Good break-in = first 500 rounds + no cleaning?

[model 649]

Was sitting around talking to my neighbor last night and he mentioned that leaving a new gun dirty for the first 500 rounds is a good for break in. Of course, I took the opposite view and pose it to y'all for your frank and open discussion. I was taught to keep a clean weapon many years ago (if it is possible to do so). I've always cleaned and oiled them all and have had good service always. While I agree it is "nice to know" that my guns will fire 500 rounds without cleaning or lubing (and some have), I don't make a habit of it (especially with a new gun). Anyone else?
Josh

 

[silent one]

Keep em clean, and lubed. Running any weapon dirty, is asking for disaster. It promotes wear, and potential malfunctions, especially if you carry it for protection. There's nothing worse than needing your weapon, and find it mals, when it's most needed. I clean, and lube my weapons every time I use them. I wouldn't run my car without changing the oil, and filter, on a regular basis either. It just makes sense IMHO.


SILENT ONE

 

[mattw]

while it is true that any quality weapon should be able to stand up to 500 rounds without a cleaning and have NO problems.. its always nice to clean it, especially if its new. its sort of like changing the oil in your car, sure you could hold off until a thousand or so more miles, probably nothing will happen.. but why not change it?

cleaning your gun will help you maintain familiarity with it and it doesn't take long at all. there is no reason not to clean

 

[drf]

I dont agree with what the neighbor says to do but I believe what he is saying is close to what they tell you about many new motors....

It is safe to use a 100% synthetic oil in a motor BUT NOT UNTIL it is broken in with a none synthetic oil....Basically the engine has to wear in and get used to all of its parts before adding a slicker oil..

The neighbor basically believes that a dirty fowled up gun will wear in the right places before a good cleaning,.......drf

 

[Fatelvis]

I dont think 500 rounds is too many to fire before cleaning. Thats about how many rounds I fire through my 1911s before I clean `em, and I never have problems with malfunctions. First, let me say, I dont ever carry, so my guns are only used on the range. (2 series 1 Kimbers and 1 Colt LW Commander). I make sure they`re always lubed, but I think alot of people are a bit "anal" about clean guns. If its a duty gun, or CCW gun, I understand the slight edge in a clean gun`s reliability. But I would still run a magazine or two through the pistol after cleaning it, as a function check.

 

[WvaBill]

Was sitting around talking to my neighbor last night and he mentioned that leaving a new gun dirty for the first 500 rounds is a good for break in.

Only one trip to the range?

 

[faustulus]

I've never bought a gun that needed to be 'broken in'.
Other than that I like to clean my guns. My friend on the other hand rarely cleans his guns and they function fine. Preference I guess.

 

[GregGry]

Only one trip to the range?

That was my line of thinking, until I fired a 500 s&w revolver. A day at the range for that beast is 2 boxes of 20 rounds

 

[Zach S]

Running any weapon dirty, is asking for disaster. It promotes wear, and potential malfunctions,

My Polymer Kimber has somewhere between eight and ten thousand rounds through it, and is normally cleaned between the 1500 and 2k mark when I change the recoil spring. Its still tight, reliable, and accurate.

If a gun wont run when its dirty, I have no use for it.

I hate cleaning guns, I just keep 'em oiled.

 

[Geno]

Zach S Re: the Kimber Polymer

That's the Kimber I want...everytime I see one I drool! I jujsty have to get Kimber's attention to my one remaining Kimber, get it fixed right, then maybe I'll feel comfortable buying Kimber again. I also drool over the Warrior! That's a though decision.

Okay, re: cleaning. I'm fanatic about cleaning. Here's my break-in procedure:

1) Purchase pistol
2) Break down to most finite pieces including extractor, etc...ALL 57ish pieces of the 1911. Clean thoroughly and lube liberally. On certain high-wear pieces I use Moly.
3) Reassemble.
4) Fire 50 rounds of ball
5) Break down to major pieces and clean thoroughly
6) Reassemble.
7) Fire 50 rounds
8) Repeat through 500.
9) After 500 rounds fired, I break down and clean every 100, adding oil at 50 rounds.

But, my pistols look new even with several thousand rounds fired through them..the moly makes a huge difference.

My experience with my pistols leads me to assert that it is more important to clean a Kimber than a Colt. Why? Tightness. Kimber even brags (rightfully) about their precision tightness. That's what I LOVE about Kimbers. My Gold Combat is like a vault. My TLE/RL 5" was even tighter! So, I HAD to clean them frequently. The Colts are not near so tight in the rails and so concern me less. All the same, they all get the same loving care.

By the way, if you're interested in what 1911s were intended to fit like, grab hold of a Colt WWI reissue. They are not overly tight. They function flawlessly...mine does, I should say. Wouldn't it be great to hear JM Browning's take on this? Someone should look through the manual that comes with a reissue...what did the Army and Browning recommend for cleaning? They provide a reprint of that original document with the pistol. If I get time, I'll try to find it. Kind of like a voice out of the past.

Doc2005