Did you "break in" your pistol? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Neener Neener · 03-21-2008, 07:57 PM

I have always heard, whether it is true or not, you should break in a rifle by cleaning the barrel after each of the first 10 shots. I have read arguments by people who agree and people who disagree with this. I, personally, did use that process on a sniper rifle I used to own. I have never really heard of anyone doing this with a pistol, though. So, I thought I would see who has done so with their pistol. Well, have you?

tallmanis67 · 03-21-2008, 08:05 PM

I field stripped my pistol first thing and cleaned the packing goo off of it. I then safety checked that everything worked. Cycled some dummy rounds through and such.
When I was satisfied I took a trip to the range loaded five rounds in the magazine and fired the weapon. After the first five I cleaned this process continued at the intervals of 5 then again at 10, 20, 50, 100, 200. Everything smoothed out and fired true.

ormandj · 03-21-2008, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neener Neener

I have always heard, whether it is true or not, you should break in a rifle by cleaning the barrel after each of the first 10 shots. I have read arguments by people who agree and people who disagree with this. I, personally, did use that process on a sniper rifle I used to own. I have never really heard of anyone doing this with a pistol, though. So, I thought I would see who has done so with their pistol. Well, have you?

If by break in you mean put 500 rds through in the first week, yep! I clean once after every day of shooting, and that's it. As for your method, I've never heard of it - just sounds like somebody sitting around being an armchair expert, whom had OCD.

I did clean my pistol before I shot it, it was full of packing grease/gunk. That's about the only thing I would suggest. My XD45 is shooting like a champ now, the more I shoot it - the better it gets!

chupacabrachus · 03-21-2008, 08:16 PM

Field stripped and put some WWB through it.

Kaboom · 03-21-2008, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallmanis67

I field stripped my pistol first thing and cleaned the packing goo off of it. I then safety checked that everything worked. Cycled some dummy rounds through and such.
When I was satisfied I took a trip to the range loaded five rounds in the magazine and fired the weapon. After the first five I cleaned this process continued at the intervals of 5 then again at 10, 20, 50, 100, 200. Everything smoothed out and fired true.

Did it "fire true" for the first 50 rnds or just after 200?

Quote:

As for your method, I've never heard of it - just sounds like somebody sitting around being an armchair expert, whom had OCD.

Many of the barrel manufacturers recommend this action. As the bullets burnish the inside of the barrel the cleaning keeps copper, lead, carbon from building up in the low spots of the barrel as it is polished and thus getting sealed into the bore.

spamlovr · 03-22-2008, 12:14 AM

When I got my XD, there was no packing grease or anything like that from the factory on it, so I made sure there was oil where it needed to be, swabbed the bore out for good measure, and shot the hell out of it. We've been happy ever since.

ormandj · 03-22-2008, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaboom

Did it "fire true" for the first 50 rnds or just after 200?

Many of the barrel manufacturers recommend this action. As the bullets burnish the inside of the barrel the cleaning keeps copper, lead, carbon from building up in the low spots of the barrel as it is polished and thus getting sealed into the bore.

Fair enough, I suppose I can understand the premise behind it. Never done it personally, and never had a problem, but ymmv.

I'd do whatever the owners manual said to do.

Best of luck,
David

XD45ACP · 03-22-2008, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallmanis67

After the first five I cleaned this process continued at the intervals of 5 then again at 10, 20, 50, 100, 200. Everything smoothed out and fired true.

This is a waste of time. Unless you are shooting a bench rest rifle(a sport where every last bit of accuracy counts), there is really no need to go through a complicated barrel break-in procedure for any firearm. Especially handguns. Just shoot it until the trigger smooths out and your break-in is done with the XD. For me, that it took about 500 rounds.

slugger6 · 03-22-2008, 06:27 AM

Field strip it, inspect it, clean it, shoot it, clean it again after each range trip.

rogerxd45 · 03-22-2008, 06:28 AM

on a benchrest rifle or "sniper" rifle yea break in is a good idea but for a handgun its pointless you will never be able to tell the difference. there could be a handful of people in this world that MIGHT be able to tell the difference but 99.99999% wont.

all i did to my xd was i ran a bore snake through the barrel

03-21-2008, 07:57 PM	#1
Neener Neener XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rincon, Ga Posts: 210	Did you "break in" your pistol? I have always heard, whether it is true or not, you should break in a rifle by cleaning the barrel after each of the first 10 shots. I have read arguments by people who agree and people who disagree with this. I, personally, did use that process on a sniper rifle I used to own. I have never really heard of anyone doing this with a pistol, though. So, I thought I would see who has done so with their pistol. Well, have you?

03-21-2008, 08:05 PM	#2
tallmanis67 XDTalk Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 97	The method I used... I field stripped my pistol first thing and cleaned the packing goo off of it. I then safety checked that everything worked. Cycled some dummy rounds through and such. When I was satisfied I took a trip to the range loaded five rounds in the magazine and fired the weapon. After the first five I cleaned this process continued at the intervals of 5 then again at 10, 20, 50, 100, 200. Everything smoothed out and fired true. __________________ _______________________ SA - XD .45 ACP Tactical ST - AR-15 NRA Member Proud to CC

03-22-2008, 12:14 AM	#6
spamlovr XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Washougal, WA كافر Posts: 471	When I got my XD, there was no packing grease or anything like that from the factory on it, so I made sure there was oil where it needed to be, swabbed the bore out for good measure, and shot the hell out of it. We've been happy ever since. __________________ Memento Mori (Remember, you are mortal) When seconds count, the police are only minutes away! People who are pissed at the government have generally underestimated their neighbors. Ziltoid The Omniscient for Supreme World Ruler 2008: "I am so omniscient, if there were 2 omniscient beings in the omniverse, I would be both of them! Bring me your planet's finest cup of coffee!"

03-22-2008, 06:27 AM	#9
slugger6 XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 17,890	Field strip it, inspect it, clean it, shoot it, clean it again after each range trip. __________________ "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us". - Ralph Waldo Emerson

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03-21-2008, 08:16 PM	#4
chupacabrachus XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,153	Field stripped and put some WWB through it.

03-22-2008, 06:28 AM	#10
rogerxd45 XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: boise ID (its boy-see, not boy-z) Posts: 3,592	on a benchrest rifle or "sniper" rifle yea break in is a good idea but for a handgun its pointless you will never be able to tell the difference. there could be a handful of people in this world that MIGHT be able to tell the difference but 99.99999% wont. all i did to my xd was i ran a bore snake through the barrel