So, got a new bolt action, stainless synthetic hunting rifle....any suggestions to break it in properly, as well as longer term cleaning/maintaining?? Not looking to be obsessive, but to do what is required to have it function well and last a good long time. Thanks.
New rifle break in and cleaning tips.
- Thread starter YukonBrett
- Start date
tylerjwitty
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Northern Ontario
I never found break in procedure gained anything
Breaking procedures are an urban legend, just dont overheat the barrel in the first 10 shots, run a patch, try to avoid all metall brushes in the bore, they do a lot more damage than anything else,if you have copper use a good chemical and a patch, peoples clean way to much... JP.
Shooters seem to be converging to the "just shoot it" approach, and are recognizing that excessive cleaning is a hazard. I only clean a gun if I won't be shooting it again for six months, or if it has become fouled with lead or copper. Unburnt powder, dust, etc. can be removed easily with one pass. I never use bore snakes, nor bronze brushes.
I always break-in the barrel while load developing. With a new firearm give the barrel a good cleaning prior to shooting it, it may have packing grease or oil for preservation of the rifling. Also give the bolt and the inside of the receiver a good cleaning, guns love solvent; Hoppes #9 is what I always use. Make sure the trigger guard screws are snug. As mentioned before, I break-in the barrels during load development. I take three shots, scrub with a "nylon" brush, one wet patch and then three dry patches. I repeat this process as much as 10 to 12 times. Nothing is written in stone for this process, just personal procedures what a person prefers to do.
I don't do a specific barrel break in but many rifles need more frequent cleaning for the first 100 shots or so. As mentioned a one piece cleaning rod and a good bore guide ( I like Dewey products) will help prevent bore damage when cleaning becomes necessary. After a shooting session I put one patch or Ed's red in the bore and then one dry patch when I'm going out shooting again. Once a year or so I give the barrel a good cleaning with Sweets to get any copper out, though some guns may need more frequent cleaning if they copper foul badly.
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Never found the need for a specific break in procedure. Go and shoot a few rounds. Clean it. Shoot some. Clean it. Not a whole heck of a lot different then the whole life of the rifle.
abbynormal
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- West Coast
Hummm - well I'm like most of the other posters before me - I don't really have a 'break in' procedure other than taking it easy for the first 2-3 hundred rounds.
Unless you rifle has a Cold Hammer Forged barrel, the rifling likely has a few sharp edges, your first few round are gonna take these edges off - kinda making it's own lapping compound in the process.
I would just clean & oil your new rifle before your first outing, take it easy the first few visits to the range, and watch for fouling in the barrel (the bullet's lapping action on the rifling may foul the barrel quicker for your first few outings).
Abby
Unless you rifle has a Cold Hammer Forged barrel, the rifling likely has a few sharp edges, your first few round are gonna take these edges off - kinda making it's own lapping compound in the process.
I would just clean & oil your new rifle before your first outing, take it easy the first few visits to the range, and watch for fouling in the barrel (the bullet's lapping action on the rifling may foul the barrel quicker for your first few outings).
Abby
- Location
- West Quebec
One fact is very apparent nobody can agree on how, or how often to clean a gun. Personally I clean them after every time there shot, and I use all the bad things mentioned. Like brass brushes, bore snakes, #0000 steel wool, etc. They probably do not need it but it is what I was taught as a young fella. I have never followed any sort of break in procedure except just taking the gun out and shooting it. I think some fella's suffer from obsessive compulsive disorders when it comes to barrel break in's and cleaning procedures. But to each there own. I think rust is the #1 enemy of any gun, and running a oily patch up the barrel after use will probably do away more good than harm.
abbynormal
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- West Coast
Yep -
I confess to cleaning my firearms after each use - specially the pistols.
Maybe it's me, but ripping down and cleaning my firearms is part of the fun!
Abby
I confess to cleaning my firearms after each use - specially the pistols.
Maybe it's me, but ripping down and cleaning my firearms is part of the fun!
Abby
waterhauler
Member
- Location
- Central Ab
Like others have said, give it a good clean when you first get it home. After that I shoot 5 rds and clean 5 rds and clean. In this time I am getting it "relatively" sighted in. Always making sure to leave about a minute or so between shots, as to not heat the barrel. After that I'll clean after evey 20 rds while I'm trying to find a factory load that shoots. None of my guns sit more than a month or so at a time so I don't have to worry about cleaning them before they sit to long lol. Have fun shooting, biggest thing in my opinion is just don't be one of those guys blasting 20 rds off in 5 min all the time.
This article quotes what Gale McMillan said in the late 90's: http://www.6mmbr.com/gailmcmbreakin.html
Even barrel manufacturers don't seem to agree. Some say yes: Kreiger, Lilja. Some say Kinda of: Bartlein Barrels" http://www.bartleinbarrels.com/BreakInCleaning.htm
If you search google with "Barrel Break In Myths" - you get many pages, posts articles. If you search "Barrel Break In Procedure" you get many but most biased in the do it direction.
From what I have found, the break in procedures if done correctly (not damaging by improper cleaning) may make the copper easier to clean out during the break-in as you are cleaning as you go. Some say procedures help break the throat in faster as the copper isn't in the way. Others will say that not following the procedure will grind the copper into the barrel, damaging it or "fusing it" and all kind of stuff. But some say that not cleaning enough can grind the powder fowling into the barrel damaging it too. And certainly you can find those that will tell you that any solvent will eat away at the barrel a little too, damaging it.
You should do what helps you sleep best at night.
What I do: I clean the rifle well before I shoot it using a bore guide, one piece coated rod, careful of abrasives, I tent to push in one direction with patches and brushes unless using synthetic soft style, and clean if after each range session for the first 5 or so times keeping an eye on copper, accuracy and what the barrel is telling me. Then I only "clean" when accuracy is falling off or I arbitrarily think it time. Though for storage, especially when humid, if the firearm got wet or won't be shot for a while I will run a wet patch of oil down the bore (remembering to push a dry one through prior to shooting). This includes hunting rifles to full out custom long range rigs for me.
I have not yet seen actual scientific data of someone setting up an experiment using a scientific method on how a break-in procedure will help, doesn't matter or will hurt. That I would like to see.
Even barrel manufacturers don't seem to agree. Some say yes: Kreiger, Lilja. Some say Kinda of: Bartlein Barrels" http://www.bartleinbarrels.com/BreakInCleaning.htm
If you search google with "Barrel Break In Myths" - you get many pages, posts articles. If you search "Barrel Break In Procedure" you get many but most biased in the do it direction.
From what I have found, the break in procedures if done correctly (not damaging by improper cleaning) may make the copper easier to clean out during the break-in as you are cleaning as you go. Some say procedures help break the throat in faster as the copper isn't in the way. Others will say that not following the procedure will grind the copper into the barrel, damaging it or "fusing it" and all kind of stuff. But some say that not cleaning enough can grind the powder fowling into the barrel damaging it too. And certainly you can find those that will tell you that any solvent will eat away at the barrel a little too, damaging it.
You should do what helps you sleep best at night.
What I do: I clean the rifle well before I shoot it using a bore guide, one piece coated rod, careful of abrasives, I tent to push in one direction with patches and brushes unless using synthetic soft style, and clean if after each range session for the first 5 or so times keeping an eye on copper, accuracy and what the barrel is telling me. Then I only "clean" when accuracy is falling off or I arbitrarily think it time. Though for storage, especially when humid, if the firearm got wet or won't be shot for a while I will run a wet patch of oil down the bore (remembering to push a dry one through prior to shooting). This includes hunting rifles to full out custom long range rigs for me.
I have not yet seen actual scientific data of someone setting up an experiment using a scientific method on how a break-in procedure will help, doesn't matter or will hurt. That I would like to see.
Good stuff...to be clear, you push a patch down the bore, take it off, then pull the rod back out? Same, taking the brush off each time after one stroke? Also, do you put a patch just loosely through a slot on the rod attachment, or wrap them around the end? Do you suggest any type of oil etc directly onto the bolt at all? Thanks.
I have read that the Canadian and American snipers stationed in Afganistan only used bore snakes to clean their incredibly accurate and very expensive sniper rifles.
Apparently the bore snakes did the job perfectly well, appeared not to change or damage the barrel in any way, and were very convenient to use in the field.
The guys who put their lives on the line while attempting/making 1000+ yd shots - if they trusted bore snakes, why do so many part-time hunters consider them to be terrible?
And really, does ANYONE know of any validated report of a properly-used bore snake damaging a barrel? .. (If so, please give us the reference).
Apparently the bore snakes did the job perfectly well, appeared not to change or damage the barrel in any way, and were very convenient to use in the field.
The guys who put their lives on the line while attempting/making 1000+ yd shots - if they trusted bore snakes, why do so many part-time hunters consider them to be terrible?
And really, does ANYONE know of any validated report of a properly-used bore snake damaging a barrel? .. (If so, please give us the reference).
