Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

New handgun question

Ricer2231

Senior Member
The wife is footing the bill on a new handgun for me for our anniversary! Woohoo! I have decided to get a S&W M&P 40 full size. Buckeye Outdoors has them on sale for $479.00. My question is, should I shoot a higher quality ammo through it for an allotted amount of "break in" time? If so what are you guys recommendation on ammo and how many rounds for the break in period?
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Great question. I am curious to hear the responses. Never thought about this but I am also considering buying new.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
I LOVE my M&P 40
used some factory ammo to start, then switched to reloads (SWC bullet)

Haven't had any problem at all with ANY brand of factory ammo.
Reload? I'm still working on getting the right load dialed in. Have had some success, and some cycling problems. But that's my fault, not the gun's.

And it shoots great! Feels great.
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
I would run a box out two of any fmj to make sure it's accurate and the sights are aligned properly. Then a couple of magazines of your carry or self defense ammo and call it a day.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I would run a box out two of any fmj to make sure it's accurate and the sights are aligned properly. Then a couple of magazines of your carry or self defense ammo and call it a day.

Agreed 100%. Premium ammo is just a premium bullet design. Waste of money IMHO.
Any reloading book load just below max will be just fine. I shoot reloads only and only buy a box of factory for CCW for liability reasons as recommended by the NRA.
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
Break in period is mostly mythical. Only in extremely tight guns or poorly manufactured ones is it an issue. Clean it well and shoot whatever you like.

If it were a carry gun it does have to pass my own personal test of 200 fmj and a handful of each type of carry ammo I use.
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
Break in period is mostly mythical. Only in extremely tight guns or poorly manufactured ones is it an issue. Clean it well and shoot whatever you like.

If it were a carry gun it does have to pass my own personal test of 200 fmj and a handful of each type of carry ammo I use.

Sounds suspiciously familiar...hehe
 

Ricer2231

Senior Member
My son and I took off after work and just got home with the newest member of my firearm family, my S&W M&P 40FS.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1400721220.287518.jpg
Buckeye had it on sale and it came with two clips and three back straps plus with the purchase you got a box of Hornady Critical Defense ammo and a S&W backpack. Well naturally they were out of the backpacks so the salesman said how about if I give you an extra 15 round clip. I was tickled to death with that because I have a pistol compartment on my AR bag and carry all my necessities in the same bag anyway. The extra clip will work out good because I can load one clip with CD to leave at home and load the other two clips that came with the handgun with practice ammo. While I was there I also picked up a 40 cal brush, 100 rounds of American Eagle ammo and a 20 round clip for my AR. The ammo was $22.99 for 50 rounds which didn't seem like a steal but I didn't think it was TOO bad. I did get a good deal on the 20 round mag though, it was on sale for $8.99. All in all a great evening that was topped off by having my son with me and breaking bread at Fazolis.
 

5Cent

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
12,291
212
North Central Ohio
I only recommend taking it apart and cleaning the assembly grease out of it and then lubing with your own stuff before going and ripping a couple of mags through it. Most times, the assembly grease/lube is only for assembly and does not hold up well to shooting. Sometimes there is so much grease, it can impact the function of the gun. S&W seems to keep their's undercontrol, but manufacturing & assembly is just that.....things get through. Have fun Don!
 
My Smith & Wesson M&P 9c owners manual doesn't say anything about a "break in period". It does say, "You are now, the proud owner of a Smith & Wesson. Enjoy!" I took mine out of the box, cleaned it, added some light oil to the moving parts, loaded it and shot it. Then I cleaned it and she's ready for whatever. :smiley_bril:

From day one, my 9c has been fed Winchester 147gr. JHP ammo. It not only likes it, but it shoots all of them in a 1" group at 20 yards. Hopefully, the bad guys are closer than that, but if they're not I'll still be able to choose which eyeball to shoot out. :smiley_blink:

I would like to put my hands on a 45acp in Springfield XD-S. :smiley_beard:

Bowhunter57
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Sweet shit! Load those mags and blow through em fast enough to smoke that factory oil off.