HD Tactical

Rifle barrel break-in, Needed or Myth?

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  • HEIST

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    I've got a new, cheap 24" AR barrel and a Remington 700 243. I was wondering what's everybody's take on the barrel break in procedure? Do you do a break in or not, and what is your reasoning behind it? I will do the break in on my AR barrel just because it is only an $80 barrel and I think it would do it some good. Screenshot_2017-08-29-21-05-28.png
     

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    Little Jack

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    MYTH!!!!

    I'm no expert so take this fwiw.

    Rumor started by a barrel maker in order to get his customers to use up his product a little bit quicker..... Thereby buying more product.

    Is your AR barrel chrome lined? If so, you're not going to break that in.

    I just got a stainless grendel barrel. I've put 15rds through it. The last 5 were .5moa.

    If you want to break in your barrel, go ahead. I don't. That's just me though.
     

    Dan1612

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    I don't break in. My most fired AR has a stainless barrel, and I just shoot it. I also don't clean it nearly as much as I probably should, and it just runs, and runs beautifully. The people who made it also didn't break it in to test fire and make the test target.
    Of course, "breaking in" won't hurt anything, but I say myth.
     

    FUPAGUNT

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    Break it in by going to the range this weekend and putting 500 rounds down range. Thats my idea of breaking it in. 1 shot clean 1 shot clean. BS if you ask me
     

    HEIST

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    Thanks for the responses. Nate, your response is the best one I've seen so far, nobody could tell me why most of the manufacturers recommend a break in procedure.
     

    SAWMAN

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    I do believe that you just answered your own question.
    I do not profess to be smarter than a bbl manufacturer. They are machinists, metallurgists,have expierance,and etc.
    If the maker of your bbl tells you to break it in,the bbl that you just paid good money for,why would you not follow their directions ??
    Lets face it . . $80 for a bbl isn't much. >$250 would be a different story. Think about this in another way. Why would you not break in a bbl ?? Don't have the time ?? Don't have the money for ammo ?? Will wear it out ?? Too damn lazy??
    When I go to the range with a new bbl,i'm at the range,i'm shooting,i'm learning my gun,i'm sighting in my scope("walking" it towards the intended zero). Do you consider all those things time consuming,a PITA,not fun,not worth the trouble ?? I don't.
    I break in different bbls in different ways. I feel that the larger the bore diameter,the less break in time(shots)necessary. I never break in a bbl using the method in the OP. I admit,that is kinda "anal". Before I take a new bbl to the range it has already been partially broken in. It has been scrubbed with didderent cleaners and JB Cleaner or Rem Clean. The last two are mildly abrasive. This,to start taking out some of the marks,high spots,left by the tooling process.
    I consider firarm maintance a part of firearm ownership. I come from the "take care of your weapon and it will take care of you" crowd. I guess that I need to start a bbl break in buisness. How's $50 sound so you can go do "more important" things ?? --- SAWMAN
    P.S. My use of "bbl" means firearm barrel. This seems to confuse certain members so I thought I would explain.
     

    wildrider666

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    No fact or fiction answer covers the issue.

    1. Every new guns bore should be cleaned throughly before you shoot it.

    2. You must understand the basic accuracy potential of the firearm involved.

    A. If we consider a generic AK with probable 2.5 MOA, cleaning the bore after the first slow 10 rounds should be sufficient.

    B. If you purchased a high dollar precession barrel or rifle that has sub 1 MOA potential and you want to get the best accuracy it can deliver, then barrel break in (shoot, clean, repeat....) per the manufacture guidelines is in your best interest. This type of barrel break in is a attempt to get the benefits of manually or fire Lapping the barrel.

    C. Barrel Lapping are methods of deburr, smooth and polish the bore to reduce roughness, fouling snag points, slight restrictions and other manufacturing imperfections you can't see with te naked eye. Done manually with a lead lap and rod or firing bullets (both) impregnated with abrasive grit (starting large finishing fine). You can Net search detais as desired.

    3. Chrome lined barrels and a few of the newer barrel bore coatings act to provide a smooth bore and extend barrel life especially in firearms that may be subject to high volumes/sustained fire. I would not Lap these, just 10 rounds the remove debris/clean.

    4. People spend big bucks on sub MOA firearms, some of those same folks do mag dumps or rapid firing that creates excessive heat which results in bore errosion and loss of accuracy. Point being that your actual use may eliminate any benifit achieved by break in or Lapping over the long haul.

    5. The OPs $80 barrel is a economy level unless he really scored. It is probably not as "refined" as other higher dollar products that the Mfg put more time into. Break in or lapping could improve a non lined/coated barrel but not to the level of a really good Mfg barrel and if there are mag dumps in its future it would just be a wasted effort.

    6. Accuracy depends on three things: what you put into the firearm, the ammo and your skill. You must be realistic in your expectations or you waste time and money IMHO.
     

    FrankT

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    Why not if the manufacture suggests it? Just more fun shooting and if sighting in to it gives the barrel time to cool down between shots. I tend to run a snake between shots when breaking in, fast and easy. Of course the weapon has already been cleaned and prepped before the range too.
     

    HEIST

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    I'm not against breaking in a barrel. I am planning on doing it, I was talking to guys at work that said it's a myth. I just figured most everybody did the break in but I was wrong. I don't see a down side to doing it so I would still do it anyways. After alittle research most manufacturers recommend it but not all. The $80 barrel isn't chrome lined and I know it's cheaper for a reason. All reviews on them say they get sub MOA out of these barrels though. I plan on reviewing it when I get to the range and see what it can do.

    Also, the Nosler break in is for their custom barrels. They do the break in on their M48s rifles before they leave the factory., so you don't have to.
     

    barebones1

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    I just re-barrel one and built another from scratch. Followed the JP Barrel process from the video. Took the Odin works out and shot 6 rounds swabbed the barrel shot 30 more. Shot the Mississippi state championship the next day. Results.......if anyone has a dime they would like a hole in ,let me know. Both rifles are lazers

    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
     

    Zeroed in

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    It's kinda like answering which is better, Ford or Chevy? But I'm like you are, an $80 barrel, it won't hurt to do it.
    And if you will, please take pictures of the groupings during the break-in period, and then pics of the groupings after the break-in. Just to give us all an idea if it really helps on tighter groups. It won't be absolute data, bc of match-grade barrels, but it'll give you and us a little insight. Thanks
     
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