Using FMJ for breaking in new handgun?

[901-Memphis]

So the story goes..... A guy at a gunshop said about 100 rounds of round nose ball should break in my handgun, but i have been getting good deals on a box here and there of Winchester 180 GR. FMJ target range ammo and already have 100 rounds of it.

Are there any advantages to using round nose ball cartridges as the guy said, or will the FMJ be fine?

 

[Red Hat]

Are you talking about using lead bullets vs FMJ? Unless you have SWFMJ "Semi-wadcutter FMJ" then you should have RNFMJ. I'd use FMJ to break it it. If you want you can practice with lead bullets. Just make sure you fire a few carry rounds every so often. A good rule is to fire you carry ammo every 3 to 6 months and replace it with fresh ammo.

 

[Glock Fan]

So the story goes..... A guy at a gunshop said about 100 rounds of round nose ball should break in my handgun, but i have been getting good deals on a box here and there of Winchester 180 GR. FMJ target range ammo and already have 100 rounds of it.

Are there any advantages to using round nose ball cartridges as the guy said, or will the FMJ be fine?

Round nose ball and FMJ ammo will work the same. You could even shoot a bunch of JHP rounds and it would accomplish the same thing. Only problem you would have would be with any rounds that have exposed lead on the bullet. Two that come to mind would be JSP (jacketed soft point) or LRN (lead round nose). Read your owner's manual. Glock pistols aren't designed to be used with JSP or LRN ammo. Lead will foul the rifiling, which could result in a bulge barrel, or worse! Read the book, and if in doubt, contact the manufacturer or a qualified service person.



gf

 

[901-Memphis]

I'm not an expert on the types of ammo thats what i asked. The guy just said "Round Nose Ball" ammo to break it in.

What i have i already said is Winchester 180 GR. FMJ in .40 S&W cal that says its Target/Range ammo in the white box, not sure on the differences between SW FMJ or lead bullets or RNFMJs

If you have any info on clarification that would be great. All i had researched was getting good hollowpoints for self defense like Speer Gold dots, but other than that i don't know much about the differences between those and the rest.


Well after searching the right combo i found the list of the types of bullets i was looking for at Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartridge_(firearms)

 

[Beachbumcook]

I'm not an expert on the types of ammo thats what i asked. The guy just said "Round Nose Ball" ammo to break it in.

What i have i already said is Winchester 180 GR. FMJ in .40 S&W cal that says its Target/Range ammo in the white box, not sure on the differences between SW FMJ or lead bullets or RNFMJs

If you have any info on clarification that would be great. All i had researched was getting good hollowpoints for self defense like Speer Gold dots, but other than that i don't know much about the differences between those and the rest.


Well after searching the right combo i found the list of the types of bullets i was looking for at Wiki

Cartridge (firearms) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your fine... use the Winchester ammo. Whether it has a round bullet or flat bullet... they are both jacketed bulets. I personally only use jacketed bullets (Winchester, Blazer and Federal) for target practice. My neighbor has started to teach me how to reload and I use jacketed "berry brand" bullets from Cabela's.

My Springfield XDm 40-cal handgun will shoot lead bullets just fine, but I prefer the jacketed bullets figuring they are smoother and cleaner (but I have no real way to verify that). My neighbor shoots a Glock (amoung several guns) and Glocks will NOT shoot lead bullets without fouling the rifling int he barrel due to it's design.

Enjoy your Winchester ammo.... I use 165gr and 180gr ammo.... and personally prefer the 165gr... but that is me.

 

[theicemanmpls]

Are you talking about using lead bullets vs FMJ? Unless you have SWFMJ "Semi-wadcutter FMJ" then you should have RNFMJ. I'd use FMJ to break it it. If you want you can practice with lead bullets. Just make sure you fire a few carry rounds every so often. A good rule is to fire you carry ammo every 3 to 6 months and replace it with fresh ammo.

Three to six months replace your carry rounds? Why? Ammo lasts a very long, long time. Longer if kept in a low humidity, in a household environment.
May I ask where you get your info?

 

[Beachbumcook]

Three to six months replace your carry rounds? Why? Ammo lasts a very long, long time. Longer if kept in a low humidity, in a household environment.
May I ask where you get your info?

I agree... I question the poster above as well.

I have never heard that rule unless some ammo company picked up on the Jiffy Lube oil change interval of 3 months or 3,000 mile interval to change one's oil and sell more ammo???

Ammo will last a long time. Maybe would want to do yearly... but there is NO set time or even recomendation I have ever seen published.

Now, I will rotate my magazines with my carry ammo so one magazine does not always have full tension on the spring. I have 3 magazines and every 1 - 2 months I swap my ammo into a different magazine (they are numbered with a Sharpie).

Hope the poster above that stated to change out one's ammo would please post some sort of link or soemthing from an ammo company's website ot other "informed source" so I may learn from it if this is indeed true?

 

[Glock Fan]

I don't have any set time frame on when you rotate your carry ammo, but I like to do so every few months. This serves a few purposes. 1) ensures that I'll have fresh carry ammo 2) ensures that my carry ammo functions properly through my SD firearm 3) builds confidence in the round and keeps me familiar on how it shoots in relation to my "target" ammo.

I'm partial to Speer Gold Dot ammunition in 165gr. .40 s&w. Before making your final selection, I strongly recommend shooting many different brands and loads through the gun to see what works, what doesn't work, what you like, and what you don't like. Many seasoned shooters on this group can attest to the fact that you're not always going to be able to find your "first choice" in ammo. It's critical to know what else will work in your gun and how it shoots. This will help when you have to settle for your 2nd, 3rd or possibly even your 4th choice in ammo.

Good luck, and happy shooting!



gf

 

[Red Hat]

I get my info from experience! It's common knowledge that you change out defensive ammo. You don't leave your ammo in your home all the time you carry it. Temperature changes, humidity and sweat can cause problems. Ammo stored in a controlled environment will last a lifetime. You also need to practice with your carry ammo. This will give you the chance to do so. I usually replace mine every 6 months. Also you don't need to rotate magazines. Magazine springs are compression springs and are designed to be compressed. Loading and unloading magazines do more damage to the springs than keeping them loaded. I have magazines that have been stored loaded for over 20 years and will work just as good as the day I loaded them.

 

[901-Memphis]

Are there usually any restrictions at target ranges on what ammo you can and can't shoot and do they usually provide the paper targets in their price per hour or do i have to buy them there?

 

[Glock Fan]

Are there usually any restrictions at target ranges on what ammo you can and can't shoot and do they usually provide the paper targets in their price per hour or do i have to buy them there?

Every range has their own sets of rules. Some only allow their ammo to be shot, others allow you to bring your own ammo, but have restrictions on the type of ammo such as "no steel core", or must be "non-toxic clean ammo", etc.

Same goes for targets and range fees. Some places allow you to bring your own targets, other ranges require you to purchase targets. Range fees vary. There are ranges that have a flat fee, others that charge by the hour (most common in my experience), and still others that allow you to shoot at no charge if you're renting their guns and buying their ammo.

Best thing to do is go range scouting ahead of time. Leave your guns and ammo at home, take your eye and ear protection and ask if you can check out the range. Be sure that the ventilation system is good. That's one of my biggest beefs with some indoor ranges. Bad ventilation = bad shooting session. Check to see that the lanes and lighting are adequate for what you want to do. Find out what their range rules are and have any questions answered prior to doing any live fire. If they offer range memberships, I strongly recommend checking out the range at different times and different days that you would like to shoot prior to paying for a membership. Most times the membership fee is either "non-refundable" or "refundable" for "store credit only". If you pay for a year of membership and suddenly can't shoot for whatever reason (got deployed in my case), you basically suck rocks if they have a "no refund" policy. Even the "store credit" policy could suck in a sense that one of the local ranges prices everything approx. 15% over the other local gun shops. My "store credit" wouldn't go very far and in essence is basically a huge kick in groin as I'm still losing a substantial amount of money by using it.



gf

 

[901-Memphis]

Well i have only 1 local range around here, and its fairly popular, unless i drive 35 miles to Target World.

I have been around their shop, but not the range, so i hope its going to be a good one, i would hate to have to drive 35 miles instead of 1 to shoot my gun.

 

[Glock Fan]

Well i have only 1 local range around here, and its fairly popular, unless i drive 35 miles to Target World.

I have been around their shop, but not the range, so i hope its going to be a good one, i would hate to have to drive 35 miles instead of 1 to shoot my gun.

Take a trip down to the range and have a chat with the manager or owner. Ask if they can show you around and find out what their rules and policies are. If they treat you bad when you're just checking them out, then imagine what could happen if for some reason you make a mistake while on the range.

If you get an opportunity, check out the other range as well. It's good to have a back up place to shoot in the event that something happens to your first choice.



gf

 

[utimmer43]

...Temperature changes, humidity and sweat can cause problems...

+1

Powder is incredibly absorbent and even though the cartridges seem to be airtight, moisture can and will still find a way in, and it doesn't take much to foul up the powder.

Think of soaking bullets in water being akin to soaking your gun in the mud. CC'ing with the same bullets after a couple months is like, well, CC'ing with the same gun and not cleaning it for a couple months. You wouldn't let your carry gun go for more than a month or so without cleaning it (at least I hope not) even if you haven't fired it that long. Kinda the same idea with cycling your defensive ammo.

 

[901-Memphis]

Will have to check out this range close to me first and will see how they are there.

I did check out quite a bit of guns while in the shop and he seemed pretty friendly. Hope all of the guys working there are as nice.

 

[theicemanmpls]

+1

Powder is incredibly absorbent and even though the cartridges seem to be airtight, moisture can and will still find a way in, and it doesn't take much to foul up the powder.

Think of soaking bullets in water being akin to soaking your gun in the mud. CC'ing with the same bullets after a couple months is like, well, CC'ing with the same gun and not cleaning it for a couple months. You wouldn't let your carry gun go for more than a month or so without cleaning it (at least I hope not) even if you haven't fired it that long. Kinda the same idea with cycling your defensive ammo.

It is a personal choice. I have .243 rounds inside my hunting vest, that it took me 20 years to go though. They always went BOOM. Of course the hunting vest was only in the woods for 3 weeks a year. The rest of the time in a garment bag, in the closet. I never thought of cycling the rounds. I have 30-06 rounds from WWII era, that I am very sure will go BOOM. Again, its a personal choice.

 

[Glock Fan]

It is a personal choice. I have .243 rounds inside my hunting vest, that it took me 20 years to go though. They always went BOOM. Of course the hunting vest was only in the woods for 3 weeks a year. The rest of the time in a garment bag, in the closet. I never thought of cycling the rounds. I have 30-06 rounds from WWII era, that I am very sure will go BOOM. Again, its a personal choice.

Unless you're hunting predatory mammals, I'd say that there's a big difference between hunting ammo and SD ammo. I would not want to put my personal safety in jeopardy because I had a magazine of faulty ammunition. If I miss a shot at a trophy animal because of ammo, it's likely I may get another chance in the future. There are no "re-takes" when it comes to a "life of death" situation.




gf

 

[Desert Dude]

Hey guys, is there any truth in the story that if you shoot factory non-lead tip rounds through your gun after shooting, say lead round nose, you will clean the lead out? Thanks.......

 

[Glock Fan]

Hey guys, is there any truth in the story that if you shoot factory non-lead tip rounds through your gun after shooting, say lead round nose, you will clean the lead out? Thanks.......

In some cases yes, to an extent. It's a lot safer to use the proper cleaning solvent to properly remove the lead residue.



gf

 

[utimmer43]

...Of course the hunting vest was only in the woods for 3 weeks a year...

And this is the very difference between your carry ammo and your target ammo. Yes, ammo can last a lifetime if stored properly. Even a garment bag in your closet is a low humidity environment compared to being tight against your body. Your body is constantly releasing moisture (albeit a seemingly small amount) even if you are not visibly sweating. Daily carry, especially concealed carry where your firearm and ammo are held close to your body under cover garments, routinely subjects your ammo to an environment that is more humid than your typical household environment.

Yes, just like anything else in our lives, it is a personal choice. But given that most people choose to store their surplus ammo in a humidity controlled environment, it seems a little silly to overlook or dismiss the affects that CCing may have on the ammo that you are trusting your life with.