1911 break-in

[NHT3]

IMHO Absolutely NO lapping compound unless you want to end up with what the GIs used to call a "rack" 45.. Checking mags for possible problems is a good idea. I wouldn't do anything until I had 2 or 3 hundred rounds of factory hardball through it. That should be good enough to get it going.. Besides, 90% of the fun of having it is the practice.. You didn't mention what make it was?? Just curious

 

[Wabatuckian]

Good old fashioned patient troubleshooting will get you farther than internet ideas and broad blanketing statments based on supposition.

BK6

Hello,

Everything I wrote is based on firsthand knowledge and experience. I have built a "couple" 1911 pistols and repaired a few as well.

I was there when the gent talked to Kimber.

If it's sourced from the internet, I will state that this is so. If I do not make such a statement, you can rest assured it comes from firsthand knowledge or experience.

Josh <><

P.S. You might have problems with the Wilson because it circumvents controlled feed. It only does this by a few thousands but sometimes that's enough. J.S.

 

[bigkahunasix]

My point was that the blanket statements like "if it won't run with a #47 then it is the gun, not the mag" is wrong. The #47 is an excellent mag, as are Tripp, but life being what it is they just do not work everywhere. Mags are alot like ammo, the gun either likes it or it doesn't.

Wilson only warrants his guns with WWB 230gr. hardball because that is what he and his minions set them up for and if you call his shop with a problem they ask your round count, then if you are still in the sub-500rnd. area they tell you to get WWB and shoot the gun until you hit 500rnds. If the problem still exists then call them back. Same with Clark and Berryhill as well as the great majority of the others out there. Are they covering "poor QC" too??

As for my old Wilson not liking it's namesakes mags, well it's been rebuilt by Bill four times now and has a round count somewhere north of 140,000 rounds all total and we (Bill Wilson and I) can't get them to run consistently. We gave up after the last rebuild and I could care less, it likes Colt's and Powermags (much to Wilsons chagrin).

You are a smart young man and if you keep your eyes, ears and mind open you may grow to be a wise old man. Take yourself a little less seriously, life is way too short.

Bigkahunasix

 

[wmitchell]

Thank you for all the replies and info. I plan on a long afternoon and a pile of roundnose ammo. Let you know how it works out.
As for bigkahunasix, do you put the 1911 down to shower and eat? To me, 140K rnds is a massive amount. Very impressive! Thanks.

 

[bigkahunasix]

When you shoot competitively and get paid to do it, you shoot alot. In my prime a 100,000 rounds
a year from just handguns was the norm. It's only around 300rnds. per day.

 

[Drail]

The whole "1911 pistols need X amount of rounds to break in" is a load of marketing crap. If it won't run 100% out of the box it needs to go back to the maker. Companies started brainwashing consumers with this nonsense simply because they couldn't seem to get their quality control act together. The one exception to this is the Les Baer wadcutter models. They are built so tight that most people can barely pull the slide back on them. For a competition wadcutter gun this makes sense. But for Kimber or Colt or SA to claim this is ludicrous.

 

[bwframe]

I plan on a long afternoon and a pile of roundnose ammo. Let you know how it works out.

My ; make a very solid plan for throwing all that money down range. Run some real drills as opposed to hammering a ragged hole because you need to get the rounds through the gun. You don't have to do it all at once!

Better yet, shoot with seasoned shooters who can critique you and your gun. Lots and lots of "free" advice in fairly local competitive shooting. The matches are cheap compared to the ammo cost.

Last but least, pick up your brass. If you don't have a need for it, I'll buy it from you.

 

[IndyGunworks]

The whole "1911 pistols need X amount of rounds to break in" is a load of marketing crap. If it won't run 100% out of the box it needs to go back to the maker. Companies started brainwashing consumers with this nonsense simply because they couldn't seem to get their quality control act together. The one exception to this is the Les Baer wadcutter models. They are built so tight that most people can barely pull the slide back on them. For a competition wadcutter gun this makes sense. But for Kimber or Colt or SA to claim this is ludicrous.

did you even read other posts in this thread or are you just trying to boost your post count? EVERY gun no matter what make and model need a break in.... NO EXCEPTIONS... to claim that a gun has to go back to the factory if you have any malfunctions right out of the box makes me think you are a one gun wonder.

 

[Hoosier45]

The break in period isn't just a 1911 or a Kimber thing. Any gun made to tight tolerances is going to require a "wear in" period until it is considered 100% reliable. Even the Kahr manuals recommend a 200 round break in period, and if you call them they will actually recommend 500 rounds.

I have a Para LTC that was terrible the first 200 rounds. Better the next 200 rounds. And hasn't had a single malfunction once it got past 400 rounds. And that was around 2,000 rounds ago.

 

[kingnereli]

did you even read other posts in this thread or are you just trying to boost your post count? EVERY gun no matter what make and model need a break in.... NO EXCEPTIONS... to claim that a gun has to go back to the factory if you have any malfunctions right out of the box makes me think you are a one gun wonder.

I think some people have really good experience with a certain number of gun X out of the box and then come to the conclusion that no gun needs a break in period.

 

[Litlratt]

+1 on the slide glide. Mobil1 5w-30 also works well.
I agree with most of what Indy said, however, I would have said "may" need a break in.
Beg, borrow or buy some different manufacturers' mags for troubleshooting purposes.

 

[indyjs]

Never had a problem with any of mine. S&W, Dan Wesson, Para Ordinance

 

[Jay]

Hello everyone..... my name is Jay, and I'm a far cry from being an alcoholic, but I am anal about gun function, and reliability.

I have some fairly nice handguns, and have never had to break-in any of them. Having said that, I normally have a new (to me, or in the box) firearm completely torn down within a few hours of getting it home. I inspect it, de-burr it, insure that feed ramps, and sliding surfaces suit me, run dummy rounds thru it for a basic function check, then clean it, lube it, and go shoot it. I've never felt that any of my firearms "required" breaking in. I did buy a 1911 clone from a friend who told me that he hadn't finished breaking it in yet, but I never had a moments trouble with it. Perhaps my "process" does a break-in of sorts. Trigger pull changed a bit on a couple of them after several hundred rounds, so I guess you could say that the triggers have been broken in, to some degree. But I haven't been in a situation where I've felt like I needed to do a several hundred round break-in with any of my handguns. I have my own criteria for my carry guns, but that doesn't have to suit anyone but me. I think this is another one of those "whatever works for you" subjects, like cleaning, or the "best" anything. Geeze folks, seems like some just have to convince everyone that the firearms world simply has to balance..... well, I don't think it does. I enjoy my firearms safely...... MY WAY.... and so should everyone enjoy their firearms..... THEIR WAY.... If what I do lines up with your methods, that's great. If it doesn't, I don't really care, and you shouldn't either. Experience is a pretty good teacher, and I've been around long enough to have some (experience). My way works for me, as should your way work for you.

Deal with it