I just picked up a p229 SCT and was curious what would be the recommended break in for the barrel from people in the know?

Thanks for the help in advance!!

This question brings varied responses but it ususally takes a couple of hundred rounds to break in a pistol including the barrel. Any where there is contact when the action cycles will wear in a little bit and the action will smooth out and loosen up. This includes the trigger group as well. With a pistol barrel I'm not sure when the optimum is reached.

I did read a study on center fire rifle barrels and the test showed they reach peak performance at about 1000 rounds and they usually stay the same from there on to 5000 rounds and then slowly go down hill. I would think with a pistol it is less but I don't really know.

I would venture to say that no break-in is needed; however, for carry guns many will recommend at least 500-rounds to ensure functionality.

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Make sure everything is lubed up and hit the range. Nothing special is needed.

Your subject pistol requires no break in. Field strip it and inspect and lube it if you like. Otherwise, just shoot it. What the heck is break in anyways? How is it any different than just shooting the gun? Is break in the period of time that you don't carry the gun because the reliability is untested?

Depends on what the use will be. If it's for defense I run at least 200 rounds of whatever defensive round I'm planning on using to ensure that function is ok. That's after I run a couple of hundred rounds of hardball thru it.

Many guns have some early problems that work their way out after a reasonable number of rounds have been fired. That number varies based on the gun, its tolerances, and how they stack up. The design also is a factor.

Some guns seem to need more than others, or at least benefit from it. Guns put together with tighter tolerances seem to. Guns like the original 1911s may never get more accurate, but sometimes they will function more reliably. Accurized guns often need the break in to smooth out. I'm guessing this tends to wear in or cancel out the tolerances that are out of line.

Over the years, I've had several semi-autos that have early troubles that just vanish over a short period. The problem I see is people remember those early problems and constantly fear they'll return. When they buy a gun that has such sloppy or loose tolerances that they work but never get accurate, they're happy. The gun that never changed may never equal the one that had minor functional problems, but the user will feel better about it...maybe.

I go with not forming any opinion about a gun until its had maybe the often quoted number of 500 rounds. Then begin forming conclusions from that point on.

We tend to blame the "gun" for its malfunctions. Many of them are ammo or magazine related. If you use inferior ammo or after market mags, its not necessarily the guns fault. Thats why some of us mark our mags, and track the ammo we use on a new gun. Some guns are finicky or just won't digest some loadings. Part of a break in procedure is to determine that. If your gun won't handle one bullet weight or brand, it may or may not be a problem. Or better still, the problem may vanish after a few hundred rounds.

rburg hits it right on the head.

Put the unit thru a break in with ball ammo and then your carry ammo. It is just as important that you know the unit will function as it is for the unit to function.

After having numerous finicky 1911's, I've gotten spoiled the last few years with Glock's and Sig's, in that they start working perfectly on round 1.

Last month I got a NIB P229 SAS Gen 2 in 9mm. First range trip I had a FTE somewhere in the first 100 rounds. Hard stop. But the next 100 rounds were fine. Next range trip, 275 rounds, and again, fine.

Did I just need to cook out a Gremlin? Was a tolorance just out of spec until 2 parts wore in together? Monarch ammo?

I just dunno. But if I get 600 consecutive rounds through it flAwlessly, that's good enough for me.

Shouldn't it be?

Rifles, especially match rifles, need a break in period (most but not all agree on that). Some 1911's need a break in period to become reliable, especially for the tight ones. Kimber is in this category (personal experience, 2 guns) and Wilson, though they recommend a 500 round break in before cleaning run great from the new box (again my experience only, 3 guns).

My experience with Sig, HK, and Glock is that they run fine out of the box. The main reason for the break in is to see if you have a lemon, i.e., to see if something is wrong with the pistol. If these pistols shoot 200 rounds without problems they are good to go IMHO.

Of course you can always use that "required" break in period to justify the ammo expenditures to your wife...

T.

Some people say that sigs don't need a break-in period. It took my 239 9mm about 150 rounds before the FTF;s stop happening. For a CCW it has to be flawless as far as reliabilty is concerned.

I went through a break-in period with my XFive, I believe target pistols generally do need some break-in time. But most others should not.

Agree with all others saying break-in is really unnecessary.However many recommend that 300-400 rounds will smooth out the feeding and action.

Fieldstrip, clean and relube. You might have to take the preservative off the magazines if they are new.

Take to the range and have fun.

A helpful thread. I DROS'd a P226 9mm today, and will be able to take it out for practice in ten days (CA waiting period). I'll bring it home and field strip it first, to make sure it's oiled, and then see how the first few hundred rounds go. Can hardly wait...

quote:

Originally posted by Bridogg:
I just picked up a p229 SCT and was curious what would be the recommended break in for the barrel from people in the know?

IMO you really don't need to break in a pistol's barrel. Depending on whom you speak to, rifle barrels can function better (improved accuracy, life, or ease of cleaning) with proper break in. But I've never heard of someone stating a pistol barrel needs breaking in.

Echoing some of the earlier posts, I agree that a semi-auto pistol used for self-defense should have some live rounds down range before being committed to use. My experience with tighter pistols (Sigs, 1911s, target pistols) is that they can experience some failures to feed or extract in their first few hundred rounds. Some pistols can be a little finicky with certain types or brands of ammo -- issues that are good to know before going into either a competition or a self-defense situation.

My pistol break in is pretty simple -- shoot, have fun, shoot some more, have more fun, keep shooting, shoot yet again, clean, and then repeat as necessary.

Come to think of it, I need to continue "breaking in" some of my pistols this week. Gotta do my part to keep the economy strong by burning up more ammo.

There is no such thing as breaking in a barrel. It's an old wives tale--a myth.

Reliability is another matter. I recommend running 200 rounds of ball ammo through a new pistol, followed by at least 100 rounds of your first choice of JHP defense ammo. If you experience one malfunction with the latter, then repeat the procedure with your second choice. Carry only a JHP that functions perfectly.

Tom

No break in per say required on a SIG, however, I usually run 200 rounds of full metal jackets rounds and 50 JHP rounds through my new SIGS for peace of mind.

Unless you've got a tightly fitted, custom 1911, no break-in should be necessary. Buy some ammo and go shooting.

Clean and lube the gun and hit the range. I like to shoot FMJ for the first few hundred rounds.