Because it's a 1911, not a Glock!

[Kanewpadle]

I tell what's really frustrating! Is to have a 1911 act up AFTER the break in period! You just never know I guess.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Most of these issues will work out as it breaks in.occasionally an extractor might need tweaking.

I agree. But when some one says they are having a problem, many times they can't tell you whether it's a FTF or FTE. Most of the problems are one of those two. And to get more info out of them is like pulling teeth.

"Which way and how far did the cases eject?" I don't know is usually the answer.

And if you ask them if they limp wristed the gun, LOOK OUT!

 

[ModernRifle]

I had a Glock for years. Never liked the fit. Never liked the trigger. But it was a good way to shoot ammo when we had people over.

The 3" 1911 (Kimber Covert Ultra) was a pleasant change. The fit to hand was great for me. The trigger was like no other. And it too was a good way to shoot ammo.

Bottom line is that I have a 1911 that I trust. Because of the familiarity gained during the ammo shoots and ECD it is second nature. The break-in shooting let's you know what ammo it likes. OR LOVES!.

I still use a lot of FMJ because of the price of the ammo and the primary use of the EDC. Pests.... Coyotes, Racoons, Moles...

I feel comfortable with the FMJ for most all applications.

 

[Laketime]

I tell what's really frustrating! Is to have a 1911 act up AFTER the break in period! You just never know I guess.

Unfortunatly most 1911's come with a cheap magazine.Meaning the lips or follower itself has been damaged some how.Even Ed Brown uses Checkmate $19.00 mages on a3k plus gun.Most issues are related to this or an extractor adjustment.Wilson ,Chip McCormick,and Kimpro are the ones to get.

 

[alwslate]

One evening many years ago when I did all my shooting at a local
outdoor shooting range I had an interesting experience relating to 1911
reliability. I was sitting at a bench with my Colt 1911 watching a guy
at the next bench trying to shoot his 1911 of, unknown to me, make.
He was trying to fire it with some factory 185 gr JHPs and it was
jamming nearly every shot. Finally he got so mad that he set the
remaining half box or so of ammo on my bench and got in his car and
left. Yes, tuning, polishing and breaking in 1911s used to be accepted
as normal. Modern autos, especially in 9mm have us all spoiled.

 

[sigp220.45]

When Colt, Remington Rand, Ithaca, Union Switch and Signal, and Singer delivered all those 1911s to Uncle Sam, did they come with instructions to break each one in with 500 rounds?

 

[Laketime]

When Colt, Remington Rand, Ithaca, Union Switch and Signal, and Singer delivered all those 1911s to Uncle Sam, did they come with instructions to break each one in with 500 rounds?

The GI models were designed to function in mudd.they were rattles if you shook them.Acuracy for the most part was limited because they were designed for close quarters combat.Colt realized early on after WWII that these same weapons could achieve greater acuracy with the tolerances tightened up.This began the era of traditional break in periods.

 

[johngalt]

I've never had a 1911 that needed any break in. They worked consistently from the 1st shot to many 1000s later. IMHO, if a gun needs break in something is wrong with it. Even a 1911 should function perfectly and accurately out of the box.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have seen perfectly good 1911's fail in the hands of some kid that won't hold the gun right! They are use to firearms instruction from video games and "gangstar" movies. Some times the break in period is for the owner! On the other hand, Colt just put parts together for a time in the 70's, a trained monkey can do that. Even the 1911 needs the parts fit together to some degree. Take a 1000 sets of true GI spec. parts and assemble them, 990 are going to work. The 10 that don't, the company armorer could get to work (or at least 9 of them)

In the same time frame, S&W was shipping model 10's to police departments that hadn't been chambered! Cylinders had been bored out but not final reamed, you could not get a standard 38 round to go in, but they had been test fired at the factory. The Columbus, Ohio PD fired every revolver, before it was issued to a cadet. A batch 50 had 15 guns that failed to fire out of the box (1975 +/- a year) the next 50 purchased were Ruger Security Six. S&W got their act back together and started selling guns that worked (it took Colt longer, to clear up the problems). Ivan

 

[Ματθιας]

I expect mechanical things to need a break in period where everything settles in and things smooth out with use. Triggers are a great example of this - use will smooth them out. Some slides are super tight and need a bit of break in.

I've bought a number of firearms on the cheap from folks who couldn't get them to run. Before I buy I ask a lot of questions. Most of the time, they don't want to take the time/make the effort to bother with it. They're simple mechanical machines - it's not that tough to trouble shoot and fix!

I bought a a 38 super Colt Gov 1911 off a friend of a friend that had feeding problems due to one damaged factory mag and cheap aftermarket mags. The owner refused to believe that mags were the issue and wouldn't buy new ones (I didn't have .38 Super mags to lend and trouble shoot with) because he didn't want to drop anymore money in it and he wanted cut his losses.

After he went back to the pawn shop and couldn't get his money back, I bought it for a little less than what he had in it. New Metalform and Mec-gar mags solved the issue. Now, I have reliable, accurate, laser of a 1911! Oh, well...

 

[ATF]

I love these 1911 threads

Why would anyone choose a lower capacity heavier firearm except for nostalgic reasons? Regardless of reliability.

Ok collecting is a different matter but depending on a gun for EDC reliability, weight and size are very important factors to consider.

 

[Old Seabee]

1911

People who buy a Les Baer understand a break in of 500 rds . Production weapons have to much spring pressure to over come production flaws , lack of correct lube etc . That's why the military has armors .

 

[Edmo]

Contestant: "Alex, I'll take Handguns for $200."

Alex: "And the answer is, Because it's a 1911, not a Glock!"

Contestant: "Why isn't my handgun 100% reliable?"

Alex: "Correct! You have control of the board."

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

However, this has been my experience. Eight GLOCKs over 19 years and 100% reliable for all eight... Not one hiccup.

I haven't been as lucky with 1911s, starting with a new-in-the-box Colt Government Model I bought in 1984. I still own it and it makes trips to the range.

Trust this Colt for carry? Not yet... After 31 years of shooting, it still needs a few more rounds to complete the break in process.

Edmo

 

[Pisgah]

Two categories of new-gun-owner complaints and questions ruffle my feathers. One is the "How do I clean/lube/adjust the sights..." questions that are addressed in every owner's manual that comes with every new gun -- and which, apparently, no one reads anymore.

The second is questions that fall in to the category of "Why does my Glock/M&P/XD have such a loonngg trigger pull?" (Like, maybe because they were designed that way?), or complaints like "My Savage Axis is so ugly and cheap-feeling!", as if they were blindfolded when they handed over their $257 at Walmart and carried it home.

 

[vonn]

I like to break in a new 1911 just to enjoy shooting it and learning how it needs to be aimed to be on target. I have never had any problems except magazine related. Use plenty of oil and let all the little fine burrs wear off and you will be happy with how the gun works.

 

[Arik]

Ok, so a few questions on this break in.

1) why is it a break in period? What's the difference between that and shooting?

2) what if it's still having some problems after the 501 shot? Then what? Another 100? 500? Where does the break in start and stop?

 

[Arik]

I love these 1911 threads

Why would anyone choose a lower capacity heavier firearm except for nostalgic reasons? Regardless of reliability.

Ok collecting is a different matter but depending on a gun for EDC reliability, weight and size are very important factors to consider.

Ouch. Poking the beehive there!

There's a lot of people that worship at the altar of John Moses Browning and will not carry anything he didn't make. Some take it one step further and won't carry any 1911 with options that he didn't install on the first 1911. So no modern sights or bevertails or ambi safeties or even extended safeties. This is what I find absolutely ridiculous.

Weight is something that's different for everyone. And capacity. ....well there's a lot of people here who carry J frames as a main EDC.

Reasons are plentiful and I'm fine with 99% of them. The only ones that drive me nuts are the ones based on emotion and not facts

 

[Mcwsky09]

Ok, so a few questions on this break in.

1) why is it a break in period? What's the difference between that and shooting?

2) what if it's still having some problems after the 501 shot? Then what? Another 100? 500? Where does the break in start and stop?

I think that the break-in period is not for the firearm but for the owner.

If there is some sort of manufacturing defect with a new firearm or magazine you should be able to determine that very quickly - unless it is some sort of materials defect which doesn't affect performance until something cracks etc making the defect apparent.

I don't think there is any particular number necessary - depending on your level of proficiency etc anywhere between 50 and 500 rounds should determine whether or not you are comfortable with and have learned how to operate your firearm. Of course if you are experiencing user induced stoppages resulting from improper grip (limp wristing or thumb on the slide stop for example) and you blame it on the firearm without considering other factors (user error, bad ammo) then you are wasting time and ammo.

Of course there may be individual firearms or even entire product runs of firearms which are made either with a lower quality finish and or slightly out of spec which may work better and better the more rounds are run through it as the parts wear together - how long that takes depends entirely on the materials in question and the severity of the issue. I would think that a bur left on a polymer that wears against a metal part would not take as long as a metal bur wearing against similar metal for example.

It is also entirely possible that any number of people have personally experienced issues in their first few hundred rounds which were caused by their unfamiliarity with the firearm but which they ascribed to the firearm "breaking-in" without ever being aware that is was really the user becoming familiar with the firearm.

A good way to test that would be to take a firearm which you had lots of problems with early on - but no longer have any issue with - and let a new shooter try it out and see if they have the same problems you did when it was new.

 

[johngalt]

Ouch. Poking the beehive there!

There's a lot of people that worship at the altar of John Moses Browning and will not carry anything he didn't make. Some take it one step further and won't carry any 1911 with options that he didn't install on the first 1911. So no modern sights or bevertails or ambi safeties or even extended safeties. This is what I find absolutely ridiculous.

Weight is something that's different for everyone. And capacity. ....well there's a lot of people here who carry J frames as a main EDC.

Reasons are plentiful and I'm fine with 99% of them. The only ones that drive me nuts are the ones based on emotion and not facts

Browning was a genius who invented the first automatic pistol that worked. The 1911 is reliable, accurate, durable, and is ergonomic. It is the complete package. Everything since has borrowed from his designs.

As to why the 1911 instead of the newer plastic fantastics? I can't speak for others, but for me:

* the single action trigger. It is one the best there. better than any double action or striker trigger. A well tuned one is even better than a M41.
* the barrel bushing system means it is easily accurized. A match grade barrel and bushing can turn any 1911 into a bullseye gun suitable for the 50 yd line.
* weight is good. Weight absorbs recoil.
* capacity is irrelevant. For bullseye I only load 5 anyway.
* ergonomics. The grip angle and reach with a long trigger is perfect. How do you change the reach on others? Oh, you can't.
* sights - I have adjustable on mine. The old military ones are terrible.
* ambisafety? Useless. I'm right handed. Just more edges to snag.
* beaver tails? They never did anything to improve my shooting, I'm not willing to pay extra for it, but whatever floats your boat.
* the best defensive weapon is the one you practice most. The 1911 is what I shoot the best.

I shoot a 1911 because I value marksmanship beyond just training to kill people at 7 yds.

 

[Arik]

I think that the break-in period is not for the firearm but for the owner.

If there is some sort of manufacturing defect with a new firearm or magazine you should be able to determine that very quickly - unless it is some sort of materials defect which doesn't affect performance until something cracks etc making the defect apparent.

I don't think there is any particular number necessary - depending on your level of proficiency etc anywhere between 50 and 500 rounds should determine whether or not you are comfortable with and have learned how to operate your firearm. Of course if you are experiencing user induced stoppages resulting from improper grip (limp wristing or thumb on the slide stop for example) and you blame it on the firearm without considering other factors (user error, bad ammo) then you are wasting time and ammo.

Of course there may be individual firearms or even entire product runs of firearms which are made either with a lower quality finish and or slightly out of spec which may work better and better the more rounds are run through it as the parts wear together - how long that takes depends entirely on the materials in question and the severity of the issue. I would think that a bur left on a polymer that wears against a metal part would not take as long as a metal bur wearing against similar metal for example.

It is also entirely possible that any number of people have personally experienced issues in their first few hundred rounds which were caused by their unfamiliarity with the firearm but which they ascribed to the firearm "breaking-in" without ever being aware that is was really the user becoming familiar with the firearm.

A good way to test that would be to take a firearm which you had lots of problems with early on - but no longer have any issue with - and let a new shooter try it out and see if they have the same problems you did when it was new.

Agreed. That's why it's a good idea to bring many mags and different ammo.

I've had plenty of guns that went bye bye due to having problems. None of them brand specific.
One Glock 23
One Para Ord 1911
Two S&W M&P (9 & 357)
One Star Model B
One Browning Hi power
One W. German Sig 226
One German Sig P220

Im sure im forgetting a few more. They all go sold off because they all had problems with feeding, cycling, extracting. ...