Breaking in my gun

[karl]

Disclaimers:
-I'm new to guns in general and even newer to handguns
-This is my first firearm
-I have no idea what I'm talking about so correct me if I'm wrong


So I bought my S&W 1911 about mid-July. It was pretty stiff (slide and hammer, assembly, disassembly, etc.) and the clerk figured it'd get some wear after the first month or two and feel a little bit more relaxed, and it did, sort of.

Now, coming on three months later, it's still very stiff compared to other handguns I've fired since then. I've put about 500 rounds through it and have noticed only minor differences from the new feel to what I feel now. Racking the slide still requires a considerable amount of force (10-20 lbs), and while field stripping and reassembling the slide will be very hard to put on or take off. I do maintain it quite well, cleaning it after shooting, lubricating moving parts, etc.

Should I expect more wear and tear (the good kind) to loosen it up or will I have to live with it? (do-able, just curious)

[mr surveyor]

You could install a lighter spring, and risk a multitude of timing malfunctions, or use light loads to match the light spring. You really do NOT want to use a mismatched light spring with standard pressure or SD loads in a 1911 as it can cause undue battering of the slide and frame. I think you want to use the heaviest spring that your 1911 can reliably cycle. That's just the nature of the beast. As your slide and frame rails meld together over time and use, and the recoil spring breaks down a bit, it will get smoother, but again, I think the best thing is still use the heaviest spring your gun will properly function with to save wear and tear.

just my opinions

surv

[USA1]

Use the strength of both hands/arms to rack the slide - punch the frame away from you at the same time as you pull back on the slide.

but in the movies the petite little woman can rack the slide back so effortlessly .

[Kevinf2349]

A wise man once told me to spend time just manully racking the slide at home obviously with no bullets anywhere near it!

Just sit there racking that bad boy using AndyC's method and either it will loosen up or you will start to look like Popeye!

[gfmun]

500 rounds is not a lot of rounds through a handgun, so it should not " loosen up " much. The 500 rounds should establish that the gun is functioning properly, such as extracting, feeding,etc. If you field strip it and take the recoil spring and barrel out, how is the movement when you put the slide on the frame? Nice and smooth or tight and stiff? If it is nice and smooth with the recoil spring out, then you are fighting the spring. If it is tight and stiff with the spring out, then it sounds like the frame-slide fit.

thanks,
George

[flechero]

If you had any significant wear at 500 rounds (on ANY gun) you would want another gun. That gun should last 10's of thousands of rounds... so don't expect to see any wear quickly, unless something is out of spec.

You should build new muscle faster than the gun wears and the spring loses strength

[Mithras61]

Use the strength of both hands/arms to rack the slide - punch the frame away from you at the same time as you pull back on the slide.

but in the movies the petite little woman can rack the slide back so effortlessly .

As it should be, since its about technique as much as anything else.

Try this (I believe this is what AndyC meant):

1. Hold the firearm in your right hand like you would to shoot it one handed (get that finger off the trigger! )
2. Place the left hand over the top of the slide with the thumb to the rear of the pistol so that you are holding the entire slide but not covering the ejection port and your thumb & forefinger are on the rear serrations (still got your finger outside the trigger guard, right? ).
3. Cock the pistol by pressing forward with the right hand in a punching motion while pulling towards you with the left hand. Release the slide when it reached the rearmost position (do NOT ride it forward - let it "slam" closed).

If you're left handed, reverse the positions of your hands. This method works on my 1911 for my 70-something year old grandmother who can barely pull the DA trigger on her old Chief's Special S&W revolver (maybe 20-25#).

This is not the ONLY method of cocking the 1911, only the easiest if you have both hands available. It can also be adapted to fit almost any other semi-auto (even Glocks!)

[USA1]

1. Hold the firearm in your right hand like you would to shoot it one handed (get that finger off the trigger! )
2. Place the left hand over the top of the slide with the thumb to the rear of the pistol so that you are holding the entire slide but not covering the ejection port and your thumb & forefinger are on the rear serrations (still got your finger outside the trigger guard, right? ).
3. Cock the pistol by pressing forward with the right hand in a punching motion while pulling towards you with the left hand. Release the slide when it reached the rearmost position (do NOT ride it forward - let it "slam" closed).

If you're left handed, reverse the positions of your hands. This method works on my 1911 for my 70-something year old grandmother who can barely pull the DA trigger on her old Chief's Special S&W revolver (maybe 20-25#).

This is not the ONLY method of cocking the 1911, only the easiest if you have both hands available. It can also be adapted to fit almost any other semi-auto (even Glocks!)

the above is the method i use , and works well .

i know i've read it before , but can't remember.... why is it bad to "ride it forward"?

[Mithras61]

the above is the method i use , and works well .

i know i've read it before , but can't remember.... why is it bad to "ride it forward"?

It isn't really a problem with an unloaded pistol, but if you're charging it, it may not seat the round properly (failure to go into battery).

Since it can cause problems when loading, its a bad habit to get into with an unloaded one.

[USA1]

the above is the method i use , and works well .

i know i've read it before , but can't remember.... why is it bad to "ride it forward"?

It isn't really a problem with an unloaded pistol, but if you're charging it, it may not seat the round properly (failure to go into battery).

Since it can cause problems when loading, its a bad habit to get into with an unloaded one.

gotchya , thanks .

[joe817]

the above is the method i use , and works well .

i know i've read it before , but can't remember.... why is it bad to "ride it forward"?

It isn't really a problem with an unloaded pistol, but if you're charging it, it may not seat the round properly (failure to go into battery). Since it can cause problems when loading, its a bad habit to get into with an unloaded one.

I agree. When I had my 1911 I rode the slide down a couple of times, and both times it jammed on me. There wasn't enough energy to push the round into the chamber but the tip of the bullet caught the chamber face and got stucked.

[The Annoyed Man]

Be glad that the gun is tight. That is a good accurate gun. As long as the tightness is not causing you any malfunctions, don't worry about it. In the meantime, try the "Hans and Franz" method for locking the slide back:


1. hold pistol in right hand, pointed toward your left (making sure there is nothing there you're not willing to shoot),

2. apply slight upward pressure with your right thumb against the slide release lever,

3. pinch the rear cocking serrations between your left thumb and index finger while grasping the slide firmly in your left hand.

4. punch your right and left hands toward one another briskly.

Doing it this way adds several muscle groups into the motion, increasing the force you apply.

As the slide travels backward, the upward pressure of your right thumb against the slide lever will push it into it's notch in the slide, locking it back.

[joe817]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned is that cocking the trigger before you rack the slide, makes for a much easier and smoother slide operation.

[CompVest]

One other point keep the gun in close to you and at mid chest height. You have better use of your strength in close.