I am kind of unfamiliar with the ar I just got one and love it have only fired a few rounds through it cleaning it after each round, but have not ever used a brush through it.  Should I?  I see there are sites that say clean it after each round for 25 shots then every other then every 5, I have got  that, but should I use a bore cleaner each time (takes like 25 patches to get the barrel completely clean then run an oil one through?  I am also cleaning the rest of the gun don't get me wrong, I am just mainly concerend with the barrel and bolt

Chrome lined barrels should only be cleaned after around 100+ rounds or so, none of this "shoot a round then clean", "shoot a round then clean" shit with them.......

Mike

buschy,

Break in on the AR is a bit different than with bolt rifles.

With Bolt rifles, the focus is on the bore.

With the AR it is on the action, and on the bore, but with a twist.
The bore is chromed.

Chrome bores have thier own rules.

Punch/scrub the bore clean, and dry.

Scrub the action to clean.

Apply lube to the action.

Run at LEAST 200 rounds without cleaning.
If needed, apply lube to the action.

The chrome in the bore needs to be slapped around a bit to break in/take a polish.

The action as manufactured, is TIGHT, and the parts and pieces are getting to know each other intimately.

200 rounds is a general rule.
Some take more, some less.

500 rounds is my personal Standard.

The thing will burp, fart, hiccup, and not run untill you get it broken in.

Once broken in, and then cleaned up, they just flat RUN!!!!!!!!!!

The bolt rifle rule, of one shot and clean, does NOT apply!!!!

Go Chrome, or go HOME!!!!!!!!!

In short.

Take it out of the box.
Clean it spotless.
Lube the action.
Load the estate wagon with ammo untill the springs sag.
Head to the range.
Shoot untill it hurts, adding lube to the action if needed.
Leave the bore dirty untill ya hit 200 rounds or more.
At 500 rounds, scrub the crap out of the thng, lube it up, and just run the thing!

As a die hard Bolt rifle geek, the process is contrary, but proven.

Chrome bores should be a LAW!!!!!!!!!!!
S-28

New member (so be kind while I'm getting up to speed) Just getting back into this after a few decades away.

New Bushmaster Varminter with a 24" chrome-moly barrel. Not chromed. What break-in process should I follow? Planning on using Federal AE223 55gr. It's still a virgin, but not for long!

Appreciate any help you can offer.

Rivers,

Ya got a Chrome moly barrel.

Scrub the thing to nothing but bare steel.

From there, run one round, and clean back to naked steel.
At least 10 rounds.

After that run 3-5 rounds before cleaning back to naked steel for 20 rounds.

Call it Voodoo.

But it's part of the tradition that has worked for too long.

Best of luck with the new rifle.
S-28

That's consistent with the recommendation that I've had from another established gunsmith. That is:

Fire one round, then clean. Repeat this until cleaning is not very productive. Fire two, then clean. Again, repeat until not productive. Fire 3 - 5. Clean. Repeat until a total of 50 rounds have been fired. By then, everything should be pretty well sorted out.

It seems this process takes into account the difference in ammunitions, how clean vs. dirty loads affect the break-in of a new chrome-moly barrel. From other's comments, the Fed AE 55gr. is a pretty clean load and should do well for the break-in process.

I know that a good break-in procedure will pay off in the long run. Luckily I'm not in a rush to get this done, only to start having fun with my new Bushmaster.

Thanks for your feedback, and have a great New Year!

My barrel is a 20in. SS no chrome I was mainly concerned with using a copper brush, and bore cleaning each time or oil or one then the other, and how many patches it should take to get this thing clean, I am shooting Black Hills 50gr. Vmax.  I do appreiciate the replies though they are helpful.  a

My concern would be with using a brass brush with the copper-removing chemicals. I would use a nylon brush with those chemicals if I didn't want to have the copper-eating chemistry going to lunch on my metal cleaning brush.

This fire a round then clean the bore business is old school and something not done any longer among those I rely on for barrel cleaning information.


As to breakin..... You'll hear everything from "just shoot it" as I noted above to what I describe below taken from an old archived thread.............................






Here's what I was taught to do regarding "break-in" NO matter the barrel, $300+ Kriegers or $99 chrome-lined or chrome-moly which seems to result in the easiest clean-up of all barrel types after 200-300 rounds.

FIRST, I run a clean patch or patches to be certain bore is clean FIRST!

Products Used in this Process:
Sweets 7.62, bore cleaner
SuperTech 2000, (non-methanol, fnd @ Walmart)
CLP, (break-free or similar)
Dewey Rod
Ray Vin bore guide
Only "NYLON" bore brushes
JAG (your choice, varys w/ cal. of rifle for me)

Shoot rifle 10-20 rnds.

(NOTE: Cover your optic/scope with a towel or similar unless ya want it ruined!, as get any Sweets on the glass and it's FUBAR)

With a "warm" NOT HOT barrel (as nylon melts) preferably after the 10-20 rounds,

Clean bore w/ Sweets till all copper is gone.

This is done by seating bore guide and placing nylon bore brush in chamber, pour Sweets into muzzle, hold finger over muzzle, pump bore brush to end 2-3 times, w/ finger over end of muzzle to make certain Sweets is soaked in good.

With one down an back (never letting but a portion or about 1/2" of the brush exit the bore, placing a towel over bore-guide to stop the stroke helps) counting as one-stroke, vigorously put 40-50 strokes on bore. Sweets will normally make a nice greenish-blue (this is the copper) froth and even darker if rounds are moly. Remove rod and bore brush.

Rinse bore w/ ST2000, run a dry patch, ya normally see green and chamber crap on this patch.

Repeat this Sweets step until froth is white, you'll know by the froth whether it's clean, for most part after this intial cleaning process is completed, I never have to do this more than twice, but as "stock barrels" are not the same as "customs" this may VARY.

Run dry patches, (no lube necessary, simply let the ST 2000 evaporate a few minutes, as no CLP is necessary yet as your going back to shooting)

NEXT: Shoot 20-40 rnds more.

Repeat above Swets cleaning process, cleaning the rifle bore well again, IF your done shooting for the day, lube the bore w/ one soaked patch of CLP, otherwise go back on to shooting w/ no lube, but always clean the bore on it's initial firing. Run one or two patches to remove some of the CLP (this prevent the bore from attracting too much dust while PROPERLY stored away)

Breakin is over, from now on clean rifle when done shooting and store lightly lubed.

Always run 1 dry patch before shooting.

Note: Sweets 7.62 is not some mabby pammby cleaner, it is SERIOUS bore cleaner and WILL ruin the bore on your rifle IF left setting for long periods of time, (15-25 min is longest we ever let it set, for dirty bored rifles). The ST2000 is for rinsing away ALL residue of the Sweets, and I even use it w/ the red-tube to spray out the gas-tube on my ARs, after cleaning and rinsing the bore, lest it gets up in there as i'm brushing the bore.

Don't get any of it on your stock and try to keep it outta your action if at all possible, if ya do, hose it down with the ST2000.

That's it, this was how I was instructed to do it by our old gunsmith and long range shooter whose burned up more barrels (thru actual use) than anyone I know and it has worked for me for quite sometime in all manner of barrels. Rifle bores after 200-300 rounds always seem to clean up quick and alot of the time (w/ my chrome-lined ARs) I wonder why I even wasted doing the second Sweets bushing session as bores are almost always clean after first bore cleanin go round...., but I do the second just to see the white froth, to be sure!

YMMV, but this method works for us and our bores.

Mike

Quoted: In short. Load the estate wagon with ammo untill the springs sag. Head to the range. Shoot untill it hurts, adding lube to the action if needed.

I pictured this and laughed...Thanks

Instructions that came with my rifle from RRA said that Breakin Was not needed

Break in wasn't needed with my Bushy. I do clean the thing conatantly though, every shoot (500+ rounds), and Chrome is the ONLY way to go! Chromed Bolts are also said to help, I just got one (finally) and we'll see how well it works.

Here are some break in procedures i found from these guys:

www.armalite.com/library/techNotes/tnote28.htm
www.bushmaster.com/faqnew/content_by_cat.asp?contentid=135&catid=100
www.olyarms.com/?page=faq#

Hi all,

   Kind of a newbie myself, getting back into shootin' the AR after a long sabbatical.  I'm a little confused by this thread.  Is there a difference between a chrome/moly-lined  barrel and a chrome-lined barrel?  Thanks!