30% will say there is no benefit, 30% will say there is, 40% don't know either...
However there is no disadvantage in using a break in procedure other than "wasting" a bit of powder and bullets... I use that time to sight in and test pressures so it is not wasted.
Custom hand lapped barrels do not require much "breaking in". Factory barrels usually do... if you believe in it...
This is just one of many different procedures...
When cleaning, always use a good bore guide and a good rod.
Start with a clean, lightly lubed barrel, fire one shot, then run a loose patch through with Sweets 7.62 or any other solvent that will “eat” jacket fouling. Saturate the bore and let it sit a few minutes. Sweets indicate jacket fouling with a blue colour.
Run patches through to dry the bore and then wet patch it again and saturate the bore. After a few minutes dry patch it again. Repeat until the jacket fouling is removed (no blue patches).
After cleaning with Sweets, brush with Hoppes #9 and dry patch the bore and then leave it slightly lubed with a wet patch of Hoppes #9 before firing.
Then fire one more shot, and repeat the above procedure. Do this for a total of 10 shots, and then proceed to fire 2 shots and then clean as above, for 10 more shots. (For a total of 20.) The barrel is now broken in. It should be cleaned after every 20 or 30 shots there after, if possible.
You will find when the bore is broken in properly; the cleaning procedure is very quick, because there is very little jacket fouling in the bore.
I prefer Sweets 7.62, because it shows “blue” if there is any jacket fouling. I never use a copper or bronze brush with Sweets, because it will eat them, and give a false blue indication of fouling. I never let any other chemicals mix with Sweets. That is why there is a lot of dry patching and swabbing with rubbing alcohol and dry patching between switching chemicals.
For storage after cleaning with Sweets, dry patch and then swab the bore with several patches using rubbing alcohol; this will dissolve any remaining ammonia. Then lightly oil the bore.
I forgot to mention there is an old internet story floating out there about how a barrel maker invented a break in procedure so barrels would wear out faster and he would sell more barrels... isn't that a hoot... like 30 or 40 shots is going to make a difference in the life of a barrel...
