# Rifle break in



## AKdakota (Apr 3, 2005)

Well I read the manual and got a good idear, just was wondering about some tips.

I took it out put some rounds through it and brought it home ran a bore brush through it and then cleaned with some rags and rem oil after that.

Any other tips other than just getting some rounds through it making sure it'll shoot straight? :lol:


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Get the trigger adjusted to have a 2 1/2 to 3 pound, clean and crispt.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

I am probably going to be flamed for this, but what the heck
I used to do extensive break-in on the barrel, first 10 rounds clean after each round, then I would shoot five 3 round groups clean after each group of 3, then five groups of 5 rounds cleaning after each 5 round group. 
Then I read this:

"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."

Written by Gale McMillan and taken from:
http://www.snipercountry.com/Articles/B ... reakIn.asp

More from Mr. McMillan: http://www.aboutguns.net/mcmillan.html

So now I don't worry about breaking in a barrel. I shoot it and clean it as needed. Incidentally, I also no longer try to remove all of the copper from the bore as in most factory barrels there are microscopic deformities in the barrel that this copper fills in, remove it all and you are essentially staring all over from scratch. Now I'm not saying that I don't remove some of the copper fouling, I just don't get so anal about removing all traces of it any more.

Zog gave you good advise about the trigger.

Also make sure that you keep the cheek weld consistent, you will not get repeatable accuracy if you mount the rifle with your cheek in a different spot each time.

Pay close attention to ammo, if you are using factory ammo and do not reload, you will want to try out several different brands and bullet weights to find which one your rifle likes the best, then stick with it.

huntin1


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## AKdakota (Apr 3, 2005)

thanks guys,

I've never owned a new gun, just old ones, but I figured just a normal cleaning schedule would work.


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## Militant_Tiger (Feb 23, 2004)

I did the break in on my tc classic .22, think i wore the barrel out more than I increased the accuracy. I would not do it again. It seems to me that if the barrel needs to have the nicks in it ground down it will happen with time.


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## DuaneinND (Jan 22, 2005)

First off I will say I agree in principal with Gale that in reality the "break" in process should be renamed the "wear" in process, because that is what you are attempting to do is smooth the barrel. I do however use a condensed version of barrel break in with every barrel I install.
I always clean before the first shot. Fire 1 shot and clean the barrel, a good quality ss barrel will clean up in about 5 patches with regular Shooters Choice or something similar. I will shoot 1 more and clean again, the barrel should be "easier" to clean the second time- this is done for 5 shots. The barrel is then ready for accuracy testing. I do clean every 10 shots when testing. When shooting for fun or prairie dogs I will go as high as 50 between cleanings. 
Factory barrels present a different challenge in the fact that they are not lapped after manufacture as are custom barrels. I would use the same process for the fact that it seems like once you burnish(polish) a barrel with the 1 and clean that it does not foul as quickly or as severely.


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

I used to "break in" a barrel on new guns until I also read Gale McMillan's posts. I have since then taken his advice "just shoot it and have fun" and have found no difference in accuracy. In fact one of the rifles I did the break in process on just wouldn't shoot well enough for what I wanted. It lasted 2 months and traded it in for something different. Much happier now.
:sniper:


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