Barrel break in?

[PeterK]

Hi guys,

I just got a new 642-2, and have a couple questions for break in. First off, which is better for ammo, lead bullets or jacketed? Second, I was gonna do 5 shots, clean, 5 more, clean again, then 20 and clean again. How does this sound. I appreciate the help!

Peter

 

[Notoast]

I just cleaned mine before I fired it the first time. I've only shot lead through it and it's always been shiny inside even after shooting. I'm not sure how much breaking in such a short barrel needs. I needed to break in my shooting hand more than my barrel!

 

[Tyrod]

You can potentially do far more damage cleaning than shooting especially on a revolver where it hard to get cleaning utensils in the breech end. Secondly, hard cast lead is probably the preferred ammo. NOT GUNSTORE RELOADS. Typically the most commonly available reloads are soft cast lead which will lead your barrel badly. The subsequent cleaning of the lead out of the bore again potentially will do damage to the bore. I'd guess 5000 rounds of jacketed standard velocity ammo would put a nice polish on the bore. 5000 more might begin to show wear on the rifling. When you get to 10,000 rounds, let us know and we'll re-evaluate.

Cleaning once per range session is plenty. I'm gonna assume you prolly won't put more than 500 rounds the revolver at one range session. If you can shoot a 642 500 rounds at one session you're more a man than I am.

 

[Dragon88]

Barrel break in is hype, especially for a snub .38 revolver. Just shoot your gun and clean it when you get home.

 

[OK Hog Shooter]

Break in? What barrel break in? I just shoot 'em till my hand hurts, wipe 'em down and put 'em up till the next time.

 

[Harrison]

As a benchrest shooter I know about barrel break in. Actually we are not breaking in the bore. We are breaking in the small area of transition from chamber to bore and the throat area. Most match grade barrels can be broken in with from 3-10 rounds of jacketed bullets (considering whoever chambered it knew what he was doing). If the barrel isn't a match grade barrel from shilen, hart, kreiger, or bartline etc., with a custom chamber, I would not waste my time trying to break a factory rifle barrel in. Clean it first, shoot two or three rounds, clean it again, and consider it broken in. I would not go that far for a factory wheel gun barrel,

 

[cyberiad]

Lead or jacketed shouldn't matter. Just shoot it, no break in necessary.

 

[Hearsedriver]

Here is how I do it. I use a Hoppes bore snake, making sure to go through the breach end first, after every 10 shots for the first 50 rounds. After 50 rounds, swab the bore with Hoppes #9 and go through the same snaking process for the next 50 rounds. Should be good to go after that. Always run the snake through the opening at the cylinder being careful not to scratch the finish on the frame with the brass brush section of the snake.