M4 break-in period

[Stud Duck]

How many rounds would you recommend putting through a new M4 before considering it broken-in/reliable?

[1811guy2]

If it was assembled properly, it should be reliable from the first round. None of mine have ever required a break in period. Just load up and shoot.

[RMTactical]

I don't break in my rifles. I do lube everything up a bit more when I shoot them at first though, but no break in really.

[MrMurphy]

What they said.


Realistically if it hasn't had a major malfunction within the first four or five mags, it probably will be just fine.

If it does, check the mags first.

[c4igrant]

New guns are stiff and I generally like to give them 500rds before I consider them broken in.


C4

[RMTactical]

Originally posted by c4igrant
New guns are stiff and I generally like to give them 500rds before I consider them broken in.


C4

Well, I don't put a specific number on mine but similarly I do like to put some rounds downrange with them before I think of them as "ready for duty use" or what-not.

Couple hundred rounds usually satisfies me, but like I said, I don't put a specific number on it...

YMMV

[Skintop911]

The extent to which you verify reliability should be proportional to how high the stakes are in use.

I felt pretty good about my working carbine after 500 rounds. I feel great about it 5000+ later.

New personal and armory guns get a detailed inspection, then 500+/- rounds before being fielded for serious purposes.

Be careful not to set the bar too low. Some problems don't become evident until you add heat, fouling, and other variables. Define your needs, determine the functional thresholds, and see if they mesh.

[FDC]

I've had 3.

The 1st was brand new, and a little stiff until a couple range trips. All were 100% reliable.

[army_eod]

I took a brand new, never fired M-4 and slapped an EOTEC sight on it. The first 80 rounds fired were in a firefight/ambush in Hit.

No malfunctions.

[c4igrant]

Originally posted by army_eod
I took a brand new, never fired M-4 and slapped an EOTEC sight on it. The first 80 rounds fired were in a firefight/ambush in Hit.

No malfunctions.

Go out and buy yourself a lottery ticket! :supergrin:



C4

[doktarZues]

Originally posted by army_eod
I took a brand new, never fired M-4 and slapped an EOTEC sight on it. The first 80 rounds fired were in a firefight/ambush in Hit.

No malfunctions. What's Hit? What kind of unit? What were the circumstances that were so important that they had to send you out of the fence with a never fired unzero'd rifle?

If no one in your chain of command had knowledge or the balls to stop this, then you should have, it isn't just your life your putting in danger. Maybe I'm overracting, I don't even know what "Hit" is, but using the word firefight I'm assuming it's something military related.

Or maybe your some kind of elite marksman that's perfectly comfortable in this situation, but it still stinks. -dok

[Eric911]

Originally posted by army_eod
I took a brand new, never fired M-4 and slapped an EOTEC sight on it. The first 80 rounds fired were in a firefight/ambush in Hit.

No malfunctions.
No rounds through it. Optic not dialed in. Deployed weapon.
Okay...

[army_eod]

Hit is a town on the Euphrates in Anbar. I have faith that the weapon would be on paper at 100 yds, so not a problem.

I have the same rig at home.

I was a contractor. We had other shooters with us as well.

We basically laid down supressive fire as we were driving at 60 miles per hour thru the city. The weapon was good enough for that purpose as we kept their heads down. We made it through the one mile kill zone with only a few bullet holes in our vehicles.

Very exciting.