I don't think most people, like Walter and myself, have built enough long range rifles to really know how much difference it makes. However I have known some seriously dedicated long range shooters who know a lot more than I do that swear by it so I do because I trust their knowledge and experience.

I have never built any rifles and don't pretend I know how to, not inferring that is what you mean either. I leave all that work to my gunsmith. As far as breaking in a barrel it is very subjective like most things. When talking about match barrels and a good gunsmith the only thing that might need broken in is the chamber, like said above. There was a very long thread on this over on snipershide and it was about like this one some people do some people don't. Them main problem is having real data that shows either way. There was one post on there from frank where he bought two identical trg 22. And broken one barrel in and didn't the other. Both shot them same is the short story.


Here is the thread on snipershide and it is a good read.

Walter

All right. Had enough.

Clean the crap out of the new barrel. Machining fluid, and steel chips. Put 20-30 rounds through it to foul it. Then do load work up or test various mass produced ammunition. Once you like how it shoots, keep shooting it until it starts shooting well, then remove carbon and go again.

This has worked for me on button rifled and cut rifled equally well.

love this,

I tend to agree with this. Here is what I see and we built 100+ rifles this year. I hand lapp everything so take that into consideration..

Shoot every gun bout 5- 10 times, get a general feel for how rifle will shoot Clean it really good
Take it out shoot another 5-10 and test the group, make sure I am happy with it.
Give it a solid cleaning but nothing crazy. (ship if its not mine personal gun)
If personal gun take out shoot a fouler and verify zero.
Shoot the gun till groups widen,
give it a mild cleaning to get out carbon, hardly every have much copper fouling
Shoot it over and over and over till groups annoy my or hunting season is over.
I am a firm believer there is a short "seasoning" process to all barrels and barrels do need to be cleaned from time to time but if its rocking don't screw with it.

kballen@3rivers.net, "rifle-accuracy-reports.com" is interesting read. as mentioned, if you don't have bore guided & do it correctly, don't bother just go shoot

Lucas Bore guide for sure