Barrel break in. Again.
- Thread starter Rustydust
- Start date
JoeyJ
New member
It all comes down to the quality of barrel steel and the barrel manufacturer. If you purchase a quality barrel that has been heat treated and hand lapped - your break-in will be short and sweet.
You don't break-in a barrel to improve accuracy - you break it in to save cleaning time and maintain your barrels accuracy potential, as the barrel will copper foul very little.
Most barrels are made of acceptable steel quality but have not been heat treated or hand lapped. That means when your barrel heats up, the groups probably will grow larger - heat treating or cryo treatment usually will cure that - firing one shot and clean after each shot fired will do some good to a non-hand lapped barrel relative to copper build up but it'll probably be very time consuming - not talking minutes here like with hand lapped stainless steel match grade barrels - but hours, sometimes lots of hours. Up to the individual if they think it's time well spent - most don't when shooting non hand lapped barrels.
Here's a decent article explaining the cause.
https://kriegerbarrels.com/faq#breakin
You don't break-in a barrel to improve accuracy - you break it in to save cleaning time and maintain your barrels accuracy potential, as the barrel will copper foul very little.
Most barrels are made of acceptable steel quality but have not been heat treated or hand lapped. That means when your barrel heats up, the groups probably will grow larger - heat treating or cryo treatment usually will cure that - firing one shot and clean after each shot fired will do some good to a non-hand lapped barrel relative to copper build up but it'll probably be very time consuming - not talking minutes here like with hand lapped stainless steel match grade barrels - but hours, sometimes lots of hours. Up to the individual if they think it's time well spent - most don't when shooting non hand lapped barrels.
Here's a decent article explaining the cause.
https://kriegerbarrels.com/faq#breakin
I've seen it done a bunch of different ways and heard a bunch of different reasoning's. Being rifle chairman at my club, I spend a lot of time there so I see it all. Some will say its a waste of time and others think its necessary. I think the main thing is to not over heat a new barrel be it custom or factory. I think it all boils down to what makes you feel good. I seldom do it but I usually take more than one rifle and usually shoot about 20-25 rounds through each and clean when I get home. But thats just me and I won't tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do with their rifle.
I've talked to multiple different barrel manufacturers over the years about barrel break in and they all said about the same thing, it's not really the barrel you are "breaking in" but rather the throat.
Generally, all of my custom barrels have always copper'd very little and clean up relatively easy, while my factory barrels usually do a fair bit more and require more frequent as well as more intense cleaning.
Generally, all of my custom barrels have always copper'd very little and clean up relatively easy, while my factory barrels usually do a fair bit more and require more frequent as well as more intense cleaning.
Rustydust
Active member
Originally Posted By: B23
Generally, all of my custom barrels have always copper'd very little and clean up relatively easy, while my factory barrels usually do a fair bit more and require more frequent as well as more intense cleaning.
That is so true. When I got my first custom barrel I could hardly believe how slick it was. Shoot all day and it still cleans up easy peasy.
Generally, all of my custom barrels have always copper'd very little and clean up relatively easy, while my factory barrels usually do a fair bit more and require more frequent as well as more intense cleaning.
That is so true. When I got my first custom barrel I could hardly believe how slick it was. Shoot all day and it still cleans up easy peasy.
Winny Fan
New member
I've bought a few Shilen barrels in my life time and I have always had good results.
I think their barrel break-in procedure is an honest approach......... Quoted from their web site:
"How should I break-in my new Shilen barrel?
Break-in procedures are as diverse as cleaning techniques. Shilen, Inc. introduced a break-in procedure mostly because customers seemed to think that we should have one. By and large, we don't think breaking-in a new barrel is a big deal. All our stainless steel barrels have been hand lapped as part of their production, as well as any chrome moly barrel we install. Hand lapping a barrel polishes the interior of the barrel and eliminates sharp edges or burrs that could cause jacket deformity. This, in fact, is what you are doing when you break-in a new barrel through firing and cleaning.Here is our standard recommendation: Clean after each shot for the first 5 shots. The remainder of the break-in is to clean every 5 shots for the next 50 shots. During this time, don't just shoot bullets down the barrel during this 50 shot procedure. This is a great time to begin load development. Zero the scope over the first 5 shots, and start shooting for accuracy with 5-shot groups for the next 50 shots. Same thing applies to fire forming cases for improved or wildcat cartridges. Just firing rounds down a barrel to form brass without any regard to their accuracy is a mistake. It is a waste of time and barrel life."
Gale McMillan's thoughts:
https://www.6mmbr.com/GailMcMbreakin.html
I think their barrel break-in procedure is an honest approach......... Quoted from their web site:
"How should I break-in my new Shilen barrel?
Break-in procedures are as diverse as cleaning techniques. Shilen, Inc. introduced a break-in procedure mostly because customers seemed to think that we should have one. By and large, we don't think breaking-in a new barrel is a big deal. All our stainless steel barrels have been hand lapped as part of their production, as well as any chrome moly barrel we install. Hand lapping a barrel polishes the interior of the barrel and eliminates sharp edges or burrs that could cause jacket deformity. This, in fact, is what you are doing when you break-in a new barrel through firing and cleaning.Here is our standard recommendation: Clean after each shot for the first 5 shots. The remainder of the break-in is to clean every 5 shots for the next 50 shots. During this time, don't just shoot bullets down the barrel during this 50 shot procedure. This is a great time to begin load development. Zero the scope over the first 5 shots, and start shooting for accuracy with 5-shot groups for the next 50 shots. Same thing applies to fire forming cases for improved or wildcat cartridges. Just firing rounds down a barrel to form brass without any regard to their accuracy is a mistake. It is a waste of time and barrel life."
Gale McMillan's thoughts:
https://www.6mmbr.com/GailMcMbreakin.html
Rock Knocker
Active member
Ive gone through the barrel break in with some new barrels and others not. I dont notice anything different, the differences inherent to most barrels is going to make it hard to know if it ever really helps.
I make sure to give the barrel a good cleaning before shooting. Cleaning all factory lube and metal shavings and feeling for any burrs or machining marks.
Like said above, if you buy a good quality hand lapped barrel then what is there to "break in", fouling the barrel a bit is all you're really doing, which isnt a bad thing usually but...break in?
And what exactly is breaking in? It's a certain process but what's the outcome?
I would do it again if I spent a bit on a bolt action barrel, but I wouldnt expect much for it.
I make sure to give the barrel a good cleaning before shooting. Cleaning all factory lube and metal shavings and feeling for any burrs or machining marks.
Like said above, if you buy a good quality hand lapped barrel then what is there to "break in", fouling the barrel a bit is all you're really doing, which isnt a bad thing usually but...break in?
And what exactly is breaking in? It's a certain process but what's the outcome?
I would do it again if I spent a bit on a bolt action barrel, but I wouldnt expect much for it.
JoeyJ
New member
If you have a match grade barrel that has been hand lapped finished - what you are doing is "polishing" the throat and that usually will take less than 20 rounds - most of my competition barrels cleaned up within 10 rounds.
As Rusty Dusty previously advised: shoot all day and cleans up easy peasy. At the end of the day, maybe 6 or 8 patches of copper solvent, such as bore tech eliminator, and your bore is copper free - if you don't fire too many rounds, maybe 2 or 3 patches will do the trick.
Off the shelf, normal factory barrels, can take a lot of work to break-in to eliminated excessive copper fouling and most don't give break-in a though, as it's a real PITA and some barrels just will not clean up.
There is a purpose relative to barrel break-in - some will do it, others won't and it's all good, as we all enjoy the shooting world.
As Rusty Dusty previously advised: shoot all day and cleans up easy peasy. At the end of the day, maybe 6 or 8 patches of copper solvent, such as bore tech eliminator, and your bore is copper free - if you don't fire too many rounds, maybe 2 or 3 patches will do the trick.
Off the shelf, normal factory barrels, can take a lot of work to break-in to eliminated excessive copper fouling and most don't give break-in a though, as it's a real PITA and some barrels just will not clean up.
There is a purpose relative to barrel break-in - some will do it, others won't and it's all good, as we all enjoy the shooting world.
D_Bell
Active member
Originally Posted By: JoeyJIt all comes down to the quality of barrel steel and the barrel manufacturer. If you purchase a quality barrel that has been heat treated and hand lapped - your break-in will be short and sweet.
You don't break-in a barrel to improve accuracy - you break it in to save cleaning time and maintain your barrels accuracy potential, as the barrel will copper foul very little.
Most barrels are made of acceptable steel quality but have not been heat treated or hand lapped. That means when your barrel heats up, the groups probably will grow larger - heat treating or cryo treatment usually will cure that - firing one shot and clean after each shot fired will do some good to a non-hand lapped barrel relative to copper build up but it'll probably be very time consuming - not talking minutes here like with hand lapped stainless steel match grade barrels - but hours, sometimes lots of hours. Up to the individual if they think it's time well spent - most don't when shooting non hand lapped barrels.
Here's a decent article explaining the cause.
https://kriegerbarrels.com/faq#breakin
Great stuff! Totally agree...
You don't break-in a barrel to improve accuracy - you break it in to save cleaning time and maintain your barrels accuracy potential, as the barrel will copper foul very little.
Most barrels are made of acceptable steel quality but have not been heat treated or hand lapped. That means when your barrel heats up, the groups probably will grow larger - heat treating or cryo treatment usually will cure that - firing one shot and clean after each shot fired will do some good to a non-hand lapped barrel relative to copper build up but it'll probably be very time consuming - not talking minutes here like with hand lapped stainless steel match grade barrels - but hours, sometimes lots of hours. Up to the individual if they think it's time well spent - most don't when shooting non hand lapped barrels.
Here's a decent article explaining the cause.
https://kriegerbarrels.com/faq#breakin
Great stuff! Totally agree...
Originally Posted By: pyscodogWell I understand the concept but what I don't understand is, when you buy a custom quality barrel by the big name builders and it comes "Hand Lapped", why should there be rough edges that need smoothed out? Isn't that the purpose of hand lapping?
They're mostly talking about any tooling marks, rough edges, etc from the reamer/throating process. It's mostly just the throat area they are talking about that could use a "break in" process.
They're mostly talking about any tooling marks, rough edges, etc from the reamer/throating process. It's mostly just the throat area they are talking about that could use a "break in" process.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: B23Originally Posted By: pyscodogWell I understand the concept but what I don't understand is, when you buy a custom quality barrel by the big name builders and it comes "Hand Lapped", why should there be rough edges that need smoothed out? Isn't that the purpose of hand lapping?
They're mostly talking about any tooling marks, rough edges, etc from the reamer/throating process. It's mostly just the throat area they are talking about that could use a "break in" process.
Exactly.
Barrels can be different. Button rifle barrels as a rule are smoother than a cut rifle barrel, but that is just a rule of thumb. Brux are the slickest cut rifle barrels I have ever looked at. Also, Cut rifle barrels can copper more when new, but all is relevant to that particular barrel.
X caliber, Hart, Shilen, Lilja are very, very smooth Button barrels, almost look like a mirror they are so smooth.
Brux cut rifle barrels are a wet dream to look at with a bore scope!
From shooting Benchrest, I broke in a lot of barrels. After 10 shots, I thought it was stupid then, still think it is stupid.
Now, I clean a new barrel after 5 shots, use Montana Extreme copper killer to see how much copper is in the bore, and if there is none to little, I just keep working up the load till around 20 shots, then clean again.
ON factory barrels, clean every 20 shots for the first 100 rounds. You will see if you have a copper pig or not. If you do, chances are there is nothing you can do but clean often. Barrel may smooth out around 400-600 rounds. Calibers that have an inch of bearing surface on the bullet will copper through their life. and a good de coppering every 25 rounds will be in order.
They're mostly talking about any tooling marks, rough edges, etc from the reamer/throating process. It's mostly just the throat area they are talking about that could use a "break in" process.
Exactly.
Barrels can be different. Button rifle barrels as a rule are smoother than a cut rifle barrel, but that is just a rule of thumb. Brux are the slickest cut rifle barrels I have ever looked at. Also, Cut rifle barrels can copper more when new, but all is relevant to that particular barrel.
X caliber, Hart, Shilen, Lilja are very, very smooth Button barrels, almost look like a mirror they are so smooth.
Brux cut rifle barrels are a wet dream to look at with a bore scope!
From shooting Benchrest, I broke in a lot of barrels. After 10 shots, I thought it was stupid then, still think it is stupid.
Now, I clean a new barrel after 5 shots, use Montana Extreme copper killer to see how much copper is in the bore, and if there is none to little, I just keep working up the load till around 20 shots, then clean again.
ON factory barrels, clean every 20 shots for the first 100 rounds. You will see if you have a copper pig or not. If you do, chances are there is nothing you can do but clean often. Barrel may smooth out around 400-600 rounds. Calibers that have an inch of bearing surface on the bullet will copper through their life. and a good de coppering every 25 rounds will be in order.
Last edited:
glazer1972
New member
I say clean it good and start shooting. Clean it again when it stops shooting good.
My Shilen really started cleaning up faster after the third round of cleaning all copper out after every shot. I am at the 5th round now, and hardly has any fouling. My cousin did the 3 round group bit and took a lot of elbow grease to get cleaned between groups. But now it's not holding copper like it did. These are both Shilen select matches, mine in 6.5 and his in 243. Now that is only 2 barrels and hardly scientific, but it was intersting to note copper fouling differences,between our difference in cleaning regiments.he had a bartlein barrel that took about 20 rounds of cleaning after every shot to smooth in so to speak.