[agdude]

I just bought a new full-size Kimber Raptor II at the Pasadena gunshow (thanks for all the advice to check out AJC, the had awesome prices). I was reading through the owners manual and it said to break it in with factory 230 gr, fmj. Does anyone know if it matters wether I use that or my own reloaded 200 gr LSWC bullets? It says a breakin of 400-600 rounds is necessary, and that's just not fun to have to pay retail for that. reloading is SOOOO much cheaper. Will it hurt the gun? Does it matter at all? Has anyone done this? Thanks in advance for all the advice.

Kevin

[jlh26oo]

If it's a break in period, I think they want fmj because they feed most reliably. Don't think it matters whether they are hand loads or factory, so long as they are both quality.

BUt, what happens in the break in period? Is that just to make sure it runs smoothly, or you need to shoot it that much to GET it to run smoothly? I've never consciously had a break in period, just shot the first few hundred rounds same as those that followed. Good luck.

[Old Fuff]

I love it...:evil:

Folks today have been so well trained by the manufacturers that they go out and pay big bucks for a 1911-style pistol, and then foot the bill to buy some 400 to 600 cartridges to "break it in."

Such bull! If the gun-maker did the job right the pistol should work out-of-the-box. At least that's the way it was prior to the 1970's. Even tightly fitted, custom built target versions from the better pistolsmiths would function when they were received. It was not unusual for someone to put a hundred rounds or through a pistol to get used to it and then take it to a match.

Follow Tuner's advise and break the gun in by hand-cycling it with some of his slurry. What's "slurry?" Use the forum's search feature and that word and find out. Using the slurry should substantially reduce the ammunition bill and result in the same end.

Like W.C. Fields is supposed to have said... "there's one born every day... :neener:


Edited to correct typo.

[Demiurge]

:neener:

[Freddymac]

I don’t know about using lead because we are not allowed to shoot lead at my range. The only thing that I would do before shooting a Kimber for the first time is field strip it and jive it a good cleaning. Mine came from the factory with more oil than a 350 chevy.

[agdude]

Thank for the advice (and the pokes, Old Fuff). I'll see how she does in a few hours.

[Kruzr]

Break-in doesn't necessarily equate to malfunctions. All machines have to be run-in.

My Kimbers never had a problem during the "break-in" period but the trigger got a whole lot smoother.
Shoot your reloads but if you have problems, try FMJ to see if it's the gun or the ammo.

I've found an OAL of 1.250 works well for SWC's. Shorter and I had feeding problems in my Kimbers and Baers.

[Old Fuff]

All machines have to be run-in.

But not necessarily shot in. All shooting does is use expensive cartridges to cycle the action. Hand-cycling the gun with slurry will do the same thing, do it better, do it for far less expense, and do it in less time.

As for the trigger pull, dry-firing accomplishes the same thing.

But I'll tell ya, the ammunition companies love you guys... :neener:

[Mad Magyar]

Old Fuff, I concur with your line of thinking....I'm a conspiracy nut anyway..:eek:

[Old Fuff]

I don't think there's a conspiracy, but I get a kick out of the way some of today's 1911 clone buyers have been taken down the pike... :rolleyes:

Now companies like Glock, SIG, Beretta, H&K, (on and on) are expected to produce pistols that work, out-of-the-box, and do it the first time around. Generally speaking, they meet those expectations.

On the other hand the 1911 clone makers get away with murder. I can see it now...

"Yes dear, I know I maxed our credit card buying this case of .45 ball, but I had too do it. The instructions that came with this new gun say that's what's necessary to break it in, and I can't defend our family with a pistol that isn't properly broken in. So I'm off to the range... this is all for you and the kids...

For the children..."

Now I admit to burning up a lot of rounds, but never a case of cartridges to "break in a gun." I never considered myself to be the quality control department of any gunmaker either. During my time (around the Civil War) :D pistols were expected to work, without having to buy expensive after-market magazines or other stuff.

But if the buyers are willing to get this kind of product they should keep buying it. It's their money, not mine. :neener:

[XDKingslayer]

"Yes dear, I know I maxed our credit card buying this case of .45 ball, but I had too do it. The instructions that came with this new gun say that's what's necessary to break it in, and I can't defend our family with a pistol that isn't properly broken in. So I'm off to the range... this is all for you and the kids...

For the children..."

I fail to see the downside to this...

If I could get this past my wife with every gun purchase, I'd be a happy man.

[Retro]

I like the notion that we are Quality Control Department for the 1911 manufactures... we are in fact a part of the manufacturing process, except for RIA 1911 (probably because they have cheaper labors at Philiphines to do the quality control for them). :rolleyes:

[Old Fuff]

I fail to see the downside to this... If I could get this past my wife with every gun purchase, I'd be a happy man.

I suspect you may be right, and a lot of "breaking in" is the time honored excuse.:evil:

[sm]

Good Timing...

Lady friend comes to me and found a NIB Kimber Series I Target in Stanless.
Seems the old boy bought it, got caught with the Secretary, and really needed the $250 I suggest my lady friend toss on the table.

It is an old Kimber, they have Kimber II's now I said.

I have one Just like it, My BBQ gun. :D

Old Fuff, yes I do, the Duckbutt is for holding Onion Rings don't you know? :neener:

Now this lady I have instructed in Shotguns. Meaning, not much surprises her anymore.

FLGR is handed to her " makes a great gate pin if you should ever have need for one". USGI guide rod plug is installed after takedown, clean to remove factory lube.

When you get these Forty USGI/ COLT/ Metalform 7 rd mags loaded, and those two Factory Kimber 7 rd mags loaded - we go shoot.

"But there is all sorts of ammo from HP to 230 gr ball, to these funky looking ones".
"Thems 200 gr SWC".
"In other words just shut up and load mags".

I look at her and grin.

First up I ran 5 mags of 185 gr Win STHP, why, because these are first five I grabbed.
Bascially just grabbed a mag and shot it.

" I guess it would be stupid to mention the Internet says I am supposed to break this in - huh?"

I look at her and grin.

We ran ~ 400 rds the first time out with no malfs, no hiccups, no nothing.

We then took it apart, looked at it, and " all you are going to do is clean the chamber, pipeclean the extractor, and breecface?"

"Yeah and while you load mags I am going to take a 3 mill bastard file to it make some areas smooth".

Okay, maybe I used something a wee bit less drastic, and chamois on a paint stick with rouge to polish.

I don't own a Dremel - learned to do stuff before Dremel even came out...

Anywho we run ~ 1200 rds thru the gun the first week before we did a total take down , clean and lube.

Most of that ammo was JHP, running from 185 to 230 gr.

My gun and hers the same, even sporting the factory rubber grips - except, she does not have skateboard tape. I let her figure out why this is not always a good idea. Only reason I leave it on mine is for new shooters to see the difference.

Gun buddy smoothed the trigger - not lighten - smooth, crisp 4.5 #s. He smoothed the gun more - beside the blue Sharpie marks I on it. He set up spare Wolfe 16 # recoil springs, Sear spring, and other spare parts like guide rod plug.

Her BBQ and fun gun. It even holds a Funyon on the Duckbutt ( I didn't have a onion ring handy). Rides in a High Noon horsehide IWB - she was in a hurry for a holster.


--

BTW another lady bought a NIB Springfield GI and Right off I ran 200 rds of 230 gr Hydrashocks thru it - no malfs.
Not cleaned it all yet, getting near 1k rds, and nothing but JHP thru it.

<laugh> "You take all the fun out of fretting, worrying and obsessing". This lady and the Series I lady said.

I am a Southern Gentleman - I let them buy me lunch.

I do not break in rifle barrels either.

IN my testing the Sonic onion rings for fast food onion rings work best on Duckbutts...in case you were wondering...

Steve

[Derby FALs]

I had trouble with my Raptor II feeding. Pitched the mag and used a Wilson after I buffed the ramp with rubbing compound. Seemed to straighten it out.

[Kruzr]

Considering that none of my Kimbers or supposedly way too tight Baers ever malfunctioned during their "break-in" period, why waste the time hand cycling and dry firing when you could be shooting the thing. If you don't shoot a gun, why buy it.

Old Fuff, you are still equating the "break-in" to malfunctions. Since I've never had that happen, I'll keep shooting the guns I buy right out of the box to break them in.

[kbheiner7]

My Target Elite had 4-5 feeding problems the first few hundred rounds but has been perfect for thousands of rounds since. There may be something to this "break in" period.

[Old Fuff]

I just bought a new full-size Kimber Raptor II

I was reading through the owners manual and it said to break it in with factory 230 gr, fmj.

It says a breakin of 400-600 rounds is necessary,

I would take this to say that the Kimber "Raptor II" requires 400 to 600 rounds of factory 230 gr. FMJ fired through it to "break it in," before it can be expected to function reliably - that what breaking in is supposed to do.

Now this is, I admit, a great excuse to go blow off 400 to 600 rounds, but if it is necessary to do this to insure the pistols reliability it's an outrage in my opinion. If one still has any money left after buying the gun then "breaking it in" with commercial hardball is an option - but so is hand cycling the slide after putting Turner's Slurry at the critical fit points. The latter is far less expensive - but to each his own. We have seen enough posts on this thread alone to suggest that Kimber's products are not always what they should be. Those that are satisfied with their guns... well they are satisfied, and for them that's enough.

But if I read what was in the company's instruction manual (as quoted above) before I laid my money down, I'd buy something else... :scrutiny: