthrough it and then run a boresnake with some solvent on it a few times. After about 20 rounds or so I just run a dry boresnake inbetween each 3-5shot group.