Greetings all,  I've been lirking since "discovering" you all last month.  Had a birthday, went to get a BM varminter, saw the modular, fell in love, couldn't decide, GOT BOTH!  Thanks for the advice.  BM says to run a few hundred rounds thru them prior to initial cleaning as the chrome moly is different from all my other no-special-treatment steel.  Can this be true?  Enlighten me, and thanks in advance!!

Fishman

sounds kinda FISHY!!!
sorry, i couldn't help myself.

thats ok, sounds fishy to me too, but thats what the BM website said!
QUOTED from Bushmaster Knowledgebase
What is the proper "break-in" procedure for a chrome lined AR barrel?   (published: 7/25/2003 12:56:52 PM)  
Article # 167  
Title What is the proper "break-in" procedure for a chrome lined AR barrel?  
Abstract  
After firing a couple hundred rounds, the chrome lining will "polish out" from its light, flat gray, factory-new look to a brightly reflective, polished appearance. During this break-in period, excessive cleaning with solvent or brush should be avoided as that will only prolong the time (and number of rounds) it takes to achieve the final "bullet polishing" of the barrel.  


What is the best cleaning procedure for the AR? - and how often?   (published: 7/25/2003 1:07:26 PM)  
Article # 182  
Title What is the best cleaning procedure for the AR? - and how often?  
Abstract  
Cleaning the AR15 - with its chrome lined barrel - is a little different than cleaning a regular sporting rifle. The chrome lining will take longer to break in - usually 100 - 200 rounds, and once properly broken in, will really not require much scrubbing until many thousand rounds later when your target groupings start to suffer. Chrome barrels don't get fouled nearly as quickly as steel barrels, and they won't rust or pit either. Here's the basic cleaning process - after a shooting session, clean the bore and chamber with a nitro solvent (Hoppe's or equivalent) and run patches through until all solvent is removed. Caution - any solvents that can affect nickel may damage the finish of the receiver unless removed. A Nickel Acetate sealant is applied as one of the receiver's last finishing steps, and some solvents will attack that finish. The use of a chamber rod guide (available in our catalog) will limit your cleanup. Once the rifle is clean and dry, apply a light oil with Teflon but don't over-do it. We sell the Tetra brand, others are Break-Free and Rem-Oil. The manual that comes with your rifle will show you how and where to oil. After many (thousands) of rounds, if the rifle's accuracy starts to suffer, scrubbing the bore down with a good copper solvent, plenty of elbow grease, and patience, will produce a barrel that shoots as good as new.