Any new gun can benefit from barrel (or magazine) break in. The controls of a new firearm can be gritty and stiff and will limber up with time, just like a new pair of boots. While the barrel isn’t a control and isn’t a moving component either, it can also benefit from break-in, which can assist with cleaning and can help uphold a higher degree of accuracy.
Break-in occurs naturally over time, with all gun parts, not just the barrel, but all the same, there are things you can do to accelerate the process, and more often than not you will benefit from it. So let’s just say you’ve just picked up a Victrix Armaments rifle platform like a Scepter V, Throne, Crown, or Kinetic.
These are some of the best precision and extreme long-range rifles in the industry, and even though they all sport slightly different features and chamberings, they can also all benefit from fastidious barrel break-in. Here’s how to do that.
The Process
The break-in procedure smooths the inner surface of the bore and also helps remove any imperfections that were left over from the manufacturing process. This can improve accuracy and repeatability, among other things.
Fortunately, breaking in a Victrix Armaments rifle barrel is the same as breaking in any rifle barrel, and is a fairly straightforward process that’s easy to accomplish.
The basic recommendation for breaking in a Victrix Armaments rifle barrel will require you to fire a total of 30 rounds.
The procedure is simple and easy to follow. The first part is the most laborious; it requires you to shoot one shot, then thoroughly clean the barrel, repeating this process 10 times, for a total of 10 rounds.
After you’ve concluded the first part of the break-in, you’re advised to fire 5 rounds, then clean the rifle barrel, repeating this process a total of 4 times, for a total of 20 rounds.
After you’ve completed this process, you will have fired a complete total of 30 rounds.
It is important to note that for this process of breaking in the rifle barrel, you will not just want to remove the powder fouling from the bore, but the copper fouling as well. You specifically will want to soak a few cotton patches in copper solvent, push them into the bore, allow them to soak, and then clean the barrel with fresh clean patches and a jag or a bore brush.
This will help remove any copper fouling that has accumulated in the rifling, and, when performed properly, will result in a spotless, smooth bore with few to no irregularities in the lands or grooves that could cause complications with accuracy or consistency.
One important note is that a nylon bore cleaning brush is advisable here because it is softer than bronze, and should do the trick of removing all the fouling without incurring any damage to the bore.
Also, make sure you insert the cleaning rod from the action and pass it through towards the muzzle, never from the opposite direction. This will help prevent you from damaging the muzzle crowning, which is critical to accuracy.
By the way, we have detailed the process of cleaning a Victrix Armaments rifle barrel in detail before. For more information on the step by step process, check out our previous post, Routine Maintenance of Your Victrix Armaments Scepter V Rifle.
At the end of the day, it is possible for you to break in a rifle barrel simply by shooting at the range, but specifically performing this process will accelerate the break-in period significantly.
What’s the Point of Breaking in a Rifle Barrel Anyway?
There are mixed opinions on whether or not it is actually worth it to break in a rifle barrel, but the theory behind it is practical nonetheless.
Breaking in a barrel actively will remove any aberrations or irregularities that are present on the inner surface of the bore or in the rifling. It will make the rifle easier to clean down the line and will potentially uphold a higher standard of accuracy as well.
Of course, as stated, the break-in process will also happen organically at the range. You do not specifically need to intentionally break in a rifle barrel, although you can fast-track the process as indicated here.
Here for a New Victrix Armaments Rifle Platform?
In the market for a new Victrix Armaments rifle platform? Check out our collection; we carry many of the top models in our collection of extreme long-range rifles, and on top of that offer interest-free financing on some models along with a custom rifle builder and a private rifle experience of long distance shooting classes that will shorten the learning curve associated with extreme long-range shooting and get you handling and shooting more confidently with less time.
Get in touch with us to learn more about any of these platforms or services that we offer. We are more than happy to answer your questions.
