Maintainence questions

**Knightshift** · August 24th, 2017, 01:18 PM

I am pretty new to handguns as I bought my Shield9 in January and M&P9 2.0 last month. Have around a thousand rounds through them so far. Well I do the usual cleaning and lube after each range visit as per the manual. I realize any metal to metal contacts require lube but there's only 7 places indicated after basic strip down and was wondering about the other moving parts that are not exposed. Trigger mechanism, firing pin etc. When do these require attention or do they?
Having lots of fun shooting and getting pretty decent too and love this forum. You guys and gals are very funny AND very knowledgeable. Preciate any tips and info.

**Yoder** · August 24th, 2017, 02:37 PM

I pull my firing pin and striker spring out and clean everything maybe three times a year on my competition gun. So every 2 - 3k rounds. Since both of yours are brand new you don't know what was in there from the factory. It might not be a bad idea to break them down and clean them. I wouldn't worry too much about cleaning every X rounds.

How do you like the 2.0? I shoot a Glock but I was wondering how the trigger was on the M&P. Also the grip on the Glock kinda sucks. If you really like shooting you should check out a local IDPA or USPSA match. Great practice and a lot of fun.

**Knightshift** · August 24th, 2017, 04:58 PM

Thanks for info Yoder. Took a while for me to control the Shield being a short barrel and learn trigger control but got it to go where I aimed eventually. So thought the next step was a full size and loved how the 2.0 felt in the store. Well bought one and ended up putting the small backstrap on because it was closest to the size of my Shield that I was used to. The texture is awsome. The trigger is much better feeling than the Shield so may go Apex to the Shield at some point. My accuracy with the 2.0 is really good I guess because of the longer barrel and stability of the gun. No FTF or FTE so far with either gun using Fiocchi or Herter fmj.

**middlefinger** · August 24th, 2017, 05:15 PM

**middlefinger** · August 24th, 2017, 05:17 PM

**Berncly** · August 24th, 2017, 06:15 PM

Welcome to the forum.
I didn't check but I'm sure the videos posted above cover the basics.

Going beyond the basics and pulling firing pins and extractors can be a little challenging for a beginner unless you're good with your hands, have tools, and like to tinker.
Generally speaking you can operate a firearm for several thousand rounds (10,000+) before these items need to be serviced.
Detailed manuals for all firearms are available online, and a little research should find what is recommended for a specific firearm.

Generally polymer firearms don't need oils and solvents on their non-metallic parts, and wiping them down with a tack cloth is enough.
Oil on polymer can act as a dirt and dust catcher, and end up gumming up parts that would otherwise be fine with just a dry wipe down.

Lastly, if you are new to firearms, even if progressing well, a professional class or two is highly recommended and can be invaluable for your experience and safety.
Best of luck to you, and please stay safe.
Berncly-

**Knightshift** · August 24th, 2017, 07:05 PM

Thanks Berncly
Yes good with my hands with being automotive technician for 24 years and golf club maker for the last 30. Definitely have a grip on what is too much or not enough oil that attracts grime etc. Was mostly wondering about the inner workings that you can't see on the gun and how presurve their reliability.

**Berncly** · August 24th, 2017, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Knightshift

Thanks Berncly
Yes good with my hands with being automotive technician for 24 years and golf club maker for the last 30. Definitely have a grip on what is too much or not enough oil that attracts grime etc. Was mostly wondering about the inner workings that you can't see on the gun and how presurve their reliability.

If you really know your way around a tool box, then the sky's the limit as far as learning what makes a firearm tick.
As long as you review the detailed manuals beforehand you should be ok.
But in terms of necessity, about 10,000+ rounds is about average for breaking down and/or replacing the smaller components.
It's usually recommended to have spare springs and pins for your specific firearm, since these parts tend to fly off into the abyss never to be seen again.