# Pistol Break-In?



## youandwhosearmy (Nov 6, 2007)

So I am picking up my first handgun purchase on Saturday. 

I plan on shooting it there as they have a range in the shop. 

Do people ever "break-in" a pistol as you would a rifle? Any recs on good 40 ammo to use? 

What should I buy for cleaning the gun afterwards?

Thanks for the info. I usually go shoot with a guy and use his guns, but he will be out of town when I pick it up and I gotta get some rounds in on the new piece.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

Before you go shooting it get the manual out and see how to field strip it and clean it frist. Lube per the book and then go and enjoy your new gun. Shoot relaxed and enjoy what your doing and the gun should be fine. Good luck.


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## youandwhosearmy (Nov 6, 2007)

So I should clean lube before getting it?

I guess assume they come that way, but I guess with all the handling it could have gotten it might need it again.

Thanks for the tips.


Any recs on brand for decent "cheaper" ammo?


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## milquetoast (Nov 25, 2006)

youandwhosearmy said:


> So I am picking up my first handgun purchase on Saturday.
> 
> I plan on shooting it there as they have a range in the shop.
> 
> ...


Some pistols need to fire a few (or a few hundred) rounds to get the burrs worn off the moving parts, so that the gun is reliable. If you fire a box of ammunition, and get 10 malfunctions, either it needs to be broken in, or the gun, magazine or ammo are defective. (So use the factory mag, and semi-decent factory ammo.) If you fire a box of ammunition, and get 0 malfunctions, the gun probably does not need any more breaking in.

"Breaking in" a rifle is different. That involves conditioning the barrel, by cleaning after every few rounds. Even then, that is only important for super-accurate rifles, where a tenth of an inch difference in group size is the difference between first place and second place in a match. To a deer, a tenth of an inch difference doesn't matter so much. Pistol barrels do not need to be broken in like (some) rifle barrels do.

It's a good idea to field strip, clean and lube the pistol before shooting it, but if you are going to be at the range already, it's probably OK to just shoot the thing, or at most, remove the slide, look down the barrel to be sure there are no spiders, put one drop of oil on each slide rail, and blast away.

For cleaning, you need a cleaning rod, a brass brush, a "button" jag, cleaning patches, Hoppe's #9 solvent, and Break-Free lubricant. If you want to use some other solvent, or some other lubricant, go ahead. If you want to use Break-Free for both solvent and lubricant, go ahead. Pistols don't need to be all that clean to work well, just like you don't need to steam clean the engine of your car after every trip. For a pistol, pretty clean is clean enough. A drop or two of lube is enough.

For practice ammo, use factory loaded full-metal jacket (FMJ), whatever you can get cheapest. WalMart usually has the best prices for FMJ practice ammo. For carry ammo, there are so many good choices it's hard to make a bad one. Speer Gold Dot is popular, good as any, better than some. Likewise Remington Golden Saber, and Federal Hydra-Shok and TAP, and Winchester Ranger. They're all just fine. After you have verified that your gun is 100% reliable with FMJ ammo, buy one box of anti-personnel ammo, and shoot that one box to make sure the gun still functions 100%. If it does, buy another box, and load up the magazines for daily carry. If it doesn't work, buy another box of a different brand, lather, repeat, rinse.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

Yes it should be cleaned. It had at least 1 round fired at the factory which could have been a long time ago. Some are delivered with preservative coatings so they will withstand long periods on the shelf before being sold. Others ,may have been handled by various people that could have dropped contaminates in it. The list goes on. The most important item is that you need to know it is safe to shoot and the only way to know is to open it up and verify. As long as it is open you should run a cleaning patch down the barrel as a minimum.

You indicated this is your first so you need to have the salesman or someone knowledgable in the shop you buy from show how to break down and clean it among other things which include safety instructions.

Do things correctly and you will have many enjoyable outings with your new toy/tool. Do things wrong and you could regret for a lifetime.

Now clean that jewel and enjoy it then give us a report. :mrgreen:

:smt1099

Edit: I almost forgot. Go to Wallmart and purchase some Winchester White Box or Remington UMC Truncated cone or Hollow point. You don't need any of the high dollar stuff at this point. Now have fun.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

The only thing I would add is a handgun safety course since it is your first which should include maintaining, fireing, clearing any malfunctions. Then enjoy safely.


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## youandwhosearmy (Nov 6, 2007)

Thanks for the tips. I do plan on goign through a handgun safety class at some point, I just haven't seen one around.

Also just noticed I posted this in the 1911 forum. I am not shooting a 1911. At least not yet.


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## milquetoast (Nov 25, 2006)

We are all standing by for your report. Did you just take it out and shoot it? Field strip and inspect? Detail strip and clean with a white gloves and microscope?

Did it blow up? Were there spider eggs in the barrel, or an ossified mouse in the magazine well?

Details, man! And pictures!


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## Cabinetman (Nov 26, 2007)

I know on my Les Baer TRS I had to put about 700 rounds through it just to be able to field strip the thing. 

I normally break a gun in by cleaning it first and then shooting 500 rounds through it stopping every four clips to reapply lube. After the 500 rounds I field strip the weapon and give it a good cleaning.


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