Breaking in your new AR (barrel)

[hiker88 22]

I've been told to swab the barrel after every shot (with a cleaning patch + hoppes) for the first ten rounds. Then after every 3-5 rounds for the next 20 rds.

 

I'd like to know how everybody else breaks-in their new rifles.

[mipafox 438]

I used a Beta dump in FA. Let it cool, did not shoot again. Did not clean. Repeated a few weeks later, let it cool, did not clean. Then cleaned it before the next time I went shooting.

 

I didn't learn this anywhere it's just what I did with my last barrel.

[intercooler 41]

i JUST did this today, 5 rds...cool. 10 rds cool down.

clean and lubricate

15rds cool

10 rds cool

clean and then relube if needed.

then done...

shot 100 rds thru my new 14.5" bcm middy...ran like a champ

[mipafox 438]

i JUST did this today, 5 rds...cool. 10 rds cool down.

clean and lubricate

15rds cool

10 rds cool

clean and then relube if needed.

then done...

shot 100 rds thru my new 14.5" bcm middy...ran like a champ

 

I'm planning on buying that same exact upper.

 

Mine will be pencil barrel in 1/7 twist.

 

I'll break it in with some full auto Beta dumps and extensive lack of cleaning. Well, OK, I'm not actually trying to break in the barrel, but I'm after the same upper and that's how it will go.

[Dan 177]

i JUST did this today, 5 rds...cool. 10 rds cool down.

clean and lubricate

15rds cool

10 rds cool

clean and then relube if needed.

then done...

shot 100 rds thru my new 14.5" bcm middy...ran like a champ

 

That's funny, I just shot my new BCM 14.5" middy today for the first time. I ran a swab of militec down the barrel, took it to the range, and shot around 80 rounds or so with no rhyme or reason.

 

You weren't at CJ by any chance were you?

[Old School 611]

I never really broke in any of my service grade guns and they all were pretty accurate. Now I'm buying a 20" heavy barreled SS target upper and I'm really interested in what you guys have to say as I expect some incredible accuracy.

 

I'd like to hear from Pizza Bob on this one.

[intercooler 41]

That's funny, I just shot my new BCM 14.5" middy today for the first time. I ran a swab of militec down the barrel, took it to the range, and shot around 80 rounds or so with no rhyme or reason.

 

You weren't at CJ by any chance were you?

i was at cherry ridge... You got that upper pretty quick!

how did you like your decision? I gotta tell, you, BCM is the ONLY way to go for me from now on. Especially with a battlecomp

[Dan 177]

i was at cherry ridge... You got that upper pretty quick!

how did you like your decision? I gotta tell, you, BCM is the ONLY way to go for me from now on. Especially with a battlecomp

 

I don't waste time!

 

I'm crazy impressed with how the rifle turned out. She's a real shooter. Should have the SD3G trigger next week. I'm afraid I went a little overboard with that, but we'll see. Almost every review I read everyone says the spending remorse goes away after the first trip to the range with it.

 

Pic of the new gun if you havent seen it. You have shots of yours with the new upper?

http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php?/topic/10555-ar-pics-lets-seeum/page__view__findpost__p__298478

[Zed's_Dead 16]

I am awaiting delivery of my first rifle...a Smith & Wesson M&P 15. I saw this topic yesterday and then started to do some research on the web and saw opinions both pro and con break in. This one particularly gave me pause.

 

Is there a chance that I damage the rifle by not breaking it in, or is more an issue of accuracy?

[Old School 611]

I am awaiting delivery of my first rifle...a Smith & Wesson M&P 15. I saw this topic yesterday and then started to do some research on the web and saw opinions both pro and con break in. This one particularly gave me pause.

 

Is there a chance that I damage the rifle by not breaking it in, or is more an issue of accuracy?

 

Definetly an issue of accuracy if it's an issue at all. Service rifles are not broken in and there is not a reliability issue.

 

I suspect the break-in issue is trying to squeeze every bit of potential accuracy out of a rifle. And if you are not looking for extreme accuracy and are not willing to tailor hand loads, there is no reason to go through a break-in procedure.

 

My $.02

[Old School 611]

I am awaiting delivery of my first rifle...a Smith & Wesson M&P 15. I saw this topic yesterday and then started to do some research on the web and saw opinions both pro and con break in. This one particularly gave me pause.

 

Is there a chance that I damage the rifle by not breaking it in, or is more an issue of accuracy?

 

 

Excellent articles you posted. It has me convinced that break-in is all BS. I'm just goin' shootin'!

[hiker88 22]

Excellent articles you posted. It has me convinced that break-in is all BS. I'm just goin' shootin'!

 

Thanks for the article SJ Eal. When I got my Stag about a year ago, I was told to break-in the barrel which I did. It was a lot of work but I was thinking of better being safe than sorry. For my second AR that I'm assembling (or "building") I'm going for a S/S Varmint barrel 20" or 24" for bench rest shooting.

[tuktuk 16]

Excellent articles you posted. It has me convinced that break-in is all BS. I'm just goin' shootin'!

+1

[Glockman99 0]

your AR is not a bench rest gun. Buy a chrome lined barrel and ignore all this voodoo. My Colt HBar barrel shot some of its best groups when over 200 rounds dirty. Took about 17,000 rounds to wear it out. Chrome lined barrels are much easier to clean.

[raz-0 1,259]

There's only two reasons to break in a barrel. The chamber is cut badly, or the rifling is cut badly, and you need to "smooth" something out through wear.

 

To do that, you can either shoot a lot of wasted ammo through the gun, or you can pursue some form of lapping.

 

If your barrel is chrome lined, you aren't going to smooth anything out anytime soon with just shooting. If you run lapping compound through it you might get through the chrome in a timely manner, but you will ahve ruined the barrel by doing so. So chrome lined = just shoot it.

 

If it is not chrome lined, just shoot it. If your gun has an accuracy problem, then you troubleshoot. If you can narrow that accuracy problem down to the barrel, you might try lapping it before you replace it with a barrel that isn't messed up. This can save you some money, on the other hand, it can also do absolutely nothing.

 

About the only category of rifle where I have seen consistent positive results from lapping (i.e. the majority of people doing it see improvement) are lever guns, and it has to do with the level of QC on what are cheaper guns plus how and when they make all the cuts and attach bits to get the barrel bands on and magazine tubes attached. The manufacturing process often deforms the inside of the barrel some, and lapping cna smooth out a lump and make things better.

 

The only other place I see it do anything useful are if you are a high end precision shooter. Hence things like the tubb finish fire system. It's useful to him because he shoots out a LOT of barrels. He's in the business of perfect practice makes perfect. He doesn't care if he shaves 10% off the life of a barrel as long as it means he doesn't waste time on less perfect practice because his barrel hasn't settled into the sweet spot it will shoot to for the longest period. (hint: folks like that will retire a barrel with 10% of accurate life left on it for the sake of consistency too).

[Shane45 807]

Well..... I didnt perform a break in on a $6k precision rifle so I think one can extrapolate I think it is a waste of time.

[hiker88 22]

I'm glad I asked... 'cause that entire break-in process is a pain. I'm not doing that again... unless I end up with a 6k precision rifle

[JackDaWack 2,895]

your AR is not a bench rest gun. Buy a chrome lined barrel and ignore all this voodoo. My Colt HBar barrel shot some of its best groups when over 200 rounds dirty. Took about 17,000 rounds to wear it out. Chrome lined barrels are much easier to clean.

Chrome line barrels reduce accuracy, and this topic of interest is to increase accuracy. And to clear up another issue, you can bench rest any rifle you want, especially a S/S 24" barreled AR.

[Dan 177]

Chrome line barrels reduce accuracy, and this topic of interest is to increase accuracy. And to clear up another issue, you can bench rest any rifle you want, especially a S/S 24" barreled AR.

 

I agree it is widely accepted from my research that chrome lining in barrels does to varying degrees affect accuracy of a barrel. Non-chromed barrels FTW for precision rifles IMO. Looked into this while shopping for my latest AR build.

[JackDaWack 2,895]

I agree it is widely accepted from my research that chrome lining in barrels does to varying degrees affect accuracy of a barrel. Non-chromed barrels FTW for precision rifles IMO. Looked into this while shopping for my latest AR build.

Yup, any and every AR owner out there knows its a trade off(or should), ease of maintenance and extended life over accuracy. Either or could be negligible, but i side with accuracy since i clean meticulously and do not shoot enough to wear the barrel quickly.

[pronoun 1]

I'd like to know how everybody else breaks-in their new rifles.

 

I shot bullets outta it!

 

But really, the manufacturer of my rifle said no break in necessary. Just run a dry patch down to clear any dust or grease, and go to town.

[theRU 33]

When i called bushmaster about a break in procedure for my ACR they just said to have alot of mags filled with ammo and let 'er rip.