Barrel break in on AR-15s

[TonytheTiger]

nobody likes a quitter

Nobody likes an alcoholic on his way to a divorce either. I picked the lesser of two evils.

[daves_not_here]

Just in case there are 3 people out there that have not read this yet...

I think this article is about rounds with higher pressures, considering it uses .300 Win as an example with a barrel life of 1000 rounds.

Looking at the last line of the article "...I see far more barrels ruined by cleaning rods than I see worn out from normal wear and tear. I am even reading about people recommending breaking-in pistols. As if it will help their shooting ability or the guns'."

So, it seems that you should either use a rod guide or a bore snake and the rest is personal preference.

DNH

[EaZeNuTZ33]

nobody likes a quitter

Nobody likes an alcoholic on his way to a divorce either. I picked the lesser of two evils.

Never met a divorce lawyer?

[TonytheTiger]

Hell no! I avoid people wearing suits like the plague.

Edited October 28, 2014 by TonytheTiger

[Jaxshooter]

I have talked at length with several of the top rifle smiths regarding barrel break in. They were all of the opinion that is is un necessary to break in a barrel other than normal shooting. They said more barrels are ruined by cleaning to much vs just shooting. I have quit breaking in barrels the old way of shooting one and clean for the first 10-20 rounds and then 10 rounds and clean etc. I now just shoot them and clean only when necessary.

I never clean pistol barrels and they all are as accurate as they have always been.

[CJW]

What means this "break in"?

When I got my first distance gun, I read all about barrel break-in. Since all of the advice available was inconsistent and, often, mutually contradictory, I thought, hmm, maybe there really isn't any "there" there. My Savage 12LRP 6.5CM got zeroed at 100 yards, chrono'ed, and has shoot true to its drop chart out to 1100+ yards since, for the 600 or so rounds I have put through it. I think I might have even cleaned it once in there...

That said, if break-in doesn't really add anything to a precision long range barrel, I can't see what it would do for an AR barrel...other than reduce service life and maybe foul the gas system.

[openclassterror]

Barrel care also varies greatly from barrel to barrel and cartridge to cartridge. My .300 WSM AVERAGES 7/16" groups at 100 and 1" at 200, for the first 40 rounds after cleaning. Then there is a noticeable dropoff in accuracy ( like 1-1/2 to 2" groups at 100). My custom 6mm PPC outshoots me (1/4 MOA)for about 150-200 rounds, then copper fouling starts affecting group size (like up to 1/2 MOA- ugh!). My factory barreled Mini-14 shows no change in group size EVER, regardless of cleaning regimen, because it never shoots any better than 2-3 MOA no matter what. I think a lot of the hullabaloo about break-in and anal-retentive cleaning processes come from the benchrest guys. When you are shooting 10 shot, .079 groups at 100 yards, you can see the effects of cleaning habits. When you are blasting 6" plate racks at 100 yards offhand, not so much.

[andy27al]

I never broke the barrels in on my precision rifles. Shoot them, clean slightly more at the beginning. Everything will work fine. Gas guns need slightly more of a break-in but that has to do with operating systems and not barrel.

[NateTSU]

I don't think its nesccisary, but when you do clean use a bore guide good cleaning rod like a Dewey and whatever your favorite solvent is. I do run a few patches down the bore when I first get the barrel to make sure there is no debri from the manufacturing process left in the barrel.