Answer

I completely clean the barrel after every shot or two for the first 25-50 rounds. Make sure you use a solvent that will remove copper fouling as this is one of the things that will be deposited the worst in a barrel that is a little rough. You could do this for more rounds if it is indicated by the copper fouling (blue color on the patch run through after letting solvent work for a bit). Jack R

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Jack, I’ve cleaned many bores and copper fouling is a pretty common thing. I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned one that didn’t have copper fouling. Are you telling me if you clean the BBL after every shot or two that the copper fouling won’t be so bad after break-in? I have a new Ruger waiting to go to the range. While I was setting it up (custom stock, glass bed, etc.) I ran a patch through the bore and it came out blue with copper fouling. Brand new out of the box and the bore was filthy. You would think that they would clean it after test firing? Thanks Gregg

Answer:

We clean the barrel thoroughly after every shot and then push a patch damp with Break Free through the barrel then fire the next shot and repeat for the first 10-20 shots. Then we clean the barrel and push the damp Break Free patch thru after every 5 rounds up to 50 rounds total. After that the barrel should be broke in and have Break Free worked into the pores of the metal. If you ask 10 different gunsmiths you will get 10 different answers but they are all doing the same thing of breaking in the roughness of the barrel. All the methods seem to work, this is what we have found works for us.

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I did not realize the bores are so rough when new. I know now that there are many rifles that were never even thought about being broke in. But many of them shoot quite well. I’ve been around guns since I can remember and started thinking about how nobody ever said any thing about breaking in their new rifle bbl. That’s how the question came to mind. I know when I start telling people around here that they are going to be amazed on how much is involved to do it right. But many guys sight them in, clean them and maybe shoot once or twice at a deer and clean and put them away until next year, pull them out and shoot 2-3 shots making sure their on target and clean. So it may take years for some of these guys to break in.

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Yeah we did the same thing growing up. Break in is to smooth out the barrel from the rifling process (whichever method is used will cause some roughness). Most hunters do as you described and just shoot a couple of shots a year. A barrel that is broke in and smooth will clean out easier and not as much fouling will be left to corrode the bore. Again most hunters never shoot or fool with their gun to find its optimum load etc. They buy a box of their favorite shells and sight it in where they think it should be and go hunting, and lets face it that is usually just fine they shoot 1-2 shots and kill their quarry and clean the gun with “Hoppes #9” wipe it down with an oil and put it in the gun cabinet or safe. Some “gun nuts” have read about break in but don’t think it matters cause…”grampa never did it, and I always kill my deer with one shot”. Explain that the barrel will shoot better, clean better, and since it is cleaner will not corrode and therefore last longer.

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Ken, The same applies to muzzle loaders then. Kind of odd the manufactures don’t put any thing in the owner manuals about breaking. Thanks for the lesson. I learn something every time I ask a question here.

Answer:

What do you guys think about these bore lapping kits that use lapping compound on bullets to fire through the barrel? Seems to me you would want to be very careful with this procedure or you could remove more than just roughness.

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Using a lap on a bullet or fire lapping is one way to do it but it is for a more extreme case of roughness. Many of the instructions want you to use 5-10 shots. I think, as does Bob, that this is quite excessive. You will do more wear on the barrel than anything. Just 1-3 shots should be enough to remove any roughness and but you won’t be lightly smoothing it and you won’t be getting the Break free into the pores of the metal, but it does have its place.