# Barrel Break-In Procedure question



## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

I just received a new rifle and wanted to break it in. In the past I would shot 1 shot, clean, shoot 2 more, clean, shoot 3, clean, shoot 4 (up to 10 shots).

If I owned a gun company, I'd hire some QA people to do this all day long and put one of those nice "Inspected by" tags on the gun along with a 3 shot group target and the final cleaning checklist. 

I'm reading something new where its shoot 1 shot, clean with powder solvent, brush, dry patch, wet patch with copper solvent, brush, dry patch, oil patch. 

The method keeps changing, so I'm assuming there is a standard or testing benchmark being done somewhere (Precision Shooting Magazine?)???


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Well not sure on all that. If it was me I would not ever shoot it..but if you did happen to have to pop a cap on some miscreant..then clean it. Try that.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

bigwheel said:


> Well not sure on all that. If it was me I would not ever shoot it..but if you did happen to have to pop a cap on some miscreant..then clean it. Try that.


I like that answer.


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## GasholeWillie (Jul 4, 2014)

Did you ever see the video of the guy breaking in his new gun? Starts throwing it on the ground, rock pile etc, until it made the right sound. Then he shot the crap out of it and put it back in the case.

Why not call the manufacturer and ask them the procedure? (I doubt that their is one) Best I have heard is give it a quick wipe down, take it to the range and shoot it, and clean it afterward. Lube to protect. Done. Seriously think plenty of that stuff is internet hogwash mental masterbation. We're not seating rings in a performance engine here, just shoot it!


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## Infidel (Dec 22, 2012)

I researched this question with my last new rifle. Eventually I came across a a Post on the high road by Gale McMillan builder of McMillan rifles. Basically it boils down to this, Gale felt that break in procedures were created by barrel makers in an attempt to sell more barrels and that it made no appreciable difference in accuracy. Gale's advice was to clean it first and then shoot it and clean it as you would any other rifle. This is the advice he gave for rifles sold by his own company also and said all a barrel break in procedure would do is wear out a barrel faster. The choice is ultimately ours when we buy new rifles but I figure if there's anyone that knows how to make a rifle more accurate, it's Gale McMillan so I don't use a break in procedure. Clean, shoot and clean again that's it for my rifles.

-Infidel


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Not sure for rifles, but for pistols I shoot 100, clean then 250 and clean. But with a pistol, you are more breaking in the springs and action.

Is your rifle bolt action? Or are we talking AR15?


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Its a bolt Savage.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Shoot it and whenever you do clean it, right then not next week. 

The barrel will be happy.

It may shoot better as the burrs and such are worn down from shooting, may take several hundred rounds to shoot best.

You can do things like lapping but a quality barrel should not need it.


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

I know guys that sight their bolt action rifle in by shooting 3 and then cleaning. Three more and clean. They do that until it is sighted in and then come back an hour later and repeat to make sure the heat of the barrel didn't effect the sighting in. Not sure if that would work or not for you. I think the main thing is to keep it uber lubed at first and use super clean ammo.

I prefer M-Pro7 products. CLP, Copper Solvent, Foaming Bore Cleaner.
http://www.mpro7.com/


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

My method,new or used firearm,disassemble,clean,make sure there are no obstructions in the bore,(who knows how it was treated at factory or last owner)
oil or grease as necessary.zero,shoot as much as you want,repeat in same order.

Most new firearms are test fired at least once (I hope) for functionality.I have had new ones that were just as dirty,(copper fouled,unburnt powder,hair!,etc,)and you never know what was done to it anywhere.

This is how I always treat mine and never have had a problem with them.some are pretty old and still hold zero.


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## SARGE7402 (Nov 18, 2012)

First I would take a clean patch and push it slowly down the barrel. Once that is done you should let the barrel rest for a week so it does not become over stressed. After the week has passed, you should then increase the speed of the patch down the barrel increasing the speed by one foot per second each week. At the end of two months, it is now time to take a plain lead - make sure it doesn't have a jacket on it - and start the same process. Give me a call if you have any questions:staff:


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## Smokin04 (Jan 29, 2014)

Personally, I think the "break-in" is more for ensuring functionality with heat in it. To fire one round (or even 10-20) is not adding sufficient heat to relaease any chemicals or particles left over from the machining process. Nope, for me, I take it to the back yard, put 180-240 rounds through it with about a 30 sec cool down between 50-60 rounds. Once the barrel is up to "operating temp" I'll run one "suppressing fire mag" meaning 1 rd every 2 sec, until the mag is empty. Let it cool, and clean with a good CLP. Inspect the bird cage, and put it up until the next adventure. After that, shouldn't have any problems.


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2012)

I cleaning the firearm, to make sure there is no grease or anything that could have been placed on it so it would store better by the manufacture. Then I take it to the range and sight it in. Once its sighted in I will clean it, then shoot it a bunch to make sure it stays sighted in and have fun shooting my new toy....


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## Infidel (Dec 22, 2012)

GTGallop said:


> I know guys that sight their bolt action rifle in by shooting 3 and then cleaning. Three more and clean. They do that until it is sighted in and then come back an hour later and repeat to make sure the heat of the barrel didn't effect the sighting in. Not sure if that would work or not for you. I think the main thing is to keep it uber lubed at first and use super clean ammo.
> 
> I prefer M-Pro7 products. CLP, Copper Solvent, Foaming Bore Cleaner.
> MPro7 - M-Pro7 Home Page


Most of the guys I know that do that do it to ensure their cold barrel shot will go where it's supposed to. A good idea especially for hunters vs. shooters who will write off the first shot as a fouling shot. I like to know where my cold barrel shot is going to land also so usually I sight it in and then set it aside for a while and let it cool then fire one shot to see what the difference in POI is.

-Infidel


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

MI.oldguy said:


> My method,new or used firearm,disassemble,clean,make sure there are no obstructions in the bore,(who knows how it was treated at factory or last owner)
> oil or grease as necessary.zero,shoot as much as you want,repeat in same order.
> 
> Most new firearms are test fired at least once (I hope) for functionality.I have had new ones that were just as dirty,(copper fouled,unburnt powder,hair!,etc,)and you never know what was done to it anywhere.
> ...


My procedure exactly. I once bought a rifle that had a small broken piece of plastic in the barrel (from the factory straight out of the box). I'm glad that I cleaned and inspected it first.


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## keith9365 (Apr 23, 2014)

Just send the gun to me with a few hundred rounds and I'll break it in for you. This will save you all the trouble.


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