Handgun Life

[TheBoss930]

I was wondering how many rounds can a single barrel last? I know there is many variables but specifically a .45ACP Barrel.

What about the Handgun itself?

Thanks!

 

[Dean C.]

Going to go on a limb and say there are way too many variables to accurately put a number on that. I know I have at least 4000 rounds down the pipe of my Springfield Operator and it's still definitely going strong

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Depends. Rapid fire that creates heat build up will cause more wear than the same number of rounds with long pauses between each shot. It also depends on what you consider "worn out", as accuracy gradual degrade over time but the barrel is still safe and functional.

Glocks and Sigs have both been tested beyond 80k rounds with no noticeable degradation in accuracy. Stay on top of spring changes and basic maintenance and you should be able to get well north of 100k rounds out of a quality duty gun with no major mishaps. I've got a P226 with a touch over 40k rounds, and it's needed springs, a decocker lever, and a front sight (fiber optic came out).

Accuracy still seems pretty good (I can't recall if this was 10y or 7y, but a 10 shot group shot at an indoor range):

 

[oldpink]

As already mentioned, it depends on how hot the ammo was and how hot you got the barrel while shooting it, but don't forget the importance of proper cleaning and storage.
Hickok45 has a Smith & Wesson model 29 that he originally bought in the 1970s that he says he has shot over 70K rounds through at this point, with all original parts still on it, and it still shoots very well, with a top marksman shooting it certainly helping in that last aspect.

 

[cedartop]

I recently replaced a Glock 9mm barrel that had @80k rounds through it. More because I wanted to than because I had to. BBI's mentioned 100k seems like a pretty good generic number.

 

[rvb]

It'll take so much ammo that the cost of said ammo will make the replacement of a barrel or even a gun trivial.

I wore out a beretta 92fs somewhere around 120k rounds. lower barrel lugs sheared cracking the chamber and frame rails. gun had lost accuracy, it was hard to keep them all on an ipsc head box at 15 yards (the throat was about completely eroded away. that gun had been run hard and hot). The other beretta I competed with, an EII, has about 60k and no sign of accuracy loss.

my 38 super open gun also has about 60k and no sign of accuracy loss.

my G34 has about 15k on it and is as accurate as when it was new.

I shoot jacketed and don't clean the bores.

-rvb

 

[indiucky]

Here is a 52 year old Smith model 18-2 that belongs to a 52 year old man....I don't know how many rounds have been through it before I got it but I have put roughly 6,000-8,000 through her in the past two years....Still shoots like a dream...

 

[Tactically Fat]

I'd expect the barrel life of .45 ACP to probably be higher than others. Strictly barrel wear, however. Lugs, links, and etc may go out before the barrel is "shot out".

Then there's the firearm itself. Not all are created equal. Sticking with .45 ACP and suggesting the 1911 platform - it can also depend on if it's a ramped barrel set up or an older style with the feed ramp as a part of the frame. Slamming rounds into the frame over and over and over for X-thousand times can, will, and does create a set of issues. Likewise, the rearward slamming of the slide against the innards cause issues. Gotta keep a pistol properly sprung.

Too many variables indeed. Too many to worry about with a QUALITY firearm.

With a non-quality firearm - it can be a literal crap shoot.

 

[GIJEW]

I'm with the concensus that, in normal use, pistol barrels will last as long as the rest of the gun or longer. I'd guess that's because the best steel is in the barrel.

I had a Springfield 1911 that I did wear out. After 125K rounds (Maybe even 150K? I lost count), the front of the rails started to chip, the front sight came loose and the barrel bushing broke. I replaced the sights, barrel bushing, and added a "Dwyer group gripper", and the pistol would shoot ragged 1 hole groups at 50'.

Throat erosion in rifle barrels is an entirely different story. My National Match AR started to throw occasional "7's" after about 6K rounds

 

[bacon#1]

Oh handgun life, I thought you meant "Handgun Life". You know like those "Salt Life" stickers I see on peoples vehicles. Could be an idea though.

 

[TheBoss930]

Thanks for all the responses! I guess with proper care I've got nothing to worry about

 

[Vigilant]

Oh handgun life, I thought you meant "Handgun Life". You know like those "Salt Life" stickers I see on peoples vehicles. Could be an idea though.

My favorites are the Assault Life stickers which picture AR's and AK's instead of fishing stuff like the Salt Life ones.

 

[88E30M50]

I would love to wear a handgun out. I shoot 50 to 100 rounds weekly (some might say weakly, but we won't go there right now) spread across a couple of favorite guns. If I limited my shooting to only one gun, it would still take me over 25 years to wear the thing out. Spread out across the favorites, it's pushing a hundred or more years. This might be something I challenge my heirs to do. Will them the gun with the expectation of them shooting it regularly.

 

[crispy]

I've got a 109 year old Colt that I shoot occasionally. It is still a tack driver. Am I afraid of it breaking? Yeah, a little.

 

[Dewidmt]

I believe I read an article last year concerning the Gen 1 Glock 17 that firearms guru Chuck Taylor purchased and tried to kill with torture testing. It is back at the Glock factory in their museum still going strong with an estimated 170,000 rounds through it!

 

[Tomc1947]

Truth is, most people don't shoot a gun enough to break it in, let alone wear it out...and that's a good thing if like used guns.

 

[BE Mike]

I've read that the military shooting teams, who shoot bullseye competitions, replace their 1911 match barrels after 20,000-30,000 rounds. They test the barrels in barrel test fixtures to ascertain accuracy. Of course they demand more accuracy at 50 yards than the vast majority of 1911 owners. Unless you are shooting bullseye matches, you'll probably wear out before the barrel. Copper jacketed bullets will wear faster than lead bullets. Rifle barrels wear faster than pistol barrels, but that is a subject for another thread.

 

[bubbazap]

I have a colt with over 50k rounds thru it and have noticed little to no loss of accuracy. I do not shoot rapid fire (maybe once in a while) so maybe that has something to do with it.