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Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

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Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 11 03, 2017 •  [Post 1]

What are your preferred methods?
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby Roosiebull » 11 04, 2017 •  [Post 2]

talking to people I trust, and reading it lots of times, and proving it myself, barrel break in is not necessary. I will clean the barrel more often for the first hundred rounds, but I still will be shooting a box of shells or more on an outing.

I try to not let the barrel heat up (but I do that the whole life of the rifle) and that's about it. I don't go through any elaborate, time consuming process, I don't think there is any benefit (especially on a hunting rifle)

I have owned a half dozen rifles, and only one shot over MOA, and it was not because of faulty break in. I sold that rifle and told the guy the story (shoots good until the barrel warms up, then all goes to heck) he bought it, did a little work on it and turned it into a shooter.

barrel break in will temporarily treat OCD, but that's about it.
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 11 04, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Good copy Mike, thanks for your thoughts.
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby saddlesore » 11 05, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Ditto what Roosie posted.The whole past thoughts on barrel break in have been debunked pretty much.
Rapid fire,and not letting the barrel cool down does more to damage a barrel than anything. A poor barrel will not be made better with all these so called break methods and a good barrel . It won't shoot better and won't eliminate excess fouling .
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby Ben Nicholson » 11 05, 2017 •  [Post 5]

I picked up a Ruger American (308) at Wally World awhile back for $200. Just "broke" it in last week. All I did was run a bore snake through after every shot for the first ten shots. After that I ran it through after every two or three. If I was dealing with an expensive match grade rifle I might have been more deliberate with the break in, but for a $200 "truck"gun this process was more than adequate.
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby Lefty » 11 08, 2017 •  [Post 6]

WapitiTalk1 wrote:What are your preferred methods?


I have only bought 4 new rifles, three were Ruger 10/22's. The other was a .222 when I was 13 years old.

I bought a 7mm A-bolt that had less then 2 boxes shot through it. I found a 160gn. load that was great with 20 rounds ,

The rest of the break in was a few antelope, deer, elk, coyotes I don think Ive shot 250 rounds through that gun
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby Elkduds » 11 08, 2017 •  [Post 7]

I am no longer a believer in barrel break-in, can't find evidence or informed opinions in favor of it. I have owned one new rifle, it has 20 rounds total through it in 3 range sessions, has connected w one elk. It shoots where it points w multiple ammo brands. Point is, that is the state of the art in rifle manufacture., So barrel break in is not needed or helpful.
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Re: Breaking in a new rifle barrel...

Postby >>>---WW----> » 11 09, 2017 •  [Post 8]

It's kinda like that guy on the alligator hunter TV show says, "CHOOT IT"!
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