Just taking 10 minutes to google it comes up with different ways and some say its BS all together.

Which version of the procedure do you believe in? And why?

Also, do pistol barrels need to be broken in?

 

Put me in the BS camp. But everyone has their own superstitions and rituals.

Even though I say it's BS, I have my own routine I go through with new guns. Of course I talk to them too . . .

 

I'm curious to know also.

 

Gale McMillan in one article I read thinks its BS but here's another one I read.

Barrel Break-In

I'm not going to use the bristle until Ive shot another 150+ rnds just to be sure.

 

Just go shoot!

 

From what I have seen/read/heard, the main reasoning for a barrel break-in is due to machining inconsistencies left in the barrel that are polished by fired rounds. Not sure about this regarding rifle barrels since it seems they are typically produced by a cold hammer forging process, but I do know that most pistol barrels are bored/rifled using electrochemical machining (ECM) which has been widely used since the 1970's.

ECM is a chemical dissolution process where the metal is dissolved into an electrolyte fluid (typically saltwater) in the presence of an electrical current. It is essentially reverse electroplating. The "cutting tool" (electrode) never actually touches the barrel, so there aren't really any cutting/machining marks as you would picture them like from a traditional machining process such as cutting via a mill or lathe. ECM also has the ability to micropolish as it cuts giving a very smooth, uniform, and void free surface. Electropolishing that you often hear of used on complex parts is essentially a lower power ECM process where only outer surface layers of metal are removed leaving the uniform polished surface.

So for what it's worth, I don't see how any pistol barrel produced using ECM could possibly need/benefit from a break-in process, as there are not any machining residuals that need "broken in", and the barrel has already been polished/finished to a very high degree before ever being fired.

Edit: I don't know enough about rifles to try and make a claim either way.