NEW LR-308 BREAK IN ?
- pjm03fatboy
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NEW LR-308 BREAK IN ? was created by pjm03fatboy
HI ALL, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BREAK IN A NEW DMPS LR-308 16" CAR & THE RIGHT WAY TO CLEAN IT, AND WHAT TO OIL AND HOW MUCH OIL TO USE ? AS I HAVE READ ABOUT THEY LIKE TO BE WET? PLEASE HELP PS I HAVE NOT SHOT THE GUN YET BRANDIE NEW!!! 
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Replied by AR260rem on topic Re: NEW LR-308 BREAK IN ?
Hi! Congrats on the new AR-10!
I won't claim this is the "right way" but I think the shoot 1 round, clean, 1 round, clean, etc for 20 shots is ridiculous IMHO. I don't mean to offend anyone who uses this procedure, I just think there is little benefit from it, especially in a non-super match, custom barrel, benchrest gun. The factories do a pretty good job on barrels these days, especially on a nice gun like yours. I also think the main break-in affects the action by "wearing" it in a little and helping to reduce copper fouling in the barrel. There will be dozens of ways to do it depending on who you ask, this is just how I did it.
Clean thoroughly before shooting, get all of the preservative/factory oil out of it first (I think this is the most important step that most people overlook).
Dedicated AR cleaning brushes really help, especially the chamber/locking lug combo brush, called 7.62/308 chamber brush. Iosso makes a kit for AR-15s that has 3 brushes for cleaning the bolt and carrier that works decently on the Ar-10, it will include a chamber brush, but that is too small for the 308. A short cleaning rod that doesn't have a swivel handle is your friend for cleaning the upper/chamber. I've tried regular ones for pistols/rifles and just got frustrated. Dewy makes a nice one made of brass, I'm sure there are others. Some people use dental piks for scraping stubborn carbon from small places. Q-Tips are also helpful. A bronze or nylon brush (like a toothbrush with two ends, small and large is mandatory) For carbon removal, I like Pro MP7, it is thick like a gel you spray on, let sit for 15-30 minutes and the carbon comes off pretty easy, plus no smell, no harm to you gun.
Lube bolt, bolt carrier, firing pin, inner upper receiver, and locking lugs. No need to lube the barrel. No need to have lube dripping out of it, just an light even coat on the lugs, buffer spring, and lower parts, a little more in the receiver and bolt assy. I use Break Free CLP, same thing the military uses for M16s both to clean and lube. I've fired 300-500 dirty blanks in an M16 with a BFA without cleaning, just a squirt of break free now and then and it keeps running. There are many great lubes out there, maybe someone will chime in and give you a few others to use.
Shoot 20 rounds to sight in/test function, do NOT overheat barrel (no 20 shots in a row rapid fire), 5 shots slow fire, let cool till just barely warm or cold, 5 more same cooling period, etc.
Clean gun, especially the barrel, get the copper fouling out of barrel, you can usually see it with a bright light at the muzzle after cleaning the carbon out.
Clean barrel normally until carbon fouling is out.
Put the copper remover on a patch and run it back and forth through bore a few times. I use Sweets 7.62 copper remover. Let sit for 10 minutes, no longer than 15. Use a bore brush and scrub barrel (i also like nylon since it will not dissolve in the Sweets, you can use bronze but if you don't clean the brush thoroughly after use it will fall apart, plus the blue color will never go away from the bore if you keep using it after each patching). Run patches through barrel until dry. Repeat until patches no longer have any blue color on them. Run a few more patches with regular bore solvent on them after the copper removal to ensure the copper solvent is out of the barrel.
Clean bolt and locking lugs, lube same as above.
Go shoot 40 rounds using same procedure, don't overheat it. If it feels hot when you grab the barrel, stop and let cool.
Clean same as above procedure.
Do the 40 round procedure again.
Then finally, enjoy your nice AR-10!
This procedure has worked for me, my AR-10 can turn in 1/2", 5 shot groups with several loads. I don't like to shoot more than 100 rounds without cleaning, but I am all about pure accuracy and looking for the elusive 1/4" group lol. I love blasting with my AR-15 carbine, and am a lot looser on my self imposed rules with that, all depends what you are looking to do.
I have also used this procedure on a Remington Sendero and 700 Special R-5 Milspec. The Sendero is a 3/4-1" gun, 300 Rem Ultra Mag (might be better but the recoil dosen't help
The Milspec (308) will shoot under .5 MOA with ease, I am the weak link with that gun.
Hope this helps and gives you some pointers, there are many people here more knowledgeable than I, perhaps they will chime in and give you some more tips and tricks.
Enjoy the new gun and welcome to the forum!
I won't claim this is the "right way" but I think the shoot 1 round, clean, 1 round, clean, etc for 20 shots is ridiculous IMHO. I don't mean to offend anyone who uses this procedure, I just think there is little benefit from it, especially in a non-super match, custom barrel, benchrest gun. The factories do a pretty good job on barrels these days, especially on a nice gun like yours. I also think the main break-in affects the action by "wearing" it in a little and helping to reduce copper fouling in the barrel. There will be dozens of ways to do it depending on who you ask, this is just how I did it.
Clean thoroughly before shooting, get all of the preservative/factory oil out of it first (I think this is the most important step that most people overlook).
Dedicated AR cleaning brushes really help, especially the chamber/locking lug combo brush, called 7.62/308 chamber brush. Iosso makes a kit for AR-15s that has 3 brushes for cleaning the bolt and carrier that works decently on the Ar-10, it will include a chamber brush, but that is too small for the 308. A short cleaning rod that doesn't have a swivel handle is your friend for cleaning the upper/chamber. I've tried regular ones for pistols/rifles and just got frustrated. Dewy makes a nice one made of brass, I'm sure there are others. Some people use dental piks for scraping stubborn carbon from small places. Q-Tips are also helpful. A bronze or nylon brush (like a toothbrush with two ends, small and large is mandatory) For carbon removal, I like Pro MP7, it is thick like a gel you spray on, let sit for 15-30 minutes and the carbon comes off pretty easy, plus no smell, no harm to you gun.
Lube bolt, bolt carrier, firing pin, inner upper receiver, and locking lugs. No need to lube the barrel. No need to have lube dripping out of it, just an light even coat on the lugs, buffer spring, and lower parts, a little more in the receiver and bolt assy. I use Break Free CLP, same thing the military uses for M16s both to clean and lube. I've fired 300-500 dirty blanks in an M16 with a BFA without cleaning, just a squirt of break free now and then and it keeps running. There are many great lubes out there, maybe someone will chime in and give you a few others to use.
Shoot 20 rounds to sight in/test function, do NOT overheat barrel (no 20 shots in a row rapid fire), 5 shots slow fire, let cool till just barely warm or cold, 5 more same cooling period, etc.
Clean gun, especially the barrel, get the copper fouling out of barrel, you can usually see it with a bright light at the muzzle after cleaning the carbon out.
Clean barrel normally until carbon fouling is out.
Put the copper remover on a patch and run it back and forth through bore a few times. I use Sweets 7.62 copper remover. Let sit for 10 minutes, no longer than 15. Use a bore brush and scrub barrel (i also like nylon since it will not dissolve in the Sweets, you can use bronze but if you don't clean the brush thoroughly after use it will fall apart, plus the blue color will never go away from the bore if you keep using it after each patching). Run patches through barrel until dry. Repeat until patches no longer have any blue color on them. Run a few more patches with regular bore solvent on them after the copper removal to ensure the copper solvent is out of the barrel.
Clean bolt and locking lugs, lube same as above.
Go shoot 40 rounds using same procedure, don't overheat it. If it feels hot when you grab the barrel, stop and let cool.
Clean same as above procedure.
Do the 40 round procedure again.
Then finally, enjoy your nice AR-10!
This procedure has worked for me, my AR-10 can turn in 1/2", 5 shot groups with several loads. I don't like to shoot more than 100 rounds without cleaning, but I am all about pure accuracy and looking for the elusive 1/4" group lol. I love blasting with my AR-15 carbine, and am a lot looser on my self imposed rules with that, all depends what you are looking to do.
I have also used this procedure on a Remington Sendero and 700 Special R-5 Milspec. The Sendero is a 3/4-1" gun, 300 Rem Ultra Mag (might be better but the recoil dosen't help
The Milspec (308) will shoot under .5 MOA with ease, I am the weak link with that gun.Hope this helps and gives you some pointers, there are many people here more knowledgeable than I, perhaps they will chime in and give you some more tips and tricks.
Enjoy the new gun and welcome to the forum!
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Replied by AR260rem on topic Re: NEW LR-308 BREAK IN ?
P.S. Love the profile pic, the 50 just has to be seen to be believed. I picked up a Bushmaster BA50 last year and it always draws a crowd at the range. 50 BMG is the final word in rifles unless you have one of those 20mm/50cal rifles from Anzio.
Okay, thats just ridiculous
Okay, thats just ridiculous
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- JeffSavannah
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Replied by AR260rem on topic Re: NEW LR-308 BREAK IN ?
Jeff, congrats on a top of the line firearm! I've heard nothing but great things about Noveske uppers and rifles. I imagine it will be extremely accurate and reliable!
I use both the JB Bore Bright and the standard cleaning compound (the red lettered jar and blue lettered jar) when the copper is thick or I clean a friends rifle who have never heard of copper fouling and shot them for years without cleaning the copper out
. The standard compound really cuts through heavy copper fouling quickly.The Bore Bright is a little more aggressive and can be used for real light lapping or very fine polishing and copper removal. I used it in my R5 Milspec just to try and get a little more accuracy. I think it may foul a little less, but that's subjective, because it doesn't foul, very little before the polishing, now basically none. I've fired 150 rounds and what copper was in it cleaned up with 2 patches of Sweets and a couple passes with a brush. I've also tried it on hammer sears and small parts using a polishing wheel on a dremel with some success. I doubt either would harm a barrel as the compounds are extremely fine.
The downside to either is both are messier than the Sweets and a little more difficult to use. Both are oil based and thicker than a solvent so you have to massage it (very little, or you'll have a mess) into the patch before use. It kinda melts into a oil just from the heat of your hand and pushing it back and forth. Use a nice tight patch on a jag (the solid kind with the pin in the top) and scrub back and forth and be careful to not push it out the end of the barrel. If you use too much it likes to get between the lugs and barrel, then you have to use q-tips to clean it out. Finally, I like to thoroughly clean after using it to ensure no trace is left in the barrel or chamber. I would think firing a bullet down the barrel with any left would be like almost like a fire lapping.
I think all 3 have their place in my cleaning kit, just depends on the situation. For general cleaning, I like the Sweets better because it is a little less labor intensive/messy but it does take a little longer.
With a very high quality barrel like yours, you will probably not get any heavy deposits, but each barrel has its own personality. I had a Remington 700 BDL that would show heavy deposits after 30 rounds, but was accurate well beyond that.
Most of my current rifles have stainless barrels, the AR-10 included, I use the same procedures for either type though.
Looking forward to a report once you get some trigger time. I would be very interested in hearing about it. Looking for a 308 upper or rifle to compliment my 260.
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- JeffSavannah
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Replied by AR260rem on topic Re: NEW LR-308 BREAK IN ?
I read that too, I can't imagine why they would cause a problem. They are obviously softer that phosphor bronze brushes or brass (and certainly barrel steel!). I did read a review at Midway on my brushes. I use the Montana X-Treme brush, and a reviewer posted this:
"As an ILEA sniper instructor and having many years as a competitor I can recommend these brushes. The main reason is that the brushes have a closed or rolled end as opposed to a clipped or cut end. At the sniper school we recommend that students use this type of brush eliminating the fear of the end coming undone and thus gouging the lands or groves of the rifle barrel. I feel that the Montana X-Treme bore brushes offer the finest heavy duty stiff nylon bristles I have ever used. These bristles will resist all types of ammonia and oil based cleaners and will give you a superior cleaning for your expensive precision barrel." posted by Steve Hose, IL
Perhaps that is what Armalite was concerned about with lesser quality nylon brushes and obviously steel is a no go. I've never had any problem with good quality ones, and have one for each caliber, used in both chrome lined and non. Don't know, but I wouldn't sweat it.
I like the cleaning method you are using for your break in too, the bore snake and a little break free will work great. I'm with you, I like to go and just get some groups/ammo/loads dialed in right away. I may try that method on my next gun. Would save some time and as I stated in the orig. post, I don't put a lot of faith in a "barrel break in". I consider it more of an action break in and keeping the barrel smooth and fouling manageable. If mine was triple lapped (Armalite AR-10T) at the factory, I doubt I'll get it much smoother during a break in process
What length barrel did you get?
Thanks for the tech note though, might be worth dropping a line to Armalite for clarification.
"As an ILEA sniper instructor and having many years as a competitor I can recommend these brushes. The main reason is that the brushes have a closed or rolled end as opposed to a clipped or cut end. At the sniper school we recommend that students use this type of brush eliminating the fear of the end coming undone and thus gouging the lands or groves of the rifle barrel. I feel that the Montana X-Treme bore brushes offer the finest heavy duty stiff nylon bristles I have ever used. These bristles will resist all types of ammonia and oil based cleaners and will give you a superior cleaning for your expensive precision barrel." posted by Steve Hose, IL
Perhaps that is what Armalite was concerned about with lesser quality nylon brushes and obviously steel is a no go. I've never had any problem with good quality ones, and have one for each caliber, used in both chrome lined and non. Don't know, but I wouldn't sweat it.
I like the cleaning method you are using for your break in too, the bore snake and a little break free will work great. I'm with you, I like to go and just get some groups/ammo/loads dialed in right away. I may try that method on my next gun. Would save some time and as I stated in the orig. post, I don't put a lot of faith in a "barrel break in". I consider it more of an action break in and keeping the barrel smooth and fouling manageable. If mine was triple lapped (Armalite AR-10T) at the factory, I doubt I'll get it much smoother during a break in process
What length barrel did you get?
Thanks for the tech note though, might be worth dropping a line to Armalite for clarification.
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- JeffSavannah
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