School me on breaking in a new rifle

[Drycreek3189]

Years ago I did a study on this and there must be 20 different ways to "break in" a barrel. There is one cleaning method using lapping compound....really? I tried the 20 shot method on a couple of rifles vs a no cleaning method. All the rifles shoot just fine, tack drivers. So I quit using the 20 shot method. I now just initially clean the barrel, shoot, cool, shoot, cool, lube the barrel and dry patch it.

The one thing I noticed, the more I shot the rifles, the tighter the groups got. In my opinion, you need some copper fouling to increase accuracy. When the bullet is running on a thin layer of copper is less friction than on a steel barrel. Now this is just my unprofessional opinion.

Its all an imperfect science, but a heck of a conversation subject

A lot of guys that know more about rifles than I do believe your theory about a little copper fouling being a good thing, so there must be something to it. I believe most of us would be a little surprised to look at the average new rifle bore through the "eyes" of a bore-scope. Some of them look rougher than used barb wire. A little copper "plating" mught improve them

[BULL21]

A lot of guys that know more about rifles than I do believe your theory about a little copper fouling being a good thing, so there must be something to it. I believe most of us would be a little surprised to look at the average new rifle bore through the "eyes" of a bore-scope. Some of them look rougher than used barb wire. A little copper "plating" mught improve them

All barrels have imperfections in them. As copper passes down the barrel it fills in the imperfections(like filling a pothole). When all the copper has been cleaned out, it has to be replaced to improve accuracy. Thus the reason n for fouling shots before shooting.

[adam_p]

Shilen told me break in was pointless and only caused unnecessary wear on the barrel when they built my rifle.

[BrianL]

Years ago I did a study on this and there must be 20 different ways to "break in" a barrel. There is one cleaning method using lapping compound....really? I tried the 20 shot method on a couple of rifles vs a no cleaning method. All the rifles shoot just fine, tack drivers. So I quit using the 20 shot method. I now just initially clean the barrel, shoot, cool, shoot, cool, lube the barrel and dry patch it.

The one thing I noticed, the more I shot the rifles, the tighter the groups got. In my opinion, you need some copper fouling to increase accuracy. When the bullet is running on a thin layer of copper is less friction than on a steel barrel. Now this is just my unprofessional opinion.

Its all an imperfect science, but a heck of a conversation subject

Almost every new gun I have bought, started shooting better groups around 30 shots in. I don't think there is much difference in shooting 20 and cleaning then start testing your shot group, but cleanup on 20 rounds through a new gun would take FOREVER without using a brush. I just don't like using a brush unless I have to, so it is much easier to shoot a few and clean, then repeat.

I use the sighting in process for breakin.

[BrianL]

Shilen told me break in was pointless and only caused unnecessary wear on the barrel when they built my rifle.

A LOT of difference between a Shilen barrel, and a factory Savage Axis barrel.

[bowaddict40]

I’m with the other guys. Shoot it and sight it in. However I don’t use rods any longer. I only use the bore snakes.

[BJ DUPLECHAIN]

A LOT of difference between a Shilen barrel, and a factory Savage Axis barrel.

Lol

[Dave]

A LOT of difference between a Shilen barrel, and a factory Savage Axis barrel.

True, but break in is the same. Unless you are at the point in your shooting that you can tell when you start to loose .25in of accuracy as you near 3000 shots then the break in process isn't necessary.

[grizzman]

https://savagearms.zendesk.com/hc/en...-in-procedure-

I did this with a rifle one time. It still didn't shoot any better than the other rifles that I had that I had just cleaned, took to the range, shot three- three round groups, and cleaned again.

My BIL swore by the final finish bullets for break in but his rifles didn't group any better than mine.

[BrianL]

True, but break in is the same. Unless you are at the point in your shooting that you can tell when you start to loose .25in of accuracy as you near 3000 shots then the break in process isn't necessary.

To me, it's not as much about accuracy, as it is about ease of cleaning. I have done it both ways, and no way to really tell if one way would have made it more accurate than another because every gun is different. What I can tell you, cleaning a new gun that has been shot 20-30 without cleaning is MUCH harder to clean, than cleaning a barrel little as you go.

[Artos]

Biggest issue is many will read that clean & shoot method, not have a GOOD bore guide & cause way more damage to the bore than just taking it out and shooting the snot out of it.

[Mike D]

I had no idea the break-in process for a new rifle was so laborious, time intensive and potentially expensive. Wow.

Only on rifles with mediocre or less machining processes.


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[TexasBob]

Biggest issue is many will read that clean & shoot method, not have a GOOD bore guide & cause way more damage to the bore than just taking it out and shooting the snot out of it.

I have been reading this. What's a good bore guide?


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[lovemylegacy]

Almost every new gun I have bought, started shooting better groups around 30 shots in. I don't think there is much difference in shooting 20 and cleaning then start testing your shot group, but cleanup on 20 rounds through a new gun would take FOREVER without using a brush. I just don't like using a brush unless I have to, so it is much easier to shoot a few and clean, then repeat.

I use the sighting in process for breakin.

It took me right at 6 hours, but I was breaking in more than one

[lovemylegacy]

Shilen told me break in was pointless and only caused unnecessary wear on the barrel when they built my rifle.

Absolute truth.