Did I screw up or just a good learning experience?

[nikonNUT]

Evening all! So I picked up a free floated Springfield Saint yesterday and took it out to start my break-in process. Set up a target at 50 yards and let one fly!
Click this bar to view the full image.



Well pleased with the flip-up sights for sure and I proceeded to seperate the upper, and pulled the bolt and charging handle. A wee squirt of Hoppe's No.9 and pull a bore snake thru. My dumb *** says " Self, that went thru pretty easy maybe you should add a patch!" so I did and so it got stuck... Tight! Brought it home in two pieces and took my angled needle nose pliers to it treating everything like a newborn kitten. I fished out the patch with no drama (aside from possibly touching the splined area that the bolt face locks into VERY lightly) and pulled the snake thru. So I ask the gurus... Have I blundered to the point of needing a gunsmith to give it a once over or are ARs tougher than I am giving them credit for and I should count this as a life lesson and a near miss? Thanks for the advice in advance and let the chiding begin!

 

[martym]

You will know once you fire it again.
I would say quit overthinking and just have fun. Don’t worry about it.
If you shoot right handed it appears you have too much finger on the trigger. Use just the fingertip. You may be pulling your shots.
Or just work on your sight acquisition

 

[KW Driver]

Chamber and barrel should be chromed. You’re going to have to work harder than that to hurt it.

 

[nikonNUT]

You will know once you fire it again.
I would say quit overthinking and just have fun. Don’t worry about it.
If you shoot right handed it appears you have too much finger on the trigger. Use just the fingertip. You may be pulling your shots.
Or just work on your sight acquisition

Thank you, sir! I just hate when i do stupid stuff like this but I think all will be well! And I agree... Gotta get the feel for the rifle. My .45s need a goodly bit of trigger finger!

Chamber and barrel should be chromed. You’re going to have to work harder than that to hurt it.

Good to know! Thank you very much for putting my mind at ease. Springfield says it's Melonite barrel... Whatever that is! To the Google!!!

EDIT: Melonite=Salt Bath Nitriding aka hard as all get out! I feel much better!

 

[KW Driver]

That was one round? On zero’d sights?

I agree with military zero practice. 3 rds, adjust, continue until you’re on target. Confirm with a couple three more.

 

[KW Driver]

If soldiers and Marines can beat the dogsnot out chromed barrels and not loose accuracy, you’ll be hard pressed to do so except via round count,

 

[nikonNUT]

That was one round? On zero’d sights?

I agree with military zero practice. 3 rds, adjust, continue until you’re on target. Confirm with a couple three more.

That was the way it come out of the box. No adjustment on my part. Just sent one downrange to see where I was as it were.

If soldiers and Marines can beat the dogsnot out chromed barrels and not loose accuracy, you’ll be hard pressed to do so except via round count,

Yeah.. Melonite seems to be about 69 on the Rockwell C scale. I really think I was being paranoid and over thinking it but better to ask I suppose Thank you again for putting my mind at ease!

 

[Ron991]

Don't over think this and don't second guess yourself. Lock and load and just continue to send lead down range. This rifle is designed to take abuse and continue to perform. What you did was a minor hiccup. IMHO

 

[Scarry Knight]

You may already know this: you can strip away a few strands of thread from one or more edges of the patches (given they’re the type of fabric that it can be done with) for easier passage.

 

[Ad Astra]

Think "pair of pliers" class, not "Weatherby" class.

It'll live.

Do you like it? Saint has my attention. Good value.


AA

 

[nikonNUT]

Think "pair of pliers" class, not "Weatherby" class.

It'll live.

Do you like it? Saint has my attention. Good value.


AA

I do like it! I would have another when the time came for sure!