How to Break-In a Rifle Barrel with Steve Wild

We join Steve Wild deep within the Staffordshire countryside as he walks us through the correct approach to change and clean the barrel of a rifle.
Today, Steve will be using the Blaser R8 Professional Success. The reason Steve is switching the barrel from a .308 to .223 is that with the lambing season now in full swing, he is doing much more fox pest control than deer stalking.
The reason why you break the barrel in is because when the rifle leaves the factory there are slight imperfections. Breaking in the barrel and cleaning out helps increase the longevity.
With the rifle being in .308, the first task is to strip it down. After removing the scope, trigger mechanism and bolt slide you can safely the barrel by simply unscrewing two allen screws. Now with the .308 barrel removed, line up the .223 with the locating holes and re-attached using the allen screws.
Next, it’s time to change the bolt face, which can be done by lifting up the clip removing the .308 and replacing it with the .223. Due to the magazine being incorporated into the trigger mechanism, this will also need changing. Again, this only takes a matter of moments by removing the plastic clipping and swapping the .308 magazine to the .223.
Once the trigger and magazine mechanisms have been re-attached and before re-fitting the scope, Steve decides to clean the barrel. Rifle maintenance is vital, it is important to make sure you regularly clean the barrel and remove any dirt, grime and dust.
Firstly, Steve using a wire brush attached to a rod gently runs it through the barrel. He then fits a small piece of cloth that will clean away any unwanted material. Steve continues to pass the cloth through the barrel until there is no residue coming out of the other end.
Now that the barrel has been thoroughly cleaned, Steve re-attaches the scope. Today, Steve is using the Hawke Endurance 30 WA SF 4-16x50 scope, which has a ballistic reticule that has been specifically designed for .223 and .308 calibre.
After taking a several shots, Steve will once again clean the barrel in the same way he did before, take a further five shots, give the barrel another clean, another five shots and finally one last clean. This method has helped Steve numerous times in the past with the longevity and accuracy of the barrel.
Once there is no further residue within the barrel, it’s time to re-attached the moderator. Steve then takes another five more shots to embed the bullets into the barrel. The barrel is now broken in and the shot groups have significantly tighten up throughout the process.
Rifle - Blaser R8 Professional Success - www.blaser.de/en/products/fir...
Scope - the Hawke Endurance 30 WA SF 4-16x50 - uk.hawkeoptics.com/endurance-...
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[@danhill6333]

Thanks Wildman and TeamWildTV for the tutorial. There are many minor variations on this, but the goal is the same; best accuracy and barrel life. Have a splendid day.

[@Epifani_Days]

Great video 😊👍

[@jamesmchattie4528]

Excellent

[@AK-qq4tg]

Blaser r8 and hawke scope is an interesting combination though

[@tundzhaybayryamov1575]

I wouldn’t even put a Hawke on an air rifle.

[@mhgtvoffline9668]

Freyr & Devik mod? Be interested to see how you rate them?

[@samuelali3346]

Do you have to clean air rifle guns as well .. can you also changes it too ..?????

[@rahulsaklani9555]

Love from India 😀😀😀

[@takiducky8160]

Hey what you think of the lead sled

[@JamminF1]

Great way to damage your rifle. The rifle is designed to transition the energy, not keep it into the rifle. Guys break stocks, loosen hardware, scopes go out of alignment.

[@welshfieldsports-wfs1838]

Love this show! It’s given me the inspiration to create my own KZbin channel would love the support!

[@welshfieldsports-wfs1838]

Julian Morris glad you enjoy it. Hoping to upload more content soon 👍

[@andreasschiller5875]

But was there oil and/or residue in the barrel? Jokes aside, great tutorial!

[@EmilMouritsen]

Just out of curiosity; why break-in the barrel when Blaser says it’s not needed?

[@TeamWildTV]

EmilMouritsen Steve is sharing information on what works for him, you must do what you feel works best for you 👍

[@lobster8009]

Barrel break in is just a myth. Especially on a cold hammer forged barrel like the Blaser has. No chips created its all cold deformation, a radial hammer and a die inside to form the rifling and size the bore. No one has ever delivered definitive proove that you can increase lifetime and accuracy of a barrel by doing all sorts of voodo break in procedures. You clean it well before the first shooting, mostly to get out all sorts of preservatives they put in at factory and then it takes a couple of shots for some jacket material to deposit. Thats the increase in accuracy you will notice after the first box of ammo or so. Its just jacket material deposition thightening the barrel ever so much to improove accuracy.

[@dps6198]

Interesting, I spoke to the tech representatives at Browning/Winchester, Remington, Ruger, Savage, Bushmaster, Weatherby and Colt. They all told me that barrel break in is not necessary.

[@TeamWildTV]

DPS wow! Sounds like a busy afternoon. You should do whatever you feel works best for you and your rifles. If you feel it offers benefits, then do it. Steve is only sharing what works for him

[@dps6198]

@@TeamWildTV True then people think that barrel break in is necessary when it isn't due to improved manufacturing process.

[@asdfjkl981]

@@dps6198 Steve also is the kind of person that installs a barrel before initially cleaning it. i bet he also closes the toilet lid, shits on it and cleans it afterwards.

[@rahulsaklani9555]

Hallo

[@xenomorph1317]

I’m not fond on those lego build rifles, but that’s just my opinion…

[@fishlife1013]

The blaser r8 isn't a lego build its just simplistic and it holds sub moa groups when you take the scope off there better then any remington or browning match rifle

[@kristijanmedved6066]

Sry tu burst your bubble fanbois but breakig in a barrell is waste of time and only increaces chances of damaging it if you have some logic and brain you wont ask why but hey we are in US so maybe i am asking for too much

[@michaellong515]

No bore guide! How to ruin an expensive rifle!!!

[@robertwhinnen5602]

Michael Long Yes, no bore guide, no brass removing solvent. I myself would fire at least 30 rounds, clean after every shot for the first 5 thereafter a thorough clean after every 5 shots, a new patch for every pass until totally free of any colour.

[@rotasaustralis]

I don't believe barrel run in is at all necessary with Blaser barrels. Blaser barrels are all cold hammer forged & have a very smooth, mirror finish bore. Regarding your cleaning process, I hope you were able to clean that oil/cleaner out of the chamber. If you were trying to show how not to clean a rifle, you've succeeded admirably otherwise, a rather piss poor effort.