Barrel break-in?

[Duckiller]

What is the recommended break-in period/rounds for a new 44 Mag barrel. #2 son works at a local gun store and while visiting to see what they had, he borrowed my driver's license. Before I knew what was going on I had a 44 Mag Astra on lay-a-way. 81/2'' barrel and probably hasn't been shot more than a dozen times. He said he was tired of listening to me talk about a Model 29, not 629, that I probably wasn't going to find anyway and this gun is close enough. Having had very few new guns in my life I am at a loss to know how much break-in such a barrel might need prior to shooting boolits. Should note that I shoot very few full power loads in current 44s and would prefer moderate loads for break-in. Moderate being heavier than 44 Special. All opinions gratefully received. Thank you Duckiller

[wills]

Some thoughts on the subject.
http://www.shilen.com/faq.html#question10
http://www.badgerbarrelsinc.com/barrel%20specifics.htm?64,12
http://www.jarheadtop.com/article_gfbreakin.html
http://yarchive.net/gun/barrel/break_in.html
http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/RapidCat/catalog/pagetemplate.cfm?template=/RapidCat/common/viewPage.cfm&PageId=2558&CompanyId=1246
http://www.montanarifleman.com/New%20Barrel%20Break%20In.pdf
http://fieldandstream.blogs.com/gunnut/2006/04/gun_myths_part_.html
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_144_24/ai_57886929
http://www.centerfirecentral.com/barrel_break.htm

[Char-Gar]

There is all sorts of arguments back and forth on how to and the value (if any) of breaking in a rifle barrel.

When it comes to pistol barrels, just shoot it and don't concern yourself about barrel break in.

[klw]

Largely by accident I've measured this.

I go shooting a lot and my favority caliber is the 44 magnum. Have eight I think. After each shooting sesson I analyze my target and computerize the results. Been doing it for years.

Most of my 44's are S&W Performance Center revolvers. They always yield the same accuracy pattern. A period of improvement as I'm adjusting the sights and, after that, not much change. Oh over years I do improve but it is a slow, very slow, gradual process. I've never seen barrel breakin and I've put thousands and thousands of rounds through numerous PC 44's. Clean the barrels or not same pattern every time year after year after year.

But I've also got two Taurus Silhouette revolvers. One in 357 magnum and one in 44 magnum. They clearly improve accuracy wise as the barrels get dirtier. Clean the barrels and the accuracy goes to heck. Why this happens I don't know but it is absolutely true that these two do much better after they have been shot a lot and it is also true that accuracy suffers if you clean the barrels. Doesn't make any sense to me but it is true.

[Bass Ackward]

Barrel breakin is like a lot of other things in shooting, strictly based on someone's experience of how something worked in the past.

There are often big differences in what success you get during the life cycle of a gun or barrel. Alot of that depends on how and WHAT mixes you shoot. Try it and see.

I just obtained a used GP 100 that the previous owner shot nothing but cast in. It has the typical Ruger waves up the rifling. Shoots wadcutters and heavies just fine. I assume it is because they can reach past the bad spots to maintain a seal. Drop below 158 grain at the same pressure levels with any other design (shorter bearing area) and it leads up the wazoo.

Two guys shooting this gun would have entirely different opinions about barrel break-in.

[lovedogs]

An old friend of mine used to say each gun was a rule unto itself. And I have to agree. I've shot lots of both pistols and rifles both ways, broken-in and not. I honestly can't see where it's made much difference in the accuracy of either. Most any decent bbl. will shoot something well. I like to break them in because they clean easier.

In my experience, all rifle bbls. are easier to clean if broken in properly. Some of the first-rate ones, like Shilens, are pretty good to begin with. But even they are better with a proper break-in. The good ones are already lapped from their maker but they can't do a complete break-in procedure to them. A proper break-in will burnish a bbl. smooth so it will not foul as badly. If it doesn't build up fouling it'll usually shoot better. I say usually because there are some that defy all reasoning. I've had two rifles whose bbls. were foulers forever. One I got rid of because it drove me nuts trying to keep it clean. But both were real great shooters. One is a .22-.250 that fouls badly. When I got it the bbl. hadn't been cleaned in 27 yrs. It shot groups smaller than a dime at 100 yds. I've cleaned, I've lapped, I've done all I know how to do short of fire-lapping... it still fouls and still shoots a ragged hole any time.

The only difference I see between pistols and rifles is that pistols in pistol calibers foul less with jacketed and clean easier, probably due to less pressure. But if you shoot a Contender in a rifle caliber you'll see rifle-like fouling.

Just due to my own experience I prefer to break-in all bbls. They shoot well. And they're a lot easier to clean. That makes it worth the effort to me. It's sure nice to be able to clean a bbl. in just a few patches instead of having to clean for hours and hours to get it clean.