barrel brake in?

jaymce · December 21, 2007, 10:09 PM

I was reading an ad that described breaking in the barrel.

It has been fully accurized by "breaking-in" the hand lapped barrel with 20 rounds of Black Hills Premium Red Box Ammunition - a process that takes about six, long and hard man hours. But, the results are undeniable - This Rifle will shoot 5-shot groups at 3/10ths of an inch at 100 yards, while keeping 5-shots below a half inch at 300 yards. We're sure that it would maintain sub-MOA groups past 300 yards (actually up to 1,500 yards), but our maximum test firing range is 300 yards. You will also receive two new, full boxes of Black Hills Red Box Premium .300 Win Mag ammunition, the fired form-fitted chamber cases that we used to break-in the barrel in the box, and a case of 20 loaded "Final Finish" .300 Win Mag ammunition that will "polish" the rifle bore even further and "wring out" even better accuracy. The 3/10ths inch at 100 is GREAT, but this Final Finish Ammo is used by top 1,500 yard competitive shooters and developed by G. David Tubb, 1,500 yard multiple National Champion and Long-Range Expert Marksman.

Has any one ever heard of this "breaking in"? I assume it is similar to lapping/ polishing the bore. Just never heard of such a thing.

Martyn4802 · December 22, 2007, 07:19 AM

If a barrel has been hand lapped, it really needs no breaking in. It's as smooth inside the bore as it will ever get. Any break in will only seat the barreld action in the stock better, and won't do a thing for the barrel.
Sounds like a money making venture for the company that made the ad.

Martyn

Scorch · December 22, 2007, 01:13 PM

There are a lot of threads about breaking in a barrel and the merits of doing so. I firmly believe in barrel break-in, but even top barrel makers do not agree on whether or not it is worth it. But if the rifle shoots great, more power to you.

For what it's worth, barrel lapping and break-in does not take "about six, long and hard man hours" unless the man is taking a five-hour nap along with the break-in.

jaymce · December 22, 2007, 06:39 PM

I read a bunch more on the subject. It seems that with a hand lapped barrel you will not get the significant advantages promised. But with a factory barrel you will get the advantages. I do not know that I am a good enough shooter to gain any advantage (I wish to be however). I have placed a deposit on a rifle made by the same manufacturer that the rifle in the ad was that is what led me to it. The claims by the company that supplies the break in bullets claims superior accuracy even on lapped barrels. Perhaps I will try it on my sks. If the grouping improves then I could try it on the other rifle. The bullets only run about 30$ plus your reloading supplies. Not enough to brake a budget.

Scorch, any experience with this or are you just relaying what you have read? (not being a wise guy just interested in what your experience has been with this type of product if any) The field seems to be pretty evenly split between it has an advantage and no advantage.

Thanks for the response so far. Any one else had any experience with these type of products?

DnPRK · December 22, 2007, 07:51 PM

If it makes you feel better do it, but don't expect any significant difference in performance.

Factory rifles have more problems than a little roughness in the bore. Non-uniform lands & grooves, oversize machined chambers, bores that aren't straight, crooked crowns, bolt lugs not fully seated, non-concentric machining of receiver, heavy trigger pull, slow/mushy firing pin fall - none of which are corrected by barrel break-in.

Shoot your rifle normally, clean it well afterwards and enjoy life without worrying about "barrel break-in".

Harry Bonar · December 25, 2007, 06:41 PM

DnPRK:
DnPRK I agree with you totally! I've never worried about break in on barrels but I don't doubt its efficacy.
Harry B.

Scorch · December 25, 2007, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Scorch, any experience with this or are you just relaying what you have read?

I have broken in dozens of rifle barrels with a fire 1, clean, fire 1, clean, fire 1, clean, fire 3, clean, fire 3, clean, fire 5, clean routine. This routine will take about 1-2 hours at the range. It seems to work, in my experience. But I have never taken two identical rifles and broken one in and just fired the other and compared accuracy over their lives, so I have no scientific data to offer. Supposedly, even in lapped barrels, the firing-cleaning protocol burnishes (metal-to-metal polishing) the barrel. I have never seen any solid tests on barrel break-in, and for a lot of barrels it might make no difference whatsoever, whereas some might show significant accuracy advantages. I don't know. Just like I don't know if I will get a big buck next year but I go anyway. You do what you think works.

Alleykat · December 25, 2007, 09:58 PM

Trust the late Gale McMillan on this one!

December 21, 2007, 10:09 PM	#1
jaymce Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Posts: 269	barrel brake in? I was reading an ad that described breaking in the barrel. It has been fully accurized by "breaking-in" the hand lapped barrel with 20 rounds of Black Hills Premium Red Box Ammunition - a process that takes about six, long and hard man hours. But, the results are undeniable - This Rifle will shoot 5-shot groups at 3/10ths of an inch at 100 yards, while keeping 5-shots below a half inch at 300 yards. We're sure that it would maintain sub-MOA groups past 300 yards (actually up to 1,500 yards), but our maximum test firing range is 300 yards. You will also receive two new, full boxes of Black Hills Red Box Premium .300 Win Mag ammunition, the fired form-fitted chamber cases that we used to break-in the barrel in the box, and a case of 20 loaded "Final Finish" .300 Win Mag ammunition that will "polish" the rifle bore even further and "wring out" even better accuracy. The 3/10ths inch at 100 is GREAT, but this Final Finish Ammo is used by top 1,500 yard competitive shooters and developed by G. David Tubb, 1,500 yard multiple National Champion and Long-Range Expert Marksman. Has any one ever heard of this "breaking in"? I assume it is similar to lapping/ polishing the bore. Just never heard of such a thing.

December 22, 2007, 07:19 AM	#2
Martyn4802 Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2007 Location: Grayling, Michigan Posts: 737	If a barrel has been hand lapped, it really needs no breaking in. It's as smooth inside the bore as it will ever get. Any break in will only seat the barreld action in the stock better, and won't do a thing for the barrel. Sounds like a money making venture for the company that made the ad. Martyn __________________ US Army Retired NRA Benefactor Life Member JPFO

December 22, 2007, 01:13 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	There are a lot of threads about breaking in a barrel and the merits of doing so. I firmly believe in barrel break-in, but even top barrel makers do not agree on whether or not it is worth it. But if the rifle shoots great, more power to you. For what it's worth, barrel lapping and break-in does not take "about six, long and hard man hours" unless the man is taking a five-hour nap along with the break-in. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

December 25, 2007, 06:41 PM	#6
Harry Bonar Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: In the Vincent, Ohio general area. Posts: 1,804	bbl. DnPRK: DnPRK I agree with you totally! I've never worried about break in on barrels but I don't doubt its efficacy. Harry B.

December 22, 2007, 06:39 PM	#4
jaymce Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Posts: 269	I read a bunch more on the subject. It seems that with a hand lapped barrel you will not get the significant advantages promised. But with a factory barrel you will get the advantages. I do not know that I am a good enough shooter to gain any advantage (I wish to be however). I have placed a deposit on a rifle made by the same manufacturer that the rifle in the ad was that is what led me to it. The claims by the company that supplies the break in bullets claims superior accuracy even on lapped barrels. Perhaps I will try it on my sks. If the grouping improves then I could try it on the other rifle. The bullets only run about 30$ plus your reloading supplies. Not enough to brake a budget. Scorch, any experience with this or are you just relaying what you have read? (not being a wise guy just interested in what your experience has been with this type of product if any) The field seems to be pretty evenly split between it has an advantage and no advantage. Thanks for the response so far. Any one else had any experience with these type of products?

December 22, 2007, 07:51 PM	#5
DnPRK Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 2001 Location: LC, Ca Posts: 1,917	If it makes you feel better do it, but don't expect any significant difference in performance. Factory rifles have more problems than a little roughness in the bore. Non-uniform lands & grooves, oversize machined chambers, bores that aren't straight, crooked crowns, bolt lugs not fully seated, non-concentric machining of receiver, heavy trigger pull, slow/mushy firing pin fall - none of which are corrected by barrel break-in. Shoot your rifle normally, clean it well afterwards and enjoy life without worrying about "barrel break-in".

December 25, 2007, 09:58 PM	#8
Alleykat Junior member Join Date: July 26, 2007 Posts: 3,668	Trust the late Gale McMillan on this one!