Ruger American Predator

[DocHolladay]

The Ruger website says 1:10 twist. Try a 60-69gr bullet. I am sure the closer to 70 you get, the better the accuracy. A fella on another forum has people breaking in barrels using a bore snake and flitz or turtle wax polishing compound. He does a certain number of strokes and reapplies and repeats. I think he ends up right at 100 strokes by the time he is done. Clean the barrel and go shoot.

[DocHolladay]

Here is his method: (Onondaga via Reloadersnest Forum)

There are several methods to hone or polish bores. My method works well to Break-in a new barrel without shooting the firearm at all. You can also use this method on an old blackened Military bore and bring it to a slick shine that likes cast bullets. A lot of firearm manufacturers bores are not match grade or even friendly to cast bullets. The method I describe here is my own and has proven to be a simple, effective way to polish a bore with minimal or no dimensional bore change and leave a new barrel nicely broken in or an old one bright and slick.

The process will also effectively lower ballistic pressures to a small amount because the bore will give less friction to your bullets when your bore is slicker.

The Turtle Wax Chrome Polish has a very fine abrasive that is tough enough to cut and polish chrome. Most gun barrels are not that tough but some military and commercial firearms have chrome lined bores. Most barrels are Chrome-Molybdenum Steel and respond to this polishing method very well. Chrome lined bores also respond well to this method but require more pull through times with the Bore Snake. About100 –150 pulls. Stainless barrels are actually softer than Chrome/Moly barrels and take less work to polish.




THE METHOD:


Drop the weighted end of a Hoppe’s Bore Snake into the chamber and let it out the muzzle. Pull it till the thicker part is just entering the chamber. Use a syringe and put about 1 teaspoon of the chrome polish into the chamber.

Pull through 10 times and then start again with adding another teaspoon of polish for each cycle of 10 pulls.

I repeat this using one new teaspoon of polish and ten pulls per cycle. A total of 5 to 10 cycles for a total of 50 to 100 pulls will break-in a new barrel or polish one that needs a polish. When done polishing I do another 10 pulls with no added polish and that completes the job. No additional cleaning is necessary to begin shooting.

When I am done I clean the Bore Snake by soaking it in Mean Green or 409 Cleaner for ½ hour, then thoroughly rinse it and hang it to dry.

Gary

[Brandon1977]

Originally Posted by russcat

If the gun is new don't worry about the accuracy just yet. either take it to a gun smith and have the barrel honed and polished, or spend some time running some rounds through it and cleaning after every 3-5 rounds. You will see the groups tighten up once the barrel gets broke in. I usually buy the cheapest ammo I can find and run about 40-50 rounds through a new gun before I even try to sight it in much. It's a pain but necessary. Once you get the barrel broke in then your ready to play with some loads and dial it in tight.

What is the rate of twist in the barrel?

Yeah Russcat I agree. I haven’t gotten to the 50 round mark yet, but I am working on it and I am cleaning it every few rounds. I am mostly shooting 55 fmj’s because I have easy access to them. After I shoot probably 50+ rounds thru it, then I will start really playing around with different loads. The rate of twist on mine is a 1 in 8, so I too am thinking something in the 60+ range will be the way to go. No matter how the accuracy on this gun ends up, I am happy with it. I am not expecting $1K gun accuracy out of a $350 gun. I have several of the $1K guns, but I also don’t feel comfortable leaving them in my truck year round, a Ruger American on the other hand, well it fits the bill for that just fine!

[russcat]

Originally Posted by DocHolladay

Here is his method: (Onondaga via Reloadersnest Forum)

That's pretty creative right there. I've tried different methods (shade tree methods) and never really felt they were very effective. But this is one could only work and is cheap and only takes time which I have.

Just when I thought I've seen it all something like this pops up. Thanks Doc! I learned something today!

If it is 1:10 twist I agree with Doc. The heavier pills should be noticeably more accurate. I have a Savage Model 10 in .223 that is 1:10 twist. She loves the heavier pills.

Now to the OP, go break in that new Ruger and show us some target pics. I hope you enjoy that new gun. I think you have made a good choice.

[russcat]

Originally Posted by Brandon1977

Yeah Russcat I agree. I haven’t gotten to the 50 round mark yet, but I am working on it and I am cleaning it every few rounds. I am mostly shooting 55 fmj’s because I have easy access to them. After I shoot probably 50+ rounds thru it, then I will start really playing around with different loads. The rate of twist on mine is a 1 in 8, so I too am thinking something in the 60+ range will be the way to go. No matter how the accuracy on this gun ends up, I am happy with it. I am not expecting $1K gun accuracy out of a $350 gun. I have several of the $1K guns, but I also don’t feel comfortable leaving them in my truck year round, a Ruger American on the other hand, well it fits the bill for that just fine!

Makes perfect sense! Same for me. I have a couple of guns that rarely see fresh air. But most of them get used alot and are middle of the road guns that I have played with to make them as accurate as possible.

I just had a thought (I know scary right?) if you polish the barrel like doc suggests, you will still need to fowl the barrel before it tightens up. 8-10 rounds should do the trick.

I'm sure you know what you're doing. I'm just throwing out info in case there are some readers who this is new to. I've known several "experienced" hunters who take a new gun out and shoot it even before cleaning the new barrel. And they expect it to shoot ragged holes.

[Brandon1977]

Originally Posted by DocHolladay

Here is his method: (Onondaga via Reloadersnest Forum)

Doc thanks, I will have to try this.

[Brandon1977]

Originally Posted by russcat

Makes perfect sense! Same for me. I have a couple of guns that rarely see fresh air. But most of them get used alot and are middle of the road guns that I have played with to make them as accurate as possible.

I just had a thought (I know scary right?) if you polish the barrel like doc suggests, you will still need to fowl the barrel before it tightens up. 8-10 rounds should do the trick.

I'm sure you know what you're doing. I'm just throwing out info in case there are some readers who this is new to. I've known several "experienced" hunters who take a new gun out and shoot it even before cleaning the new barrel. And they expect it to shoot ragged holes.

Yeah I know it amazes me too! Some barrels seem pretty easy to break in, others not so much...