I have a bunch of Federal XM193 55 gr ammo and need to break-in my new barrel, but don't want to buy any expensive heavy loads just for this purpose.  I will not be sighting-in anything or concerning myself in any way with accuracy here, just the tedious break-in process. Will 55 grain ammo work for simple break-in or will this load break it in with undesirable results?

Thanks.

If you have an expensive stainless match barrel for target shooting, some people think there's a benefit to some type of gradual break-in and cleaning procedure.  Others don't think there's much reason to do so, even with expensive target barrels.


Whether you choose to do it or not, my impression is that the ammo itself isn't as critical as the sequence of shooting and cleaning - so I'd think that XM193 is fine.

Quoted: Barrel break in procedures are one of the biggest frauds.

So who gains from this fraudulent activity (I am playing Devil's advocate)?  I sort of have to agree but disagree at the same time about the validity of barrel break in.  High end SS barrel are suppose to offer better performance but to what extent.  If you are paying the premium, you would think that performance would be there from the get go.  However mass produced SS with less QC do not hold the same tolerances and therefore may have some rough edges that need to be work out.

Mmmmm................

Barrel Makers????

Quoted: Barrel break in procedures are one of the biggest frauds.

Depends on the barrel.

Quoted: I have never seen any evidence validating barrel breakins, it's all been anecdotal and usually comes from the old fart idiots on the range. When somone gives me some verifiable proof, maybe then i will believe this bullshit.

Sounds like you've already made up your mind.  Sort of strange that you're so hostile to an inanimate idea.  Did barrel break-in kill your mother or something?

FWIW, I have 4 AR stainless barrels, all WOA.  I didn't break in the first two, but when I got the last two I thought "what the hey" and did the whole break-in thing.  These two new barrels, after break-in, clean significantly easier, and seem to shoot slightly better, although I don't really consider that second effect to be due to the break-in.

Quoted: Did you buy all 4 at once or 2 at a time? Because if you didn't get them all together, ie they werent all manufactured at similar times under similar conditions i wouldnt draw that conclusion, something could have changed in the manufacturing process that affected "how easy they clean"

Or, it could be the aliens.  Or it could be the solvent formula cold change.  Or it could be break-in.  I'm not definitively saying it's break in, but just because there are other possibilities doesn't mean it isn't so.

Anyway, unless WOA changed their manufacturing process within a 3 week period, I doubt it was that.

Barrel break in, ya I do it. But an afternoon at the range by myself
with a new gun is like the superbowl for me.I'm lucky there is never
anyone around, so I can play the game of shoot clean shoot clean and it
does't piss anyone off.But when I clean the gun before i shoot it
for the first time I J&B the barrel first.Is barrel break a little witchcraft,
ya probably but I have the time.

If we could maybe split the difference, meet in the middle and discuss the pros v. cons, the witch craft vs. science of barrel break-in as it pertains to Federal XM193 55 grain ammo, I could be on my way and not interrupt you guys further...

Quoted: If we could maybe split the difference, meet in the middle and discuss the pros v. cons, the witch craft vs. science of barrel break-in as it pertains to Federal XM193 55 grain ammo, I could be on my way and not interrupt you guys further...

Yes, any thick jacketed bullet will do.

Quoted: I have never seen any evidence validating barrel breakins, it's all been anecdotal and usually comes from the old fart idiots on the range. When somone gives me some verifiable proof, maybe then i will believe this bullshit.

I've heard directly, from a reputable manufacturer known for great accuracy, that any special rituals for breaking in a barrel is unnecessary. I think it's all a bunch of hokum.

Do whatever makes you feel good, I guess.
When the man himself tells me not to worry, I don't feel the need to worry.

Quoted: Quoted: I have never seen any evidence validating barrel breakins, it's all been anecdotal and usually comes from the old fart idiots on the range. When somone gives me some verifiable proof, maybe then i will believe this bullshit. I've heard directly, from a reputable manufacturer known for great accuracy, that any special rituals for breaking in a barrel is unnecessary. I think it's all a bunch of hokum. Do whatever makes you feel good, I guess. When the man himself tells me not to worry, I don't feel the need to worry.

As MSTN says above, have you ever owned a Lilja, Krieger, etc?  You can really tell the difference then.

OP, you want a fully jacketed bullet for break-in.

Curious to know why a fully jacketed bullet is ideal for barrel break-in.  Considering the aft portion (boat-tail) has very little if any no bearing surface with the L&G, why would it matter.  Bullet deformity?  The FMJs hold better concentricity?  

I would think that the shaft dimensions (length) of the bullets would be more critical for break-in.  Longer the shaft greater the surface area in contact with the L&G.

Interesting.............

Quoted: Curious to know why a fully jacketed bullet is ideal for barrel break-in.  Considering the aft portion (boat-tail) has very little if any no bearing surface with the L&G, why would it matter.  Bullet deformity?  The FMJs hold better concentricity?   I would think that the shaft dimensions (length) of the bullets would be more critical for break-in.  Longer the shaft greater the surface area in contact with the L&G. Interesting.............

To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely sure on the rational of the fully-jacketed bullet, but it's what I've always been told, from my father, grandfather, and the barrelmakers that I order barrels from.

MSTN?

Quoted: Quoted: I have never seen any evidence validating barrel breakins, it's all been anecdotal and usually comes from the old fart idiots on the range. When somone gives me some verifiable proof, maybe then i will believe this bullshit. I've heard directly, from a reputable manufacturer known for great accuracy, that any special rituals for breaking in a barrel is unnecessary. I think it's all a bunch of hokum. Do whatever makes you feel good, I guess. When the man himself tells me not to worry, I don't feel the need to worry.

who are you talking about?

Gale McMillan
Senior Member posted September 25, 1999 10:10 AM
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The break in fad was started by a fellow I helped get started in the barrel business . He started putting a set of break in instructions in ever barrel he shipped. One came into the shop to be installed and I read it and the next time I saw him I asked him What was with this break in crap?. His answer was Mac, My share of the market is about 700 barrels a year. I cater to the target crowd and they shoot a barrel about 3000 rounds before they change it. If each one uses up 100 rounds of each barrel breaking it in you can figure out how many more barrels I will get to make each year. If you will stop and think that the barrel doesn't know whether you are cleaning it every shot or every 5 shots and if you are removing all foreign material that has been deposited in it since the last time you cleaned it what more can you do? When I ship a barrel I send a recommendation with it that you clean it ever chance you get with a brass brush pushed through it at least 12 times with a good solvent and followed by two and only 2 soft patches. This means if you are a bench rest shooter you clean ever 7 or 8 rounds . If you are a high power shooter you clean it when you come off the line after 20 rounds. If you follow the fad of cleaning every shot for X amount and every 2 shots for X amount and so on the only thing you are accomplishing is shortening the life of the barrel by the amount of rounds you shot during this process. I always say Monkey see Monkey do, now I will wait on the flames but before you write them, Please include what you think is happening inside your barrel during break in that is worth the expense and time you are spending during break in

Quoted: Gale McMillan Senior Member posted September 25, 1999 10:10 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The break in fad was started by a fellow I helped get started in the barrel business . He started putting a set of break in instructions in ever barrel he shipped. One came into the shop to be installed and I read it and the next time I saw him I asked him What was with this break in crap?. His answer was Mac, My share of the market is about 700 barrels a year. I cater to the target crowd and they shoot a barrel about 3000 rounds before they change it. If each one uses up 100 rounds of each barrel breaking it in you can figure out how many more barrels I will get to make each year. If you will stop and think that the barrel doesn't know whether you are cleaning it every shot or every 5 shots and if you are removing all foreign material that has been deposited in it since the last time you cleaned it what more can you do? When I ship a barrel I send a recommendation with it that you clean it ever chance you get with a brass brush pushed through it at least 12 times with a good solvent and followed by two and only 2 soft patches. This means if you are a bench rest shooter you clean ever 7 or 8 rounds . If you are a high power shooter you clean it when you come off the line after 20 rounds. If you follow the fad of cleaning every shot for X amount and every 2 shots for X amount and so on the only thing you are accomplishing is shortening the life of the barrel by the amount of rounds you shot during this process. I always say Monkey see Monkey do, now I will wait on the flames but before you write them, Please include what you think is happening inside your barrel during break in that is worth the expense and time you are spending during break in

I'm more inclined to listen to my own experience and that of MSTN.  It doesn't get much more "reputable" than that.

As did I

This is just speculation, but wouldn't there be some effect as the bullet would smooth out tiny imperfections in the barrel.  Cleaning after each round ensures that the subsequent one is smoothing the barrel rather than grinding carbon into it.

If this wild ass guess hypothesis is correct, then you would want fully jacketed bullets (as has been suggested) and would also want clean burning powder to lessen the residue after each shot so the next bullet smooths the barrel rather than grinding more abrasive carbon into it.

and what happen when you fire 20 without cleaning? What happens to your broken in barrel after firing 200 rounds without cleaning letting a patch touch the bore?

Quoted: and what happen when you fire 20 without cleaning? What happens to your broken in barrel after firing 200 rounds without cleaning letting a patch touch the bore?

Once the imperfections have been smoothed out by break-in they do not catch the fouling the same way.  That's why you clean frequently during break-in, but it is non-critical after.

Firing 20 during break-in doesn't hurt anything, it just makes it go slower.

When is it time to use a brush on a SS barrel and what would be the best one to use? Would this be part of the break in process? With all my other SS barrels I very rarely used brushes just lots of patches, was this not good? Not trying to hijack the thread, just curious.

Just been through this with a friend of mine , When a chamber is finished reemed the cutter no matter how sharp will leave slight rough edge on the start of the riflings .
When you fire the first few rounds the copper on the jacket turns to plasma from the heat and pressure .

As the copper cools it is deposited along the length of the barrel . Copper attracts copper so you want to remove the copper when it is not as heavy . (Not allowing it to build up. ) How many rounds this is , is anybody's guess.

Eventually the start of the riflings smooth out from firing and the deposits of copper become less. Again how many rounds this takes depends on the condition of the finish reemer .