barrel break in

[snipers eye]

hi folks,picking up a new Savage 12 BTCSS Laminate Thumbhole Stainless .223 in few weeks, will i have to break in the barrel,or just zero in and shoot?thanks

[Stonepark]

Whole range of opinion on this, I would personally, run the bore in by cleaning first, then shoot one, and then clean for first 10 rounds and then clean every 10 rounds after that until you are happy.

I do use WS2 (Tungsten Disulphide) in my cleaning oil as a barrel lubricant.

[Gunman]

Not my field really but I do know that with double rifles it was best to specify the round you wanted to shoot and changing loads or makes of ammunition could have an effect on the sighting .

[Scully]

10 hours ago, snipers eye said:

hi folks,picking up a new Savage 12 BTCSS Laminate Thumbhole Stainless .223 in few weeks, will i have to break in the barrel,or just zero in and shoot?thanks

There is no need to ‘run in’ or ‘break in’ any barrel; you just sight it in and you’re good to go. 

[243deer]

I would just do the same as I would with any new rifle/round combination. Zero in at 100m on the flat either up or down wind then start with the elevation changes and cross wind practice as well as pushing out/ pulling in distance to judge hold over/under and find out where you are happy with your/the rifles grouping for consistent humane kills. By the time you have done all that and then gone back to 100m on the flat up or down wind to check your group (which is likely to tighten with the practice) you will have put enough rounds through to be pretty confident it will hit where you aim and will have smoothed any possible (but unlikely these days) imperfections.

 

[snipers eye]

thanks all for reply's,some say do.some say dont. personally i dont think there is a need to,so ill just zero 1inch high at 100 yards and go from there,thanks again 

[Scully]

17 minutes ago, snipers eye said:

thanks all for reply's,some say do.some say dont. personally i dont think there is a need to,so ill just zero 1inch high at 100 yards and go from there,thanks again 

If it’s a new rifle and there is indeed a need, then it will tell you how to ‘break it in’ in the instruction manual. Let us know what it says. 👍

 

[powler]

This is the procedure Savage recommend

STEP 1 (repeated 10 times)

• Fire one round
• Push wet patches soaked with a powder solvent through the bore
• Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)
• Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)
• Push wet patches soaked with a copper solvent through the bore
• Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)
• Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)
• Push a patch with 2 drops of oil through the bore

STEP 2 (repeated 5 times)

• Fire a 3 shot group
• Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1 after each group

STEP 3 (repeat 5 times)

• Fire a 5 shot group
• Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1

They recommend the use of a patch with 2 drops of oil after the cleaning so that you are not shooting with a dry bore. It is also advisable to use a powder solvent and copper solvent from the same manufacturer to be sure they are chemically compatible.

 

 Source Here

[snipers eye]

thanks again for replys,yes it is a new gun in the box.although im about 50/50 on do or dont,i will read and follow the manuals instructions,as i want the best start for this new gun,i will update this post

[enfieldspares]

7 hours ago, Scully said:

There is no need to ‘run in’ or ‘break in’ any barrel; you just sight it in and you’re good to go. 

This. Other than run a phosphor bronze brush through it to clean out any fouling and/or dried protective oil as being a US made rifle it will have had to be proof fired in the UK or, as with Winchester guns in the 1980s, that were done in Germany, in another CIP Member nation. And I'm fairly certain that at the Proof House they didn't do the Savage recommended hokey cokey of in out, in out, turn it all around and etc.. No they just looked up the bore, maybe ran a brush through it beforehand, fired it, viewed it again and proof stamped it.

Edited February 19, 2023 by enfieldspares

[Scully]

15 hours ago, enfieldspares said:

This. Other than run a phosphor bronze brush through it to clean out any fouling and/or dried protective oil as being a US made rifle it will have had to be proof fired in the UK or, as with Winchester guns in the 1980s, that were done in Germany, in another CIP Member nation. And I'm fairly certain that at the Proof House they didn't do the Savage recommended hokey cokey of in out, in out, turn it all around and etc.. No they just looked up the bore, maybe ran a brush through it beforehand, fired it, viewed it again and proof stamped it.

👍🙂It’s not even a Savage recommended Hokey Cokey,  it’s from an American shooting mag’, Precision Shooting or something similar. 
This old chestnut raises its head from time to time, and there’s a lengthy thread concerning it on this forum somewhere from years ago. 

[Dekers]

On 19/02/2023 at 11:52, powler said:

This is the procedure Savage recommend

STEP 1 (repeated 10 times)

• Fire one round
• Push wet patches soaked with a powder solvent through the bore
• Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)
• Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)
• Push wet patches soaked with a copper solvent through the bore
• Push a brush through the bore (5 times in each direction)
• Push dry patches through the bore (2 times)
• Push a patch with 2 drops of oil through the bore

STEP 2 (repeated 5 times)

• Fire a 3 shot group
• Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1 after each group

STEP 3 (repeat 5 times)

• Fire a 5 shot group
• Repeat the cleaning procedure from STEP 1

They recommend the use of a patch with 2 drops of oil after the cleaning so that you are not shooting with a dry bore. It is also advisable to use a powder solvent and copper solvent from the same manufacturer to be sure they are chemically compatible.

 

 Source Here

As has already been mentioned, everyone has an opinion.

BUT, other than a bit of time and a few rounds, what is the problem breaking in a barrel, you are not going to lose, only potentially gain!

 

[Scully]

2 hours ago, Dekers said:

As has already been mentioned, everyone has an opinion.

BUT, other than a bit of time and a few rounds, what is the problem breaking in a barrel, you are not going to lose, only potentially gain!

 

Well the thing is, you’re not breaking it in. I’ve had two new rifles and never done it with either, and minted mate has had new ( he never buys sh 🙂)  Sauer, Tikka and Sako ( several of each! ) and he’s never done it. 
If it’s critical it’s carried out then the barrel has already been ruined at proof, cos as Enfieldspares says, they won’t be doing it prior to proofing! 
I just wonder what people think they’re going to achieve with a bit of barrel cleaner and a few patches which hasn’t already been done by the manufacturers? It’s not like the owner is the first person to fire that gun. 🤷‍♂️

But yeah, no harm done, either way, and that’s what people need to know. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Scully