10-25-2019, 11:47 PM
I don't break-in barrels anymore. The most tedious waste of time, effort and money I think ever perpetrated on the shooting community.
I buy decent barrels and shoot them. I expect the first few shots of a new barrel will lap the barrel with copper, getting into all the macrosopic pores and imperfections, and that's fine with me. If I chemically remove that copper then I will need to re-foul the barrel again next time which is another way of saying how long it takes for the MPI to settle. I don't even clean the barrel every time I shoot now, and as long as I am mindful of corrosion in storage then not cleaning makes no noticeable difference to group sizes. I find that a fouled barrel takes no time to settle and the first cold bore shot is closer to the average MPI.
My two large containers of BoreTek copper solvent have long since been thrown out. I clean carbon out of the barrel occasionally, the working parts get cleaned every time (especially if using a suppressor), but copper is not a concern.
Up to you whether you believe in 'breaking in' is worth it.
I buy decent barrels and shoot them. I expect the first few shots of a new barrel will lap the barrel with copper, getting into all the macrosopic pores and imperfections, and that's fine with me. If I chemically remove that copper then I will need to re-foul the barrel again next time which is another way of saying how long it takes for the MPI to settle. I don't even clean the barrel every time I shoot now, and as long as I am mindful of corrosion in storage then not cleaning makes no noticeable difference to group sizes. I find that a fouled barrel takes no time to settle and the first cold bore shot is closer to the average MPI.
My two large containers of BoreTek copper solvent have long since been thrown out. I clean carbon out of the barrel occasionally, the working parts get cleaned every time (especially if using a suppressor), but copper is not a concern.
Up to you whether you believe in 'breaking in' is worth it.