Just got a new NSS Criterion barrel.

[ak0prter]

My savage is getting a make over. I just re-barreled it in 6.5CM, with a Criterion from NSS. I'll be shooting the first 100 rounds or so using factory ammo and saving brass to reload with.

Anyone have any pointers on breaking in the barrel? I've heard lots of opionins from people that don't shoot PRS or ELR type events. And those happen to be the 2 types of shooting I'm building this for. I'd appreciate any input. Thanks in advance everyone.

 

[Rust]

For an aftermarket barrel my break in is during load development. Five shots for sight in cleaning between each shot, then five shots for group and chrono and clean, do that five times which allows for the barrel to cool a bit between each five shot string. Over the years barrel making has gotten better with more precise finish lapping of the barrels so what you'd be "breaking in" would be the finish of the free bore and leade to the rifling if there are any chatter marks or burrs from chambering.

Factory barrels can be a whole 'nother thing. The internal finish varies from brand to brand and barrel to barrel. Generally they are not as well finished as they are not finished lapped and the chambering probably not as precise.

 

[spife7980]

I usually make up 25 rounds to get sighted in and start a crude load work up/pressure test the rifle. I will then squirt some wipeout in after all those are shot and let it sit for awhile before patching out.

Ill do it again after the first 100 are through. Past that Ill do it whenever I get time or it starts shooting poorly.

No proper break in

 

[bunsen27]

I just start shooting it and only clean it if accuracy falls off or if it gets rained on.

My current Criterion barrel is around 1k with zero patches down the barrel and it's still shooting great!! I have a prarie dog hunt coming up in 3 weeks and might clean it during or after that.

 

[Deleted member 10043]

Throw it on a gravel road a few times until it sounds about right. You'll know it when you hear it. Yeah, it will scratch it up a little but it will look boss and you will have broke in ready to rock on looking all battle tested and shit. If you shoot good the subterfuge will last.

 

[sobrbiker883]

I really miss NOBODY. Best hide member ever (and most banned)

 

[TM6]

I really miss NOBODY. Best hide member ever (and most banned)

Laffin, hint, better to submerge your rifle in a stream after throwing down a dirt road for proper barrel break in.

Ain't hard to cipher those who shoot from those that don't- hint! Just make sure that your pills are moly coated and all will be fine.

TM6

 

[Rust]

Nobody - he got towards being a little infamous for some of the stuff he pulled. Probably a good thing he lived in Alaska, couldn't imagine him in a crowd.

 

[Lunchbox27]

Rifle break in procedure:

Clean when received.
Take rifle to range to sight in.
Zero and shoot groups.

Rifle is now broken in.

I have done it this way with 3 custom barrels and idk how many factory.

 

[SporterII]

I like to fire two rounds and look over the brass before burning any volume.

 

[EchoDeltaSierra]

My recent Criterion barrel I did the following:

Load a 50 round box of 140 ELDs over 42.0 gr H4350 (light load). Shoot the box to zero and function test things. This was done at 100y and 600y.

Clean.

Load a 50 round box of 140 ELDs over 42.0gr H4350 and tested bullet seating. This was done on paper at 200y. I personally ran 10 rounds at 5 different steps and shot two sequences of 5-shot groups for double validation.

Clean.

Load a 50 round box of 140 ELDs seated to the best depth tested above (.050” jump in my case), and charge at 5 steps to validate my optimal charge. I ran 42.2-43.0gr in .5 gr increments. Shoot 5- shot groups twice at 200m.

Clean.

Load a 50 round box of 140 ELDs using the optimal jump and optimal charge weight. Chronograph the first 5-10 rounds, validate/adjust zero with 5-10 rounds, shoot the rest of the box at 1000y to validate actual drop and true up my ballistic calculator.

One this was all validated, I loaded a 300 round lot of match brass and headed to a match.

Every shot was not only gathering data, but practicing good fundamentals. It also was enough rounds to hit that point of barrel speed up. By the time I was done with the first 150 rounds, I had a load that reliably shot bug-holes (still have the paper targets filed) and a barrel that came clean in 3-4 swipes of a wet patch.

I’ve messed with a lot of other “break-in” processes and haven’t found any of the more rigorous shoot/clean cycles to make a damn bit of difference.

 

[Ledzep]

I'd shoot 10 and clean, shoot 20-50 and clean, then shoot the rest of your factory stuff and clean. Then you'll be set for load Dev.

Cleaning every 50-100 rounds doesn't hurt. You can see it on a bore scope, the guys that don't clean for hundreds (thousands?) At a time. If it has significant issues with barrel life and whatnot, I don't know.

 

[Steel head]

I usually make up 25 rounds to get sighted in and start a crude load work up/pressure test the rifle. I will then squirt some wipeout in after all those are shot and let it sit for awhile before patching out.

Ill do it again after the first 100 are through. Past that Ill do it whenever I get time or it starts shooting poorly.

No proper break in
View attachment 7075308

Pretty much what I do anymore.

 

[jasent]

No break in for me. My criterion got cleaned once at +/- 300 rounds. Didn’t even have any copper fouling.
Over 600 rounds now and still just the one cleaning. Taken it out to a mile so far

 

[antithesis]

It does not need to be broken in. Just shoot it. When it is done buy the Shilen Stainless Select Match from NSS and get over the fact that you could have gotten a barrel that it is significantly better (accurate and faster) than the Criterion for $30 more. I learned the same lesson.

If you do want to break it in, just know what it is that break in is all about. The purpose it to remove any burrs in the barrel that are grabbing on to copper buy firing. The jacket grabs the burr and knocks it down. You clean to remove the copper before it gets major build up, and repeat until the burr is as low as it will get without lapping. This is pretty much pointless on a barrel that is already lapped, as the Criterion is.

 

[Ledzep]

The lapping is done before the chamber is cut. Typically with the quality barrels you see in this type of shooting you're breaking in the machining marks in the throat.

A sharp reamer and good cut help but you're always rounding off some sharp corners and grooves somewhere. It happens in the first 150 rounds regardless of cleaning procedure. Comes down to personal preference.

 

[Sig Marine]

I'd shoot 10 and clean, shoot 20-50 and clean, then shoot the rest of your factory stuff and clean. Then you'll be set for load Dev.

Cleaning every 50-100 rounds doesn't hurt. You can see it on a bore scope, the guys that don't clean for hundreds (thousands?) At a time. If it has significant issues with barrel life and whatnot, I don't know.

Basically my routine now. I clean the barrel before the first trip; this includes using a copper cleaner. I go zero the scope and do a pressure test, usually a total of 10-15 rounds, and then clean again; including stripping copper. I then do an OCW of usually 30-35 rounds to get an initial load and then clean again; including stripping copper. After that, it's off to the races. I clean after each range trip by punching out carbon/powder fouling but wait until accuracy degrades before touching the copper solvents again.

Enjoy the new barrel...