Barrel Break In Procedure ?

[cjensen]

From FAQs
"Our break in procedure is as follows:
5 rounds of copper jacket bullets, clean with non-copper removing solvent, clean with patch, repeat process for a total of 60 rounds.
We recommend shooting a good quality copper jacket bullet."

It seems to me with the polygon rifling a bore snake should be all that's needed every 5 rounds.

[GLSHOOTER]

Jan 28, 2012 4:06:48 GMT -8 cjensen said:

From FAQs
"Our break in procedure is as follows:
5 rounds of copper jacket bullets, clean with non-copper removing solvent, clean with patch, repeat process for a total of 60 rounds.
We recommend shooting a good quality copper jacket bullet."

It seems to me with the polygon rifling a bore snake should be all that's needed every 5 rounds.

This is what BHW recommends. There are about as many different ways to do it as there are shooters. Some just clean the bore and go shoot 'em and never worry about it. I go a bit more in to it than BHW does but it is how I've done it for 40+ years now.

Some guys start with mag dumps to start and mag dumps to end. I just hate to see a precision barrel like a BHW product get treated like a run of the mill chrome lined barrel where minute of grocery sack at 100 yards is acceptable.

When I shoot mine at PD's I want to hit a 1" circle, the head, at an unknown distance, usually 200 + yards, and I want that flat trajectory and the sub-MOA working for me. I can get trajectory anywhere but it is the accuracy that separates the tubes and to KEEP that accuracy will only take a bit longer IMHO. Just like bore guides, I don't clean any of my rifles without one. I want my $'s to last.

I do use a bore snake out on the PD fields and I don't take time to clean the rifle after about 40 rounds or so and I am on my second or third rifle for the day. I like to rotate them every 40-50 rounds so I usually take three to play with.

Greg

[djmfl]

Greg's absolutely correct. Everyone has their favorite method of breaking in a barrel. Mine's simple and I've used it for 40+ years on everything from a NM M1 Garand to a CMP qualified AR15 Match Rifle. Fire 60 rounds leaving at least 2 minutes between rounds (and don't cheat on the time).

Go home and clean it properly - using a coated rod with a bore guide and you're good to go. I have never used a bore snake. I don't have anything against them - I've just never used one. Like a baseball player trying to avoid a slump, I rarely vary from a proven method.

I've shot competition for too many years to remember and, again, like Greg - I hate to see shooters waste their equipment needlessly by just banging away. BHW barrels are superb and very accurate. Take care of it and it'll last you a lifetime of fun and accurate shooting!

[Deleted]

There is nothing better or worse than other.

I do the following:

First 10 rounds clean between each round.
Next 20 rounds clean between two rounds
Next 30 rounds clean between three rounds.
At this point I shot 60 bullets and cleaned 30 times.
Then just keep shooting and clean every 5 rounds for 50
more rounds and then I am done. (total 40 clean bores in 110 rounds).
I do not avoid copper solvent since I get that bore super clean with a clean patch before we run a round again. The popular hoppes works for me and I have shoot many submoa systems for many years.
Any budget/bulk buy hunting bullet with a copper jacket will
do just fine as you might be using some to sight your glass
at the same time, tune your system, and general break in, etc...
Can use surplus bullets for 308 or 223, no problem as soon
as they are clean of dust, oxidation, or any debris.

Many other methods are equally effective. What it makes sense in all this is not to go hard on the barrel from get go. That is why I think cleaning 10 times with the first 10 bullets and another 10 times with the following 20 might be the most critical. at this point the barrel already has some conditioning so the rest might be less critical. Have not scientific proof of that but I do get good accuracy in many barrels. I might be lucky or the fact that I try to buy accurate barrels. Don't know.
Some of my best shooting buddies tell me why so much trouble but my thinking is it doesn't hurt neither and normally I am not done with tuning anyway.
zeroing, debugging and working in the loads or adjustable gas block settings (if I have one) to gas the system accordingly.

What works for me might not work for others based on their specific setup, likes and dislikes so do not take anything I say to heart, it is simply informational.

[rswarden]

The break in ive always used is much like the above. ^^^

[djmfl]

Breaking in a barrel is like seasoning a quality cast iron skillet. Every Grandma has her special method. The important thing is that like us shooters, Grandma knows she needs to do it to make things right.

I look at it this way. Seasoning or breaking in a barrel isn't a chore nor is it going to so much trouble. Heck, if it goes bang - its fun to me!!!

I love reading all the different methods. Each has important components of insuring a quality outcome. In the end, pick one method you feel is right and stick with it and have fun while doing it.

Thanks everyone. Great info, here.

[Deleted]

Now you start talking about grandma and skillets I am getting hungry. Just what I need, another couple of cookies before I go to bed!