I am sure you’ve often seen the advice that when you obtain a defensive firearm, new or used, you should carefully check it out before relying on it. But, what exactly does this mean? The pat answer would be that it must check out to be as reliable as possible. But, again, what exactly does that mean? Well, I can tell you what that means to me and how I go about checking one out.
The first thing that I want to know is if it functions reliably with the ammo that I intend to carry for personal defense. There are too many variables for me to tell you exactly how many rounds of ammunition to run through the gun, but I would say it should be several hundred. With ammunition costs being what they are, I might start with some less expensive practice ammo and then finish up with my carry choice. Any malfunctions during this test period would be a red flag with a possible trip to a gunsmith indicated. I am not going to carry it until it functions properly with my chosen ammunition.
Next, I want to be sure that it shoots to point-of-aim (POA) with that chosen ammo. Trying to use Kentucky Windage during a gunfight is just not a good idea. Of course, if the gun has adjustable sights, dialing it in is not a problem. In the case of a fixed-sighted gun it might be a good idea to consider going to another bullet weight or even ammo brand to get it closer to POA. I want my chosen load to stay within 2 to 3 inches at 25 yards to POA.
During this breaking-in period I like to clean the gun regularly, and I use the cleaning sessions to look for further problems that might arise. Do all of the screws stay tight? Does everything that is supposed to move do it freely and properly? And is anything moving that shouldn’t move?
Running into a problem does not necessarily mean that you have made a bad purchase. I once bought a very nice used gun that turned out to have function problems. It went straight to a gunsmith who tore it down completely and it turned out that the previous owner was a real fan of WD-40. Once all of the old dried junk was cleaned out of every nook and cranny, the gun worked perfectly and is still in my collection.
New or used, I want to check them out thoroughly. I try to use good-quality ammunition and make sure that it is compatible with my particular gun. And I am not afraid to seek professional help in solving problems. Once all of those things get a positive check mark then, and only then, am I willing to carry the gun for personal defense.
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