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Barrel Break-in Bliss!

5K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Piexcel 
#1 ·
Okay. I meant the title tongue in cheek as I do not enjoy the process of breaking in a new rifle barrel. But today was the first day I had the opportunity to go the range in a long while. I acquired a new Bergara B14 HMR in 6.5 Creedmoor back in February with the intent to start the break-in process, but Covid craziness put that on hold. Today the boring task started. The breaking-in process is a necessary evil, but there are much worse things (as evidenced by the past eight weeks).

I spent an entire day at the range today and fired four shots (they felt good!). The rest of the time was spent waiting on Hoppe's #9, cleaning the bore, and chatting with other patrons. The range officers were gracious enough to let me shoot on one bench and have my cleaning setup on another bench. It was a blissful day spent outdoors! I'll be back in a few days to continue working the barrel.

 
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#4 ·
So tell us.

Do you feel that the barrel was adequately broken in by the end of the shooting session? If so why, or why not. Give us some more information.
 
#6 ·
Do you feel that the barrel was adequately broken in by the end of the shooting session? If so why, or why not. Give us some more information.
When I left the range, I did not think the barrel was broken in. During my range session, I fired one shot, then ran the bore brush with Hoppe's #9, and then ran patches. I should've kept an accurate count of how many patches I was using, but I didn't. I remember it took a long time running patches to clean out the copper after shots #1 and #2. It only took five patches to clean the barrel after shot #3. After shot #4, I ran the bore brush before I packed up and went home (range was closing). I'm cleaning the rifle at home now and noted that the bore is clean after four patches.

Based on what I'm observing, I'm close to the end of the break-in process. Bergara barrels have a reputation of very high quality, which helps keep the break-in process short. I'm most likely observing that right now. I'm still going back the range and firing one shot followed by thorough cleaning. Then I'm moving to 3-shot strings for groups at 50 yards before moving over to 100 yards.
 
#11 ·
Last aftemarket barrel I paid for is a kreiger 28" finish length 7mm remmag . I followed the break in instructions the gun smith had from Kreiger . Took all day to fire 20 rounds but ended up with a nothing special clear cut rifle that will place factory Hornady 139gr sst inside 2" at 400 yards and a the loads the gunsmith supplied went a solid 1" at 400 yards . .

Follow instructions are don't . Perhaps some barrel makers spend a bit of extra time Hand lapping in the barrel and perhaps rifling is cut or "pulled " differently than others But even then ammo you use can leave copper and carbon redsidual behind that should be cleaned until you find point that no copper shows in your bore after using a quality ammonia free carbon cleaner . 20 fired rounds for SS barrels to 30 rounds for carbon steel rounds can be enough.

I've used KG-12 for copper cleaning for many years and techron as a carbon cleaner with jb's bore polish and kroil occasionally after the season then g96 clp for safe time .

I not a long range shooter just a hunter but it's nice having a rifle 22 years later still cable of placing a round accurately out 450 yards on a deer but its hard to tell the shooters from the let walk deer once your at 400 yards + .
 
#14 ·
I not a long range shooter just a hunter but it's nice having a rifle 22 years later still cable of placing a round accurately out 450 yards on a deer but its hard to tell the shooters from the let walk deer once your at 400 yards + .
That takes the cake!

Anyway Piexcel, give us a range report when you get that thing dialed in. What are you going to put on it for glass?
I mounted a Vortex Viper PST Gen 2 with EBR-2C MOA reticle. I think I was one of the last group of folks to get this model before Vortex switched to the EBR-7C reticle.
 
#12 ·
We have had a number of discussions about barrel break in over the years.

It appears that we are about equally divided on it. As in do it/do not do it. A couple of take aways from that. Pretty much agreed that taking a brand new rifle out and running two or three hundred rounds rapidly through it with no cleaning. This is likely not advisable for best results.

Additionally it is pretty much a given that a barrel with cut rifling like say the Bartleins or Kreigers will generally outshoot button bored barrels. Like Bergara and Hart and a lot of the others. The cut rifled barrels generally come with a cleaner original bore, so may not really benefit much from a drawn out break in.

Anyway Piexcel, give us a range report when you get that thing dialed in. What are you going to put on it for glass?
 
#13 ·
I did the barrel break in thing for many years on many barrels.

A few years back I bought two Bartlien 8 twist 243 barrels. I had them both chambered at the same time in the same caliber.

I broke one in using the shoot and clean method, and the other in an identical rifle just got shot.

At the 200 round mark I shot some groups and cleaned them both with Shooters Choice and Kroil using VFG pellets. Both got a little JB bore paste in the throat.

In the shop, the borescope told me that they both looked identical.

On the range, accuracy was identical out to 600 yards and results over the chronograph were also identical. Both gave the normal velocity boost/gain around the 150 round mark.

For me, barrel break in is a waste of time.

I will still do a simple version of it for 50 BMG match barrels, but thats it.
 
#15 ·
Barrel breaking in is done. The bore is definitely smoothing out. I fired 10 rounds on my final string, and the cleaning session only took 17 patches to clean the barrel. Compare that to earlier during the breaking-in routine, and 3-shot strings took me 18 patches to clean.

The first targets below are 5-shot strings, shot using a sandbag rest, at 100 yards during the breaking-in process. The orange stickers are 1-inch in diameter. The groups measure about 1.5 to 2 inches. Not the greatest; I chalked it up to rusty technique having not done rifle shooting since October 2019 (and my sandbag technique needs improvement). The un-circled holes came from me sighting in my new 1-4x optic on my AR15 at 30 and 50 yards.



I tried the bipod for shooting at 100 yards and got the best group of the day on the far right; my last shot was the flyer. My shooting form is slowly coming back, and I'm looking forward to practicing more often. The un-circled holes on this target came from the guy next to me shooting at my target by mistake.



I was using Remington ammo purchased back in January from Walmart's expunging-ammo sale. I bought the ammo for 50% off and figured it would be good for use during barrel breaking in. Next up is to pack my bags and head back to Utah!! I'm hitting the road this week. The plan is to continue working this 6.5 rifle, work up some loads, and work with my buddy on my long-range shooting technique. I'm taking my 223 and 308 bolt guns with me on the trip. My buddy and I are going to be doing a lot of reloading and shooting. Should be a good time!

 
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