I used to but I find no reason or evidence to show that it prolongs a barrel. I just run a few patches through a new barrel, install and zero.
If you do, what is your regimen?

New barrel or upper, I’ll just shoot to zero irons and/or optic. When I first got into shooting, I would to a light clean on a new gun or upper, which is run a few patches or bore snake. Nowadays, just shoot them. However, my uses for ARs isn’t for rifle matches or for uber accuracy.

If I were to get a new custom bolt action, I would likely follow whatever the manufacturer recommends. For my “standard” Rem 700, I just shot it.

For new rifles, yes.

For new handguns, not as much. 

I clean the barrel well before its first range visit, limit the number of rounds fired to 25 or less the first few visits and throughly clean the barrel between visits.  Pretty much my break-in for new rifle barrels.

Not so much a way to extend the life of it, but to remove burrs in the barrel from manufacturing and copper that catches on the burrs when shooting.  The extra cleaning after low round count sessions flattens/removes the burrs and anything that is stuck on them.  if you don't clean well with a good brush, that junk can be pressed into the barrel, affecting accuracy.

YMMV

Barrel Break In Procedure

STEP 1.
Fire ONE round, with rifle pointed down range run a solvent soaked patch through the bore. Proceed to run dry patches until NO fouling is present, Next run an oil soaked patch and finish with dry patches until NO oil is present.

STEP 2.
Run another solvent soaked patch, and finish with alternating oily and dry patches (one bag of patches should do).

*PRO TIP* -Be sure to begin break in procedure around 7AM preferably in the summertime when the days are longest. For some strange reason the break in procedure works best on days when the range is its busiest. Don't worry about the people waiting to shoot behind you, it's their own fault for coming to shoot on your virgin barrels first time out. From time to time make sure to take a break and hydrate maybe have a smoke and a chat with your neighbor about the  precision accuracy you will be able to achieve by following this process. This is also a good time to comment on those punks with the full semiautos with their stupid flash suppressors and military grade high capacity CAALIPZ(that have no practical hunting purpose) flingin brass all over the place.

STEP 3.
You are now ready to fire your second round.....now run a solvent soaked patch through the bore. Proceed to run dry patches until NO fouling is present, Next run an oil soaked patch and finish with dry patches until NO oil is present.

REPEAT STEPS ONE THROUGH THREE FOR A HUNDRED ROUNDS TOTAL


In all seriousness I did break in one barrel because the manufacture had specific instructions to do so. It was an expensive SS barrel so I figured it couldn't hurt it. I have no solid opinion either way, but that was the only barrel I have ever broken in. My preferred style of rifles/shooting will gain little from such precautions.

I find that the more better finished barrels such as Kriegers, Shilen and Douglas have better finishes due to lapping and don't require much "break in".

I find that the more better finished barrels such as Kriegers, Shilen and Douglas have better finishes due to lapping and don't require much "break in".

You probably have the most (or more than many on the forum) experience with those barrel brands, including shooting with folks that do.  What have you seen WRT to barrel break in? 

You probably have the most (or more than many on the forum) experience with those barrel brands, including shooting with folks that do.  What have you seen WRT to barrel break in?

No need in my experience. Barrels are expendable like tires. Finish lapping has a lot to do with the amount of fouling in my limited experience. Ideally a good barrel's bore is smooth. Krieger has an interesting view on barrel break in as well as cleaning, barrel profiles

No need in my experience. Barrels are expendable like tires. Finish lapping has a lot to do with the amount of fouling in my limited experience. Ideally a good barrel's bore is smooth. Krieger has an interesting view on barrel break in as well as cleaning, barrel profiles

Cool.  I agree with you, but I'm typically dealing with mass production barrels.  No custom barrels for me now or on the horizon.

I've witnessed folks at the range doing the shoot one, run patch, wait, rinse, and repeat.  That would drive me batty. . .

Cool.  I agree with you, but I'm typically dealing with mass production barrels.  No custom barrels for me now or on the horizon.

I've witnessed folks at the range doing the shoot one, run patch, wait, rinse, and repeat.  That would drive me batty. . .

You need a kid / friend / spouse to go to the range with you.

"I shoot, you clean."  Could get several guns broken in at once and not go batty....

 

I just picked up a Mossberg MVP patrol 5.56 bolt scout rifle.  I guess it wouldn't hurt to run a patch or two between groups while zeroing in.

I don't think the manual said anything about breaking in and I guess it should not be a real big deal being this is just a budget no frills type of rifle.

You need a kid / friend / spouse to go to the range with you.

"I shoot, you clean." Could get several guns broken in at once and not go batty....

 

That's my motto for hunting. 

Wait, what? 

 

That's my motto for hunting. 

Wait, what? 

 

Variation on fishing theme:

I catch 'em, you clean and cook 'em.

For the first three times on new AKs I run them until the furniture starts smoking, and then at least every other time after that. Or I would with an unlimited ammo budget and if the range allowed it. 

I did for my remington 700, I didn't for any of my other games.

Ah the good ol barrel break in discussion. Every manufacture has their own proprietary secret. You would "think" that the ones manufacturing it would have the best knowledge in how to run it, but i find that suprisingly on polar opposite ends of the spectrum.

I think people should do whatever they think is worth their time, aka bringing cleaning supplies to the range, cleaning shooting cleaning shooting cleaning shooting etc etc. ill never rag on someone for doin it because its their way to do it. But i will ask them if there is any tangible evidence behind their methodolody or if its just pure anecdotal data or voodoo spice.

I dont have a vast test of barrels, but have shot factory remington, tikka, bartlein, KP, shilen, proofs carbon, and krieger. All are treated the same. Clean well after getting back from my gunsmith / whatever place you got your rifle. Go out and shoot as much as you want for a first sight in and familiarization range sesh (20-100rds usually). Come home and clean well. And thats it.

Havent found a single reason to do a barrel break in. Neither has shooters such as Erik Cortina or speedy gonzales or Chad dixon or phil velayo. Thats a mix of top prs, f class, bench, and gun smiths for u.

This is my bolt gun break in procedure.






This is my semi auto procedure.





 

I found this video really easy to follow, plus he's a former USMC Sniper so I trust him...

SNIP

I found this video really easy to follow, plus he's a former USMC Sniper so I trust him...

Yup.  That's about it.  Except that I'm too poor to shoot a .308 gas gun.   

 

My friend breaks in his barrels but he has a Type A personality. (Puts cap back on the toothpaste, washes his truck every week)

I don’t wash any of my vehicles....or  break in my barrels. 

Even if it did make a little difference, I doubt I would care enough to do it.  Yeah, I’m lazy.

(But my tikka 6.5 cm hunting rifle with cheap hunting ammo shoots as good if not better than his heavy 308 with hand loads - yes!   I gotta get him to talk to Wirecounter.... I think it is my friend’s handloads that are the reason his groups aren’t smaller)

My friend breaks in his barrels but he has a Type A personality. (Puts cap back on the toothpaste, washes his truck every week)

I don’t wash any of my vehicles....or  break in my barrels. 

Even if it did make a little difference, I doubt I would care enough to do it.  Yeah, I’m lazy.

(But my tikka 6.5 cm hunting rifle with cheap hunting ammo shoots as good if not better than his heavy 308 with hand loads - yes!   I gotta get him to talk to Wirecounter.... I think it is my friend’s handloads that are the reason his groups aren’t smaller)

Are those what you consider Type A personality traits? 

Was discussing long range shooting with some buddies this past weekend.  Varying degrees/levels of interest and seriousness of shooting long range (say 200-1000 yards).  None of them had done any particular barrel break in.  Even some of them were teasing me because I keep a record of rounds on most of my guns.  To each his own.  That said, I don't think Type A has anything to do with choices on barrel break ins. . .