I have done something which can be considering a bit of proof, testing two similar rifles with one being broken in and the other not. Both were purchased within a short period of time of each other and fired in an identical manner. Fed a diet of factory ammo under similar conditions.
Two identical SAKO TRG-22 rifles in 308. I broke in one barrel and did not with the other and could not tell one from the other in terms of accuracy or cleaning, or anything else. Not very scientific but at the time I was not looking to be, other than interested in seeing what the results were. No down range gains, both shot equally well to the point of not knowing which was which after a year or so of shooting both.
Fast forward and I have completely stopped breaking in my barrels, and still I see no degradation of accuracy or difference in what is required to clean the rifles up. The barrels do not get shot out any faster, nor does accuracy degrade quicker or is there any noticeable fouling taking place.
I tend to clean my barrels much less then most but still manage well over 10,000 rounds staying below an MOA at 100 yards. I recently rebarreled my GAP Harbinger with a Broughton .30 cal barrel after it had what I conservatively estimated 12k rounds down the rifle. It was just about hovering at .75" at 100 yards. According to GAP it was worn about 1/4" in the throat.
At Rifles Only the SHR #50 had in excess of 15,000 rounds through it before changing the barrel with no break in and very little cleaning. It too was shooting about .75" when the action would cock the bolt. GAP reported about 4" of rifling missing from in front of the throat.
My Werewolf with a Bartlein Barrel has about 6k rounds currently through it, no break in, and no issue with accuracy or fouling, it shoots a solid 1/2 MOA.
The Gladius, about 3k rounds through it hits like a hammer, very little cleaning and no break in.
None of my gas guns have had their barrels broken in either, that is 3, a POF, a GAP with a Rock Creek and a Bartlein. No issues, very accurate and no fouling.
I also spoke with Tac Ops on the subject, and he does not believe in breaking in a barrel, Mike R does not recommend any form of break in, and does his test firing without doing so. So there is another voice in the mix that after years of experience does not feel there is any merit to the process. He did mention, as others have as well, that it's a bit of a pain in the ass because most customers expect some form of guidance and he simply recommends they shoot more and clean less, much to their chagrin.
So while data may not be available with hard and fast evidence, I have quite a bit of rounds downrange with a variety of similarly chambered 308s from a variety of makers and my results as well as opinions appear to be all the same. Clean less, shoot more and don't sweat the dogma published in the name of Barrel Break In.
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Originally Posted by TRIDENT82
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