Gunsmithing Colt Competition HBAR 2

[warsaw4201]

I recently purchased a used HBAR 2 that had previously fired approx 500 rounds of ammunition without a proper barrel breakin. The rifle currently shoots tight groups, but I am more concerned about the life of the barrel.

My question is this: Is it too late to spend time going through the breakin procedure, or is the damage already done?

 

[kbrady]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

What's this "break-in" procedure you speak of?

 

[MAGUA]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

It's an AR..just shoot the shit out of it.

 

[Austan]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

If it wasn't "broken in" properly and it shoots tight groups, maybe it didn't need to be "broken in" in the first place.

Just thinkin' out loud

 

[wildcats]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

Chrome lined or stainless barrel?

If it had that many rounds through it before you got it,it won't matter anymore.
If it were brand new with a ss barrel,the i would fire atleast 10 to 15 rounds cleaning for every round,check for copper on the patches till they start looking clean,and then just shoot the crap out of it.

 

[seanh]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

if you're concerned, clean it and start the break-in over. If it's shooting well it's doubtful that you'll see a difference.

The gun I have I did just that. It shot ok but not great and had what I'd call excessive fouling. After I did my break in, it doesn't foul as bad and groups better than it did. Maybe it was just time for cleaning or maybe breakin wasn't done...don't know, don't care, now it's a shooter.

 

[BruxBarrels]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

If it has 500 rounds through it then it is broken in. All you are doing by breaking in a barrel is smoothing out tooling marks inside the barrel, particularily in the throat area.

 

[warsaw4201]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

I appreciate the information. Friend of mine over at Camp Lejeune recommended a one hundred round breakin. (Defined as Shoot one round, clean barrel until patches come out clean, and shoot again.) That was his recommendation for a new barrel.

Since it has already had far more rounds than the first hundred, just gonna leave as is and take MAQUA'S advice and just shoot it.

Thanks Guys

 

[Graham]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MikeMedic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Friend of mine over at Camp Lejeune recommended a one hundred round breakin. (Defined as Shoot one round, clean barrel until patches come out clean, and shoot again.) That was his recommendation for a new barrel.</div></div>He's either making that up or repeating what he heard somewhere.

And good luck breaking-in a chrome lined barrel.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MikeMedic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The rifle currently shoots tight groups, but I am more concerned about the life of the barrel.</div></div>If it shoots well why do you want to 'break it in'? Break-in does not prolong barrel life; how can it? The lands don't wear down, it's the throat that wears out. If you want to save the barrel either don't shoot it or don't shoot heavy bullets.

 

[elephantrider]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

Any sort of break-in or re-break-in would be a waste of time at this point. Even if teh gun was brand new, you would probably not see any real difference after a break-in period. Just shoot it until you notice the accuracy drop off appreciably, then give it a careful cleaning and repeat the process.

 

[bignada]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

Get a bottle of Barnes CR-10, couple of bronze brushes, coated rod like a Dewey, and bunch of patches and clean it till there is no copper traces. Use the cleaner on the brush and patches, about every 20min clean brush w/acetone or carb cleaner and brush/patch the barrel with cleaner. Then hit it with the CR-10 again and repeat until no blue traces remain.

Clean your bolt carrier also, and extension recesses and bolt lugs. Might want to look at Robert Whitley's sight www.6mmAR.com and read his AR lubrication thread. You probably need way more lube on your hammer and trigger than you're using. Zediker's 2 books, The Competitive AR are excellent if you want the lowdown on precision AR rifles.

 

[phideaux]

Re: Colt Competition HBAR 2

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bignada</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get a bottle of Barnes CR-10, couple of <span style="color: #FF0000">bronze brushes</span>, coated rod like a Dewey, and bunch of patches and clean it till there is no copper traces. Use the cleaner on the brush and patches, about every 20min clean brush w/acetone or carb cleaner and brush/patch the barrel with cleaner. Then hit it with the CR-10 again and repeat until no blue traces remain.

Clean your bolt carrier also, and extension recesses and bolt lugs. Might want to look at Robert Whitley's sight www.6mmAR.com and read his AR lubrication thread. You probably need way more lube on your hammer and trigger than you're using. Zediker's 2 books, The Competitive AR are excellent if you want the lowdown on precision AR rifles.

</div></div>

the part in red....yeah, that'll give you endless fits of false positives. if your solvent eats copper, it'll eat bronze. those brushes will cause you to put more copper traces in the barrel and make your patches always stay blue a bit. i use nylon brushes to apply solvent.let it sit for awhile and then scub a bit and start patching.