Thread: Barrel break-in

Originally Posted by bumblefoot

I used Howa's recommendations for my Howa 223 and 308. I did it as I sighted it in. I figured that Howa know a hell of a lot more about barrels than I do ...

"HOWA RIFLE RECOMMENDED BREAK-IN PROCEDURE
Please do not sight-in and or group the rifle during the break-in procedure.

For the first ten shots we recommend using copper jacketed factory ammo. Clean the oil and powder residue out of the barrel before each shot using a commercial bore cleaner with an ammonia content. After firing each cartridge, use a good bore cleaner (one with ammonia) to remove fouling from the barrel using only a soaked patch. We do not recommend anything with an abrasive in it since you are trying to seal the barrel, not keep it agitated.

For the first ten rounds, clean and let the barrel cool between each round fired using a patch and rod only.

Following the initial ten shots, you then may shoot 2 rounds, cleaning between each pair of shots. This is simply insuring that the burnishing process has been completed. In theory, you are closing the pores of the barrel metal that have been opened and exposed due to the manufacturing process.

To keep the temperature cool in the barrel, wait at least 5 minutes between break-in shots. The barrel must remain cool during the break-in procedure. If the barrel is allowed to heat up during the break-in, it will impede the steel’s ability to develop a home registration point, or memory. It will have a tendency to make the barrel “walk” or “climb” when it heats up in the future. If you take a little time in the beginning and do it right, you will be much more pleased with the performance of your barrel in the future."

@sjjs This is the method I was taught and use. I doubt it makes too much difference to barrel life as most hunters / recreational shooters wont use near enough ammo to do this. And if they do manage to use 5000 round at $3 pop, then at $15000 they can afford to get a new rifle.

But, there are two reasons I do it -

It is essentially the same as my sight in procedure- first 10 shots are 5 minute apart and I use one shot groups to get the scope close to POI (usually 3 or 4 at 25m until close to centre, then push out to 100m. ) I then do 2 shot groups with 5 minute between groups as I fine tune the groups (I use 4 shots to get a group then adjust the scope) by the time I get to 20 rounds I am usually right where I need it to be. And if you have another rifle / mate or two at the range 5 minutes between shots while you chat or use another gun is often more like 10 ......This is also a great way to get to know your new rifle, and to get used to setting yourself up for a cold shot. And as tasks / chores go, it is pretty fun.

Another is every rifle I have done this to seems to clean much easier later in life. I dont know if the fact it was scrubbed clean 15 times over an afternoon is part of it or not (I do this to 2nd hand rifles too) but rifles I have done this to seem to clean much faster than ones that I have not.

Think of it as a first date......