Cleaning new pistol 5 times between shots before firing?

All those old guns we pay too much for shoot just fine, don't they?

Do you know why almost all of those old, collectable guns don't have boxes with them? I think it's because a lot of folks did what I was taught back in the '50s. You used the box for a target, either on the way home or as soon as you got there. Or both.

I mean really, you're in the car on the way home with a new gun and a box of ammo, what are you going to do? You pull over and prop the box against a stump and shoot a few holes in it.

Is there any evidence at all of a bunch of ruined guns from, oh, the '50s say? Call it post-WWII.

Yes, I do look down the barrel to see if the hole goes all the way through before I fire it.

I have never heard of the author, and I think there is a good reason for that.

I am as OCD as most when it comes to cleaning, but this guy is way over the top. When I buy a new (or more often, used) handgun, I take it home, field strip, inspect and clean. After each range session, I clean it, even if I have only put one mag (or cylinder) through it (and no, that does not happen frequently).

Les Baer recommends putting 500 rounds through it before initial strip and clean--this performs the required "break-in". Unfortunately, I can't afford a new Les Baer, so I cannot test their theory.

Right after I got done reading the OP I had a strange compulsion to pull all my guns out of the safe and run a patch through each of them... but the thought really tired me out, so I took a nap, and when I woke up I decided I'd wait until tomorrow...

Oh for the love of Browning,

Handgun barrels and shooting are not at the level of precision where this will make a difference. Some people think that a similar break-in process is necessary for RIFLE barrels, but others (like myself) have found they shoot just fine out of the box. If there really is a benefit, it's probably almost entirely done in the first ten rounds. I dare you to try this with two pistols, one with, one without this process, get out your micrometer, and see if you can discern any difference whatsoever.

tarosean pulled out Homey.

Yeah, Gotta say it looks like a complete waste of time and materials to me... Maybe if you tried to fire an old mosin or something that you werent sure if it still had a bunch of cosmoline lining the bore?

Youd be an idiot to fire it in that condition though

jawman said:

Wow, so Schuemann Barrels recommends never cleaning the bore. First I've ever heard of something like that. Don't know what to think of it.

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Whaaaa?

B!ngo said:

Three letters:
O
C
D

B

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Which correspond with:
J
S
I

Okay, so is this truly helpful and a good idea to do or is it overkill?

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3rd Choice: It is Silly.

Well, in theory, why would you need to clean the bore under normal use? Chambers, yes, but have you ever seen a bore so dirty that a bullet won't pass down it? I literally have never run a bore brush down my 10/22, and I have shot it since the 70's. Still accurate, still functions. Having shot a few pistols into the hundreds and once into the thousands without cleaning them, I can say that while other stuff was dirty, the bores were fine, so maybe the guy has a point...

I guess I could see it with corrosive ammo, but how often does that happen in a handgun?

Well, in theory, why would you need to clean the bore under normal use?

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Copper or lead fouling can build up in the bore such that the diameter is reduced to a point where over-pressure can occur. Granted I have never heard of anyone blowing up their gun by never ever cleaning the bore, but I have seen literally STRIPS of lead come out of a 1911 barrel that had never been cleaned.

tuj said:

Copper or lead fouling can build up in the bore such that the diameter is reduced to a point where over-pressure can occur. Granted I have never heard of anyone blowing up their gun by never ever cleaning the bore, but I have seen literally STRIPS of lead come out of a 1911 barrel that had never been cleaned.

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Yeah, I got big long scabs of lead out of a .22 after firing a few thousand unjacketed bullets in just a few days.

With jacketed bullets, I find the concept of never cleaning the bore to be plausible. But not with lead.

Sounds like some people have more time on their hands than me. If you are looking for a break-in method that involves lots of time yet is a thoroughly enjoyable method for breaking in barrels on new guns.... Run a lightly oiled patch through it once, or twice if something comes out with the first patch and then shoot the snot out of it.

That just might be the most ignorant thing I've ever read concerning pistols. Exactly what is it supposed to do other than waste time and sell cleaning solvent?

This guy is an absolute moron. Read this.....

Semi-automatics always have a risk — albeit a low risk — of turning full auto due to improper handling and unintentional gunsmithing (or in some cases intentional gunsmithing). The first time you shoot a new or used semi-auto, never load more than 2 rounds or you risk your weapon shooting full auto. The risk is small but I know of no disagreements in the gun community on this possibility. When you are new to a gun you certainly don't want the uncertainty of it turning into full auto the first time you pull the trigger.

So just load one round and shoot it. You'll get to shoot more later.

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Does anybody else remember that nearly every gun sold has had a couple of magazines of ammo shot through it at the factory?

They sure don't clean the barrel between each round......

So just load one round and shoot it.

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Yeah, sure...it has happened. I wouldn't worry about it with new guns. I probably wouldn't really bother with used guns either. Guns that just came back from getting a trigger job? OOOOoh yeah.

TimboKhan said:

I am interested to see if anyone can defend this practice, because I certainly don't see the benefit of it.

But, then I have gone on record any number of times that I think most guns are over-cleaned anyway, an opinion that is shared by some and vilified by others. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter to me because they are not my guns and therefore I don't really care what people do with them maintenance wise.

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tru dis

For a handgun, I'd field strip (to see how it is put together) and clean the barrel. I don't clean handguns very often - usually when the crud annoys me or when the gun gets sluggish. (Except for carry guns, which I clean after shooting)

Years ago I took delivery of a new gun. There was a spider in the barrel. Don't know if the critter would have affected shooting, but I poked him out of the barrel anyway.

You should strip and clean any new pistol before shooting it, if for no other reason than to get the preservative off, lubricate it properly and make sure nothing got stuck up the barrel. But stop every five rounds to clean the bore? Silly.

I have owned a rifle that came with those instructions. But its generally just high end rifles.

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High end rifles should have a hand lapped bore. Only cheap stuff should require any form of break in.

1. Clean: Run 1 wet patch of solvent through the barrel. Then run a wet brush or boresnake with solvent through the barrel. Then run dry patches through the barrel until they come out clean and dry.
2. Shoot 1 round.
3. Clean it again, following the same cleaning procedure as stated above in #1.
4. Shoot 2 rounds.
5. Clean again as outlined in #1.
6. Shoot 3 rounds.
7. Clean again as outlined in #1.
8. Shoot 4 rounds.
9. Clean again as outlined in #1.
10. Shoot 5 rounds.
11. Clean again as outlined in #1.

Obviously a ploy by the evil NRA and their satanic friends in the gun manufacturing industry to increase their profits by coercing illiterate, knuckle dragging, right wing, gun toting, drooling, retarded fanatics to purchase more products to keep their wicked fully semi automatic black weapons functioning so they can slaughter innocents. Daily. The horror....
MR

You are now limited to one small bottle of Hoppes and two patches per year.

I actually saw someone doing exactly that at a club I'd belonged to. It was with an AR though. Not a pistol. She was punching tacks at 100 yards. Literally through the same hole.

Me, I would never do anything like that, especially with a pistol. All my guns are meant to be shot and not babied. Hell, they'd be lucky if they get cleaned after a range trip. I don't shoot bullseye or any type of competition and it wold be a total waste of time.

Where is the logical basis for this procedure? 1,2,3,4,5 rounds? Sure looks neat but I see no reason for it. Why not 1 round then 3 rounds then 5 rounds then 7 rounds then 9 rounds? Or if you like even numbers 2,4,6,8,10?

I clean the barrel and then shoot. I clean the barrel first because the owners manuals for the guns i've had suggest to do that...because they applied a grease to the barrel to prevent rust during shipping and storage. Once that has been removed they say I'm good to go.

That procedure you are looking at has no logical basis so I'd skip it. Others have said above it looks like the ultimate OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) guide to shooting.