Factory Pre-Firing

[lensman]

Anybody know how many rounds are fired by the manufacturer before shipping their new guns? Does it vary?

I don't buy a lot of new wheelguns, but I did recently get a Ruger New Blackhawk. By all appearances it had been fired only one time.

And there's a reason I'm asking. I'm looking at a used Vaquero, and the gun shop that has it claims it is unfired (except for the factory test fire). It is obvious that it has been fired at least six times, as the cylinder has the carbon residue showing around each individual cartridge's well.

Thanks!

 

[ewayte]

I don't know about Ruger's testing procedures, but I recall reading on the Smith & Wesson forum that S&W loads every other charge hole. The exception to this is the first gun in the batch, which has every charge hole loaded. All of my Smiths had residue around every other charge hole.

All of my Rugers have been fired so I can't go back and check...

 

[GRIZ22]

I attended S&W Armorer's School in 1997 and they gave us a tour of the factory. Revolvers were test fired with a full cylinder and semi-autos with 5-6 rounds as I recall.

 

[lensman]

Thanks guys!

I appreciate your input. So it sounds feasible the guy is not jerking me around, and the only firing was at the factory.

Happy shooting!

 

[Eightball]

Nope, he's not kidding you.

For that matter, do they clean them after the factory test fire?

 

[KINGMAX]

One S&W I had , three times

I bought a new Smith&Wesson 357 revolver, once that looked as if it had been fired in every other one from the factory. This was back in 1985.

 

[Old 112]

A model 15-4 S&W had 3 smoke rings on the face of the cylinder when I bought it. It was used LNIB, but had a faint ring on the cylinder. It now has 6 smoke rings and a happy shooter. Old 112

 

[Im283]

[For that matter, do they clean them after the factory test fire?]

They do not clean them after test fire. i was told this at a local gunshop.
We all know the help at gunshops would never lie

 

[buck460XVR]

Isn't there a law nowadays that at least spent cartridge has to be sent with every new handgun from the factory?

 

[jetman]

I have a NIB Colt Python and you can see where 2 of the cylinders have been fired through. The aren't adjacent to each other. One cylinder has the carbon and skip a cylinder and the other has the carbon. That's all I can find on my Python anyway.