Break In Period Questions

[rgeliske]

The simple answer is "horse puckies" with todays machining processes the idea of having to break in a barrel before trusting it no longer applies. You may want to break in the whole system to allow the parts to friction fit which usually happens about 500 rounds. However breaking in a barrel was done in rifles to remove any burrs left behind from cutting the rifling. This was done to insure accuracy and has nothing to do with the guns safety. Run a dry patch down a clean barrel and you should not find any lint or threads left behind. As to how many hollow points you should shoot? None until you determine what defense rounds you are going to use. Pick the practice rounds of your choice and shoot until you are comfortable where you gun is shooting. Don't mix ammo!!! Once you have decided on the defense rounds you intend to use shoot maybe 20 rounds to find out where the point of impact is compared to your practice rounds. Also make sure you have no feed or extraction issues and note the difference in recoil and sound. Once you know that remember to adjust you aim when ever you have defense rounds in the gun. You will gain nothing more by shooting 100 or 200 defense rounds. Ideally you would like to have very little difference between you practice and defense rounds.

[Carnivorous]

Originally Posted by rgeliske

Don't mix ammo!!!

What, like they say about not mixing batteries? I'm confused... what's the problem with mixing the ammo?

[Kaboom]

All my defence 9mm pistols have mags in them loaded with a "party mix" of alternating FMJ and JHP. A double-tap ( or series of ) will take care of pretty much any situation.

[rgeliske]

Originally Posted by Carnivorous

What, like they say about not mixing batteries? I'm confused... what's the problem with mixing the ammo?

When you are trying to determine where you gun is shooting you want to eliminate as many variables as possible. The biggest variable is the shooter, the second biggest is the ammo, therefore you bench rest the gun and stick to one brand and type of ammo. After that you can shoot whatever you want but your accuracy will be effected by mixing ammo.

Feel free to experiment with this if you want. Reloaders can tell you that different brands of powder impact accuracy and different bullet weight and type will also impact accuracy. Ammunition manufacturers do not load as much for accuracy as they do for cost. One manufacturer may load using an in house powder while another uses the cheapest powder they can buy. That is why there are different grades of bullets from the manufacturer.

[Son of Liberty]

I've got 600 rounds of WWB 115gr FMJ and Black Hills re-manufactured 115gr FMJ through mine, as well as 25 rounds of WWB 147gr JHP. I need to finish off that box and buy another one. I start my new job on Tuesday, so I will be getting another box with my first paycheck.

[jnclement]

These aren't 1911s. Just use it. Guess I screwed up, I just started shooting HP in mine right off. I've got about 10,000 rounds thru my xd9 now of mixed ammo, no problems yet.