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Thread: New Barrel

  1. #1
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    New Barrel

    If a brand new in the box rifle is intended to be a cast only shooter, is it advisable to shoot some jacketed through it first to smooth things up?

    I know barrel break in procedures have been beaten to death and everybody has an opinion. Just wondered what it takes to make one shoot its best with cast.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master


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    Geez,

    All I can think of is JB Bore Brite.

    Not to be confused with J-B Weld Epoxy.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

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  3. #3
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    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    I don't see how it would hurt anything.

    Robert

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    Lots of opinions here but I think a hundred j bullets or so is a good idea. Especially if you are talking a stainless bore. Sometimes they come a bit stringy.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Agree with Walks, JB Bore Paste. Kinda depends on the rifle too. CZ's are hand lapped cold hammer forged barrels. I would hope they would be good for cast out of the box. That being said, I have a Winchester M70 that saw about 50 rounds of jacketed. I cleaned the barrel really well, JB paste for 10 passes with a tight jag, and its seen a thousand cast rounds without a barrel scrub in the last 6 months. Just wet patches and dry patch after. Then there is fire lapping. Ive only used this method with pistols tho.

  6. #6
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    Mr Peabody's Avatar
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    I wouldn't do any thing to it. Go shoot 50 cast through it. Like 10 5 shot groups and see if the groups change.

  7. #7
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I'd shoot it with jacketed for a baseline of accuracy. If it smoothes out the barrel, that's gravy. I fired 40 j-words through a brand new 8mm Tikka then went to cast without cleaning. It's doing well but I need to get back to it.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    I'd shoot it with jacketed for a baseline of accuracy. If it smoothes out the barrel, that's gravy. I fired 40 j-words through a brand new 8mm Tikka then went to cast without cleaning. It's doing well but I need to get back to it.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
    I think I'll do this. I hardly ever shoot jacketed bullets through anything, but sure have enough to do this, might be fun to see how the other half lives for a while. I know (and there are all kind of opinions) that you should clean very often, some say between every shot for a while. Think I'll just load and shoot and clean every few groups, then get serious with cast.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master pertnear's Avatar
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    I JB every new rifle barrel before shooting it the first time. The theory is that it cleans out any minute particles from machining or protective coatings. FWIW
    Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Depending on the barrel how much smoothing is done in the bore is questionable. A hand lapped smooth bore with the lap pattern running parallel may not change a lot. A rougher bore with reamer marks may show a big improvement. Where it does help is in the throat / leade where the reamer marks are radial. Here you see a big change and smoothing.

    Its interesting to track this if you have access to a bore scope. Shooting 5 round groups clean and inspect you will see a difference, more pronounced in the first few groups then as the surface smooths improvement slows. Smoothing the throat / leade area can make a difference in fouling and accuracy. This procedure also smooths the sharp edge where the throat leade meed and leade rifling blend. While these are angled edges they are sharp corners by the nature of machining. Another area that is improved is the corners on the rifling edges that may be sharp or rough.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    ^^^^^^^^^, yep, that bore scope will make you cringe, smile, worry about things you never knew were there being and continues to be a blessing and a curse. In my world every machined tube has been a story to itself. The bore scope lets you see as new, used, where it is fouling, no it's not really clean, etc. It blew my mind when you look naked eye down one and go man it's a mirror, then inspect through with scope and OH MY, look at that. Now I have something else my OCD knows about. Before I had that scope I shot them and enjoyed them and it was what it was, now? I think I would shoot some J's, Tubbs, or PP through for a hundred or so just cause. Next new barrel I am sure will be another science project.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Yeah now everyone can closely inspect their bore.....makers have got to be lot more careful,or back it comes.....reminds me of years ago at work.......sand blasting pipe internals...........boss says..."just do the ends ---they cant see inside".........well ,they brought a little TV camera ,and rejected every pipe.....First portable TV cam I ever saw........now you can buy em for $10.

  13. #13
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    It`s amazing what firing several boxes of paper patched boolets down the barrel will do to smoothing it up.Robert

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    I need to learn to paper patch.

  15. #15
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    bbl break in is a touchy subject it seems.
    My routine right or wrong.
    Shoot one and clean for 10rds. 10passes with a bore brush ea. and get all the copper out.
    You'd be amazed at the Cu left from one round.
    Then 10 3rd groups cleaning after ea. 10passes with brush for every rd. Yep 30 passes ea. group
    followed with copper remover.
    Then 2 5rd groups cleaning between same routine.
    During this process you notice the bore cleaning up faster and faster with less and less copper.
    You'll also notice the bore becoming smoother to the feel of the rod.
    Now I have 50 fireformed cases and go to load development.
    I have never had anything but positive results.
    Even the best cut hand lapped bores still respond - they just slick up quicker.
    I might look into the paper deal as that should cut the copper removal part
    but may take more rounds to achieve the same finish.
    Makes for tiny groups

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