How long before you consider a CC handgun reliable?

[John Wayne]

Any certain reliability tests you subject your carry pieces to? A certain number of rounds fired, or a "torture test?"

What's acceptable to you, and what's not? Would you carry something that's not 100% reliable?

[Mainsail]

Why only a concealed carry handgun? What about an openly carried handgun, or a home defense handgun?

[John Wayne]

I'm sorry, I meant a defensive handgun, rather than one you intend primarily for recreational shooting.

[The Bushmaster]

250 rounds of various manufacturers, bullets and cases without one failure. Not one...

[rcmodel]

An older S&W or Colt revolver in good unmodified condition?
I would be confident to load it and go hunting BG's behind the drapes without testing it.

The new ones, maybe not so much.
I'd want at least a couple boxes of ammo through one before I trusted it completely.

Semi-autos, with few exceptions would be more like 200 - 300 trouble free rounds.

rcmodel

[Ringer]

300 or more rounds of various FMJ/target loads without any malfunctions at all. This followed by 100 -200 rounds of whatever I am going to carry. I would also use only two magazines during this process and they would be used for carry, one in the gun and one on the belt. Again no malfunctions aloud. And yes I've burned some money on ammo getting a gun to be reliable or in some cases giving up. I don't typically carry revolvers but I would downsize the round count, maybe as much 50% if I were testing a new one.

As far as carrying a gun that I know is not reliable. No, I wouldn't do that. I can see the temptation with a gun that you really like and shoot well but has had some malfunctions. Still no though for me.

[TheGrimReaper]

Glock out of the box test fire to make sure everything is working like it is supposed to -And everything is Good To Go.

[twoclones]

My personal 'test' would be to fire enough rounds for ME to be proficient with the new gun. Otherwise I always expect my handguns to be dependable right out of the box.

[Uglyoldpoorman]

Glock out of the box test fire to make sure everything is working like it is supposed to -And everything is Good To Go.

Exactly

[possum]

at least 500 rds bobble free, with fmj range ammo, and then testing with various jhp loadings to see what is best in the pistol. more like 1k is more like it. of the three guns that i carry or have carried one has over 1500rds through it, one has over 2k, and the other has over 8k so i know they work and i am confident that they are good to go.

[VHinch]

Usually 500 rounds, and a minimum of 250 rounds of that will be whatever round will be carried in the gun.

[Lonestar49]

...

+ 3

500 trouble free rounds


Ls

[goon]

Generally, I like a gun to run for 250-500 rounds with assorted ammo from various manufacturers without any failures of any kind.
This is my procedure with semi-automatics.
With revolvers, it's been my experience that if you can get through half a box of ammo without any problems, you'll probably get through thousands more rounds without any problems too. Usually, if it will chamber smoothly in the gun it will fire just fine.
This is why lately I'm leaning about eliminating my last automatic and going pretty much to straight revolvers.

[Kor]

For semi-auto's, I usually do 100-150 rds of FMJ training ammo, then 50 rds of my preferred JHP while the gun is still dirty. If no jams/malfunctions, OK to carry.

For revolvers, one box of LRN/FMJ ammo + 20-50 rds of JHP.

A BIG confidence booster is to take your chosen SD handgun with you through a 2-day or longer defensive/tactical pistol training course - 500+ rds really helps you know, on a visceral level, how well your gun shoots and how well you shoot your gun. I did this with the Glock 26 I chose for CCW, it performed flawlessly, and now I carry it without any reservations whatsoever as to either its reliability or my skill.

[19-3Ben]

semi-auto:
300 rounds of the dirtiest range ammo I can get. then 50 rounds of my defensive ammo without cleaning.

Revolver:
about 100 rounds with whatever.

[Steve C]

If its a revolver, about 6 rounds. For a semi auto, 600.

[loneviking]

For a revolver, no more than 50 rounds to see if the firing system functions properly. What is more important with a revolver are things such as the cylinder release latch; the crane; the lockup; the condition of the pawl; and the internal springs such as checking for a good, solid strike of the firing pin into the primer.

I just bought a 65-6 with very little wear on it. For some reason, the cylinder release latch won't release consistently and hangs up. I have my gunsmith looking at it now to figure out what's wrong. This is the sort of thing that goes wrong with revolvers.

[JT in VA]

500 - remember its not just making sure the gun is reliable, but also making sure you are used to it.

[jjohnson]

It depends, but you knew that.

If it's a tried and proven military or police weapon - M1911, Glock, P38, Makarov, fewer rounds than something else.

That's based on experience. I bought a Kel-tec that broke its slide release rendering it useless after less than 300 rounds. :eek:

My Taurus .44 locked itself up after the cylinder rod worked itself loose, closing itself shut until I took it apart. :what: This after 800 rounds or fewer.

I carry a Russian Mak that I trust and when I can conceal it, an M1911 that I trust. Both have been proven as reliable combat handguns. I trust my Glock, too. Any of these three I already trusted after a few boxes of ammo and all three have several thousands of rounds through them reinforcing that trust.

I won't ever trust the Kel-tec or Taurus as carry guns.:scrutiny:

Bottom line is if it's a trustworthy design, military or police, I'm comfortable with a couple hundred rounds to make sure THIS ONE doesn't have bugs.

[mauiglide]

500 rounds (target and some HD ammo) through each gun regardless of what type of firearm. Only then will I be satisfied and confident with my HD firearms (can't CC in Hawaii).

[NonConformist]

My mark is 200 rounds, and then run a few mags of your choice SD/HD ammo to make sure they are gonna work

[Mad Magyar]

of the three guns that i carry or have carried one has over 1500rds through it, one has over 2k, and the other has over 8k so i know they work and i am confident that they are good to go.

Is that w/o a minor tune-up? :D;)

[Mat, not doormat]

When I buy a new semi-auto, it gets 500 rds through it. If there are any malfunctions, they get fixed or tweaked to prevent reoccurence. Then repeat the test. I'm not one of these superstitious folks that will sell a gun "Because I just can't trust it," over a glitch or two.

I also do the same thing any time I modify a gun, to make sure the thing works.

One of the best ways I've found to test a gun is to shoot an USPSA match with it. If anything is going to go wrong, you'll find out about it there.

~~~Mat

[ProShooter]

I have a sure-fire reliability test.

I go to the gun store and search for a gun that says G L O C K on the side.

Then I.....well, that's pretty much it.

[Gunfighter123]

I want a 200 rd. ZERO malfunctions before I would even think about useing that HANDGUN to protect myself and my loved ones.

A 12ga. pump shotgun --- a box of birdshot , 10 rounds of each Slugs and Buckshot.

A .308/.223/AK semi- auto rifle --- about double the amount of the pistol test.

And again --- with ZERO ftf/fte etc.

[Ben Shepherd]

Assuming acceptable accuracy-

Revolvers- 200 rounds of the ammo I intend to carry.

Semis- 500 total rounds. 200 of my intended carry ammo.

[wep45]

I have fired a few hundred rounds from my S&W 686-4PP and it's good to go anytime any where. :D

[R. Deckard]

I would think that any gun has the possibility of jamming or misfiring and learning and practicing how to clear it and make it ready for the next shot is what you would want to do