SmallCaliberCentral

I may be 55 years old, but still find adult supervision most benificial.

I have a new CZ 527 that is as yet unfired, principally because I have been 'gathering' the accoutrements necessary to shoot and maintain it.

Thus far, I have acquired:

Lewis bore guide
Dewey cleaning rod, various jags and brushes.
GM Top Engine Cleaner
Butch's Bore Shine
Hoppes #9
Sweets
Lock Eze
Various greases and light lubricants
Lee Collet and RCBS full length die sets.
Press
Powder measure
Powder scale
Reloading Bench
Lyman Vibrating case cleaner
1000 Remington 7 1/2 primers
Flash hole deburring tool
Primer Pocket uniformer
Forster case trimmer with pilot and collet (neck turning atachment has been ordered)
Nikon Buckmaster 6-18X40 with Butler Creek covers
Millet scope rings

I met wrzwaldo last Saturday (He is a GREAT guy) and purchased some WS2. At the moment, I am coating a couple hundred 39 grain Sierra BK, and a couple hundred 35 grain Varmint Grenades. I have two boxes of Hornady 40 grain bullets that are uncoated.

I will be making a trip to Kesselrink gun shop for a few hundred Winchester cases, a Chrony, and 4 pounds of 10X.

I will be following Speedy Gonzales' method of barrel break in (unless someone knows of a better way).

Here is the question (finally)

Do I break the barrel in with naked or coated bullets? I plan on using the Hornady bullets to produce 'once fired' cases as part of the break in process. I'm not concerned with accuracy till I have some sorted and prepped cases.

If it matters, I have been reloading for many years and reloaded for a .338, 25-06 and a 220 Swift, as well as various handgun calibers.

Thanks Folks.

Bill Childers.

Everything I've read, says to use naked bullets for break-in. It sounds like you'll have some fun when you get ready to get after it.
If it doesn't shoot the 40s worth a hoot, don't get too excited, LOTS of rifles are indifferent towards that bullet. Yours probably will be, too. My CZ likes bullets under 35 grains, better than the heavier bullets.

BillC wrote:I have a new CZ 452

You probably meant 527?

You have pretty much everything needed in your list. Do you have a powder trickler? I can recommend this one. Have used RCBS but this Lyman model is really smooth and I like it's adjustable for drop tube length and height.

Might want something to deburr and chamfer case mouths too. When dealing with these little 32-40 grain bullets, it seems that if you get little copper shavings when seating a bullet, it might make a big difference in performance of each round.

If you've been reloading for many years, you probably have a dial caliper, or a digital one.

Good luck!

BabaOriley wrote:

BillC wrote:I have a new CZ 452

You probably meant 527?

You have pretty much everything needed in your list. Do you have a powder trickler? I can recommend this one. Have used RCBS but this Lyman model is really smooth and I like it's adjustable for drop tube length and height.

Might want something to deburr and chamfer case mouths too. When dealing with these little 32-40 grain bullets, it seems that if you get little copper shavings when seating a bullet, it might make a big difference in performance of each round.

If you've been reloading for many years, you probably have a dial caliper, or a digital one.

Good luck!

Yes, meant a 527 (fixed it). I had just finished cleaning my 452 and had it on my mind.
I do have a powder trickler and various and sundry calipers and micrometers here, and I know how to use them.
I have a case mouth deburring/chamfering tool, but have been thinking of using one with a steeper angle, or possibly finding a tiny cutting tool to put a fine radius on the inside of the case mouth, rather than just a straight bevel.
I also forgot to mention that I bought one of the Satern powder funnels. The guys on this board swear by them and I thought I would give one a try.

Bill.

glenn asher wrote:Everything I've read, says to use naked bullets for break-in. It sounds like you'll have some fun when you get ready to get after it.
If it doesn't shoot the 40s worth a hoot, don't get too excited, LOTS of rifles are indifferent towards that bullet. Yours probably will be, too. My CZ likes bullets under 35 grains, better than the heavier bullets.

Thank you. Naked bullets it is.
I got the Hornady bullets at a good price and figured I would use them for break in and the first firing on a couple hundred cases. Because of that, I couldn't care less about accuracy with them. By the time I run 200 down the tube, the gun should be as 'broken in' as it is likely to get. I am still considering re-bedding the action before I start shooting.

If the Sierra 39 grain bullets won't shoot, then I will have to find some 32 grainers. Perhaps the varmint grenades will give me some indication of what the rifle likes. Bullets aren't expensive, they are just difficult to find.

I fought a Ruger 77 in 220 Swift for two years before I got it to shoot. That rifle taught me a lot about accuracy and something about patience and tenacity. I am doing my best to use those tricks up front with the CZ to avoid all that frustration.

Bill.

+1 on the Satern funnels.

With the WS2, I don't think you need to use naked bullets. My reason, most brands of newly manufactured bullets seem soft.

You are polishing the bore and filling when breaking in a rifle.

Would you tell wrzwaldo to email or pm me???

Here's an interesting thread from Predator Masters on barrel break in. Take it for what is worth. Dave
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ub ... &vc=1&nt=2

acloco wrote:With the WS2, I don't think you need to use naked bullets. My reason, most brands of newly manufactured bullets seem soft.

You are polishing the bore and filling when breaking in a rifle.

Would you tell wrzwaldo to email or pm me???

wrzwaldo lives very close to me, but I don't know the exact address. I met him at a local museum where he was doing volunteer work. I strongly suggest you go to his website and send him an "E" mail from there. That is how I got in touch with him in the first place. I'm sorry I can't be of more assistance, but I don't even have a phone number.

Bill.

Berger has/had a recommended break in procedure for folks intending on using moly. It incorporated naked bullets for break in before switching to moly. FWIW
One never knows what type of break in will be required on a factory tube until you put a shot through it.

As for the predatormasters link. Catshooter is a real smart fellow. I've met and shot with him and has my respect. He's wrong on this subject though. Its funny how the guys who have been shooting custom tubes for decades forget what some unlapped factory tubes can be like out of the box.
I've seen my fair share of new Savage tubes that turn a solid orange with the first shot down the tube. They do not copper excessively now. Explain that.

The same folks who say copper can not wear steel are afraid of cleaning rods, patches and brushes wearing thier bores out with a few extra cleanings.
If a bullet traveling at 3000-4000 fps can not peen over microscopic imperfectsions in a steel barrel because its a softer metal then why can it penetrate a steel plate?
Buffing wheels are made of cotton I think. Usually they're loaded with a fine abrasive but if you have enough time on your hands they will polish without. JMO

Luckily I found a way to break in without abrasives or cleaning.

greystone wrote:Here's an interesting thread from Predator Masters on barrel break in. Take it for what is worth. Dave
http://www.predatormastersforums.com/ub ... &vc=1&nt=2

Greystone, thank you.

I actually read that thread, the threads it linked to and all the threads they linked to.

I know that CZ hammer forges their rifle barrels around a mandrel. This mandrel contains the rifling, leade/throat, and chamber. There are no reamer or tool marks created in the forging process. I'm an engineer and the only benefit I can imagine from a 'break in' would be having the bullet jacket pick up carbon while traveling down the bore and micro polish the steel in the process. Bearing this in mind, I will shoot my barrel in with naked bullets and keep the jacket material out of it in the off chance that some degree of micro polishing might take place. I have to 'once fire' some cases anyway (and will be doing this in my yard), so it is no hardship for me to be cleaning constantly. I have the right tools to clean it with, so at worst, I will be wasting my time and a few cleaning chemicals. No big deal.

Thank you again, Bill.

jo191145 wrote:Berger has/had a recommended break in procedure for folks intending on using moly. It incorporated naked bullets for break in before switching to moly. FWIW
One never knows what type of break in will be required on a factory tube until you put a shot through it.....

WS2 is not moly and does not build up like moly does.

Good discussion though.