Breaking in a Howa barrel...

[Plainsman]

I don?t have my Howa yet due to UPS problems out here in Nowhereland. But I went to their site and Howa details a pretty arduously specific break-in procedure. What says the Horde about that? Opinions gladly received...

[A5BLASTER]

Waist of time.

This is what I did with the one I had. Shot the first 20 rounds letting the bore go cold between each shot. Then shot the next 80 rounds making sure the barrel never got more then just warm enough to feel it with my hand.

Cleaned it and went on about doing load work ups. That rifle is a tack driver at 200 yards with 129 ablr, 85 trex, 120 fusion, 123 eld-m's.

My best friend has it now.

You should know that I think barrel break in is a waist of time and money. And what I stated above is basicly how I treat every barrel I get.

Works well for me. I'm sure the next 100 people will have 100 diffrent ways of doing it.

[Moose69]

No advice to give really as I?m in the same boat. I will say that In the past I have simply cleaned the bore and go shooting, don?t know if it makes a difference or not especially on a factory barrel vs custom.

[Plainsman]

Thank you, gentlemen. Looking forward to more counties checking in.

[FLshooter]

Lots of fellows I know run a bore snake through the barrel every 10 shots while breaking it in.I never believed in that. I have no break in procedure.
I take out the bolt and run a nylon brush and patches through the barrel before I shoot any rifle I get.I repeat this after every 100 rds or so.
That’s what I do.And it works foe me!If you ask 100 people you’ll probably get 100 different opinions.

[Harpoon1]

Basically I clean the barrel when I first get it, and make sure no one left a screwdriver or monkey wrench in it. Then go shoot it, until it stops grouping or starts showing excessive pressure signs. Then I think about cleaning it. Works for me, but then again I don?t compete, just hunt with them.

Ole man Kreiger doesn?t believe in barrel break in, think it?s completely unnecessary. That was good enough for me.

The fact that everybody has their own little ritual, their own goat sacrifice, should tell you something. IMO

[Lemonaid]

My opinion is shoot a few rounds (3-5) and check for copper fouling. If copper fouled clean and repeat, increasing fired rounds each cycle until perhaps 20 rounds show little to no copper fouling.
Fast Cu fouling would indicate the throat needs more polishing/breaking in.

[6.5GMan]

I just got mine last week. It’s my first 6.5g bolt gun. In all my research I found that it takes 20-30 rounds for the battle to come in. So I KG2 bore cleaner and polish, it. 200 strokes on the barrel. Smooth as a babies A$$.
Then cleansed it good, shoot 20
Rounds and groups great. Going to shoot it tomorrow out to 500. Will update you when complete.

[Plainsman]

I appreciate all the tips and comments. Thanks. Will confess that I haven?t paid much attention to break-in tricks over the years. Start with a clean barrel and keep it mostly clean through a hundred or so rounds. That?s about it. But Howa was so picky I just wanted to be sure I wasn?t overlooking something.

[LR1955]

I appreciate all the tips and comments. Thanks. Will confess that I haven?t paid much attention to break-in tricks over the years. Start with a clean barrel and keep it mostly clean through a hundred or so rounds. That?s about it. But Howa was so picky I just wanted to be sure I wasn?t overlooking something.

PM:

Only two reasons why Howa would give such a break in procedure.

First -- they never finished the barrel and want you to spend your money and time finishing it for them.

Second -- if their barrel fails to perform they can blame it on the buyer not following their procedures.

I think what you are doing ought to be just fine. Keep it clean as best as possible for the first hundred rounds then clean it as needed.

LR55

[1075 tech]

Hmm... Never did a "break in" on my Howa. I think I ran a patch through it to remove any grease or oil when i got it. After installing in B&C stock, DIP bottom metal, and DIP mag release, I modified the magazine for "flush" fit. I put on a scope and took it out to shoot. Got the scope dialed in and the next 5 shots with Hornady Black were one ragged hole at 100 yards.

Come to think of it, my break in routine is clean it when I get it, take it out and shoot it. Get it zeroed and shoot it more. If accuracy starts falling off, clean it again.

[BLUESGUNNER]

I followed their instructions and found my barrel cleans up in just 2-3 swipes now. Not certain if it was necessary but it was a very inexpensive process just in case. I'm shooting .5 MOA at 150 now after doing so. Howa Mini Action.

[Rosecrans1]

I break a barrel in using the "clean after each shot for the first 10 shots" then I do three to five shot groups and clean" for 5 to 6 times. During all this, I never heat the barrel up that I can't hold my hand on it.
As "Bluesgunner" above stated, the patches are clean in 2 to 3 swipes after it's broken-in. During the break-in, and especially with a new barrel, (and really evident, on a cheap barrel), the patches are filthy with up to 20 patches going through the barrel on bore cleaner before they are nominally clean. I also see specs of metal from many new barrels and that included two Rem 700's. One I bought in 1976 and a more recent 700 Classic in 300 Savage that was never shot. The specs are visible on the patches during the first couple shots. (A BCA upper in 6.5 Grr was blowing metal specs after 5 shots and I ALWAYS clean and mop the chamber and bore on any gun I acquire, new and used before shooting). That upper was a turd by the way!
I have done this on rifles since I was old enough to own my own in the 1970's and it was told to me by two local gunsmiths who's knowledge I valued. (plus what has been printed over the years in the trade mags).
It is a major PIA and it does add some cost and mostly time that many of us simply don't have but I will always do a new barrel break-in. If only to satisfy in my mind, that I did everything I could do for a gun that I own to be as accurate as it could be. It's an opinion and like anatomical parts we all share, everyone has one.

[Azrckcrawler]

I followed Howa's directions, action is mounted on an Oryx chassis. Wasn't a big deal as I was chronoing loads at the same time so slow an methodical felt right. I have about 200 rounds thru the gun now, shot a 3" group at 600yds the other day.

[Moose69]

What do you think about the Oryx chassis? Been thinking about looking into one of them but none to be found around here yet.