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Thread: Revolver Barrel Break in.

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    Revolver Barrel Break in.

    Back 20+ years ago when I bought my SRH I knew nothing of barrel break in. Don't know if there is anything to but the last 3 rifles bought new I did a shoot 1 clean, shoot 1 clean etc, etc, etc. The barrels do seem to clean up easier than others.

    I ordered a SBH in SS and will be picking ip up next Sat. (Hopefully). I was planning on loading up 25 or so jacketed and do the same break in through each chamber.
    Any thoughts on breaking in a revolver barrel?

    Bigscot
    Hunt hard, shoot straight, kill clean, apologize to no one!
    -Ralph M. Lermayer-
    Editor of Predator Xtream

  2. #2
    Boolit Master on Heavens Range
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    No difference, but assure no frame constriction first. You might risk making the constriction tighter if the cylinders and barrel are not entirely concentric. ... felix
    felix

  3. #3
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    With rifle barrels, we found that stainless steel required no break in, and would shoot good from the start. Chrome moly barrels would take a few hundred rounds to get the best accuracy.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  4. #4
    Boolit Master on Heavens Range
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    True, Ric. However, a money shooter (BR) won't use a barrel that will not shoot the prescribed "load" from the very start no matter what the barrel is made of or from whom. I've seen folks junk a barrel after two groups. No, it's not fair to the barrel maker, but considering the time and money invested in travel, the grouping ability must be there on immediate demand. ... felix
    felix

  5. #5
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    I like to shoot 300+ top end jacketed loads through a new revolver as "break in". Besides giving 300+ shots for practice it has seemed to "break in" revolver barrels as good as fire lapping or any other procedure.

    Larry Gibson

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    It has been said by many that rifle groups will get measurably smaller after the 1st 100 jacked rounds. This has been my experiance as well.
    I do not know if that applies to handguns.
    But the old time bullseye shooters used to shoot many more (maybe 1,000) rounds before they considered a revolver/pistole to be broke in to shoot a match with (IIRC). I have a habit of shooting at least 100 jacked rounds before I start doing any accuracy loads

  7. #7
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    My friend bought a Ruger SBH Hunter and when sighting it he was shooting 1/2" groups at 50 yd's. Shoot the gun first, might not need a thing.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    My new revolvers and autopistols get 100-300 rounds of factory jacketed rounds run through them as soon as they come home. This accomplishes several tasks.

    1) Creates brass for the making of real ammunition with cast boolits.

    2) Gives the gun and its warrantee a lawyer-proof test-drive. If something catastrophic is waiting in the wings, it will likely happen very soon after firing commences. I like having factory ammo on board for such eventualities. None yet, though.

    3) The Redcoated Pretenders do a decent job of smoothing things out for the subsequent home-poured boolits. I've only had a couple revolvers show indications of crush-fit constriction at the frame/barrel junction--that was remedied with fire-lapping after the redcoat treatment.
    I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.

  9. #9
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    I also think that a few hundred of them copper things will start to smooth a new barrel in. Put it this way, it puts you and your new playmate out together, no harm no foul.
    Shooter of the "HOLY BLACK" SASS 81802 AKA FAIRSHAKE; NRA ; BOLD; WARTHOG;Deadwood Marshal;Bayou Bounty Hunter; So That his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat; 44 WCF filled to the top, 210 gr. bullet

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The SBH barrel would take up to 600 rounds to firelap. Just shoot it and enjoy it knowing it will get better with age.

  11. #11
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    If you don't have a constriction at the frame, Ruger barrels are very smooth. My BFR's were dead smooth too and shot cast like a rifle right from the get go. I never had any leading.
    I hate to pay for jacketed anymore and gas checks are plain nuts!
    That's a good enough excuse to just start with cast.
    I have trouble with my 45-70 BFR with WLN and WFN boolits. They go through deer too fast and do little internal damage. I need to make them expand. In the mean time I used the Hornady bullet on deer. They do a wonderful job but I just feel guilty. Once the silver stream is in the blood, jacketed feels like cheating!

  12. #12
    Banned 45 2.1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 44man View Post
    I have trouble with my 45-70 BFR with WLN and WFN boolits. They go through deer too fast and do little internal damage. I need to make them expand.
    Someone you know has several cures for that. GC, PB and HP.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    Well I am going to pick up the new toy tomorrow. Got 100 rounds of J's loaded up using old ones I won't use for anything else. May buy a few more and then it's boolits only from then on if everything goes ok.

    Thanks for all the replies, thoughts and information.

    Bigscot
    Hunt hard, shoot straight, kill clean, apologize to no one!
    -Ralph M. Lermayer-
    Editor of Predator Xtream

  14. #14
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    never felt a need to break in a rifle barrel and certainly never a handgun.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master crabo's Avatar
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    I break in my revolvers and pistols by firelapping.
    Crabo

    Do not argue with idiots. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    I've never bought a new revolver that planned on shooting cast bullets in. And furthermore, I've no 44 jacketed bullets in my possession. It seems highly wasteful to me to blow 40 cent j-words out a barrel just to "break it in" when I have zero intention of ever shooting it was jackets.

    Can break in be accelerated with abrasives. I've firelapped rifles before. Any reason why this wont work in revolvers using the finest level of abrasive? Throats are probably undersized anyway. Cro-moly barrel.

  17. #17
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    3 Rugers in 45 Colt had to be fire lapped 2 had the chamber mouths reamed,before fire lapping barely restriction at frame barrels very rough after lapping/reaming much smoother. Ruger stainless is a bear to lap out.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    Ruger stainless is a bear to lap out.
    This is why I want one in cro-mo.

    I plan on getting a Ruger Flatop 44 special Bisley. I understand these are nice and my strategy was to fire lap FIRST then send the cylinder to doug for reaming all 6 to .431 or .432.

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I use JB compound on a patched bristle brush to lap the barrel. If a constriction, I run a bit of the JB on a lubed boolit and just shoot a cylinder full and re-check

  20. #20
    Boolit Master curioushooter's Avatar
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    JB is aggressive enough? Or was this like a year long lap job?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check