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Break in ammo?

PJ910

Private
Minuteman
Jun 3, 2011
4
0
52
Hello all. I will be breaking in my new stick this weekend. DPMS 308LR 24". Any thoughts on ammo? This is my first "new" setup and want to do it right. I use 175 FGMM with my savage LE. Most of my shooting in <600yards but I do get to stretch out to 800+ at times. Thanks!

CT is also the armpit of the country for long range fun. LOL
 
Re: Break in ammo?

Be sure to thank LoneWolfUSMC for this extensive video tutorial on proper barrel break-in procedure, equipment, supplies, etc.:


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Point to take away from this video...JUST SHOOT IT!
wink.gif
As for ammo...if you like the FGMM 175gr loads for your Savage, give them a whirl in your LR-308. They should work very well.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

That's how I broke in my Ar10 barrel, lots of ammo and love. Now steel is unsafe at 950yds
 
Re: Break in ammo?

If LWUSMC's break-in procedure is not to your liking, here's "NOBODY'S" which is also excellent and really demonstrates the finer points of proper break-in:

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Re: Break in ammo?

Here's a good read regarding "break-in" if you're interested.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthre...328#Post2588328

There are responses from some <span style="text-decoration: underline">VERY</span> knowledgeable folks stating it simply isn't necessary. So the easy answer to your question is move on past the "break-in" concept and shoot whatever type of ammo you have or would like shoot and enjoy your new rifle.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

Thanks all for your help. Looking forward to breakin' her in. Enjoy the heat!
 
Re: Break in ammo?

I will also post some pics after range time. Thanks again!

Semper Fi.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

hahahahaaahhhha!! Just watched the videos. I guess I will only need 20 rounds and 10 seconds. LOL..
 
Re: Break in ammo?

From the Krieger Web page

<span style="font-style: italic">"BREAK-IN & CLEANING

With any premium barrel that has been finish lapped -- such as your Krieger Barrel --, the lay or direction of the finish is in the direction of the bullet travel, so fouling is minimal. This is true of any properly finish-lapped barrel regardless of how it is rifled. If it is not finish-lapped, there will be reamer marks left in the bore that are directly across the direction of the bullet travel. This occurs even in a button-rifled barrel as the button cannot completely iron out these reamer marks.

Because the lay of the finish is in the direction of the bullet travel, very little is done to the bore during break-in, but the throat is another story. When your barrel is chambered, by necessity there are reamer marks left in the throat that are across the lands, i.e. across the direction of the bullet travel. In a new barrel they are very distinct; much like the teeth on a very fine file. When the bullet is forced into the throat, copper dust is released into the gas which at this temperature and pressure is actually a plasma. The copper dust is vaporized in this gas and is carried down the barrel. As the gas expands and cools, the copper comes out of suspension and is deposited in the bore. This makes it appear as if the source of the fouling is the bore when it is actually for the most part the new throat. If this copper is allowed to stay in the bore, and subsequent bullets and deposits are fired over it; copper which adheres well to itself, will build up quickly and may be difficult to remove later. So when we break in a barrel, our goal is to get the throat polished without allowing copper to build up in the bore. This is the reasoning for the "fire-one-shot-and-clean" procedure.

Barrels will vary slightly in how many rounds they take to break in because of things like slightly different machinability of the steel, or steel chemistry, or the condition of the chambering reamer, etc. . . For example a chrome moly barrel may take longer to break in than stainless steel because it is more abrasion resistant even though it is the same hardness. Also chrome moly has a little more of an affinity for copper than stainless steel so it will usually show a little more "color" if you are using a chemical cleaner. (Chrome moly and stainless steel are different materials with some things in common and others different.) Rim Fire barrels can take an extremely long time to break in -- sometimes requiring several hundred rounds or more. But cleaning can be lengthened to every 25-50 rounds. The break-in procedure and the clearing procedure are really the same except for the frequency. Remember the goal is to get or keep the barrel clean while polishing out the throat.

Finally, the best way to break-in the barrel is to observe when the barrel is broken in; i.e. when the fouling is reduced. This is better than some set number of cycles of "shoot and clean" as many owners report practically no fouling after the first few shots, and more break-in would be pointless. Conversely, if more is required, a set number would not address that either. Besides, cleaning is not a completely benign procedure so it should be done carefully and no more than necessary."</span>

I think I will stick with the advice of one of the country's top barrel manufacturers, not some fella that made a You Tube video... But hey what would they know? They've only been making some of the best barrels around since 1982.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

Ok, let's look at this logically.

Kreiger says the reason for the breakin is to smooth out the roughness that causes copper fouling.

Do this:

Go shoot the gun...as much as you want. Take it home, clean the bore of powder very well.

Run Hoppe's #9 on a wet patch and let the barrel sit overnight or longer.

Next day, run another wet patch of Hoppe's. If it comes out copper fouled (lots of bluish green...not just a little) then follow the break in procedures.

If the barrel does not copper foul, then what's the point of break in?

I've had barrels that foul out quickly and some never do.

A good barrel should not show excessive copper fouling. A marginal barrel would benefit from Tubb's Final Finish and it's a hell of a lot easier than clean and shoot and there's no possibility of damage from a cleaning rod.

I would not put any abrasive down a good barrel, save for a little JB on the throat now and then.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jakhamr81</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I think I will stick with the advice of one of the country's top barrel manufacturers, not some fella that made a You Tube video... But hey what would they know? They've only been making some of the best barrels around since 1982. </div></div>


Well, here's another view, also from a very well respected barrel maker, Gale McMillan:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The break in fad was started by a fellow I helped get started in the barrel business . He started putting a set of break in instructions in ever barrel he shipped. One came into the shop to be installed and I read it and the next time I saw him I asked him What was with this break in crap?. His answer was Mac, My share of the market is about 700 barrels a year. I cater to the target crowd and they shoot a barrel about 3000 rounds before they change it. If each one uses up 100 rounds of each barrel breaking it in you can figure out how many more barrels I will get to make each year. If you will stop and think that the barrel doesn't know whether you are cleaning it every shot or every 5 shots and if you are removing all foreign material that has been deposited in it since the last time you cleaned it what more can you do? When I ship a barrel I send a recommendation with it that you clean it ever chance you get with a brass brush pushed through it at least 12 times with a good solvent and followed by two and only 2 soft patches. This means if you are a bench rest shooter you clean ever 7 or 8 rounds . If you are a high power shooter you clean it when you come off the line after 20 rounds. If you follow the fad of cleaning every shot for X amount and every 2 shots for X amount and so on the only thing you are accomplishing is shortening the life of the barrel by the amount of rounds you shot during this process. I always say Monkey see Monkey do, now I will wait on the flames but before you write them, Please include what you think is happening inside your barrel during break in that is worth the expense and time you are spending during break in </div></div>


Posted here a few years back: http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/Barrel_BreakIn.asp


And some more by Gale here: http://www.6mmbr.com/gailmcmbreakin.html



Just shoot it, then clean it when you're done.

 
Re: Break in ammo?

Use Boretech, you'll love it. That and some Iosso Blue nylon brushes, a good nickel plated jag, and a quality carbon fiber rod.

Some will say don't follow break in, some say do. I say, do what floats your boat. IF you follow break in procedure, then drink some beers and use the time to get to know her...if you don't, drink some beers, and use the time to get to know her...
 
Re: Break in ammo?


Some will say don't follow break in, some say do. I say, do what floats your boat. IF you follow break in procedure, then drink some beers and use the time to get to know her...if you don't, drink some beers, and use the time to get to know her... [/quote]


I agree, me personally I had the time, the range to my self and a friend, I followed DPMS instructions and used bulk 165gr. Ultra Max. Doing this really helped get a feal for the way she shoots.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

Look...there have always been and will ALWAYS BE two sides to the coin of barrel break-in. There are plenty of "logical" reasons (and a good many number of illogical ones too) on both sides of the coin, but as for me, I have seen too much ammo/time/money wasted on the process combined with never having seen any perceptable difference in a "broken-in" barrel's performance versus one that was not "broken-in" whether you are talking about fouling, accuracy, barrel life or any other factor.

If you want to do it...DO IT. If you don't want to do it...DON'T DO IT.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you want to do it...DO IT. If you don't want to do it...DON'T DO IT.</div></div>

+1

For the record, the Rock Creek barrels in the POF rifles require no "break in".
wink.gif
 
Re: Break in ammo?

I respect those of you who have chosen not to conduct any type of break in to your barrels/ throat; especially those of you that were able to articulate an actual argument beyond just showing a You Tube video of some fella abusing his equipment.

While I myself am not a barrel maker, master gunsmith, or metal smith; I am a shooting enthusiast and poses the ability to conduct my own research. The conclusion that I have drawn after doing such is: That I value the equipment that I have purchased and treat it with respect. I do believe that removing the copper from the bore during the first few rounds is important and may improve accuracy, velocity, and serviceability. I have noted an increase in velocity in new barrels from the first round to say the twentieth round; this tells me that something is happening in that barrel to final finish it. I am going to shoot those rounds through my barrel anyways, so why not take my time, get a good, zero, run it over the chrono, and while I'm at it, run a wet patch followed by a dry patch through my bore after every five rounds? That may only add a total of five minutes to me zeroing the rifle that I have spent $1,000 plus on.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If LWUSMC's break-in procedure is not to your liking, here's "NOBODY'S" which is also excellent and really demonstrates the finer points of proper break-in:

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Obviously this idiot has more money than brains.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

Both of those vids always make me LOL!!!!

years ago I did the break in thing.

Now I basicly use the Lonewolfusmc procedure and have never seen a difference.
 
Re: Break in ammo?

Breaking-in is usually intended as a substitute for the bore hand honing/lapping that a quality custom barrel receives and a mass volume production rifle barrel doesn't. Some folks call it fire lapping and employ mild abrasive bullet coatings.

I don't really care what other folks say about this subject. Here's what I say:

Personally, I no longer do break-in, and don't because I'd rather conserve my barrel's bore/throat life for actual shooting applications. The only difference is that it may take me a bit longer in the barrel's life cycle before copper fouling begins to abate. I am a bore life Miser/Grinch. Essentially, both approaches end up at the same place, they just get there at a differnt pace.

If I were going to do a break-in, I'd use a standard pressure load, preferably with a bullet bearing length somewhat on the longer side.

Greg
 
Re: Break in ammo?

just chuck a long wet pipe clener dipped in sandbox sand in yer dremel tool and spin it around in yer barrel for a few hours. there, bam, broke in. next question?