Re: Barrel Break-In
I'd have to say your procedures for breaking in a barrel, if at all, and cleaning, depend on your entire approach to reloading and accurate shooting. I was introduced to centre fire shooting around 15 years ago now, following rimfire and shotguns, and some woukd say fortunate, some unfortunate, started straight into benchrest. My views therefore are, and I admit myself, quite obsessive, I apply the same thinking and attention to my 22lr's, 44magLR as I do my PPC and 308!
Anyway, my procedures -
To break in (a new barrel, no need for a second hand), patch thhrough with slight cleaner such as KROIL, fire one round. leave for 24hrs, having been patched or sprayed with bore foam or similar. Patch out, and fire a round. Do this 7 times (one week). This clears out any imperfections on the rifling, and is reccommended by my local barrel builders (Borders).
To clean (every time you shoot!), use a none metal brush, with solvent. patch out with wet (solvent drops) and then dry patches, repeat until patches come out clean. This can take, for 20 rounds, 4 brushes, 10 wet patches and 30 dry patches. (borders have their own procedure on site)
I have done this for all rifles I have owned, the barrels are literally immaculate, and you must therefore take into consideration where your shot will go on a clean barrel.