barrel break in

[bowman]

I have a new ar 16in barrel chrome lined 1-9 twist. How do i break it in??????

 

[BigSlick]

Send it to me and I will break it in for you. May take a year or two. Takes time to do it right:biggrin:

 

[Red Hat]

On newly chambered barrels I fire one round and clean and lube it. I do this each time for 10 rounds. Then I fire 25 rounds cleaning it after every 5 rounds. This will ensure that no burrs are left in the chamber or in the barrel that can cause copper to build up on imperfections.

 

[AR Hammer]

On newly chambered barrels I fire one round and clean and lube it. I do this each time for 10 rounds. Then I fire 25 rounds cleaning it after every 5 rounds. This will ensure that no burrs are left in the chamber or in the barrel that can cause copper to build up on imperfections.

Pretty close to what I do.

Usually, VERY good cleaning before you shoot it.
Remember, some barrels/top ends are test fired at the factory and have fouling from that, or from chorming process or shipping anti-corrosion residue (or all of the above).

Also, there are usually some pretty jagged burrs are left dangling from the rifling after the manufacturing process, and a very rough/through initial cleaning will remove the worst of these so they don't imbed in the barrel somewhere...

Once you have it clean,
Take it out and fire ONE round, then clean, fire another round until you get a CLEAN patch out, then fire again, ect.

Do that for 10 or 20 rounds until you get to where 2 or 3 patches will clean it out quickly.
Then fire Two or Three rounds, clean (and it shouldn't take more than 3 to 5 patches to clean) for about the next 20 to 30 rounds...

The idea is, copper is 'Liquid' or a 'Hydraulic' force at the pressures we are talking about when the rifle if fired.

Copper will invade EVERY scratch, void, pit, tool chatter mark, overhang on the rifling, ect. if you don't clean between rounds, those defects, burrs, ect. will be full of coper and NEVER go away.

Copper can collect in the voids, and actually move the metal in the barrel aside (under hydraulic pressure forming conditions) and cause all those defects to become LARGER, and that will ruin longevity and accuracy, and in extreme cases, actually make the barrel unsafe to use.

It's not as big an issue in heavy, hard chrome lined barrels as it is in untreated steel, but it will still effect accuracy and longevity of the barrel.

If you clean the copper out between rounds when breaking in a barrel,
Then the metal will lap over it's self, taking on kind of a 'Fish Scale' appearance in pits and shallow chatter marks/scratches,
And on Deep defects, the edges of the scratches/ect. will round over with wear, where it doesn't shave jacket off the bullet as much.

Hard Chroming usually takes many of the defects from machining out of the barrel...

But you still need to break in the barrel and 'Slick' it down before putting it into hard service.
It will be MUCH easier to clean, last MUCH longer (if kept clean) and make the rifle more accurate to boot!

 

[Ropadope]

I have a new ar 16in barrel chrome lined 1-9 twist. How do i break it in??????

Put ammo in the magazine. Insert magazine into weapon. Charge the weapon with the bolt charger, chambering a round. Remove safety selector into the "Fire" position. Point barrel down range. Simply pull trigger.

 

[theicemanmpls]

On newly chambered barrels I fire one round and clean and lube it. I do this each time for 10 rounds. Then I fire 25 rounds cleaning it after every 5 rounds. This will ensure that no burrs are left in the chamber or in the barrel that can cause copper to build up on imperfections.

+1.
One more thing. When you push the patch and it pops out of the muzzle, remove it. Do not draw a dirty patch back in while breaking in a new barrel.

I often practice this same procedure when cleaning a very dirty barrel.

I hope you are cleaning from the breach. Sorry for asking, but sometimes, people just don't know.

Anymore questions, please ask.

Several people here are good gun guys.

 

[AR Hammer]

ALWAYS clean from the chamber!
I have bore guides for every rifle I own and I NEVER clean from the muzzle!

Bore guides keep the solvents, oils, loose crud from getting into your reciever.
The time savings alone from not having to clean the crap twice (once out of the top end/barrel,
And again out of the lower end where it 'Drooled' when cleaning the top end)
Is worth the bore guide!

It's not as big a deal if you have one of those ONE PIECE polished stainless rods that don't take bites out of the muzzle crown,

But if you are using a sectioned rod, especially a STEEL section/break down rod,
Every joint will take a bite from the muzzle crown.

Every time I see the local 'SWAT' guys at the long range shoots, I have to giggle a little...
they ALWAYS use those old military cleaning rods in ill fitting sections, and they ALWAYS start from the muzzle!

That's just money the bank for us when they do that,
You KNOW they aren't going to shoot MOA groups with giant bites out of the muzzle crown,
So all I can say is, "Thanks For Donating To The Pot!" when I see them do that!

One other thing,
With an AR top end, you want to clean it with it sitting UPRIGHT.
If you turn it over, oil, solvent, crud gets into the gas system, never a good thing!
Always keep the gas tube/front sight facing 'Up' and that won't happen...

I don't say much when I see a SKS or AK being cleaned up side down,
There isn't any point in correcting them, those rifles are never going to shoot MOA anyway...

 

[Ropadope]

ALWAYS clean from the chamber!
I have bore guides for every rifle I own and I NEVER clean from the muzzle!

Bore guides keep the solvents, oils, loose crud from getting into your reciever.
The time savings alone from not having to clean the crap twice (once out of the top end/barrel,
And again out of the lower end where it 'Drooled' when cleaning the top end)
Is worth the bore guide!

It's not as big a deal if you have one of those ONE PIECE polished stainless rods that don't take bites out of the muzzle crown,

But if you are using a sectioned rod, especially a STEEL section/break down rod,
Every joint will take a bite from the muzzle crown.

Every time I see the local 'SWAT' guys at the long range shoots, I have to giggle a little...
they ALWAYS use those old military cleaning rods in ill fitting sections, and they ALWAYS start from the muzzle!

That's just money the bank for us when they do that,
You KNOW they aren't going to shoot MOA groups with giant bites out of the muzzle crown,
So all I can say is, "Thanks For Donating To The Pot!" when I see them do that!

One other thing,
With an AR top end, you want to clean it with it sitting UPRIGHT.
If you turn it over, oil, solvent, crud gets into the gas system, never a good thing!
Always keep the gas tube/front sight facing 'Up' and that won't happen...

I don't say much when I see a SKS or AK being cleaned up side down,
There isn't any point in correcting them, those rifles are never going to shoot MOA anyway...

Good post !!!

These are the reasons I only use Otis cleaning kits and Bore Snakes.


I enjoy your posts, your not in the cheap seats. :biggrin:

 

[AR Hammer]

I go with Dewey rods most times,
I use bore snakes in the field, but nothing beats a good scrubbing with a stiff one piece rod to bring back accuracy,
And you will drive yourself crazy trying to get a bore snake back and forth like you can a rod.

Stony Point makes some good chamber guides for cleaning, I like them for the rifles I don't make my own...

 

[oldvet53]

Good post !!!

These are the reasons I only use Otis cleaning kits and Bore Snakes.


I enjoy your posts, your not in the cheap seats. :biggrin:

i also use bore snakes,quick,easy and do exelent job. but i still have my Army issue cleaning kit.leasantry:

 

[AR Hammer]

I went with full size hard cases several years ago, so the long rods with no joints fit right in them with no issues,
And I use bore snakes for field cleaning, so again, no issues.

I would assume if you protected the muzzle crown and used a chamber type bore guide, cleaning from the chamber, you could use a military cleaning rod without damage, but I find the little military kits time consuming, have the POTENTIAL for damage, and frankly, outdated since my other cleaning brushes, mops, chamber/lug cleaners don't fit on them.

There is probably one or two laying around here within reach, but I don't see the point anymore with snakes and one piece rods...
Not like I'm squatting in the jungle with VC trying to take my head off and a rifle that won't extract/eject!