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Mike McDonald View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2009 at 21:38
I guess  I don't have any disagreement with anything said here.  I do a short break in just to knock the ridges off the throat, and it's proved to make fouling less than if not done.
 
I've also used the Tubb final finish method and have seen it work wonders on a new custom barrel.
 
I also tend to shoot mostly custom barrels, factory barrels on my rimfires and shotguns, custom on everything else, and I seem to go through a few every decade :)
 
Here's what has me absolutely convinced that some form of break in is worth doing;
We chambered a Shilen Match Select at the Shilen shop. 
Before crowning but after the chamber was cut and headspaced, we removed the barrel from the lathe and re-lapped the tube down to 600 grit, then crowned it.  Essentially we broke it in without shooting it.
Never owned a barrel that would out shoot that tube unless I paid the gun plumber to repeat that procedure when screwing together a new rifle for me. If they won' do it then I do it myself prior to shooting.
The results with every barrel done that way have been consistantly better in terms of accuracy and fouling, or lack of,  than barrels I've just shot and cleaned without some form of break in.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rifle looney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2009 at 21:46
Mike that is very interesting..... I wish I had access to a shop of some kind, you can do all the sh*t  that needs doing! 

Edited by rifle looney - April/21/2009 at 21:46
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2009 at 21:54
Get Your Popcorn Ready
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Mike McDonald View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2009 at 21:59
RL,
You can accomplish the same thing using the Tubb method Mr. Barsness referred to.
The Throat Maintenance System uses the lightest grit of the Final Finish kit, 1000 grip iirc.
 
A fellow by the name of Brand Cole did a 6XC rifle for my shooting partner, full on custom.  This thing had every accuracy trick in the book done to it, and Brand does outstandig work.
(If you know reloading, then you'll recognize "Prometheus" as he gold standard that powder scales are judged against.  Brand builds this scale)
Well along with the completed rifle comes 10 rounds of loaded ammunition, Tubb TMS bullets,and a note fom Brand " shoot these then clean". 
Now you gotta know Ron.  He washes his cleaning patches before putting them in his barrels. Now he's been told to shove sand paper down the tube as a first step. The look on his face was priceless...........thought he swallowed a diaper whole.
So anyway he shoots these, cleans, then starts shooting itty bitty measure with a micrometer size groups.  Works.
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Steelbenz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Steelbenz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2009 at 22:13
You guys are killing me, I guess I'm going to have to break down a spend some money for a barrel. My stock 700VS shoots good and I did use the tubb system, but I just can't get the "one ragged hole" group.   
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rifle looney View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rifle looney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/21/2009 at 22:52
Yes I have toy'd the idea of the Tubb 's system numerous times I have two rifles that could use some help!    Shocked
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trigger29 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 03:59
Originally posted by Steelbenz Steelbenz wrote:

You guys are killing me, I guess I'm going to have to break down a spend some money for a barrel. My stock 700VS shoots good and I did use the tubb system, but I just can't get the "one ragged hole" group.   
Try aiming the first shot at the center of your target. Then aim the next four about 3 feet left. Works for me every time. To save time, you can always just fire the first one, and stop.Smile

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 06:58
 I have used the Tubb fire-lapping system to smooth out rough Mil-surp barrels.
They all shot better and cleaned up MUCH better afterward. It works. And it's EASY.
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RONK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 07:01
Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

Originally posted by Steelbenz Steelbenz wrote:

You guys are killing me, I guess I'm going to have to break down a spend some money for a barrel. My stock 700VS shoots good and I did use the tubb system, but I just can't get the "one ragged hole" group.   
Try aiming the first shot at the center of your target. Then aim the next four about 3 feet left. Works for me every time. To save time, you can always just fire the first one, and stop.Smile
 And you're in a different thread wondering why you're getting two distinct groups?  Whistling
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 07:32
I have not used the tubbs system yet. On all my new rifles I hand lap the barrels and then shoot a few (5) and clean it really well and shoot a bunch 20+ and then hand lap the barrel again. I don't know if it help anything and take about 6 hours to do it right but it makes the rifling shine and ton easier to clean.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 07:54
Originally posted by Bigdaddy0381 Bigdaddy0381 wrote:

I have not used the tubbs system yet. On all my new rifles I hand lap the barrels and then shoot a few (5) and clean it really well and shoot a bunch 20+ and then hand lap the barrel again. I don't know if it help anything and take about 6 hours to do it right but it makes the rifling shine and ton easier to clean.
 
 I'll bet all that work makes them shine up very nicely. Do you pour a molten lead lap, Brandon?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 07:58
Originally posted by RONK RONK wrote:

Originally posted by Bigdaddy0381 Bigdaddy0381 wrote:

I have not used the tubbs system yet. On all my new rifles I hand lap the barrels and then shoot a few (5) and clean it really well and shoot a bunch 20+ and then hand lap the barrel again. I don't know if it help anything and take about 6 hours to do it right but it makes the rifling shine and ton easier to clean.
 
 I'll bet all that work makes them shine up very nicely. Do you pour a molten lead lap, Brandon?
 
no I use patches and lapping paste I starte with 600 grit and lap for a long time maybe 30+ patches untill I get the feel and smoothness i'm looking for and go up to an 800 then to a 1200 then to a 1800 grit and then see if it is as smoth and it should be if not I start over untill there is no to very very little marks in the barrel. After you have done it your arms will feel like jello and be sore for a week or so.
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RONK View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 08:05
 They used to say that you could pick an old-time rifle barrel-maker out of a crowd by the size of his arms!
 Hard work.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Bigdaddy0381 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 08:08
Originally posted by RONK RONK wrote:

 They used to say that you could pick an old-time rifle barrel-maker out of a crowd by the size of his arms!
 Hard work.
 

I can see why, but it is worth it to me to start with the best possible platform I can. If I buy a used rifle I will do this also no matter what the round count is. It really dose makes a difference for what I have seen thus far.

 

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 08:17
  I would have to think that a barrel that starts out nice and smooth would stay consistent longer than one that was rough to start with and eventually shot smoother. Your handloads would probably stay 'relevant' for a much longer duration, etc. without needing to tweak them as often.
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 10:09
barrel break in-- to be differentiated from gun break in-- barrel break includes everything you do to gun up to the point you decide it doesn't  shoot for sh*t-- trade or sell and start over on another one.

Edited by Dale Clifford - April/22/2009 at 10:10
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Voodoo6 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 11:53
Can the Tubbs system be used on chromed barrels, like my AR, Gents?
 
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 13:09
why would you want to???
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 13:20
Originally posted by Voodoo6 Voodoo6 wrote:

Can the Tubbs system be used on chromed barrels, like my AR, Gents?
 
 
 Wondered that myself; my Bushmaster has a chrome-lined barrel.
Mine shoots really well, though, and cleans up slick, so no point in it for me.
 I really don't know why you couldn't do it, it just probably would take a lot more rounds down the tube to get similar results as you'd get on an unlined barrel. Chrome is dang hard!
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/22/2009 at 13:21
I used the Tubbs system in my .308 VS.  I saw no improvements in group size, but it did seem to clean the copper out a little easier .  
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