Rifle Break In?

[firematt100]

Just awaiting my new JP15 VT 18" with BC comp. Does it need a break-in period? If so, how do I do it?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[Bear1142]

I'm sure JP will have some break-in recommendations. If not, call them.

Everyone has an opinion of what constitutes a proper barrel break-in. Some don't think it matters. I would follow the manufacturers recommendation.

Erik

[BillL223]

When you receive your rifle, JP will include a Tech Manual. Its gives a break-in procedure which is basically shoot a few, clean with solvent and JB Bore compound, shoot a few more, repeat. I have done this on my JP barrels and both have shot very well.

[George]

Here is exactly what John Paul told me in person when I ordered my CTR-02 back in 2002. Shoot a couple rounds, clean the bore, shoot a couple more and clean it again, then your done!

He laps all his bbls so no break-in is really needed anyway (as he admitted to me later on at the RM3G in 03).

Basically, not much to do. Mine has held sub-moa for near 15k so far.

[AlamoShooter]

it may be more important to clean it in one direction more than any thing. = don't push the rod in from the muz. end

You will only get to put the first few round in it one time. =Tubs book is good Zediker's book is good too.

If you are only going to shoot inside of 400 yards = I don't know

Take the 1/2 hour extra and do it the best.

One of the things it is suposed ot help on is life of the barrel by making it clean eazyer later.

Think of the metal as being (open) like a sponge as you shoot it the pours fill and the serface -lays down- ...you only want it to lay down clean with out powder and carbon in the pours.

BUT I may not know nothing

Oh- try taking a bullet and rub it over a Stainless steel magazine side untill you fingers get kind of hot. look at all the crap left on the side of the mag.

[n2ipsc]

I've always followed Lilja's Break-In Procedure for my new toys - may be overkill, but it's sure worked for me...

[Matt Cheely]

Get one of these. Makes it really easy to clean.

[smokshwn]

+1 with Matt.

There is absolutely no objective proof that barrel break in does anything other than occupy your time for the first 20-30 rds. However there have been many bores and crowns ruined by using second rate cleaning gear. A good bore guide (JP makes one for your gun) and a quality cleaning rod (tipton, dewey, borestix) is a must for not dinging your barrel up. Never use stainles brushes, and never reverse a brush while it is in the bore.

Good luck, enjoy your gun. Craig

[firematt100]

Thanks all for the advise.

[John Dunn]

Just shoot it! If it seems hard to clean later fire some of Tubbs throat maintenance bullets through it.

[George]

Just shoot it! If it seems hard to clean later fire some of Tubbs throat maintenance bullets through it.

Can't say say I have seen anything on the Forums recently that I agree with more than this!

smokshwn is also right on the money. If you have a lapped bbl, just shoot the suckah! Inf' it ain't lapped, shoot it a bit and firelap it, it'll clean up reet' nice after that, might even shoot a little tighter too.

The Tubb's firelap rounds are the shiznit for this (if needed).

I also use the firelap rounds to smooth out bbl throat erosion which is where bore life and accuracy longevity is actually measured and realized, not in how well you scrub it between rounds in it's infancy. I use a couple of the finer grits every 8-900 rounds (or whenever I manage to remember). My CTR is still holding sub-moa at somewhere over 15k now mainly due to constant neglect and the occasional Tubb firelap rounds.

I don't even use copper brushes anymore, just nylon ones and Kroil penetrating oil as solvent. When I actually need to de-copper a bore (seldom if ever in a well lapped bbl like comes from JP), I sparingly use a bore paste (like JB), otherwise it's just solvent on patches/nylon brushes and occasional firelap maintenance rounds. The firelap rounds every now and then are really all the copper scrubbing you will ever need in this 3gun game anyway ;-)

For cleaning an AR, you ABSOLUTELY need to have a bore guide that replaces the bolt carrier and allows cleaning from the chamber end.

Get the JP one, or go to Sinclair International and get theirs. While you are at it, get a nylon coated Dewey cleaning rod (Sinclairs) so you won't peen that nice bore with the stainless cleaning rod when it flexes on you.

Also take a look at the AR locking lug cleaning device Sinclair sells. Once you have used one, you will never think your AR is truly clean again without using one ;-) They make them for bolt rifles too, slickest thing since sliced bread for cleaning these areas on rifles.

[uscbigdawg]

I stick with the Cooley recipe:

1 shot, clean x 5

3 shots, clean x 5

Then I throw in:

5 shots, clean x 5

I clean my rifle barrels with Sweets' 7.62. It's strong and can etch the barrel, but have had awesome results using it. I cut it with ol' Hoppe's #9.

Rich

[kurtm]

Man Rich, that method would be just about the half life of the barrel. Is that the procedure to break in a chrome lined barrel??

[Mick]

I stick with the Cooley recipe:

1 shot, clean x 5

3 shots, clean x 5

Then I throw in:

5 shots, clean x 5

I clean my rifle barrels with Sweets' 7.62. It's strong and can etch the barrel, but have had awesome results using it. I cut it with ol' Hoppe's #9.

Rich

I'm almost identical except I go

1 shot, clean X 10

3 shots, clean x 10

5 shots and clean the dickens out of it a couple times with Sweet's.

remember that Sweet's will attack the brush as well and give a blue color that is not

copper from the barrel..

Hoppe's and then a good oil for storage....

I fire lap every rifle except rimfires...

[mike_pinto]

Man, I guess I have been doing it all wrong. I got my new AR, took it and 300 rounds to the Benchrest range, and made a whole heap of brass. Maybe that is why that 16" er will only hold a 1-2" group at 300 yards.. HAHAHAHA

Mike

[uscbigdawg]

Chrome Lined, Non-lined, Stainless steel, I don't know the difference. I just shoot the damn thing. I try to use the KISS method. If it shoots well, keep shooting. When it stops, shoot the living crap out of it and then get a new barrel.

Rich

[ArturoJ]

I believe in what Gale McMillan had to say on rifle barrel break in Gale on break in.

[Mick]

I believe in what Gale McMillan had to say on rifle barrel break in Gale on break in.

Good article.

I always thought using bore guides etc helped a little but how would you prove it.

The original barrel on my Colt AR was shot "like I stole it" and it held up OK for about 8000 rounds with very little cleaning. When it went it was horrible, throwing rounds everywhere.

My next two barrels were fire lapped and treated like my best girl. We'll see how they do. I keep a log on that stuff for tax purposes etc...

[L9X25]

It's hard to argue with Mr. McMillan's credentials:

"I have been a barrel maker a fair amount of time and my barrels have set and reset benchrest world records so many times I quit keeping track (at one time they held 7 at one time) along with High Power, Silhouette, Smallbore national and world records ...."

I also know what JP's recommendations are (he includes a small tub of JB Bore paste with the rifle) and they are in total contradiction to what McMillan says. These are 2 individuals whose advice I would trust, I only wish that we could find some consensus among the elite.

Edited January 27, 2007 by L9X25

[Jaxshooter]

I have followed the suggested break in procedures on some barrels and just shot other ones. I could not tell any dofference in accuracy or barrel life. I have to agree with McMillan. Wil Schueman agrees with this also on his pistol barrels.

I have just started shooting the new barrels to smooth them out.

[kurtm]

A good barrel will "be good " right away. A bad barrel will never get better with time, break in, fire lapping, etc......Just shoot OKAY!

[AlamoShooter]

My next two barrels were fire lapped and treated like my best girl. We'll see how they do. I keep a log on that stuff for tax purposes etc...

Mick?... .. ... ? You can get a Tax break for treating a girl right ?

Edited January 27, 2007 by AlamoShooter

[L9X25]

A good barrel will "be good " right away. A bad barrel will never get better with time, break in, fire lapping, etc......Just shoot OKAY!

+1

My SR-25 shot under 1/2 MOA with the first 5 shots out of the barrel and still does.

I have never done anything to it other than periodic cleaning.

[paraman1]

Go and follow the break in instructions just once on a quality rifle and you will be sold on it being the right thing to do . My GA Precision had a Schneider 5P and teh first 10 rounds down the tube the patches came out brighter blue than a Smurf Orgasm and that was shoot 1 clean 1 . after round 13 it tapered off to next to nothing . Gale McMillan's article has been floating around for a while but I simply don't buy it . 30 rounds max for a quality barrel is all it will take and certainly does not amount to half of its useful barrel life . Take a second (or third or fourth) firearm with you to the range while doing the break in and occupy yourself blasting away while the chemicals do their thing in your barrel and go forth knowing that if nothing else it was a character building experience .

[Mick]

My next two barrels were fire lapped and treated like my best girl. We'll see how they do. I keep a log on that stuff for tax purposes etc...

Mick?... .. ... ? You can get a Tax break for treating a girl right ?

The tax break is for the gun stuff. My girl says I spend too much time on the range with guns and that they-the guns-get treated better anyway. If I build another SV the serial number will be "#1 MISTRESS" ... That kinda says it all...?

My "business" includes the use of firearms and training, hence the tax deduction...