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So what's your Routine/Ritual when you get a brand new handgun? Like right when you get it; Before it's first trip to the range. Then after it's first trip? Oil, field strip, or what? Details would be much appreciated. I just got my first one Beretta PX4 Storm .40 and am wondering what ya'll usually do right off the bat and to prep, etc...

Thanks,
Ronnie

Well my Steyr I started shooting immediately (FFL transfer to the shooting range).

I just got a P3AT today and plan on doing some polishing and lubricating before shooting for the first time. If it weren't for me not being able to take a trip to the range in the next couple days I probably would for-go the polishing and just start shooting/breaking in. I have little patience when I get my hands on a new toy.

Besides, I think any good gun should be ready to fire right out of the box. I'm not so obsessive about the initial prep, though I have been known to clean my Steyr when it hasn't even been shot since the last cleaning (I get bored sometimes, plus I miss the one on one intimite time if I haven't shot it recently ).

I always field strip them (as I would do in normal cleaning), properly lubricated them and take them to the range for a little bang, bang time.
Most guns do not come properly lubricated from the factory.

If its a used gun I still do them same thing, but looking for worn or broken parts.

Jungle Work

I check it over clean as needed load it up and put it away loaded and ready oh and get it a new holster if I dont already have one.

People say those un-loaded guns kill!

Dougmyers5 wrote:I check it over clean as needed load it up and put it away loaded and ready oh and get it a new holster if I dont already have one.

People say those un-loaded guns kill!

Still trying to find a good Holster that I like for the PX4

Flatland2D wrote:Well my Steyr I started shooting immediately (FFL transfer to the shooting range).

I just got a P3AT today and plan on doing some polishing and lubricating before shooting for the first time. If it weren't for me not being able to take a trip to the range in the next couple days I probably would for-go the polishing and just start shooting/breaking in. I have little patience when I get my hands on a new toy.

Besides, I think any good gun should be ready to fire right out of the box. I'm not so obsessive about the initial prep, though I have been known to clean my Steyr when it hasn't even been shot since the last cleaning (I get bored sometimes, plus I miss the one on one intimite time if I haven't shot it recently ).

I was very close to getting the Steyr but couldn't find one locally so I could check out the fit in my hand, but my PX4 fits great

Glad you found something you're happy with, Steyr or not. I was lucky enough to buy one from CDNN's last batch for $299 plus 4 mags. I did get to handle one at a gun show before ordering though.

Flatland2D wrote:Glad you found something you're happy with, Steyr or not. I was lucky enough to buy one from CDNN's last batch for $299 plus 4 mags. I did get to handle one at a gun show before ordering though.

yea I was very tempted to just bite the bullet and order one from what I read and some people I know said about it, but then I stumbled upon the PX4 and it fit my hand better than any other gun I've tried except for the Sig P229 and HK USP. Plus it was about 1/2 the price of the other 2 :p

I've never been a big fan of keeping the new firearm in its NIB condition as far as lubricants or other forms of storage protectants...

I'll break it down, and put it thru a lite toothbrush scrubbing of the holy hoppes #9 and get that colored lithium based goop off of there...Glocks are packed off from the factory with this stuff, its about the only stuff I don't like about them...

Find the sweet spots where the slide and frame meet, apply a light oil lubrication and reassemble after putting a few swabs thru the barrel as well...

Its going to end up in this maintained condition anyway, so why delay...

NIB or used, I give it a thorough cleaning and inspection.
If its a semi auto, the first mag gets one cartridge, the second and third mag get only two. This checks for slide lock, and guards against slam fires. Safety's and decockers are verified.

Dan

Clean it, shoot it, name it, and hopefully trust it.

jbirds1210 wrote:Clean it, shoot it, name it, and hopefully trust it.

Copycat...

Same. I always field strip it, clean it, lube it well, then run it wet (adding FP-10 every 100 rounds or so) for the first 300 to 500 rounds without a subsequent cleaning. Won't try JHP until its had its break-in period. I'm careful not to make any changes to factory parts during the break-in--no springs, guide rods, slide or mag releases; no nothin'--so there are as few variables as possible in case I have to contact the manufacturer about a problem.

On a used auto-loader, I always replace the springs with a fresh set of manufacturer-standard tension. A lot of folks on this Forum are careful about tracking their round counts, but you just never know. A few extra bucks is a small price to pay to start fresh with a new suspension system.

Clean it and shoot the krud out of it

I usually just wipe out the barrel with a cleaning rod/patch to get the excess goop out.
Then I shoot it.
Then I clean and oil it.