Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
DotShot

Need some advice

Recommended Posts

I finally busted the bank and purchased a new Remington 700 Sendero chambered in 300 RUM. Since i dont reload (yet) i am going to start with Barnes 180gr TTSX as the BC is pretty good at a .484. Question i have, what is the best routine to break in the barrel?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That is a question that will get a million responses...

 

 

To be brutally honest, .484 is a very poor BC for such a big .308 caliber rifle. Great hunting round and will kill anything that walk, swims or flys in this universe, but not a great long range bullet, ballistically speaking.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i totally agree with that one, much better bc bullets out there than that, how far you plan on shootin? I dont break in barrels.... I shoot till i go to the range next time then I clean. That way everytime I leave the range I know that I`m on target with that particular gun. Typically 150 rounds on the average

 

 

johnny

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Dwight Scott, Benchrest Smith and Hall of Famer
"Yes, I've seen some barrels harmed by over-cleaning. But usually that's a technique problem. You can minimize the chance of harming your barrel by using a tight-fitting bore guide that prevents the cleaning rod from bowing. Also most barrels don't wear out--they burn out."

First let me say, if you talk to the top ten guys you'll find ten different ideas on the best way to clean and brush a bore. Everybody has their own way of doing it. My method has has worked for me for over 22 years, but other shooters may have devised other methods that work just as well for them.

While I clean my rifles very thoroughly, I do believe too many guns are over-cleaned. I know one guy who wiped out his throat in less than 80 rounds. I also don't believe in barrel break-in routines. I just don't do it since I don't know what you're trying to achieve with the one shot, one clean ritual. That said, I do brush my rifles, usually every 20 rounds or so. And when I brush, I do a thorough job. First, I run a couple wet patches to get rid of the bulk of the crud. Then I give it about 1.5 complete strokes per shot fired. That means, after 20 shots fired, I'll do 30 up and back cycles with a wet brush, adding more solvent (Butch's Bore Shine) after every ten complete cycles.

I guess you could call that a heavy brushing regimen. Am I cleaning too much? I don't think so, if we really examine what's happening to the barrel.

First, let's consider barrel life. Some people say heavy cleaning shortens barrel life. But I'm skeptical of that claim. Most barrels don't wear out--they burn out. I've looked through a borescope, and some barrels look really bad in the throat area after just 200-300 rounds. We're talking about heat cracking and pressure-related surface flaws. From this I conclude that heavy brushing doesn't wear the barrels out--heat and pressure are the culprits. What about throat erosion? Some people say heavy cleaning wears out the throat prematurely. But, as heavy as I brush, I see very little evidence of the throat moving forward.Dwight Scott, Benchrest Smith and Hall of Famer
"Yes, I've seen some barrels harmed by over-cleaning. But usually that's a technique problem. You can minimize the chance of harming your barrel by using a tight-fitting bore guide that prevents the cleaning rod from bowing. Also most barrels don't wear out--they burn out."

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Personally, my break in procedure is as follows with step by step instructions.

 

1. Shoot one

2. See step one.

 

When groups start to open up, clean thoroughly.

 

My AR has gone over 800 rounds between cleaning.

My .25-06 Ackley went about 120.

My .300RUM went about 80.

 

But here is the thing, it usually takes between 10-20 shots to lay some copper back in the barrel to get the accuracy back after a thorough cleaning. So do NOT clean your barrel right before a hunt. A clean bore shot is far more inaccurate than a cold bore shot.

 

As for the 180TTSX, I agree with those above. Under .500BC for a .308cal bullet is not very good. And the .300RUM just cries out for a heavy bullet pushed fast. While I shoot 175SMKs in mine sometimes, the 210 Berger HVLD and 215 Hybrid were tailor made for the .300RUM, with the 230 Hybrids just plain crazy.

 

I would look at:

HSM ammo with the 210 HVLD

Nosler Custom with the 200gr Accubond

Nosler Trophy Long Range with the 210 Accubond Long Range

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Haha by the time you break in a RUM the barrel is shot out. Should have went with 300 win.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Haha by the time you break in a RUM the barrel is shot out. Should have went with 300 win.[/quote

 

That would have been my result if I had went 7rum.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Oh wow, i just looked at the 210gr AccuBond long range and see what a few have said about better ballistics. Thats kinda amazing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am not a fan of the the ultra mags either just because they are major over bore. I shoot barnes bullets in every rifle I use or have used in the past for big game. Your traditional school of thought isn't going to be the same for barnes as conventional bullets lighter is actually better. If you get a barness bullet to explode on impact you're shooting something hotter than I've seen and the heavier bullets tend to not expand well also at the longer rangers. I tend to worry more about if a load will shoot with ease more than the B.C. however I never mess with anything below .400.

 

A great gunsmith named P.O. Ackley said the break in process was a huge load of BS and I have to agree with him. Considering breaking in is suppose to be the removing of burrs in the rifling that are left from the rifle barrel being machined. I don't care what you shoot if the barrel has burrs and needs to be lapped there is much more going on. I agree with the above posts of just cleaning when the groups open up which depends on bullets. Barnes bullets due require much more cleaning than other brands due to be solid copper. I use only bore tech solvent on my rifles because it doesn't contain any ammonia and actually does do a better job on copper than sweets or anything else I have found be sure to only use nylon brushes.

 

Since the 300 rum is so over bore the barrel life is lowered but you're talking 800-1200 rounds and the above notes about the throat getting burnt out before the rifling is extremely correct. I don't look at the rifling on a used rifle I look at the bolt face to see how much brass is present. With a Remington this isn't as big of an issue as one would think the way the rifle barrel is attached all a gun smith needs to do is recut the chamber.

 

To everything up find a load that it shoots well and shoot it. That's the number one thing after that it all falls in place.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Also, the only reason I asked, full well knowing that i would get vastly different opinions on this subject, i still wanted to see it. Personally I have NEVER done a break in process on a new rifle. I sight it in and go from there and clean it thoroughly after hunting season. Also, I've checked the holes and have already mounted the scope, base is a Nightforce picatinny raild, with Nightforce rings holding (for now) a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 PA with the intention (once i raise the funds) of putting a Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP on it. And i already know there will be some that may disagree with my choices, but to each his own.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If the sight is crisp and clean that's all that matters. Shooters and bird dog handlers will never have a shortage of opinions.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×