NEW BARRLE OLD RIFLE

[ken]

I have a new barrle on my old rifle, long story. The rifle is a 45 and  is shooting good. 440 ball 60grains of FFF 20 thous. patch. The question is how maney rounds to put through it  before finel sight adjustments are set in stone ?

[Daryl]

Ken- if the load is an accurate one and you're happy with it, it's time to sight it in.  I'll work up a load and once I find it - usually 5 to 50 shots, the sights are adjusted for a centre hit at 25 yards.  This usually puts it about 1/2" high at 50 yards - shooting off a front bag only, holding the rifle in both hands, resting the back of the left hand on a bag. The butt-stock only contacts the shoulder and is not resting on a bag. This is gives me the same pint of impact as shootng offhand.

[northmn]

Interesting issue.  I have broken in a lot of new barrels as I built several rifles.  Final sight in depends a little on the new barrel.  When I used the old Numrich barrel after a few matches it wanted a tighter patch/ball combination than when new.  Basically we used to joke that the only difference between  a Numrich and a Duglas was a 100 rounds, where the Numrich shot in.  Today I think if you have any concerns I would use Don Getz's recommendation and polish it with one of the green scrubbing pads to remove any machining slivers or whatever and sight it in.   

DP

[ken]

I took it back to range and shot it at 75 yards . Holds about a 5 inch group ,I think this is more my old eyes. Going to try  more patch and ball combos. Hope to tightenup group

[Roger Fisher]

I took it back to range and shot it at 75 yards . Holds about a 5 inch group ,I think this is more my old eyes. Going to try  more patch and ball combos. Hope to tightenup group

I think we'll move our chunk match down to the 75 yd line