# Barrel Break-In Period



## addisdad (Dec 14, 2011)

I'm fixin' to buy a new CZ 550 in .308 and was wondering what kind of different ways everyone used to break in a new barrel. i've asked some of the local gun dealers and have gotten a broad array of answers on the solvent to use and whether or not to use a cleaning rod and using bore guides. Just wondering which ways work best.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I have the Otis cleaning kit. It cleans faster than any patch and rod I've ever seen.
As far as break in I do 1 shot and run a solvent patch then a clean dry patch for 5 shots then 2 shots and clean for 5 then 10shot strings. Take your time. I always have another gun to shoot, usually load development of some sort, so i don't get bored and try to rush through the process. Birchwood-casey is my solvent of choice for the moment. I do miss the smell of Hoppes though.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I have tried many things and the best solvent is sweets 7.62 bore solvent for removing the copper from the barrel. Do not let it set in the barrel very long and clean it out with hoppes and then several dry patches. There are as many different methods as there are people who shoot. Try one of them out and hope for the best. If the groups are not any good then do a major cleaning with the sweets.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

http://www.rifle-acc...l-break-in.html This is from an earlier post of mine--its an opinion like all the others but I thought i'd throw it out there. Also as Knapper says the Sweets 7.62 solvent is awesome, just DONT use BRASS bore brushes, it breaks it down transferring brass at the molecular level into your barrel. Lastly get a bore guide PERIOD, it saves you from nicking the lands in the barrel with the rod. Also get a non metal cleaning rod--a ONE piece rod that is long enough to go through the bore guide; and barrel and have about 6 inches extra out the business end of the barrel. My barrel was 26 inches and with the bore guide the regular cleaning rods that come standard in all kits--werent near long enough to push the brush through--it took a 44 inch rod to make it in mine. Good luck on your groupings and take your time between rounds, like apx 3 to 4 mins between to be sure.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

Break in period!? What's that all about!?


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## addisdad (Dec 14, 2011)

Thanks guys! that helps me out for sure! i've actually never "properly" broke in a barrel. and i figured that if i was wanting my barrels to last longer then i should.
Mattuk it's a procedure when you get a new rifle to make the barrel last longer, and correct me if i'm wrong guys, but it may even shoot better groups during the lifetime of the barrel.


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## Mattuk (Oct 16, 2010)

That was tongue in cheek! I brake my barrels in by shooting foxes and deer!


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## bones44 (Jan 7, 2011)

Same here. Never even heard of doing so until a few years back. I'll run a dry patch through before shooting but that's been about it. Knock on wood several of mine have never had accuracy issues after many years. Nice to hear some more good info on the procedure though.


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## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

In theory it smoothes the bore, and with the cleaning and what-not it is supposed to be better than just going to the range and going at it. I don't know if it is really worth it. There must be a definite benefit, as a lot of benchrest shooters do this. But for the Average Joe Coyote Killer, it probably isn't worth the effort. I do it, not that I'm a benchrester or anything, but if it might make the gun a little more accurate, why not. Then again, I just like to shoot, so this gives me more trigger time. Think of it like this, you shoot 50 rounds through the gun for barrel break-in, then another 20 to dial it in on target. Thats 70 rounds, pretty good practice time.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Good point JT it is a good way to become familiar with your new toy.


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## Panache (Feb 17, 2011)

* According to DPMS *

* Barrel Information*

To achieve the best results for accuracy you should clean the chamber and bore after every round for the first 25 rounds and then every 10 rounds up to the 100 rounds. It usually takes about 200 rounds per barrel for optimum accuracy. Please keep in mind that our barrels are production barrels not custom barrels. Accuracy is dependant upon many factors such as bullet weight, powder load, rifling twist, rifling lands, operator technique, etc. Our production barrels have achieved anywhere from 1/8" to 1 ½" M.O.A. Obviously, we would hope that every production barrel would shoot 1/8" M.O.A., but with all of the above factors, we cannot guarantee a specific group size.


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

the best way i have found to break in a barrel is to use a lapping compound like j-b non-embedding bore compound. it saves a lot of money shooting to get a smooth bore and lets you shoot more at yotes and cats...lol


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

oneshotcowboy said:


> the best way i have found to break in a barrel is to use a lapping compound like j-b non-embedding bore compound. it saves a lot of money shooting to get a smooth bore and lets you shoot more at yotes and cats...lol


Mmm... you might want to expand on exactly how you do it--after all inquiring minds want to know!!


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

i usually take a piece of cloth attached to a jag or such and do 100 strokes. thats one stroke counted for in and out. then just clean with your preferred cleaner and swab dry. your barrel will look like a mirror when your done.


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## addisdad (Dec 14, 2011)

lapping compound has very small abrasives in it doesn't it? wouldnt that wear your barrel more?


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## addisdad (Dec 14, 2011)

i guess i should say erode your barrel?


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I would guess that the abrasives are like the abrasives in car wax....so fine that it would take a monkey on a mission to go to far.


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

your right yd. when you rub it between your fingers you can barly feel it. its actually made to clean fouling. lead copper and powder. it says in the front its guaranteed to improve the accuracy of your present firearm. its some great stuff


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

theres no way it could be hasher than a bullet being swaged as it goes through a barrel in front of a controlled explosion----imo, Thx Im going to try and find some and see for myself--it might even be like a form of having lapped /honed rifling in premium barrels to a lesser degree. Cant hurt for sure and just maybe i lose some increments of measure in my groups. THX


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

your so welcome. im glad i could help someone. a friend of my uncle that competition shoots uses it on new barrels/guns. so i figure if its good enough for a competition shooter it should do me wonders...lmao


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## addisdad (Dec 14, 2011)

I'll be picking up some of that after work! Thanks OSC


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## Predatorhunter (Dec 9, 2010)

Good Info. I just got a new rifle maybe I will give this a shot and see if I can get any better results thanks.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Heres a link did some research and on this link there are videos on the right side you can click on that show how etc.. found it informative and something im going to try http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1160/Product/J-B-reg-NON-EMBEDDING-BORE-CLEANING-COMPOUND .


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

oneshotcowboy said:


> i have not heard that but have not had one either...lol i would think they would all have flaws and burs from being riffled though.


it depends on the condition of the button when they rifle it. Premium (more than likely custom/special order) rifled barrles would have a new button or one in a real good condition as well as some might even be lapped/honed on top of that to further smooth out the riflings/bore. Mass produced---- some barrels will actually shoot really good and others just the opposite for the above reasons of the button and or company policies on when to replace them etc..


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Same goes for hammer forged barrels...If the mandrel is old it may not be as smooth as a new one.

Yes most custom guns are hand lapped, but most of those manufacturers still recommend a break in.


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## singlesix (May 13, 2010)

This is a really good video for proper barrel break in , I think im going to use it


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Yea and stomp the gas out of the dealers parking lot on your new car/truck and go full speed on the interstate with less than 10 miles on the odometer. I think not and by the way he's too young to know any different.


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## oneshotcowboy (Mar 4, 2010)

so whats the difference between that and just going out shootin the hill out of a box of ammo????


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I agree, I wouldn't think that the manufacturers would be recommending specific processes if there weren't something to it. On a barrwl that is hand lapped or even an extremely smooth cut or hammer forged barrel it in all reality may not make much difference as the barrel will already be smooth. But even the smallest scratches can be made smoother.
To each his own I guess, if you don't want to don't.


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## singlesix (May 13, 2010)

I just thought it was a funny video, at first i thought he was going to really do a barrel break in. I have researched this subject many times and thier are so many opinions. My local gun shop guy says thier is abslolutly no need to do it, and i have talked to people who swear by it. Usually what i have done in the past is start the break in prodcedure and then get to impatient and dont follow it thru. It certainly wouldnt hurt to do it and I sure do not know enough to say weather i think its worth it or not.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I was reading about a barrel I got that sad the chrome lined barrels will not scratch as easly when cleaning but, that you can scratch a stainless steel one eisier. The stainless one will last longer. Proably due to better heat disapation.


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