New to hunting and have a few questions?

[Scouter Bear]

Hi Everyone:

Yes I am new to hunting but have grown up around guns all my life. So for Xmas I just picked up a Remington 700 XHR in a 30-06 with a Leupold VX-I 3-9x40mm. Which IMO looks pretty sweet. Took me a long time to figure out between the 30 06 vs. 7mm Rem Mag. But in time I will most likely get one of those too. I also picked up a Remington 700 SPS DM for the wife aswell. Have to keep the Mrs. Happy too.

Questions:

1. I have just recently heard of the whole breaking in the barrel issue. I have always had used rifles and never really had to do this. What are some of your opinions? I also read comments from a long time barrel maker saying that it was a big waste of time and barrel life wasted by the breakin in process.

2. If I need to break in the barrel. What is the best way of doing this? I talked to a and he said "Buy the gun, load it, and shoot a Moose. Now your gun is broken in." LOL with that comment.

3. Being an Ex Military man I know how to clean a rifle but I have never used a bore guide. I was wondering how important is it to using one? And if required what is a good one to go with?

I will probably have many more questions but I will save them for other posts.

Looking forward to hearing everyones comments.

Here is an old joke I remember as a kid.

So there was a bear in the woods and he sees a rabbit and proceeded to ask the rabbit if crap sticks to his fur? The rabbit replied no it does not. So the bear reached down and grabbed the rabbit and wipped his butt with the rabbit.

[BCBRAD]

I had a 7mm Mag for 20yrs, shot lots with it/practiced lots with it, my only rifle. Today, I prefer the 3006 to the 7. The 06 kills the same, inside 300yds the trajectory is so close, rarely shoot passed 250yds anyway.The 06 comes in a shorter , lighter package with little recoil if you choose.

I don't know much about breaking in a barrel other than keeping fouling to a minimum until you find out how many rounds you can put through it before accuracy suffers. I don't clean the barrel much....only when accuracy suffers then I follow that routine ( the number varies)

[Steeleco]

IMO for hunting rifles barrel break in is overrated. Take and shoot the thing a few times at the range and clean in between sessions.

My A bolt when new took about 100 rounds till I got used to the gun and it got good at printing great groups.

So with your background being around guns isn't new, so are you going to get into reloading?? Save ALL your brass just in case you do!!

Ho, Welcome to the addiction LOL

[ROM]

1) Many great shooters I know do not break in barrels. I did not break mine in and it shoots sub moa 5 years later.

2) NA

3) I only use Bore Snake, lots of guys here are amazing at cleaning.


4) 3006 is a great cartridge. If I had a 7mm I would probably use it exclusively but IMHV the 270WSM and 300WSM give it serious competition.

R

[Scouter Bear]

Thanks for the info guys. Yes I am going to start re-loading. I do have an old reloader but I haven't touched it in the past 15 years. I only have the one dye for my hand gun but I will have to see if I can use the reloader with new dyes for the rifles.