[USMM guy]

So tell us.

Do you feel that the barrel was adequately broken in by the end of the shooting session? If so why, or why not. Give us some more information.

 

[USMM guy]

OK I follow you so far.

When I left the range, I did not think the barrel was broken in. During my range session, I fired one shot, then ran the bore brush with Hoppe's #9, and then ran patches. I should've kept an accurate count of how many patches I was using, but I didn't. I remember it took a long time running patches to clean out the copper after shots #1 and #2. It only took five patches to clean the barrel after shot #3. After shot #4, I ran the bore brush before I packed up and went home (range was closing). I'm cleaning the rifle at home now and noted that the bore is clean after four patches.

Based on what I'm observing, I'm close to the end of the break-in process. Bergara barrels have a reputation of very high quality, which helps keep the break-in process short. I'm most likely observing that right now. I'm still going back the range and firing one shot followed by thorough cleaning. Then I'm moving to 3-shot strings for groups at 50 yards before moving over to 100 yards.

So you did not do an initial group at start to check for accuracy. And then another one down the line to see if there was improvement. So I am kind of having a hard time in seeing how you would determine if your break in was actually doing you any good, as opposed to how the barrel came to you from the beginning? Accuracy is how I typically view barrel performance as opposed to how many patches and fowling I remove from it subsequent to shooting a given number of rounds. Just trying to determine your metric here.

 

[USMM guy]

Correct Fouling, my bad.

Gracious, no! That is not the way to treat a barrel especially if it is going to be used for shooting 1000+ yards!! Patience in breaking in the barrel pays off, my friend!

Yes, sir! The key at the start is to smooth out the microscopic burrs in the lands and grooves of the barrel. How long it takes to clean the fouling is an indicator of the amount of burrs and quality of the barrel. The accuracy sets in when those burrs are smoothed out.


Accuracy comes after a proper breaking in of the barrel.

The correct term is "fouling."

OK I think that I am beginning to follow you. And perhaps there is something to that. But microscopic burrs are a bit of a stretch for me. But I bought an Accuracy International rifle a few years ago. The paperwork that I got with the rifle. Not exactly a bargain basement one to be sure. It stated that no break in procedure was required. And I manage to shoot it pretty well at a thousand yards on a pretty regular basis. At least until I get to the point where I am sure that the weak link is the shooter.

So am I to determine from what you have posted, that The rifle that you have with what you state is a Bergara barrel. That they recommend a specific break in procedure for it? And you can extrapolate from the fouling noted from cleaning after initial rounds. That this will tell you when the barrel is properly broken in?

 

[USMM guy]

We have had a number of discussions about barrel break in over the years.

It appears that we are about equally divided on it. As in do it/do not do it. A couple of take aways from that. Pretty much agreed that taking a brand new rifle out and running two or three hundred rounds rapidly through it with no cleaning. This is likely not advisable for best results.

Additionally it is pretty much a given that a barrel with cut rifling like say the Bartleins or Kreigers will generally outshoot button bored barrels. Like Bergara and Hart and a lot of the others. The cut rifled barrels generally come with a cleaner original bore, so may not really benefit much from a drawn out break in.

Anyway Piexcel, give us a range report when you get that thing dialed in. What are you going to put on it for glass?