Savage 10FP: How to break in the barrel???
- Thread starter pawz68
- Start date
Pawz68: There are two schools of thought on breaking in a new barrel. There is the group that advises you to go through an elaborate procedure of shoot-one-clean-shoot-two-clean, etc. Then there is the late Gale McMillan and his group who advise not to break it in as that will only shorten barrel life: i.e.- just go out and shoot the darn thing! When I got my Savage 10FP in .308, I took a middle course and did an abbreviated break-in procedure. Read both sides (do a search here on breaking-in a barrel) and make up your mind which group you wish to follow --- or find a middle ground like I did. 
Enjoy your Savage --- they are very accurate rifles!
Enjoy your Savage --- they are very accurate rifles!With my 10FP in .308, I:
Cleaned after each shot for the first 10, then every other shot for the next 10. "Cleaning" was done with a BoreSnake (which I highly recommend) sprayed with a light coat of Eezox.
I've cleaned it about every 4 or 5 shots since, and it still shoots one ragged hole at 100 yards.
Cleaned after each shot for the first 10, then every other shot for the next 10. "Cleaning" was done with a BoreSnake (which I highly recommend) sprayed with a light coat of Eezox.
I've cleaned it about every 4 or 5 shots since, and it still shoots one ragged hole at 100 yards.
Pawz,
Wheni got my savage 10FP in .308 i knew nothing about rifle really other than the bullet goes in this end and outthat end. I took about 10 shots to put the scope where i wanted it. I cleaned it after the first and then fourth trip to the range. My Savage must really suck because i only see one hole on each target even though i pu tfive shots into each one.
I am a very inexperienced and unadvised shooter. This thing makes me look fantastic. I really dont think that any real firearms needs a breaking in period. Just shoot the thing and have fun. But if it makes you feel any better then clean it out every three shots and shoot slowly allowing the barrel to cool down after each group.
But hey what do i know
Wheni got my savage 10FP in .308 i knew nothing about rifle really other than the bullet goes in this end and outthat end. I took about 10 shots to put the scope where i wanted it. I cleaned it after the first and then fourth trip to the range. My Savage must really suck because i only see one hole on each target even though i pu tfive shots into each one.
I am a very inexperienced and unadvised shooter. This thing makes me look fantastic. I really dont think that any real firearms needs a breaking in period. Just shoot the thing and have fun. But if it makes you feel any better then clean it out every three shots and shoot slowly allowing the barrel to cool down after each group.But hey what do i know
Re Bore Snake
First let me say I like the bore snake. Second, and this is no poke at Mr. Locke who did put the word "cleaning" in quotes.
Passing a bore snake through the bore 2 or three times will get rid of some loose carbon. That's about it. As to Eezox, goodness I've tried just about everything in the business: Hoppes, Sweets, MPro7, Tetra, CLP, Breakfree, RemOil, Shooter's Choice; but Eezox is just about the only thing I can't recommend at all for anything. It doesn't clean, it doesn't protect very well. I don't think it even removes carbon on pistols any better than Simple Green. It also leaves a kind of wierd residue on blued steel.
All this goes back to the point that break-in is probably not necessary since a Bore Snake and Eesox ain't doing much if anything to your bore anyway. It can be useful for rustproofing at the end of a cleaning session I suppose, but nothing that RemOil on a patch couldn't do.
Yo
First let me say I like the bore snake. Second, and this is no poke at Mr. Locke who did put the word "cleaning" in quotes.
Passing a bore snake through the bore 2 or three times will get rid of some loose carbon. That's about it. As to Eezox, goodness I've tried just about everything in the business: Hoppes, Sweets, MPro7, Tetra, CLP, Breakfree, RemOil, Shooter's Choice; but Eezox is just about the only thing I can't recommend at all for anything. It doesn't clean, it doesn't protect very well. I don't think it even removes carbon on pistols any better than Simple Green. It also leaves a kind of wierd residue on blued steel.
All this goes back to the point that break-in is probably not necessary since a Bore Snake and Eesox ain't doing much if anything to your bore anyway. It can be useful for rustproofing at the end of a cleaning session I suppose, but nothing that RemOil on a patch couldn't do.
Yo
Chad Young
New member
Instructions for barrel break-in:
1. Load gun
2. shoot gun
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2
4. Clean barrel
Honestly, search for postings by Gale McMillan, who was THE authority on long-range precision rifles and his opinion was that break-in was pure hogwash.
Personally, I cleaned between each of the first five shots and now I clean after each session. Still shoot MOA with casual ease.
1. Load gun
2. shoot gun
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2
4. Clean barrel
Honestly, search for postings by Gale McMillan, who was THE authority on long-range precision rifles and his opinion was that break-in was pure hogwash.
Personally, I cleaned between each of the first five shots and now I clean after each session. Still shoot MOA with casual ease.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Since I'd never heard of breaking in a rifle until I came to TFL, I lean toward the Gale McMillan school of thought.
The best two three-shot groups I've ever done came after around 4,000 rounds through my '06--1/2"; and maybe 1,000 rounds through my .243--3/8". Same loading data I've been using since they were new, around 1970...
, Art
The best two three-shot groups I've ever done came after around 4,000 rounds through my '06--1/2"; and maybe 1,000 rounds through my .243--3/8". Same loading data I've been using since they were new, around 1970...
, ArtGet yourself a bore guide and a good one-piece rod (Pro-Shot or Dewey), and you won't have to worry about cleaning damage.
My gunsmith (Ron Hoehn, 1999 NBRSA Nationals 1 gun, 2 gun and 4 gun winner) sez to break in with fire one, clean, for five rounds, then fire three, clean for five groups. This is done while fireforming 20 pieces of brass.
I use Butch's Bore Shine, and use two-three soaking patches. Then 10 strokes with a brass-core brush (NO STEEL - EVER), then let it sit while I load. Then I patch it out with three wet patches, then a couple of dry ones, then I run a patch of Sweet's through to check for copper color. If I see any, I repeat the entire cleaning process, including the brushing. If not, I patch out with a couple of dry patches, and then follow with a patch soaked in light machine oil, then a dry patch to get most of the oil.
My gunsmith (Ron Hoehn, 1999 NBRSA Nationals 1 gun, 2 gun and 4 gun winner) sez to break in with fire one, clean, for five rounds, then fire three, clean for five groups. This is done while fireforming 20 pieces of brass.
I use Butch's Bore Shine, and use two-three soaking patches. Then 10 strokes with a brass-core brush (NO STEEL - EVER), then let it sit while I load. Then I patch it out with three wet patches, then a couple of dry ones, then I run a patch of Sweet's through to check for copper color. If I see any, I repeat the entire cleaning process, including the brushing. If not, I patch out with a couple of dry patches, and then follow with a patch soaked in light machine oil, then a dry patch to get most of the oil.
I attempt to condition the bore. The essential aim being to polish the internal finish of the barrel. This theoretically reduces fouling and cleans and stays clean easier.
Assuming accuracy is in large part a function of consistancy, it is easier to duplicate a polished, clean bore than the repeat a given level of roughness or fouling.
If nothing else, it cuts down cleaning time.
Trouble is that polishing is very fine abrasion - ie wear.
However, I would concur with previous comments that POTENTIALLY, the cleaning process can do more damage to a barrel than shooting. Key areas are the throat and crown.
Good cleaning practise - specifically a quality bore guide, quality ( clean ) rod and a 'from the chamber' cleaning regime - is very unlikely to damage the bore. But a single piece of grit on the patch or rod may!
Anything I can do to reduce the number of passes down the bore can only help.
Brake in - to achieve a reasonable polish helps. My gut feeling is that the slight wear of that polishing process is made up by the cleaning effort saved over the life of the barrel.
However, I am a amateur shooter - not a gunsmith or barrel maker - experience talks with authority.
Final point - do you have Forrest Foam bore cleaner over there? Trying some out, the theory is great - foam adheres all round the barrel and the active ingredients lift off fouling - just requiring a patch out. Also non-toxic. However, I find it needs a couple of applications and hours soak time rather than the recommended 15 minutes.
Assuming accuracy is in large part a function of consistancy, it is easier to duplicate a polished, clean bore than the repeat a given level of roughness or fouling.
If nothing else, it cuts down cleaning time.
Trouble is that polishing is very fine abrasion - ie wear.
However, I would concur with previous comments that POTENTIALLY, the cleaning process can do more damage to a barrel than shooting. Key areas are the throat and crown.
Good cleaning practise - specifically a quality bore guide, quality ( clean ) rod and a 'from the chamber' cleaning regime - is very unlikely to damage the bore. But a single piece of grit on the patch or rod may!
Anything I can do to reduce the number of passes down the bore can only help.
Brake in - to achieve a reasonable polish helps. My gut feeling is that the slight wear of that polishing process is made up by the cleaning effort saved over the life of the barrel.
However, I am a amateur shooter - not a gunsmith or barrel maker - experience talks with authority.
Final point - do you have Forrest Foam bore cleaner over there? Trying some out, the theory is great - foam adheres all round the barrel and the active ingredients lift off fouling - just requiring a patch out. Also non-toxic. However, I find it needs a couple of applications and hours soak time rather than the recommended 15 minutes.