Lee Shaver’s Barrel break in

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Idaholewis

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Something i found on Lee Shaver’s i figured i would share


Lee Shaver’s Break-in Procedure

Having used the jacketed bullet/clean-between-shot process in the past and
specifically Badger’s procedure when breaking-in one of my Browning BPCRs, I
was not looking forward to repeating the very lengthy process with my other
Browning’s. Fortunately Lee Shaver came to the rescue with his much simpler and
less time consuming process. With permission from Lee I’ve included the details
of his procedure. It’s from a larger article Lee published in the May 2013 edition
of The Single Shot Exchange Magazine.

Excerpt from “Breaking In a Barrel” by Lee Shaver:
Several years ago, I developed a process for breaking-in barrels for lead bullet use
that eliminated the afternoon of shooting and cleaning with jacketed bullet. It
began because I would occasionally have to get bad leading out of a barrel for a
customer, and when you charge what a gunsmith must charge to stay in business
you don’t want to spend an afternoon scrubbing the lead out of a customer’s gun.
And I’m sure the customer would rather not pay for said services.

What I learned was that when scrubbing lead out of a barrel, I could run a tight oily
patch through a few times and then take the patch off the jag. I would then unroll a
little 0000 steel wool and cut a piece the size of the patch. Place that over the
patch and then run it all through together. (The proper fit is when you have to
bump the rod a few times with the palm of your hand to get it started in the bore.)
When you shove that steel wool over a patch through the bore of a badly leaded
barrel, it may sound like paper tearing as the lead is ripped out of the barrel in a
pass or two. I can clean the lead out of the worst barrel in about ten or fifteen
minutes that way, and an average leaded barrel will be clean in a few strokes.

After using this technique for a while, I began to notice that the rifles that I was de-
leading that way seemed to lead less afterwards, which got me to thinking. We use
fine steel wool on the outside of old guns all the time to do some cleaning or spot
rust removal, and it does not damage the surface of the steel. It just scrubs it.
Which lead me to consider the fact that we are trying to break in a barrel by
smoothing the surface without cutting, and it seems to me that process would go
much quicker if we used something on the inside of the bore that was closer to the
hardness of the barrel instead of lead or copper. So I started trying the steel wool
and oiled patch technique on new barrels before shooting them. I use it about as
tight as I can get in the bore and wear out a steel wool pad or two in about 15
minutes, then I go and shoot the rifle.

How well does it work you might ask? On a few occasions, I have built a new rifle
and taken it to a match without ever having fired the rifle. All have performed
flawlessly in their first match and several times I won the match or set a record
with them. On one occasion, I set a new 300 yard range record with the first 13
shots out of a barrel. This method has become a service we offer to our customers
here in the shop and I have shared the technique many times with others.

So the next time you get ready to shoot that new rifle, just remember it is important
to break in a barrel properly, but if the operation you are doing to the barrel cuts –
it is not breaking it in. It may be making the barrel smoother, but to break the
barrel in you need to polish the bore by burnishing not cutting either by shooting it
or scrubbing it.
Lee Shaver
 
I’ll just stay with JB bore paste.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
herschel conyers said:
I’ll just stay with JB bore paste.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I use Montana Extreme Bore Polish Compound on all of my Barrels (JB Bore paste equivalent)
Lee’s procedure is really simple, i will try this with my New .36 Cal Barrel :yeah: Hard to Argue with Mr Shaver’s success, Lee has probably forgotten more than MANY of us will ever learn. It is my understanding that He has Won about every possible Championship/Title at 1 time or another that one can Win
 
I might be wrong but don't think barrels need much break in now days. But lapping a little wouldn't hurt before being fired
 
45cal said:
I might be wrong but don't think barrels need much break in now days. But lapping a little wouldn't hurt before being fired


Bob, That is what I understand Lee to be doing in his article above, Just a Little different way of doing it? I have always Polished a New or used Bore about 100 Strokes or so with a JB Equivalent (Montana Extreme) I only do this the 1 time and i start Shooting it from then on
 
I'm a JB Bore Paste person, and just work the heck out of it on a tight patch. Easily 100 passes, then same with polish, then shoot again. Yes, its slower but like my buddy says "HE WHO SH**$ FAST DOES NOT SH** FOR LONG". Buuuut, I'm not making a living at it I know full well. Many times I am actually paying to do things instead of saving money when I factor in my time even at $10 and hour let alone at my hourly wage.
 
50 passes of either JB or MX Bore Polish is my standard for any new barrel cleaning. It wont hurt a thing but it insures the bore is clean of any "packing lube". Both my Pacnor and Douglas barrels came hand lapped. The difference between them and a typical OEM barrel is huge. They are both butter smooth.
 
Can’t imagine Ernie Stallman (Badger, in those days) not lapping one of his barrels - nearly all do.
Sound advice like JB bore paste and others these days on bores that lead might be suspect.
Can’t unders why someone would mess with a bore until they’ve proven it will not shoot as well as one thinks it should.
 
52Bore said:
Can’t imagine Ernie Stallman (Badger, in those days) not lapping one of his barrels - nearly all do.
Sound advice like JB bore paste and others these days on bores that lead might be suspect.
Can’t unders why someone would mess with a bore until they’ve proven it will not shoot as well as one thinks it should.

I think it’s safe to say that you could ask 10 “World Class” Shooters their opinions on Barrel Break in and you would get 10 Completely Different answers. This is Sorta the Same thing as the Over Powder Wad to protect the Bullet base deal :D Not everyone is gonna agree on everything
 
:yeah:
Idaholewis said:
52Bore said:
Can’t imagine Ernie Stallman (Badger, in those days) not lapping one of his barrels - nearly all do.
Sound advice like JB bore paste and others these days on bores that lead might be suspect.
Can’t unders why someone would mess with a bore until they’ve proven it will not shoot as well as one thinks it should.

I think it’s safe to say that you could ask 10 “World Class” Shooters their opinions on Barrel Break in and you would get 10 Completely Different answers. This is Sorta the Same thing as the Over Powder Wad to protect the Bullet base deal :D Not everyone is gonna agree on everything
 
Absolutely correct Lee is . Snipers in Vietnam , my friend being ranked #2, all did this or used white scotch brite ultra fine from breech to muzzle wraped around a bore brush letting it rotate following the twist . The difference is dramatic even on a used bore . Damn good advice !!! All my rifled guns get this treatment !!! New or used !!! Groups tighten significantly , velocity increases , and barrels stay cleaner much longer . Ive never had to do it more than 1 time either .
 
Absolutely correct Lee is . Snipers in Vietnam , my friend being ranked #2, all did this or used white scotch brite ultra fine from breech to muzzle wraped around a bore brush letting it rotate following the twist . The difference is dramatic even on a used bore . Damn good advice !!! All my rifled guns get this treatment !!! New or used !!! Groups tighten significantly , velocity increases , and barrels stay cleaner much longer . Ive never had to do it more than 1 time either .

Lee Shaver’s has a few World Championships, and NUMEROUS other Wins/Records under his Belt, He definitely knows what he’s talking about :lewis:
 
he also bullshits too, shot with him to long and yes i have beat him once or twice

Bob, I don’t personally know Lee? Nor have i ever Claimed to. I have purchased his Sights and other odds n ends from him over the Phone, instead of going through a Vendor. I have had a Handful of Phone Conversations with Him, I asked him Questions? Lee took the Time to share Several Tips with me, I Followed them, I took them to the Field and Tested them for myself, The things he Shared with me Work, and Work Very Well. Lee Shaver was very good to me, and I have nothing but good to Say about The Man.

Fact is, You would know Lee Shaver much better than i do, You have met him in person, Shot with him etc. I don’t Know him on that level? I am Curious to See how Dave Gullo reacts here? I will see him in the Morning. I do know Dave Gullo Personally, i see him on a Regular Basis in his Business (Buffalo Arms) Dave and Lee are Both HIGHLY accomplished Shooters, Each with World Championships under their Belts, more than 1 time
 
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Bob, I don’t personally know Lee? Nor have i ever Claimed to. I have purchased his Sights and other odds n ends from him over the Phone, instead of going through a Vendor. I have had a Handful of Phone Conversations with Him, I asked him Questions? Lee took the Time to share Several Tips with me, I Followed them, I took them to the Field and Tested them for myself, The things he Shared with me Work, and Work Very Well. Lee Shaver was very good to me, and I have nothing but good to Say about The Man.

Fact is, You would know Lee Shaver much better than i do, You have met him in person, Shot with him etc. I don’t Know him on that level? I am Curious to See how Dave Gullo reacts here? I will see him in the Morning. I do know Dave Gullo Personally, i see him on a Regular Basis in his Business (Buffalo Arms) Dave and Lee are Both HIGHLY accomplished Shooters, Each with World Championships under their Belts, more than 1 time
wasn't meant to be derogatory , some people do bullshit a little that is all i meant don't take it wrong way
 
Can’t imagine Ernie Stallman (Badger, in those days) not lapping one of his barrels - nearly all do.
Sound advice like JB bore paste and others these days on bores that lead might be suspect.
Can’t unders why someone would mess with a bore until they’ve proven it will not shoot as well as one thinks it should.
That's just like thinkin ya need to fixin somethin when ya ain't sure if it's broken. Like thinkin ya need to wipe b4 ya poop to me. Kind regards
 
Whoa , whoa , whoa Hold on guys !!!! If ya dont wanna do it then Dont !!!
I dont think we are talkin about a Brux , Douglas , Bartlein ,Krieger , etc here either !!!
Anybody thats spent ANY amount of time around those barrels and then lesser processed ones Can say that !!!
Geez......in only Seconds around Any machine shop that Theory should get flushed Real Quick !!! Just what do you think the Biggest Part of that custom price tag is All About ????? Thats right the surface and consistancy of that bore free of burrs , chatter , scratches ETC . !!!!!!
Just WHY is it entertained here that NOBODY can tie their own dam shoes ???? Is it Really so much easier to go on a War Path EVERYTIME its suggested/offered to Step Out of the Box ???? Its ANY TOPIC too !!! Not Only is that Puddle Duck Behavior but my BS Meter gets pegged so Hard it Bends the dam Needle !!!!! Get a Clue !!!!!!!
 
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I did it to my GM barrel because i wanted to smooth out some machining marks, and slightly rough edges, that I saw when i bore scoped it. It felt fine and looked great but I just wanted to smooth out a couple things. It doesn't even really take anything off the barrel. I've steel wooled a couple barrels before. It's not not even as abrasive as bore polish imho. I'm not saying everyone should do it but I felt that in this case the barrel could benefit from a few swipes of the steel wool. I cleaned it after and it looked a little bit better to me. It could use a bit more polishing but I'm gonna do it the old fashioned way from here. Shooting it.
I got a bore fire lapping kit. One of those where you roll a lead bullet in the abrasive compounds (3 dif grit levels) I felt like that is overkill for most modern barrels. I'm not using it on this GM barrel. But I won't rule out using it if I got a cheap gun or one that had a really rough bore or maybe a last ditch fix for some accuracy problems. It's a case by case and judgment call thing. I don't feel like I did this barrel any harm with the steel wool.
Anyway, after my Davis Deerslayer trigger comes in and I put it together, I can go shoot it and see how it does.
 
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