Bah.
I hear about the 'shoot and clean' break-in mumbo jumbo even from the custom barrel makers, and I never get a straight answer on why this is better. Until the metallurgists get involved and put the analytical instrumentation on this and quantify and qualify it, it is just 10 lbs of crap in a 5 lb. bag IMO.
I shot my new HK SL8 right off the starting line and it hasn't missed a beat. It groups 3/4 MOA all day long with its favourite loads. No, your barrel is not necessarily pooched if you don't 'break it in'.
It would make an interesting article. Two rifles, top of the line barrels. Break one in, shoot the other as normal and compare the results...I will bet anyone a dollar to a donut there isn't enough difference between the two to worry about.