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_%28firearms%29

[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?