SmallCaliberCentral

Hello everyone! I'm new to the site here and I'm also the new owner of a Remington 700 SPS with a stainless steel barrel with a Bushnell Elite 3200 4X12X40 scope. I'm very excited to get out and shoot this this but everyone is telling me that to make sure that I break the barrel in correctly. I have personally never heard of this and I'm looking for some help. Any ideas would be greatly welcomed!! Is this due to it being stainless steel or because it's a fast cartridge?

The idea is to make sure the barrel is as smooth as possible before you start "serious" shooting. Clean out microscopic imperfections, machine marks, machining debris, etc. First give the barrel a cleaning: solvent, brush, dry patch and repeat till comes out clean. Then, at the range: one shot and clean as above for five to ten shots; followed by two (or three) and clean for the next ten or so. After that clean thoroughly and you're ready to go...

I like to break in all my barrels even my muzzleloaders. Sage is right, your removing tiny imperfections that the machining process leaves behind. The idea is to make the bore as slick as a babys bottom(I know my little girls is pretty slick i clean it a lot). Once it's slick your gun should be more accurate and foul less. Your are using the bullet to cut those imperfections so you need to keep it clean between shots or groups of shots so the bullet is on the steel and not the fouling. I broke my Rem VSSF in with 3 shots then clean 3 more shots till about 20 or so then 4 shots clean then 5 shots till 50. Thats a lot of shooting but I used the trigger time to learn the trigger and the gun and for that matter as well as get my scope lined up and set my eye relief. Hey whats better than touching off some brass and lead any way. You'll find that about every one has a different opinion on breaking in and how many shots before cleaning but get that bore real clean when you clean it. It's pretty late so if I missed something someone fill me in. Thanx

you'll find barrel break in instructions on all the custom barrel makers websites. Kreiger is one of the best I've read.

Personally I've never bothered with a factory rifle.

Thanks guys! This is what I was figuring but some other opionions are always good to have on something like this!!