Breaking in an r700....

[slippp]

Hello. I would like to break in my r700 in .308 and have a few questions.

A lot of people swear by the shoot 1 clean 1 ladder method. Is this necessary?

One of my friends are saying that I don't need to do that at all.

Other people say shoot 3 for a group, then clean.

What about boresnake? People say not to use this and to use a real cleaning brush.

I'm so lost with how I should break it in.

Any guidance would be appreciated!

[Tcon260]

My wife and I have shot out a lot of barrels shooting F-Class. I used to spend a day at the range ding the 1 shot clean method. I have given up on this method for the last 5 barrels or so. I do know that a barrel will have a lot of copper for some small number of shots…2-3 or as many as 10 depending on the barrel.

Since I tend to shoot a few number of shots in each session in the beginning of a new barrel load development…testing a few charges for velocity. I go to the range and shoot whatever I have to shoot. Take the barrel home and clean it down to bare metal. I repeat this until the barrel quits looking like a penny inside. Since I have a borescope, I know exactly when this happens.

I have given up on brushes and Sweets in favor of wipeout for removing copper.

Good luck

[ToddKS]

I clean before I shoot it the first time, after that I just shoot it. Google the Gail McMillan article on the topic.

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[ShooterSteve]

There is a big article over on Snipers hide about this. Worth the read. Get a bore guide and use a good rod. Bore snakes aren't really all that for precision rifles. Can you use them? Of course, but it's not even close to the optimum method.

[TonytheTiger]

Are we talking about a bone stock factory Remington 700? If so, go shoot the hell out of it and sleep peacefully at night.

If we're talking about a new Shilen, Bartlein, Lilja etc. then by all means pick whatever magic voodoo procedure tickles your fun spot and run with it. There seems to be no actual science regarding all these religious break in procedures, and talking to a few PRS competitors that burn out barrels all the time, there's no advantage to it either.

[slippp]

My wife and I have shot out a lot of barrels shooting F-Class. I used to spend a day at the range ding the 1 shot clean method. I have given up on this method for the last 5 barrels or so. I do know that a barrel will have a lot of copper for some small number of shots…2-3 or as many as 10 depending on the barrel.

Since I tend to shoot a few number of shots in each session in the beginning of a new barrel load development…testing a few charges for velocity. I go to the range and shoot whatever I have to shoot. Take the barrel home and clean it down to bare metal. I repeat this until the barrel quits looking like a penny inside. Since I have a borescope, I know exactly when this happens.

I have given up on brushes and Sweets in favor of wipeout for removing copper.

Good luck

Great information! Thanks!

I clean before I shoot it the first time, after that I just shoot it. Google the Gail McMillan article on the topic.

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Thanks! I just read it. Seems to me that barrel cleaning is a marketing myth.

There is a big article over on Snipers hide about this. Worth the read. Get a bore guide and use a good rod. Bore snakes aren't really all that for precision rifles. Can you use them? Of course, but it's not even close to the optimum method.

Thanks! My next investment is to get the Mrs to buy me a bore guide and rod

Are we talking about a bone stock factory Remington 700? If so, go shoot the hell out of it and sleep peacefully at night.

If we're talking about a new Shilen, Bartlein, Lilja etc. then by all means pick whatever magic voodoo procedure tickles your fun spot and run with it. There seems to be no actual science regarding all these religious break in procedures, and talking to a few PRS competitors that burn out barrels all the time, there's no advantage to it either.

Yeah. Essentially bone stock.

http://imgur.com/0Xr9HkY

Eventually I'm going with a custom build using a Bartlein barrel and deviant action.

Edited November 30, 2015 by slippp

[ShooterSteve]

Sinclair makes some solid bore guides, and carry a couple good brands of rods. I use Dewey rods, but ther are others that work very well also. I also use nylon brushes most of the time just to keep the fouling down. I will use a brass brush every few hundred rounds when I need to do a deep clean. Check out the barrel break in procedure over on the Bartlein website, it is pretty straight forward.

[427Cobra]

Rotate bolt up, pull back, push forward and chamber a round, rotate bolt down, fire, repeat.

My 308 Rock barrel has 10k rounds and hasn't been cleaned in 2k rounds

My 260 Rem barrel went 4k, I cleaned it every 200 rounds, as accuracy was effected by carbon

My 6.5 Creedmoor tube has 2k down it, accuracy fails off around 250 rounds

Just shoot the thing, clean when accuracy fails off, then it will take 20 rounds for accuracy to return. The whole barrel break in procedure is designed by people who make money making and\or installing them.

[JD45]

After I read Will Shuemans article on not cleaning, I stopped the break in process.

I say clean to bare metal on a new gun, then once again after 10 shots. After that, do whatever makes you happy. I don't think not cleaning will hurt a thing.

Maybe wet and dry patch once in a while just to help clean the chamber. Other than that, I don't worry about it.

[mic2377]

I believe barrel break in to be a myth as well. Start shooting, clean when accuracy is suspected to be falling off due to fouling. The rate at which this occurs depends on the cartridge, and barrel. Factory barrels can sometimes need more frequent cleaning if they have a poor bore finish.

I don't use brushes unless I suspect very heavy carbon fouling that won't come out with patches. This is unlikely in a 308. Today's cleaning agents (ie Barnes CR-10) work so well patches alone will cover 95% of cleaning.

When first firing a barrel, I also clean it well before shooting. Then go for it.

[chs3131]

no need to break in on a lapped brl.. but yes on any other match grade barl that was not lapped at the manufacture.

[dauntedfuture]

Dont burn your barrel out. Just make sure its clean before you start and all oil is out of the bore and just shoot.

[Wild Gene]

I shot one, cleaned powder residue then copper, repeat. I did this until after about 10 rounds, when the copper fouling almost quit. It was very easy and didn't take very long to do. I followed the process they have on the GA Precision website. Now I just clean it when I feel like it. This has been a sub 1/2" moa rifle out to 500 yards, farther than that, I can't see good enough nor have I taken the time to check. I know I can put 5x5 on 6"steel at 600 yards. I like to think it was partly due to taking the time to break it in.

wg