New Tikka t3x- how many break in shots?

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pharmfisher

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You likely got the new, clean barrel copper fouled enough that it settled in nicely after those initial 6-7 shots. If it proves to be accurate/consistent I wouldn't clean it until groups open way up again if it were me. Great rifle and cartridge. I've had the exact same one for several years and it's superb.
I'm really hoping you are right! And that's great to hear, I really bought this one hoping for accuracy. I have heard great things accuracy wise about the model of gun and the cartridge itself.
 

thinhorn_AK

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Who still “breaks in” barrels? Hasn’t that been shown to not make a difference? I remember guys cleaning after each shot and dumping hot water down the barrel after a range session. Ridiculous.
 
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pharmfisher

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Did you adjust the scope between the last two groups?
Sorry forgot to mention that. Yes I did. The one that is hitting a little high is my final group (I usually try to sight in 1.5" high at 100 for my whitetail guns)
 
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You are both probably right, I was just hoping the first 2 groups "didn't count" as they were the first 6/7 shots fired out of the gun. It just seems significant to me that it would shoot 6 shots nowhere near each other, then finish with 6 shots touching. Obviously I just need to shoot it more, I'm just bored at work and wanting to talk guns.
Are you saying from a clean bore it took 6-7 shots to foul and start grouping well? If that’s the case then that’s perfectly normal. I’ve always felt like it takes 5-10 shots for a barrel to settle down.
 
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pharmfisher

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Are you saying from a clean bore it took 6-7 shots to foul and start grouping well? If that’s the case then that’s perfectly normal. I’ve always felt like it takes 5-10 shots for a barrel to settle down.
Yes, that is what I was asking. And actually I'm saying from a clean bore and a brand new gun. Never fired other than whatever is done at the factory.
 
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I just put 4 boxes through my new Tikka over a few range sessions when I got it a couple years ago. Never cleaned the barrel. It groups appropriately. Blustery left to right crosswind on this day.
 

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pharmfisher

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Couple more shots today.. ignore the bottom left hole, different gun. 1000002047.jpg
 
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pharmfisher

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So on those two groups it looks like you have an ES of about 1.2” so far on six shots.

Did you adjust the scope from your last session?
Yes I did adjust my scope. And I'm shooting a 6 power scope at 100 yards. My reticle about covers that orange dot. I'm building this as a 200 yard max whitetail rifle. 1.2-1.5 inch groups are great for me. The first 2 groups were just a little bigger than I would hope which is why I was asking/hoping it was just a result of the new barrel fouling.
 
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Who still “breaks in” barrels? Hasn’t that been shown to not make a difference? I remember guys cleaning after each shot and dumping hot water down the barrel after a range session. Ridiculous.
It's a bit of a mixed bag depending on how much work went into handlapping and polishing the barrel. According to Frank Green, the only thing you're maybe breaking in (at least on a custom barrel) is the throat of the barrel since it'll still have some tooling marks across the rifling from the reaming process. His procedure is two shots -> clean the barrel and if it cleans easily/there's not that much dissolved copper on the patch he considers it done.
 
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