[dirtdog]

I have just purchased a brand new 1911 that was Custom Built for me. It is tight, I want to carry this for CCW but as it is so new and tight I am concerned about reliability. Is there any way to hurry the break in along ?

I was reading in some post where a person stated there is a way but of course he did not mention the procedure .

Any suggestions ?

[RogersPrecision]

Any 'custom built' 1911 should run perfect from day one. With ANY quality ammo using ANY quality magazines.
If it does not, contact the builder.
Chuck

[skinewmexico]

Shooting it should work. But like RogersPrecision said..............

[dfariswheel]

The only way to break in a new gun is to SHOOT the new gun.
This not only breaks the gun in, it gets you used to it, and will turn up any possible defects in the gun, magazines, or ammo.

After a couple of hundred rounds, shoot at least 100 rounds of the SAME ammo you intend to use for carry.
Not all guns "like" all ammo, and this 100 or more rounds will serve as a verification procedure.

After the break in and the verification, the gun will be well broken in, you'll "know" the gun and be used to it, and you'll know whether you can trust it or not.

[Old Fuff]

Any 'custom built' 1911 should run perfect from day one. With ANY quality ammo using ANY quality magazines. If it does not, contact the builder.
Chuck

The Old Fuff fully agrees. If the new pistol is too tight, it's because the builder didn't finish the job. This business of "you have to break it in" is just an excuse for uncompleted or poor workmanship.

Shooting the pistol to determine if it is reliable is another matter, but Chuck is right – such testing should not be necessary if the pistol is built right. Unfortunately many aren’t.

I will point out yet again that during two World Wars during the 20th century hundreds of thousands of 1911 and 1911A1 pistols were mass-produced. None had to be “broken in,” and none were extensively fired to insure they were reliable. Are we to understand that a so-called custom maker can’t do the same on a much smaller quantity?

Darn! I was so discusted I forgot the original question. First, I think Chuck is right. Contact the builder and tell him to finish the job. But if you want to do it yourself send a P.M. to 1911 Tuner, and he will explain how the mix up a slurry and apply it to the overly tight places. Then hand-cycle the slide and it won't be long before things are much better.

[Jim Watson]

Fuff is right. "Break in" translates as "Go away and leave us alone."

That said, I'd shoot the gun a while before I carried it, as a matter of familiarization, practice, and confidence.

[1911Tuner]

Agree with the above statements. If the gun is right...it should run. Period.

The slurry isn't a magic cure, and it won't loosen a seriously tight fit.
If the gun feels a bit sluggish, or there's a slightly tight spot, it'll help smooth it up and reduce the time and ammo needed to effect that end without risk of galling.

If the gun is "sticky" going into and out of battery, it's likely the barrel fit that's giving you....fits.

Look to the sides of the barrel lug slots, at the point where they start to fade into the barrel at 3 and 9. Just a light touch there with a small pillar file can work wonders. Don't try to remove much material. Just blend the raised area a little. One or two light strokes should tell the tale. Don't alter the lugs themselves.

Check the lower lug where the slidestop pin bears on it. Look for signs of galling or odd-looking deformation that might suggest that it wasn't correctly cut, and is placing the barrel in a bind just as it fully engages the slide. If it's correctly fitted, the lug will be evenly and sloothly burnished. Likewise for the slidestop pin.

Check the slidestop pin in the link to see that it moves freely through its arc. If it puts the pin in a bind with the lug...you've either got a misfit lug or a short link.

Using a Sharpie marker in the suspect areas will tell you where the tight places are. Go slow and take your time. Avoid the approach that "If a little is good, then a lot must be gooder" and resist the urge to do it quickly.

Be aware that any alteration through filing, grinding, sanding, or polishing may void your warranty. Using the slurry probably won't. About all it does is let you put a couple hundred rounds worth of normal seating wear on the gun in quick-time.

The "slurry" is approximately a 50/50 by volume mixture of J&B Bore Paste and CLP Breakfree, but any teflon-based oil will do. Mix thoroughly and let stand open overnight. Remix and apply liberally. Hand-cycle 100 times...wipe and reapply. Repeat until the tight spot smooths out.

[dirtdog]

thanks to all