What has been your break-in experience?

[TacticalBoltKnob]

I am taking out my new long range rifle tomorrow for the first time. Doing a little of the ol' break-in and sight-in.

I have heard mixed opinions about the number of rounds before a rifle's bore is broken in from firing and settles down into good accuracy. I have heard everything from 40-200 rounds.

So, in everyone's experience, how many rounds before your rifle is truly broken in?

This long-range newbie thanks you.

 

[bdubb]

You're going to get mixed opinions here as well. Anything from just shoot it to following step by step what some of the barrel manufacturers have up on their websites.

 

[Diablo]

In the lab world of benchrest, maybe it would make a little bit of difference.

Did you build your rifle for a "science project", or do you really intend to use it?

Life is way too short for screwing with the insignificant crap........just get out and shoot!!

 

[MarkCO]

The better the bore (gouges grooves, burrs etc. due to machining), the less # of rounds it takes to "settle". I still feel like an idiot every time I think back about my first AR (with a CL barrel), and 12 hours on the range shooting 200 rounds by 5s and cleaning in between. But my "mentor" told me it was a necessity. I have not done a "barrel" break-in for 15 years now. If I had a quality barrel and it did not deliver the groups I expected in the first 50 rounds, I would be looking for a problem, not cleaning it. Cheap AR barrels might take 200 rounds to settle.

The life of a barrel is only a few seconds, don't waste any of it.

 

[Sonic Crack]

It also depends on the barrel, I think its safe to say no two are the same. both ways work (shoot clean shoot or just shoot) I think the only sure thing is there is such a thing as too much cleaning

 

[TacticalBoltKnob]

Thanks, guys. But I should have specified, I am not talking about break-in procedures, but how many rounds before seeing groups tighten up. Thanks.

 

[korykhunter]

I do the barrel break-in, but I do it while working up loads or fireforming brass. That being said I do not believe every barrel needs a huge break-in period, I am done with any break-in practices at 50 rounds. On the other hand if you have a rough bore and see lots of fouling some Tubbs bullets may be in order. Your gun is one of a kind shoot it and let it tell you what it needs.

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

It depends on the quality of barrel you're in question.

Lots of machine marks on your lead angle and in your lands/grooves....
You're not going to see its accuracy potential until a layer of copper has been laid in those tiny scratches, and thorough cleanings may ruin accuracy until you have a few hundred rounds through it.

A lapped barrel with a nice interior finish... No break in needed

 

[Cubbetm]

I have seen anything from 20 rounds to 100 rounds for groups to tighten up. It really depend on the rifle you use and how fouling the ammo is.

 

[JGorski]

I am taking out my new long range rifle tomorrow for the first time. Doing a little of the ol' break-in and sight-in.

I have heard mixed opinions about the number of rounds before a rifle's bore is broken in from firing and settles down into good accuracy. I have heard everything from 40-200 rounds.

So, in everyone's experience, how many rounds before your rifle is truly broken in?

This long-range newbie thanks you.

2 shots from my 6 Creed.

 

[Shoottothrill]

My Gap 10 first five round group was well under an inch so I considered it good. I think a well put together rifle and quality barrel will shoot right from the first round. I have seen rifles from Robert Gradous shoot one hole five round groups with the first five shot fired and the same thing from Tac Ops rifles. I'm sure a little copper fouling helps but each rifle is different.

 

[mackdrvr]

Load bullets in gun, and pull trigger.

 

[Hairball]

That may depend on what "new long range rifle" you have and what level of shooter you are. While high end rifles can help average shooters overcome minor flaws in shooting form, the rifle will only settle to the accuracy level of the shooter. In other words, if you are a consistent .5 moa shooter a quality rifle will have you there rather quickly. If you are more of a 1-2 moa shooter, you may be chasing groups for a bit until you find an acceptable norm.

 

[kurt]

if your using pretty good ammo it should be no problem shooting groups covered by a tactical thumb and become operator as fuck

 

[flatland1]

I've built myself several rifles over the past 8yrs since getting my own lathe, using bbls from Bartlein, Krieger, & PacNor. Most of them shot pretty well from the start, but a couple of the 6.5s surprised me by showing a marked improvement in accuracy after 80-120rds with loads that had shot pretty mediocre to start with. Hadn't seen anything comparable to that in any of the 6mm or 7mm rifles, and I really don't have an explanation for it.

 

[MoBoost]

See sig ...
|
|
V

 

[KPK]

My bartlein 6.5 barrel shot .5" from the time I got it on paper. I'm at 400 rounds now and it's .25" if I do my part.

It may have settle in at 100 rounds but I've just been shooting the shit out of it, haven't shot a group since load development other that to re-zero the other day.

 

[leadbullet]

Load and shoot the damn thing, the rifle will tell you what it likes and don't, no other shooters on the internet.
Cheers and have fun.

 

[Bubb]

My break in took about 7-8 years. My cooking is coming along pretty good. But she says my laundry folding could be better. So I guess the break in continues.. The things we do for guns....... And other stuff

 

[E. Bryant]

My experience has been that any tightening of groups on a new rifle is far more influenced by the shooter than by any "break-in" process. But that's not cool to admit.

 

[ptaylortx]

I use to follow the tedious break in procedures until my third custom barreled rifle. My gunsmith, who's built bench rest rifles for 50 years, said just shoot the sumbitch. I can't tell a difference. Guess I was wasting my time and ammo.

 

[Niles Coyote]

On a new barrel I take a patch with some CLP on it and run that through the bore, followed by clean patches until they come out clean. This will then be followed by rounds fired to zero the scope... usually at least two but sometimes a couple more. Then load development begins. The next time anything touches my bore will be either when the bore has been exposed to moisture or the rifle starts throwing shots that I know where not my doing or if the rifle will be stored for months without use.

 

[alman1531]

I just do a light cleaning on a new rifle, then take it out and shoot. Every barrel is different on the amount of rounds it takes. I have seen a barrel right on from the start, and I have seen 100 rounds to settle in. No voodo-black-magic barrel break-in.

 

[Deadshot2]

If you're shooting factory ammo, your groups may or may not tighten up. If they do, great. If not you'll need to find a factory ammo that more matches your barrel's natural characteristics.

If you shoot handloads, which most who are concerned with group size do, then it's merely a matter of doing a basic ladder test then work up a load that performs well with your rifle. Hint: When you find a load that gives you the results you desire, STOP. Stick with that load rather than trying everything under the sun (different bullets, brass, powder, primers, charge weights, etc) looking for something that will shave a couple of thousandth's off the group size. Chances are you can do that just by refining your shooting techniques.

 

[Blushin]

i follow a ten step process using hoppes, sweats 7.62 and tetra, do the process for every round and check afterwards until things are coming out clean, usually takes between 8-10 rounds but then shes good to go

 

[KragCarbine]

if your using pretty good ammo it should be no problem shooting groups covered by a tactical thumb and become operator as fuck

+1

 

[sulcop96]

I have noticed a difference based on the barrel being broken in. On my stock barrel 700's between 100-250 the groups tighten up, on my FN SPR I never saw a huge variance and I'm about 5K into her. Perhaps a bit tighter after 20 or so but that may just be because I became more comfortable with the stock/action. On my Howa's right at 70-80 I noticed a nice jump of about .3-.4 @ 100. As for my custom barrels, I have McGowen and Bartlein, I noticed zero deviation from the ground up. Both shot far better then I can and have never deviated, when I am doing my job, of sub .5, so I think as outlined above quality matters.

Sully

 

[sulcop96]

Not to seem like I am attempting to hijack the thread, but it does link to the OP, has anyone used the TUBB's break in kits?

Sully

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

whether it works or don't, might as well do it anyhow. can't hurt. and if it does help, then why not?

so with that, took out a .243, shot 1 round, let it cool, wet patched, brushed, wet patched again, dry patched.

shot 2nd round, did the same as above.

no adjustments on the optic for the first 10 shots, the first 5 wandered over to where the last 5 ended up, the last 5 stayed in the same spot so i figured that's it.

 

[Diablo]

Loading up and heading out again this afternoon with a rifle that I had built in late 2010 from accumulated pieces/parts. Picked it up from Jon (Beanland) in early 2011, scoped it, first trip to the range.....from bipod of course, using factory 175FGMM, the first two (5 shot) groups at 100m were .392 and .374.

After traveling with it and using it for three years and several thousand rounds later, this year (Jan 2014) the same rifle (from bipod) with factory 175FGMMM put 5 shots into .392 again.

Apparently this barrel has not yet "settled in", because it does not show any improvement in accuracy.

Maybe the method of "Shoot Many & Clean Rarely" is why accuracy has not improved?

Life is short.......get out and shoot. And IF you finally manage to put enough rounds through it to toast that barrel, then rebarrel, and repeat.

 

[Deadshot2]

Loading up and heading out again this afternoon with a rifle that I had built in late 2010 from accumulated pieces/parts. Picked it up from Jon (Beanland) in early 2011, scoped it, first trip to the range.....from bipod of course, using factory 175FGMM, the first two (5 shot) groups at 100m were .392 and .374.

After traveling with it and using it for three years and several thousand rounds later, this year (Jan 2014) the same rifle (from bipod) with factory 175FGMMM put 5 shots into .392 again.

Apparently this barrel has not yet "settled in", because it does not show any improvement in accuracy.

Maybe the method of "Shoot Many & Clean Rarely" is why accuracy has not improved?

Life is short.......get out and shoot. And IF you finally manage to put enough rounds through it to toast that barrel, then rebarrel, and repeat.

I dunno? ,392 from Factory Ammo, year after year? Are you sure it can't do better??

That kind of group means the best you can expect is to "centerpunch" a walnut at 100m. Won't be able to neuter a flying gnat like some expect.

Some guys go to the range to clean a lot. I guess they think it's cheaper than shooting up a few boxes of ammo instead.