Breaking in a new .223

A method I use.
Clean well before firing the first shot. For the first 5 shots clean after each shot. For the next 15 shots, clean the barrel after each 3 shot group. After that, clean when the groups open up. I used a G96 gun treatment solvent soaked patch to clean my barrel, my barrel will never see a brass or bronze brush. Some people use nylon brushes. Always clean pushing from chamber end, always guide the rod back through barrel crown so as not to nick it. Dewey rods are good because they are larger than the fittings.
I run soaked patches through till they come out fairly clean, then run 4-5 dry patches through and lastly I run a lightly oiled patch through.
After all that my 308 barrel produced some fine groups, the best being .204 inches at 100yds. Also did this procedure to a 223 cal, turns out 1/4" - 3 shot groups at 200 yards too, hmmm I think I'll stick with what works for me.
 
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cleaning before accuracy starts to fall off is a total waste of time. keep the bolt and chamber clean and just shoot the hell out of it
 
Fear not, this will get you on your way, some of the products that I list here, you might have to purchase something with a different name (but does the same thing), just remember to follow the ORDER, and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES TAKE ANY SHORT CUTS ! You'll be rewarded in the end with a rifle that will always be able to accomplish well above and beyond human capabilities.
With your "new barrel", two of the most important parts in the newly machined surfaces are the "throat" and the "barrel rifling". Honestly, with my personal .308 s.r. I think we approached 87 rounds of full load FMJ before things started to settle in, (just about the time I was ready to throw it in the river !) Having a good coach at this time is priceless.
With any new rifle break in, 80 to 120 rounds of heavy grained bullets is the norm, I'm not sayin you gotta do what I do here, just keep in mind of your count, because it'll take that long to settle things down, even when your shootin bulls at 250 yards right from the box. Used rifles are much easier to bring back ( I have a method for them too)
O.K. here goes,
Fire 5 rounds down range at say 2-3 minute intervals (you want to keep the heat in the barrel)
Let the rifle cool down for a couple minutes
Run a soaked patch of copper solvent from the breech to the muzzle (keep the muzzle tilted slightly down)
Run as many clean patches as it takes till one comes out clean(or almost)
Fire another 5, same as before
Lightly soak a new patch of copper solvent and run it slowly down and right out the muzzle end (it's easier with a one piece cleaning rod)
Run as many clean patches as it takes till it comes out clean (no green or blue color)

Try to stick to this regime for at least the first 20 rounds of heavy loads, if you start to notice less copper (not so much blue/green) then make note of your fired rounds count, and move onto a regular cleaning schedule, and start tuning your weapon for accuracy, remember, 80-100 rounds is the norm, let your cleaning patch be your guide. Don't rush it.

Best Wishes
 
Trust me. Just shoot the thing and clean it when you're done. after that, clean it when the rifle tells you it needs to be cleaned. The worst thing that can happen from firing 100 rounds before the first cleaning is it is dirtier than if you cleaned it after the first 50. Bare metal-to-metal contact causes friction and wear. A layer a few molecules thinck of copper is a good thing.

This whole break-in ritual is right up there with the belief that human rhinoviruses are most pathogenic in cold damp environmental conditions.
 
my newest 223 has had maybe 130 rnds through (64 grain factory)
first 20 were shoot a couple thenclean repeat (64 grain factory)
next 48 were in two 24 strings lasting maybe twenty minutes a string and cleaned at home when home from range
last 50 were lovingly handloaded 75 grain from fellow shooter on the firing line (maybe a little hot but shot a 94-3x woo hoo)
maybe get around to cleaning tonite or next
seems to shoot where they should
 
With a factory barrel proper barrel break-in might result in the barrel cleaning up quicker once it is broken in. That said clean the barrel before shooting it the first time. Fire one shot and look to see what the barrel is telling you. Look at the rifling at the muzzle to see if there is any copper fouling. If you can see it clean the barrel, if you can't see it fire a couple more shots then clean. Then fire 5 and clean and your barrel break in should be done.

There is no need to clean your barrel again until the groups start open up. I have put over 800 rounds down my .308 barrel and still won matches with it.
 
Yes without cleaning. I shouldn't have cleaned it when I did because it was still shooting very tight groups. But with the provincials coming up and the DCRA the week after that I decided I had to clean it sooner or later.
 
Obtunded said:
This whole break-in ritual is right up there with the belief that human rhinoviruses are most pathogenic in cold damp environmental conditions.
Click to expand...


From another thread...
Originally Posted by Obtunded
Geoff has also given me permission to reproduce an excellent article he wrote for Precision Shooting Magazine some years ago, that describes in fantastic detail, the differences between cut rifled barrels and buttoned barrels. I think it is a good "Must Read" article for anyone considering a custom barrel. I am not sure I abide by his comments regarding Chromoly barrels, but then he is not referencing the same grade of CM steel used predominantly in North America.
That is an excellent article...

It is an excellent article and I noticed his comment about "breaking in" a barrel... "It is widely considered that stainless barrels will have a longer life and are more accurate than Chrome Moly barrels. If stainless barrels are "shot in" using the prescribed procedure, the barrel acquires a burnishing which almost eliminates fouling, so making stainless barrels very easy to clean."
 
Obtunded said:
Trust me. Just shoot the thing and clean it when you're done. after that, clean it when the rifle tells you it needs to be cleaned. The worst thing that can happen from firing 100 rounds before the first cleaning is it is dirtier than if you cleaned it after the first 50. Bare metal-to-metal contact causes friction and wear. A layer a few molecules thinck of copper is a good thing.


Ya, never looked at it that way...seems very true
Click to expand...
 
From Hart barrels site.
We do not believe that a break in procedure is required with our barrels. If you follow our normal cleaning procedure, outlined in this brochure, you should not have any problems with your new rifle. You always want to clean your rifle as often as your course of fire will allow. If you have time to shoot one and clean, that would be fine, but we personally do not feel it is necessary. Please be sure to only use the cleaning solvents listed in our cleaning instructions.
Yes, it is possible to get your barrel too clean, or to actually dry out the stainless steel. After brushing your barrel with a brass brush soaked with Hoppe's #9, Shooters Choice, or Butch's Bore Shine & Oil, several times and letting it soak for a few minutes, run a couple of dry patches in your barrel. Shoot a few more rounds, and if there is a considerable amount of cooper or fouling, then you may need to repeat the procedure. The key is, if your rifle is performing well, then you are probably getting it clean enough.
 
I have to side with Obtunded on this one; if you're tring to polish/lap the bore, you're trying to do it to a hard metal (steel) with a much softer one (copper). If you're trying to avoid blast-hardening or heat-hardening the reamer burrs at the throat of the chamber to avoid stripping parts of the jacket, the temperatures/pressures aren't strong enough for them to harden...

So... what exactly are you doing? I have a factory barrel that I clean bare when my groups open up (approx. 700 rds) and I apply a couple of Militec-1 heat treatments. The end result is that after a shooting session + some dry patches I still get a mirror finish looking through the bore.

In my very humble opinion: just enjoy your 223 and clean when accuracy falls according to the instructions with the cleaning kit and/or rifle. :)
 
tried to go long time without cleaning
was at 120 rounds since last cleaning
55gr winchesters and 69 seirra handloads
ran wet patch of #9
came back 10 min later and ran another wet patch #9
bluer than blue could be
is this excessive???
couldn't imagine puttin another 500-600 into barrel

sorry rifle a .223 1-9 twist
 
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Haha, there you go. You ask about barrel break-in and you get umpteen completely different answers. I personally believe it's a myth. I have never seen anything to suggest it even remotely affects the accuracy or life of a barrel. Some guys clean every 20 shots, some hardly clean at all. You will have to shoot your gun often to find out how it likes to be taken care of. There is no suggestion in this thread that will take the place of range time between you and your gun. Cheers,

Patrick
 
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