Basic Rimfire Question
- Thread starter Prof
- Start date
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
I never heard of breaking in a barrel until I came onto TFL. I just tweaked the bedding of the stock, and tailored my handloads until I got around 1/2 MOA and thought that was good enough.
As for .22, the low velocities don't really wear anything. And, the soft lead does some burnishing over many thousands of rounds, but I doubt that the "break-in" process you describe would accomplish much.
As for cleaning, quality ammo leaves little residue which won't be removed by a slightly oily patch. Unless there is a humidity problem in your local area, it's hardly worth bothering with, other than on a J. Random Occasional basis. Since powder residue *is* mildly hygroscopic, wiping down the bore never hurts, of course.
Lemme put it this way: In the last 55 years or so, I've never had rust in the bore of any of my .22s (or any other rifle, pistol or shotgun, for that matter). One of them is an old WW II Mauser training rifle.
FWIW, Art
As for .22, the low velocities don't really wear anything. And, the soft lead does some burnishing over many thousands of rounds, but I doubt that the "break-in" process you describe would accomplish much.
As for cleaning, quality ammo leaves little residue which won't be removed by a slightly oily patch. Unless there is a humidity problem in your local area, it's hardly worth bothering with, other than on a J. Random Occasional basis. Since powder residue *is* mildly hygroscopic, wiping down the bore never hurts, of course.
Lemme put it this way: In the last 55 years or so, I've never had rust in the bore of any of my .22s (or any other rifle, pistol or shotgun, for that matter). One of them is an old WW II Mauser training rifle.
FWIW, Art
I've always thought that barrel break-in was very over-rated too. It may have a small effect for something like benchrest guns, but I can't imagine it being measurable for any normal uses.
The .22LR, as Art correctly notes, probably won't benefit from any break-in, unless you buy a case of .22LR for the job.
The .22LR, as Art correctly notes, probably won't benefit from any break-in, unless you buy a case of .22LR for the job.
.22's, in this day of non-corrosive ammo rarely suffer any barrel damage except from excess cleaning. But that does not mean that a .22 needs no cleaning. Even the cleanest ammo leaves deposits of grease, burned powder, unburned powder, etc. in the action. If this is not cleaned out regularly, especially in an autoloader, the gun will simply quit working some day.
Jim
Jim
Benchrest shooters demand the "break-in" that you talk about, understandable when a few thousand is spent just on the barrel. Then you got a few wanna-bees that think their bench rest proficient and they shoot a field grade Savage. But other than that I agree that a Break-in is highly over-rated. Just an opinion.
Do a search under barrel break in. I think it was Gale McMillan that did a great post on the fallacies of elaborate barrel break ins. Well worth a read if it's still in the archives.
***I decided to reread it myself so I did the search. Great posts by the late, great Gale McMillan at http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12582
***I decided to reread it myself so I did the search. Great posts by the late, great Gale McMillan at http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=12582
Harley Nolden
Staff In Memoriam
Prof:
I wonder if there isn't a confusion between, breaking in a barrel, as opposed to "fowling the piece."
Having shot on the European, (Germany) Olympic circut for many years,under ISU rules, shooters are allowed a certain amount of "fowling shots" prior to and sometimes during the competition. This is in particular to .22 cal rifle and pistol competitions.
I often wodered about this, however, heving tried it both ways, straight off w/o fowling and with fowling, I discovered that the fowling procedure contributes to better groups in the initial start, ultimately producing better end results.
HJN
I wonder if there isn't a confusion between, breaking in a barrel, as opposed to "fowling the piece."
Having shot on the European, (Germany) Olympic circut for many years,under ISU rules, shooters are allowed a certain amount of "fowling shots" prior to and sometimes during the competition. This is in particular to .22 cal rifle and pistol competitions.
I often wodered about this, however, heving tried it both ways, straight off w/o fowling and with fowling, I discovered that the fowling procedure contributes to better groups in the initial start, ultimately producing better end results.
HJN
Harley, I think the theory is that, once the barrel is fouled it will perform more consistently from shot to shot.
In a "clean" barrel, you get a slightly different coefficient of friction for the first few shots as the barrel gets is coat of fouling. But once fouled, its consistent.
Does that make any sense?
In a "clean" barrel, you get a slightly different coefficient of friction for the first few shots as the barrel gets is coat of fouling. But once fouled, its consistent.
Does that make any sense?
I have to agree with Art. A .22 needs no such thing as a "break in". I would clean the bore first and then just go ahead and fire it. Art knows of which he speaks when he speaks of rust. Art living in the desert as he does has no humidity problems to deal with. Here in South Louisiana the humidity is akin to living under water 
, but I have never had any rust IN the barrel of any firearm, and sometimes a while passed before the bore was cleaned on some of my .22's. At times even stored in the safe with some of those lil packets of silica gel or whatever that drying agent is light spots of rust will try to form on the outside of the guns but I have never had it happen inside the barrel of a 22 even though it may not have been cleaned.
, but I have never had any rust IN the barrel of any firearm, and sometimes a while passed before the bore was cleaned on some of my .22's. At times even stored in the safe with some of those lil packets of silica gel or whatever that drying agent is light spots of rust will try to form on the outside of the guns but I have never had it happen inside the barrel of a 22 even though it may not have been cleaned.The less you clean the bore of a .22 LR the better, there's just too much chance of damage, the common rods are .200" and the bore diameter is only .217". As others have stated, some rimfire ammo just doesn't shoot well over the fouling of another brand or type, so it may take some 5 to 20 rounds to "settle in". I know some guys who clean the bore religously and others who only clean every 500 rounds. If you do clean use only a patch, no brushes.
Regards,
JB
Regards,
JB