April 2011 issue, Page 50

Never did think it was necessary.

Point, Counterpoint

GUNS Magazine Digital April 2011

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Still Running Against the Wind

I do "break in" my new rifle barrels, but not to the extent a lot of people do. I fire 5 rounds, clean, 5 rounds, clean, until I reach about 25 rounds. This is while I am sighting the rifle in, and doing initial chronographing of loads. When I clean the rifle after the 25 rounds, I clean with various solvents, then finish with JB Bore Shine which puts a little final polish on the bore. I normally only shoot heavy barrel rifles for Prairie Dog's, so I expect 1/4" or at least 1/2" accuracy at 100 yds.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

That chrome moly or stainless barrel is so much harder than the copper jackets that shooting several dozen through it is not going to affect it. If it was poorly machined I'm sure the jacket material will end up filling in the low spots and maybe create a better seal and maybe more consistent groups but this is a question best answered by the benchrest guys who seek the ultimate in accuracy.

Give credit where credit is due. Some ammo salesman probably came up with the idea to sell more ammo. Kinda like the shampoo deal with washing your hair twice. More rifles barrels are ruined by improper cleaning than shooting.

I know sounds kind of foolish I say shoot the dam thing

That's as good a topic as "what oil should I use in my motorcycle" over on the bike forums....

just "mumbo, jumbo" as far as I'm concerned.

Of the 30-40 rifles I have owned over the past 4+ decades, I never broke the barrel in on any of them. They all shot fine, actually much better than I was able to shoot. I wish I knew I was doing it wrong....that way I would have shot more ammo, and still had a rifle that shot better than I could shoot it!

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Have Canon, Will Travel