Factory barrel break in procedure

[slipknot]

I know many of you will just say shoot the gun, no need to break it in. I have read a lot and watch videos about it and sharpshooters mostly state it helps and I can see why given that factory barrels have not been lapped much like a custom is. I am not comfortable using JB bore compound and running that in a brand new barrel.
So I want to do as my brother has recommended and use the Tubbs final finish bore lapping system for .308 bullets and I will purchase just the 50 bullet system and load them to the minimum spec rather than the expensive ammo already to go way to do it. Midway has them, they have both the ammo and just the actual bullets all ready to go with 5 stages of polishing.

They do not go into much detail about the cleaning procedure between sets of shots and was wondering if any of you have tried this system with a Factory barrel and how it went?

I have a new Remington 700P chambered in .308
I am getting all the proper cleaning stuff I think will be needed like a bore guide, Sweets , carbon fiber rod, Dewey - parker hale style Jag, etc.

Thanks if you can help me

 

[Andy in NH]

 

[PilotRPI]

I broke in a Rem 700 ltr modifying a procedure I found. Used factory ammo. One round then clean. Did this two or three times. Then two rounds, clean. Three rounds, clean. Four rounds, clean. Then I did five rounds, clean two or three times.

I used the jag u mentioned and a nylon brush. I now get awesome results with factory match ammo if I'm not a spaz. Less than 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards. Soda cans have no chance at a few hundred yards. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[GM-GUY]

That is what I did with my Weatherby 300 Mag, it cleans easier now too. The barrel smooths out, and with a good cleaning copper isn't left within the pores of the metal for more to stick too. Very accurate for being a cannon - can hit within 1/2" of predicted POI with the first round every time "Cold Bore" - which is what hunting is.

With that said, my LaRue OBR in 308 got 5 rounds then a clean, then 20, now I'll do ~100 at the range then clean with a bore snake every 20 and home for a good clean. 100 rounds has been the most amount of time I've had available so far. This gun is stupid accurate 5-shot 1/2" 100yd if I do my part.

 

[Asaltweapon]

I followed the instructions that came direct from Armalite for my AR10T.

 

[bfm]

I would clean between polishing stages when grits change.

 

[tysdad115]

The only barrel I broke in according to the manufacturer was my Krieger. It was a pain in the ass but it shoots damn good. Would it shoot the same if I didn't do it that way? No idea.

 

[Hoon]

Look into the copper equilibrium method.

 

[timbo]

Some guns come with a cow barrel

 

[mac1911]

barrel break in is very subjective.... on a non finish lapped production barrel my thoughts are do you think its going to make a overall difference on accuracy?

I recommend before doing anything find someone with a bore scope and take a good look inside your bore and chamber. see how it looks. I sort of recommend not doing this most bores look awful, if you seen my enfield barrel you would wonder how it shoots at all.

I have always done barrel break in like this.

Clean the barrel completely free of any dirt and oil the best you can.
fire one shot, clean, fire 2 shots clean, 5 shots clean...then shoot 10 shots for group see how it does.

My match barrel AR seems to need about 20 rounds after cleaning to get consistent groups from the rifle rest.

heres remingtons quide lines
https://support.remington.com/Gener...nded_break_in_procedure_for_Remington_rifles?

for what its worth I used the firelap on a old beat up savage....went from minute of somewhere to 5" groups. Its hard to tell if it actually reduced copper build up. I don't think the rifle was ever cleaned and so far only has about 80 rounds through it. I do a bore snake pull and a oil patch for storage. Then I pull a few dry patches before I fire it again

 

[slipknot]

I was thinking of some kind of modified regiment as you used PilotRPI using factory ammo, but I like the idea of the Tubbs bullets doing some polishing as my brother suggested.

The copper equilibrium procedure that I watched on youtube was quite involved and I am not crazy about using JB bore compound and all that shooting and cleaning, I am not in the service and have to keep the rifle clean as much as they do it. It would take me hours and hours of shooting it seems.

bfm, that is what they recommend but I was thinking 5 or 10 rounds before cleaning it seems like a lot for initial shooting of it.

mac, I asked a friend about doing that beforehand and he said I don't want to see it raw. The more I read and think about it, I would like to see it first so I may have something to compare to after breaking it in.


I will research more about the copper fouling aspect and also email or call about the cleaning with the Tubbs.

Andy, I know your Krieger shoots damn well, well worth it I'm sure.


Thanks

 

[mac1911]

I was thinking of some kind of modified regiment as you used PilotRPI using factory ammo, but I like the idea of the Tubbs bullets doing some polishing as my brother suggested.

The copper equilibrium procedure that I watched on youtube was quite involved and I am not crazy about using JB bore compound and all that shooting and cleaning, I am not in the service and have to keep the rifle clean as much as they do it. It would take me hours and hours of shooting it seems.

bfm, that is what they recommend but I was thinking 5 or 10 rounds before cleaning it seems like a lot for initial shooting of it.

mac, I asked a friend about doing that beforehand and he said I don't want to see it raw. The more I read and think about it, I would like to see it first so I may have something to compare to after breaking it in.


I will research more about the copper fouling aspect and also email or call about the cleaning with the Tubbs.

Andy, I know your Krieger shoots damn well, well worth it I'm sure.


Thanks

you may not want to see it after all that tubs treatment either.

 

[slipknot]

Got it, maybe I just skip the 1st set of aggressive grit.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

The only barrel I broke in according to the manufacturer was my Krieger. It was a pain in the ass but it shoots damn good. Would it shoot the same if I didn't do it that way? No idea.

This is the key question.

The amount of voodoo on barrel breakin vastly exceeds the amount of actual data, and there are virtually no double blind studies.

A proper test would be giving a bunch of shooters 30 identical guns - 10 broken in; 10 shot a bit but not broken in; and 10 only shot one round (to make it impossible to tell if it was an unshot gun), and see if there is any statistically valid disecrnment in the accuracy they detect. It would be important that the guns not be identified as to which group they are in to avoid unintentional bias, and also important that the person handing the guns out not know either.

 

[bfm]

http://www.scout.com/military/snipe...ective-research-on-barrel-break-in-procedures

 

[slipknot]

thanks bfm, I have read some of his posts already and will check out this recap, I may change my mind after this.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I have a very complex procedure for breaking in my rifle barrels. I load up a mag, and the I dump it. I rinse and repeat so long as I have ammo. Then I take it home and clean it. Very complex procedure. I only have one bolt gun... A browning x-bolt in 30-06. It can hit a dime repeatedly at 200 yards... I followed this procedure with it.