How would you guys recommend breaking in the barrel on my M&P 15 sport? Is there any preferred procedure for this? This is my 1st AR and I don't want to screw it up!

Clean it; shoot it until you think it needs cleaning again or accuracy drops off; clean it again; shoot it some more.

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Pisgah

Yep, just shoot it. As Pisgah said, no voodoo required.

S&W ran an ad(maybe a year ago I think) for the M&P AR15 line in one of the magazines that said something to the effect that the break in period ends when the first round exits the barrel.

Buy lots of ammo, put lots on the shelf, put lots down the barrel, have lots of fun. I have lots of good advise. :-)

For the first 25 rounds, fire one round then clean the barrel.
For the next 30 rounds, fire three rounds then clean the barrel.
For the next 50 rounds, fire 5 rounds then clean the barrel.
For the next 100 rounds, fire 10 rounds then clean the barrel.

^If you get this advice for breaking in an AR-15 that is going to be used for plinking and some long range shooting ignore it.

All you have to do is shoot it. When you get home, clean and inspect the rifle.

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-John

This^^^^^^^^^^

Good Luck and good shooting.

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SFC, US Army, Retired

no break in

This was the advice that I got when I was looking into buying my first AR. It also was the advice that kept me from purchasing my first AR. Then, when I said "what the heck" and decided to buy one, they were scarce due to the various school shootings.

But, I found an Sport, bought it, took it out and shot it and never had a problem.

There is no breakin period.....that I am aware of.

They come prebroken-in that's why they work so well and are so reasonably priced.

I was told by Smith&Wesson when I asked them this ? they replied back 500 rounds.

All I did was shoot mine with a 8R barrel. Shot about 600rds and then went for accuracy. It shoots 5 shot groups of less than 1/2 in at 100 yards with factory ammo. That's good enough for me!

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gunfighter48
NRA Life Member

Pretty much true for all non-magnum rifles of a standard barrel material.

SS barrels tend to 'like' a break in procedure. The thing is; the SS is different than a regular steel, has a different friction, and as such, the bullets that go down the barrel tend to coat the barrel with some material- more so than on a regular steel barrel. So there, it is more important.
And, on very specific long range barrels, when every last bit of accuracy counts, then a break in process makes sense, if nothing else to protect the investment.
And finally; magnum barrels need a procedure to make sure they are seated properly. Once done, you don't need to do it again. Usually, a single shot, a wipe. 5 shots, and the barrel is seated. That 25 shots thing is silly.

I guess now you know the answer for scientific procedures regarding proper barrel break in.........shoot it until it smokes like a forest fire then shoot some more. ��

I like this and highly agree