DPMS AR15 Barrel Break-In

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racin

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I just bought my first ar-15. Its a DPMS Lo-Pro. I was reading the barrel break in part of the manual and it says to clean the barrel after each round fired for the first 25. Then after every 10 rounds up to 100 rounds. This seems excessive to me but they say accuracy is dependant on this. Anyone have any comments. And how about comments on cleaners, oils, lubes anything you guys might like or some to stay away from. Thanks guys
 
Is the bore chrome lined? If it is ,shoot 1 wipe with solvent,then again until you shot 5,then shoot 5 and wipe, shoot 5 more and wipe until you have have 50 rounds down the bore.Do not rapid the 5 shots avoid heating the barrel up until 200 rnds have been shot.Then you can shoot as much as you want.I bought a 5 round magazine(legal for hunting) because off the bench the 20-30's are to long and get in the way of good rest.
 
racin, it doesn't take too much searching to find plenty of threads on this subject. Some people follow the DPMS instructions on barrel break-in, some just begin normal shooting out of the box. If you can find Gale McMillan's threads in here, they are worth their weight in .223 ammo.

Good luck.
 
When I first purchased my 'match' AR15 service rifle many years ago, I decided that I should break in the barrel using the shoot-n-clean method. I did... and the rifle shot well.

After I had the rifle re-barrelled I decided to forgo the break-in and just shoot the rifle. Using the same reloads, it shot just as well as if I 'broke' the barrel in.

I'm on my third barrel and haven't bothered with the break-in since. I vote for JUST SHOOT IT
 
I own two dpms, one in 223, and one 308, just took em out and shot em. Both are incredibly accurate. The 308 will shoot a ragged hole with reloads, a no-no for your warranty, but oh well. The 223 will eat about anything, but prefers 55 grain hornadys sp, over varget. Shoot clean when accuracy drops off, or they get filthy, repeat. If it is buggin you, I doubt it will hurt it, but as for me I've got better things to do with my guns, and time, than clean them after every shot. For what its worth my wife says I am wrong all the time, so it is possible. flyboy:D
 
I'd take the advice of a barrel builder like Gale McMillan, rather than an AR assembler, like DPMS. I also would take the advice of Bushmaster on "breaking in" a chrome-lined barrel...shoot 200 rounds through it without cleaning, and you're done. :cool:
 
I beleive it has all to do with accuracy.

There are typically small nubs (ridges) along the edges of rifling in a new barrel. Break-in wears then down. Smooth-Kote fills the low spots. Break in the barrel and Smooth-Kote it, and you can shoot with optimal accuracy immediately.

If you're just out for some fun blowing stuff up, a .25 MOA improvement probably doesn't warrant the time/expense of break-in.

/*tom*/
 
It seems like DPMS suggestions are a little excessive and I will use much of this advice. What about lube cleaners and like chemicals for proper cleaning and maintainence. thanks
 
I beleive it has all to do with accuracy.

There are typically small nubs (ridges) along the edges of rifling in a new barrel. Break-in wears then down. Smooth-Kote fills the low spots. Break in the barrel and Smooth-Kote it, and you can shoot with optimal accuracy immediately.

If you're just out for some fun blowing stuff up, a .25 MOA improvement probably doesn't warrant the time/expense of break-in.

/*tom*/
Click to expand...

A McMillan barrel holds the world benchrest record for 100 yds., I believe. McMillan said that break-in is just foolishness.
 
personally, who are you going to believe??? the manufacturer of the rifle,or a bunch of people you don't know on the internet. it's up to you
 
A McMillan barrel holds the world benchrest record for 100 yds., I believe. McMillan said that break-in is just foolishness
Click to expand...

It may be foolish for a McMillan barrel, which I assume is well lapped before it ships. That's part of what you pay for in a match-grade barrel, and if I laid out $3k for a barrel I would be more than a little ticked off if told to break it in. :-)

In this case we are talking about a fine DPMS barrel that improves accuracy after about 200 rounds. I think there is little question about that. So running lead through it in one shooting session will just get you there quicker.

/*tom*/
 
Rocket, he asked for opinions, he's receiving opinions.

As far as I am concerned, Gail McMillan forgot more about barrels than most of us will ever know.

I own a DPMS LR308B. Same instructions came with it, shot it like I do every other rifle I own without following the time intensive break in procedure that DPMS recommends. You know what? It shoots just fine. So do my other rifles, be they semis or bolts.

As for the ones who follow this or similar procedure on every rifle they own, more power to them. Its their rifle and they can do whatever they like to them. When they claim it helps, I have to question, compared to what? If they break in every gun they own that way, what are they comparing it to? Someone else's? If that's the case, how are they accounting for the differences in each rifle or shooter ability?

But Gail put it best in one of his posts. A barrel manufacturer is in it for the business. Any competitive edge that gives his barrels a leg up on the competition he will employ. Gail found no advantage in doing nano coats, polishing rounds, or this break in procedure. As he put it, if there was an advantage in it, they would have done it from the factory from the get go.
 
DPMS barrel breakin

I remember when they took our M14's away in Nam and gave us the M16's. We had to clean the cos from the actions and were told it didn't need to be cleaned because of the chrome lined barrels, this was a crock of crap. Now the reason I told you about this is because of the break in required by the companies that make the AR15's, we took the M16's into battle without this, and they were very accurate from the start and this included when firing on rock and roll. My question is are the barrels being produced by these companies inferior the the barrels made for the military?
 
Bought my son an LR-308 for Xmas, and he read me the same "stuff" from DPMS.

I told him he could do it if he wanted, but if it were MY stick, I'd just shoot it.

And he did. Sent about fifteen foulers down the tube, got the scope on paper, set up the Crony and proceeded with OCW.

And the rifle promptly put the 43.5 Varget load with the 175 MK into 3/4" on the first go-round.
 
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