Breaking in barrels

Aljs123

New member
Joined
Oct 12, 2025
Messages
2
I just bought a new precision rifle, and I'm really curious about this whole barrel break-in thing. Does it actually make a difference? Do you have a routine you stick to, like a certain number of rounds or a cleaning schedule?
 
For the first 10 shots, I make sure to clean the barrel after each one. Then, for the next ten to 20rds, I’ll clean every 2 or 3 shots. After that, I stretch it out a bit maybe every 5-10 shots until I hit around 50rds. I always use a copper solvent and a bore guide to help me out, and I let the barrel chill for a bit between sessions. It's really not just about scrubbing away the grime, it's about keeping things consistent and showing a bit of love to my gear.
 
Breaking in a barrel equals filling the grooves with copper.
On low price barrels more is needed to "Fill" in the rough edges.

The idea is to get smooth surface to get consistent friction or drag on the projectile for the most accuracy.

Your $300-$400.00 barrels will be "Smooth" right out of the box==your $100.00 barrels not so much.

Do NOT use copper cleaner to remove this copper "Film" on a new barrel after 50-100 rounds. The "Film" is what you want in the grooves.
Just use your standard solvent to remove the powder residue.

Barrels are like anything else=You get what you pay for.
The high $$ barrels will shoot One Hole Groups sooner than the cheap ones do...Bill.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top