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Hi guys,

Tomorrow I will be picking up my first centrefire rifle a Tikka T3x CTR in .308. I have been trying to research the best way to break in the barrel of a new rifle and keep finding contradicting information. I was hoping some of you may be able to give me your opinion on how it should be done.

Cheers
Steve

Load - aim - pull trigger.

Job done.

Clean it before you go, clean it when you get home.

Thats about it really, oh, and enjoy

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Some people shoot 1 and clean for 10 then go to shoot 3/5 then clean until about 50 rounds and then carry on
Others just buy clean shoot and then clean at end of each session
The choice is yours
All I would say is just don't go too mad and get the barrel really hot initially
Just take your time and allow some cool down time every 10 shots or so
Whatever, just enjoy

Get your hands on as many different types (brands, bullet weights) ammo for it as you can.

Clean it, then spend a leisurely afternoon shooting 3 round groups of each ammo type. Have a little competition to see which type it likes best.

Clean again when done.

Back to the RFD to stock up on the chosen ammo.

That's about it for me.

Les wrote:Load - aim - pull trigger.

Job done.

+1

What is this clean the rifle business? I have only bore snaked my T3 in all the 7 years I have had it the same for my son's T3 there are others i that I know clean them fully several times a year.
My/son's guns keeps its poi and the others same guns same scopes have to re zero to a minor extent after a full clean.

I normally shoot 3 to zero then clean with a solvent. Shoot 3-5 and repeat. As people have suggested, the trick is not to get the barrel overly warm so allow lots of cooling time and by the time you are at 35-40 it should be good to go.

Interestingly the Danish rifle manufacturer S&L say just shoot the rifle and do not use any solvent.

load shoot until empty, reload and repeat until bored

I was once told by a very renowned rifle maker, High Master, Distinguished Rifleman, President's Hundred shooter and Intl coach to "go shoot until your trigger finger bleeds, then shoot some more and it'll be OK".

Check the instructions that come with your rifle. I'm pretty sure it says it in my Tikka T3 manual.