:: Bersa Talk ::

So far, this forum has been a really BIG help, and if my friends from New York City where touching a gun was pretty much forbidden could see me now on a handgun enthusiast website, they would probably be totally shocked about what has happened to me since moving to Texas.

Anyway, I keep reading about "break-in" and how many rounds it takes to break a gun in, etc.  What does "break-in" mean exactly?  What can one expect to happen during 'break-in"?  How does one know when a gun is broken in?

Thanks.  I am sure someone will explain this since all my other posts have been answered.

Break-in, you know, like breaking in a pair of new shoes. At first they're stiff and uncomfortable, but after a while they loosen up and become more comfortable as they conform to the peculiarities of your feet.

A new gun is composed of various parts that have been assembled in the factory and tested to make sure they operate properly, but they really need some running time to get to the point where all the parts just sort of settle in and work "happily" together. It usually means that edges and corners and surfaces have to be worn just a little smoother, and that takes shooting. In the BT380's case, shooting "ball" ammo, FMJ, will in most cases give your gun the opportunity to put a little wear on the moving parts so things work as well as it was designed. Cleaning and lubricating are also an important part of proper gun maintenance.

Some gun designs seem to require more break-in than others. Because of the limitations of the .380acp cartridge and the demands of the blow-back design of the BT380, there's a substantial break-in period of at least 200 rounds fired associated with this gun. Some people experience a few failures during this period and then the gun settles in and there are no more problems. Others don't experience any trouble at all.

There are other guns that don't need much of a break-in period at all, such as the Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact, which I've had since Jan. 2007. I've never had any problem with this firearm, ever, and it's been 100% right out of the box. But it's a different design from the BT380, and uses a more powerful cartridge, and it has it's own challenges since it's not quite as small and light as the BT380. 

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p-t-max

I'm no expert, I'm just, well---opinionated!

http://blog648.blogspot.com/

PT max nailed it.  As a new BT380 user its real important to clean your firearm.  I have a friend who was an armorer in the Army and he insists that you clean the gun after you shoot it, clean it again in 4-5 days again because certain particles creep up after the initial cleaning.  I had a couple of stovepipe jams in the first 50 rounds(Stovepipe means not completely ejecting a spent cartridge creating a jam), but it worked itself out after a good cleaning and oiling.  We got some real gurus on this board.  Your wise to listen to them.  Have fun a good luck

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"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses
both." --Dwight D. Eisenhower

Well said P-T, I like the shoe scenario.

It reminded me of when I lived in Colorado and bought a new pair of cowboy boots (S-Kickers). I would throw them in a bath tub of hot water for an hour, put them on and keep them on for about 12 hours!  That's how you break in a boot, fit like a glove. (not O J's)

Agreed the little guys have a tendency to need more break in. A big caliber with tight CNC workmanship can also require a good amount of break in. My new American Classic II 1911 is a little looser and ate everything I could throw at it right out of the box.  Here is a funny thing my Bersa T-.380 and the wife's T-.380cc have never had a hiccup yet. Oh Yes, my (3rd generation) Kel-Tec P3AT FLAWLESS, Ball, and Hollow points, lots of them with no FTF's (You think I'm a KT lover..read on)

What I am saying even though I was lucky and had no FTF's I didn't just shoot a box and say oh, it shoots so it's OK. Believe me and the good people on this forum, break that gun in and then some. I feel better about a gun after about 500 rounds of smooth operation. I got rid of my KT-PF9, It failed my test and now it ain't here to fail me when I need it.  I'm about ready to put my new Springer EMP-9 through boot camp and see if it qualifies to be in my arsenal.

Here is another test, once you hit 200 rounds start collecting rounds of the same caliber for people shooting at the range. Explain you are performing an ammo test they will gladly give you a round or two.  When you get a variety of fodder, load a few mags and let them fly, ball, hollow points the works.

If your Bersa passes that test you can feel better about how it will do if the SHTF.

RC 

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+1 on all the above  comments.

Basically it means you have shot the gun enough that you have not experienced failures that would cause you  not to trust your life to the operation of the gun in critical situations.

 

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A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank check Made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'

Good explanation PT.

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God Bless The USA
Proudly Politically Incorrect.