Breaking in your rifle barrel

[hunt]

Y'all got way better guns and practices than I.

When I bought my $300 Savage I put a scope on it and nailed a pizza box with a dot on it I colored in with a sharpie to a tree out back and shot a couple shots off the hood of my truck at about 40 to get it on the cardboard, made some adjustments and drove back to about 100 and fired a few more rounds to "fine tune" it and called it good. 😂

 

[DocPain]

Y'all got way better guns and practices than I.

When I bought my $300 Savage I put a scope on it and nailed a pizza box with a dot on it I colored in with a sharpie to a tree out back and shot a couple shots off the hood of my truck at about 40 to get it on the cardboard, made some adjustments and drove back to about 100 and fired a few more rounds to "fine tune" it and called it good. 😂

That’s the way I’ve done it forever lol

 

[JR in KY]

Kentucky Accuracy
Was always
Milk Jug at Hunert Yards.
To ME...anything greater that 1/2 MOA is unacceptable.
@mwezell I'm sure had stricter standards than that.
Carry on....

 

[predator1]

Kentucky Accuracy
Was always
Milk Jug at Hunert Yards.
To ME...anything greater that 1/2 MOA is unacceptable.
@mwezell I'm sure had stricter standards than that.
Carry on....

If my rifles won’t pull 1” or smaller grouping measured outside edge to outside edge, it’s unacceptable. The only rifle I currently own that won’t do that is my Marlin .35 Remington. And it’ll still pull 1.25-1.5. So I’m fine with it on that gun. Muzzleloader must be 2” or smaller. I realize accuracy like that isn’t needed in the hunting world. It’s just what I want and demand.

 

[JR in KY]

If my rifles won’t pull 1” or smaller grouping measured outside edge to outside edge, it’s unacceptable. The only rifle I currently own that won’t do that is my Marlin .35 Remington. And it’ll still pull 1.25-1.5. So I’m fine with it on that gun. Muzzleloader must be 2” or smaller. I realize accuracy like that isn’t needed in the hunting world. It’s just what I want and demand.

Yep, 1 MOA of Deer vitals is usually good to go.
Sometimes it IS necessary. I played Peek A Boo with a Coyote one evening...never could get him to step out from behind a tree. After a couple minutes he got his Head out enough his Ear Hole showed. I shot him In One ear and Out the Other! I'm sorry I didn't have a witness for That one. About 12 years ago. Risky Shot at 110 yards.

 

[riverboss]

If I miss I don't want to be able to blame it on the gun.

 

[Semp]

95% of my shots are 75 yards or less and lots of times I'm shooting off hand or with less than a stable rest. For me, barrel break in is a non issue.

 

[mwezell]

Everyone's accuracy standards are different. I agree that minute of deer satisfies a lot of people and those people are very unlikely to see any benefit of proper bbl break in.

These are all 5 shot groups at 100 yards. Better than I can do every time but not uncommon either. Last one is a pic of my favorite rifle. It's been good to me. Nope, not a rifle I use to put meat on the table. I've got factory rifles better at doing that. But none of those shoot like this.

https://scontent.fftk1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t31.18172-8/857289_4947764966563_1852697539_o.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=ba80b0&_nc_ohc=AccFomb4lmoAX8WMtEX&_nc_ht=scontent.fftk1-1.fna&oh=00_AfBerBVRXbpv-ypprGoqtU_fFPDJgbk5r-TWv9giU5_pWA&oe=63BEDB3B

https://scontent.fftk1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-9/27867208_10213254770738443_7812938492300984397_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=2vfcccdhHUkAX98oMFL&tn=OvBvOwWzmDE2IVak&_nc_ht=scontent.fftk1-1.fna&oh=00_AfB1o6gIaDFW0vDZI1KEe9oqhrQXmubakMm5hUQHPyZqwA&oe=63BED9CC

https://scontent.fftk1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/81227907_10218356086348145_5634646391092412416_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=3eYWlAIfl7IAX-GWtFE&_nc_ht=scontent.fftk1-1.fna&oh=00_AfC2EixpTPtoew9H_JYHjHdJZ4MDZ20N83kJOwemq46RHw&oe=63BEB537

 

[mwezell]

This is the current world record 5 shot 100 yard group and the story behind it. So yes, a couple of those are in the same category except one big difference. He did it in a registered match. I did it practicing. They don't count for anything if not at a match. Essentially the same cartridge, though, which I designed in 2007. It shoots!

http://accurateshooter.net/pix/stinn21x2.jpg

 

[JR in KY]

@mwezell
I have seen YOU do it and old Jim Campbell used to call it a "Trigger Pullin" contest.
Mike I was up at Coyote George's house once and were testing a rifle he had for Sell.
He shot 2 shots...looked at me said "YOU shoot a couple".... Same Hole.
I said "You Shoot the Last One"
Big G say "Hell No I quit."
So we both Quit and I bought the Rifle and gave it to Jesse.
It was a Stock Factory Rifle! I'm Ashamed to say the Brand, because I had bad luck with them. One on a Thousand.

 

[mwezell]

@mwezell
I have seen YOU do it and old Jim Campbell used to call it a "Trigger Pullin" contest.
Mike I was up at Coyote George's house once and were testing a rifle he had for Sell.
He shot 2 shots...looked at me said "YOU shoot a couple".... Same Hole.
I said "You Shoot the Last One"
Big G say "Hell No I quit."
So we both Quit and I bought the Rifle and gave it to Jesse.
It was a Stock Factory Rifle! I'm Ashamed to say the Brand, because I had bad luck with them. One on a Thousand.

Big G ain't no dummy! Lol!
Believe it or not, those bottom two groups were part of a 100 round test. There were several groups on that desk calendar(i like those for test targets) that were in the same range as those two groups, and the wind was blowing pretty good at the time. All I can say is the wind had to be a good steady wind and the wind was blowing them IN on that day. I don't bother posting pics of those groups often, much less the whole test target. I wouldn't believe many people that did, myself. Lol! That bbl was bad to the bone with Larry Moore's 30 cal 115gr bullets...or that batch anyway. I've never got my hands on another lot that shot like that one did. I know, they're custom bullets and all that but they ain't all equal. I wish I had a bunch more and the same lot of powder....still got the bbl. And he quit making THAT bullet! WTH! He still makes it but a 116. They shoot great too but if I ever get my hands on any bullet that shoots like those did, kick me in the ass if I don't write a cold check for em!
I miss ol Jim! Some people thought he was just a gruff old man but I liked him and he taught me a lot. "Ain't no shame in dropping a point at 200 yards!" Lol!

 

[JR in KY]

Big G ain't no dummy! Lol!
Believe it or not, those bottom two groups were part of a 100 round test. There were several groups on that desk calendar(i like those for test targets) that were in the same range as those two groups, and the wind was blowing pretty good at the time. All I can say is the wind had to be a good steady wind and the wind was blowing them IN on that day. I don't bother posting pics of those groups often, much less the whole test target. I wouldn't believe many people that did, myself. Lol! That bbl was bad to the bone with Larry Moore's 30 cal 115gr bullets...or that batch anyway. I've never got my hands on another lot that shot like that one did. I know, they're custom bullets and all that but they ain't all equal. I wish I had a bunch more and the same lot of powder....still got the bbl. And he quit making THAT bullet! WTH! He still makes it but a 116. They shoot great too but if I ever get my hands on any bullet that shoots like those did, kick me in the ass if I don't write a cold check for em!
I miss ol Jim! Some people thought he was just a gruff old man but I liked him and he taught me a lot. "Ain't no shame in dropping a point at 200 yards!" Lol!

@mwezell
Another one you probably knew.
Randall "The Edge" Morrow is gone also now just last couple days.

 

[mwezell]

@mwezell
Another one you probably knew.
Randall "The Edge" Morrow is gone also now just last couple days.

JR, the name rings a bell but I can't place him. Sorry to hear it, regardless. I'm sure people we know did know him. Did he shoot at Jackie's? IBS or Balloon Busts? I only made a couple of the balloon shoots but that's a good bunch of guys and gals, including you, your pretty wife and Jesse! Boy, she can cook!

 

[JR in KY]

JR, the name rings a bell but I can't place him. Sorry to hear it, regardless. I'm sure people we know did know him. Did he shoot at Jackie's? IBS or Balloon Busts? I only made a couple of the balloon shoots but that's a good bunch of guys and gals, including you, your pretty wife and Jesse! Boy, she can cook!

He used to shoot both BR and Egg Shoots but I think his health worsened and I hadn't see him for a while. I was at his house once with Don M and Mot Yelrom (Tom Morley) who have both passed on. I will look for a photo but doubtful.
Jesse is in Grafenwohr training Ukrainian soldiers right now and its 12° Cold there.

 

[bluegrassDan]

Just shoot it....yes it may foul for a while, but clean it after 50-100 rounds and call it good. Unless you are a national level competition shooter, I doubt you will notice the difference. Good barrels are good barrels....factory barrels are not always crappy, but you will get a POS more often than if you shoot a quality aftermarket barrel. Just remember, barrel life starts to drop after the very first round, so stop wasting ammo for no reason.