Barrel Settle-Down - Interesting Results

[rustyinbend]

Did a range day a while back with the "shoot-clean-rinse-repeat" on a new 300-WM barrel for my MPA chassis/action. Took it out yesterday to run 40 rounds through it and see what I got. First 20 rounds were about 2-to-3 MOA and SD's of 15.2 with average velocity of 2873 ... second 20 rounds were about 1.5 MOA and SD's of right around 10.0 with average velocity right around 2900 ... right where I want it. Wondering if the next 20 will go 1 MOA and give me single-digit SD's. It's kind of fun to watch a barrel literally "settle down" ... 20 rounds at a time. Getting it ready for local matches starting later this month.

 

[Huskydriver]

 

[hero's machine]

I spun up a 300win that shot 3moa with everything I threw at it. I thought my scope or base must be a mess. Swapped in a known good scope....nothing. I took it up to #8 base screws and bedded the rail....nothing.

I pulled that tube and spun up another. That one shot well under moa from the start.

 

[Long Range 338]

Did a range day a while back with the "shoot-clean-rinse-repeat" on a new 300-WM barrel for my MPA chassis/action. Took it out yesterday to run 40 rounds through it and see what I got. First 20 rounds were about 2-to-3 MOA and SD's of 15.2 with average velocity of 2873 ... second 20 rounds were about 1.5 MOA and SD's of right around 10.0 with average velocity right around 2900 ... right where I want it. Wondering if the next 20 will go 1 MOA and give me single-digit SD's. It's kind of fun to watch a barrel literally "settle down" ... 20 rounds at a time. Getting it ready for local matches starting later this month.

Maybe you just need to wait for your bullets to “fall asleep”

 

[375fan]

How many rounds through this barrel? I have 3 300wm in 3 different configurations , one is on its third barrel, all have been sub moa with no effort. Something is amiss with your setup.

 

[rustyinbend]

How many rounds through this barrel? I have 3 300wm in 3 different configurations , one is on its third barrel, all have been sub moa with no effort. Something is amiss with your setup.

It's a brand new barrel with only 15 or so rounds through it before this. I expected it to be a little twitchy at first, and then settle down. It's doing exactly that. In my experience, a new barrel won't shoot it's consistent best until 100-ish rounds. Are you saying that your new rifle/new barrels shoot perfectly right out of the box? That hasn't been my experience.

 

[diggler1833]

Wierd.

I've had more than a couple good barrels on rifles, and a few shitty ones too .

While I've certainly seen velocity pick up across all of them, I've never had one shoot like garbage and then turn into a decent shooter during break-in.

I have had one that shot better after it had been fouled a little...but no 3 MOA to 1.5 MOA.

Are you sure this wasn't the shooter breaking-in?

 

[375fan]

It's a brand new barrel with only 15 or so rounds through it before this. I expected it to be a little twitchy at first, and then settle down. It's doing exactly that. In my experience, a new barrel won't shoot it's consistent best until 100-ish rounds. Are you saying that your new rifle/new barrels shoot perfectly right out of the box? That hasn't been my experience.

I wouldn't use the term "perfectly" , what I will say is a good/accurate barrel will be good/accurate right off the bat.
Now, it usually takes 100-125 rounds ( in my experience) down the barrel for it to "break in" and see speed pick up.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

3moa to sub moa is a pretty drastic change. If it wont shoot decent in first 5 rounds, its not going to shoot well in the next 995.

People come up with all kinda of excuses why their gun isint doing what they want it to. Its easier than admitting there is a problem and fixing it.

 

[918v]

Maybe the ammo is shit

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

ammo, shooter, barrel, overcleaning, who knows.

 

[rustyinbend]

All interesting perspectives ... thanks. I guess I'll learn a lot more on the next couple of range trips. For now, this barrel certainly "appears" to be on a trajectory to higher velocities and tighter groups, as it moves through its first 40-ish rounds. We'll see if that continues ... I'm certainly open to the possibility that either the shooter or the barrel or the ammo could be "defective". I guess we'll see when I get another nice range day.

 

[rustyinbend]

So the large numbers of threads and articles about the "100-to-200" rounds it takes for a new barrel to settle down for velocity and accuracy (which I've personally experienced on multiple new rifles and barrels) ... are all BS. Good to know. I'll go throw this new barrel in the burn-pit, and buy a new one. If that's not perfect in 10 rounds, I'll throw that one away too.

How many rounds out of new barrel before it reaches potential?

I have a new .308 Rem 700 SPS AAC-SD in an XLR chassis. I'm going to take it out for the first time shortly. For better or worse, I have decided not to do any break-in on it. I'm just going to start shooting. My question is: Should I expect there to be some number of rounds fired before the...

www.snipershide.com

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Depends on alot of things.

Barrel
Chamber job( how sharp is reamer and is the job clean)
Ammo
Shooting regime
Cleaning

There is no one answer. Every barrel behaves different.

The 100-200 is max it will take. If won't shoot by then you have a trashed barrel.

 

[rustyinbend]

Depends on alot of things.

Barrel
Chamber job( how sharp is reamer and is the job clean)
Ammo
Shooting regime
Cleaning

There is no one answer. Every barrel behaves different.

The 100-200 is max it will take. If won't shoot by then you have a trashed barrel.

EXACTLY !!! I have 300-NM barrel for my MRAD that settled to consistent velocity and group size in 10 rounds, shot well even during the first 3 rounds. My 300-NM MPA BA rifle (same caliber) took about 70-80 rounds to settle down. This new barrel on my 300-WM is looking like the 70-80 round category. Just like my children ... every one of them is different.