Testing Handload's while breaking in a barrel

[308cool]

Hi,
I was just wondering wether testing hand loads in a brand new barrel, while breaking it in, will create too many variables to get accurate data about each load.
Cheers

[duncan61]

This break in topic was discussed a few weeks ago and opinion was divided.My 7mm Rem Mag Sendero has a 26 inch fluted stainless steel barrel with 11 degree crown and was built to be an accurate long range hunting rifle.The first owner ran it in 1 shot clean for 5 then 2 shot clean for 5 and it gives me superb accuracy.The brand new Howa in.243 That I purchased I just started using out the box as they claim it to be accurate and it was.Bullet types shoot different but time you test you will have run in the barrel anyway.I would clean well before testing each load and dont overload or over size as you will find mid size for your calibre on mild loads will be more accurate.If you wish to shoot a heavier pill faster get a bigger rifle.One of my hunting buddies had 100gr factory ammo and could not group but my 80gr mild loads cut a clover leaf.At night he lit up the paddock with his flash as well.You will find the ammo from USA is always overpowered compared to european stuff.My .222 home loads replicate the PPU factory stuff and I am under the recommended minimum for ADI

[happyhunter]

Why not? Do it and let us know how you go.

[Vati]

This break in topic was discussed a few weeks ago and opinion was divided.

Quite a bit of reading on that in plenty of topics, give these a look.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1666

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4166

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6326

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6320

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1356

One thing that is definitely not in dispute is give the new rifle a VERY good clean out of the box before shooting. Everyone agrees on that.

Whether you decide to "break in" the barrel is really nothing to do with your load development though IMO. Barrel performance changes over hundreds of rounds, not dozens.

Being part of the first 50 rounds out of a barrel isn't going to wildly change the accuracy of a load compared to how it will perform after a 500th.

If it's a promising load fresh out of the barrel it's worth pursuing.

If it's a dud don't bother any more.

That won't reverse or anything trying a load now or later.

[bigfellascott]

This concept of breaking in barrels must be a new thing (last 20yrs or so) I can't ever recall having to do it when I was a kid or even in the Army, we just used to run em in by shooting stuff with em, now we apparently have to shoot once, jam a rod down it with magic potion, shoot again and repeat over and over until it shoots magically.

I guess we were lucky to have been able to hit anything back in the day or maybe the metals made diff these days

It's a funny ol world I tell ya when ya just can't go a shoot a feral without first running the rifle in at a range whilst poking patches down it after each shot for fear it may not shoot as well as it could.

All this firearms maintenance and running in crap is way over though these days I reckon - apparently ya need a special potion for this, that and every other bloody thing and some weird and wonderful process to make em shoot straight apparently.

[Apollo]

Was that the same Army where you shoot yourself because you forgot to unload before cleaning.....

[happyhunter]

All this firearms maintenance and running in crap is way over though these days I reckon - apparently ya need a special potion for this, that and every other bloody thing and some weird and wonderful process to make em shoot straight apparently.

I'm with ya on that. Good write up by Gale McMillan from 20 years back about why he's barrel maker mate invented the idea of barrel run so he could sell more barrels.

[Apollo]

There are so many stories on this point it isn't funny. Some are true some are just stupid.

Breaking in a barrel and/or running in a barrel is not what I call it and really it doesn't affect anything other than wasting materials.

To me the true story of first making sure a new barrel is clean, then the process from there is to see what the barrel does whilst you are setting a scope on target and perhaps deciding on ammunition and/or a specific load. I do it all at the same time from shot one.It's not shoot clean, shoot clean etc it's all about in that aspect of from shot number one to clean and study the cleaning patch/s which will tell you about the quality of the barrel.

I have used one shot to get on paper after a bore sighting at 100m, study the patches. Fire a second shot to adjust and again read the patches. I've then gone and fired a three shot group and story finished. That barrel then went to a competition and shot 50 rounds without a clean to rate very well. Hunting/Varminting I am more interested in where that first cold shot falls and that's where I set the aim, not by shooting a series of shots...that's not what works for me hunting/varminting.

However, ever person to themselves and do what you feel works.

[308cool]

Thanks a lot guys, I did read through a few threads before making this and had decided that I would do a 'general' easy break in, but I was just unsure wether during that, that after just a couple of rounds when the barrel is so new, it might foul much easier thus adding many variables when testing hand loads. I guess it wont, which is great.
Thanks a lot again for all the help,
Much appreciated!

[BRNO_Bigot]

308cool,

My take on things.

If you are going to be breaking in - just do breaking in

If you are going to be doing load development , do that.

Trying to do both at the same time will work if you have the mind of a computer god and the stamina and mental coolness of someone who is mentally cool

Otherwise you're just going to confuse yourself.

[sandgroperbill]

All this firearms maintenance and running in crap is way over though these days I reckon - apparently ya need a special potion for this, that and every other bloody thing and some weird and wonderful process to make em shoot straight apparently.

I'm with ya on that. Good write up by Gale McMillan from 20 years back about why he's barrel maker mate invented the idea of barrel run so he could sell more barrels.

This.

[sandgroperbill]

Stolen from one of Gen's posts from another (of the many) threads on this subject:

https://youtu.be/TRRahHX9Zkg