[fxstchewy]

How many rounds does it take thru a new/used revolver till it proves itself to you?

[moooose102]

i have never had a revolver break, so for me, i figure they are about as reliable as a rock. but then, i have only bought Smith and Wesson revovlers, so my opinion may be faulted. personally, if there are no problems in 50 rounds, they are good to go. but i guess it would depend on what your risk factors are.

[Nugilum]

I declared 100, but that's a mix of reliability testing and creating familiarity with said revolver.

It's important to know it's reliable and know how to manipulate it (such as reload).

[007BondJamesBond007]

I would say 50 rounds for a revolver
100 or more for Semi Auto. Semi autos do need a breakin for feeding reliability. I would test Semi autos with diffrent brands of ammo including yout ccw rounds.

[Virginian]

I said 100, but really it depends on the gun and what I intend to do with it. I usually shoot a box at least of the two main rounds I intend to use.
For a Ruger single action 12 rounds would do to satisfy me it was okay.

[DickM]

Never really thought about it, but I was on a tour of the Smith & Wesson factory a while back and learned that they test each revolver by firing three rounds before they clean it up and box it for shipping. Semi-autos get one full magazine put through them.

[oldrevolverguy]

I shoot thousands of rounds each year through a variety of my carry weapons. I believe that it is critical to tailor the number of rounds required to declare the weapon/ammo combination to be fit for carry duty customized to each weapon, the number of practice rounds that go through it, your cleaning and maintenance routine, and its specific role as a self defense weapon. It is equally important to ensure that your carry ammunition shoot to the point of aim at a reasonable distance (for me 25 yards) along with functional reliability. I will actually require more carry ammo be tested in a pocket/backup gun, (one I shoot less often) than I would one of my primary carry guns with which I practice a great deal. Be certain to buy enough carry ammo of the same lot number to both test and carry. It also EXTREMELY important that you re-certify your carry ammo periodically. If you shoot up your carry ammo at least once per year (and you should) the identical replacement ammo you purchase may actually be substantially different. Not only will it be from a different manufacturing lot, manufacturers are constantly tweaking the loads changing powders, bullet configurations, loading machine etc... I will usually buy 100 rounds of ammo for my S&W 642 pocket/backup gun and shoot half of it in the practice/certification process. If I have a single failure (most often a hard primer) I relegate the remainder of the 100 rounds to practice ammo and start over with something else. My primary carry guns are Glocks and they have proven to me over and over that they will shoot any well made ammunition. I will often shoot a single magazine of carry ammo through each of may carry guns. If I experience no failures I graduate the ammo to carry status. My $.02 worth.

[wankerjake]

Kind of depends on what the brand is. I bought a used Rossi from a friend's dad awhile back, seemed to be in great shape. It shot great without any problems for about 150 rounds, now the cylinder catches on the forcing cone unless it is super clean. Turd. I bought a used Ruger SP101 on the other hand and with no malfunctions after 50 rounds I was pretty convinced it was a keeper. I've put a couple hundred thru it now but carried it after 50 rounds.

[sohcgt2]

All of them. any failure for a revolver results in overhaul or discard. I won't carry any gun I haven't fired at least 500 rounds.

[L-Frame]

I've been shooting revolvers for many years. If it goes bang and shoots to point of aim, what else is there? I'm not sure what shooting 200+ rounds tells you. If you're afraid it will fail, who's to say it will not fail at 300 rounds? If I have a gun from a quality maker and it shoots to point of aim I'm confident with it. Now, with semi-auto's, that's a totally different story.

[indiandave]

I would think if you shot 100 rounds in a S&W, Ruger, or A Taurus you would be good to go.

[Big Daddy Grim]

Only had one revolver break was a Taurus Ultralite but can't tell you how many rounds went through it I know it was over 500.

[Eightball]

At least 150, of a couple different types of ammunition. Shows how well it functions, what it'll shoot well, allows for familiarity, gives it time to "work itself in." Allows enough ammo for you to see if something just doesn't feel right.

I've had revolvers that have never failed me or given me a problem until I screwed up a reload (and had a squib stick in the cylinder gap......real fun), and they're fine. My most recent acquisition had a weird manufacturing defect show up within the first 50 rounds.

Test, test test. But my life's not depending on it until at least 150, probably 200 rounds of anything have been through it, and at least a full box of intended carry ammunition (so I can see how it performs).

[Rexster]

It is not so much the total number that matters to me, as putting several cylinders of ammo through it FAST so that it gets good and HOT. If the cylinder or any other parts are going to swell or warp, I want to know it. Slow fire may not reveal this type of defect.

I reckon I am generally happy with somewhere 50 and 100 rounds, with a leading, reputable maker such as Ruger or S&W.

[Hawk]

I thought I'd be alone in the "100 or over" crowd but it appears I've plently of company.

I like to include ammo that has a rep for being hard to light, just to be on the safe side. Since these come in boxes of 50, I'll be at 150 by the time I'm done with Fiocchi, S&B and Magtech. OTOH, those 3 have gotten (relatively) easy to get, often the only alternative, since shortages have decended on us like a plague.

My last trip to the range, yesterday, with the 325 got me "six for sure", followed by "5 for sure" and winding up with "3, I hope". Sure enough, I get home and the strain screw had backed out. I thought I had preemptively blue thread-locked it but apparently not. Oddly enough, it had only worked itself loose 1 full turn - I guess some combos are more sensitive to the screw working loose - the 325TR has a factory installed "ribbed" mainspring which I read counts for some strain screw right there.

Trust but verify.

Grant on ignition:
http://grantcunningham.com/blog_files/5664e330f77e0d21fdac0f877139ab5c-323.html

[Hungry Seagull]

I prefer ammuniton that does not fail and the gun never failing to operate. But such as things be as they may, I'll take 200 rounds without failure as a good omen.

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm very surprised there are so many votes for "100 or more." You did ask about a revolver, didn't you? I can understand wanting to shoot 200 or more rounds from a semi-auto to make sure the ammo is reliable in that pistol but a revolver is a whole different matter.

In a revolver all you really need to find out is where the POA differs from the POI. Once you know that you are good to go. There are no feed problems with a revolver.

[The Wiry Irishman]

I don't see why the requirement for a revolver would be different than a semi-auto. My 629 has malfed more in almost 2000 rounds (two light-strikes) than my 1911 has in the 4500 or so since I broke it in (0). If it takes 25 or 50 or 100 rounds through a semi to be able to say to yourself "this is reliable," I don't see why it should be any different for a revolver. (I personally don't evaluate of a gun as reliable or not until I've had about 1000 rounds through it past break-in. And I still feel dumb claiming my guns are reliable to people with 5-digit round count guns)

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm sorry to say it sounds like some of the posts here are being made by people who don't normally shoot or carry a revolver for SD. Revolvers are totally different than semi-autos.

[The Wiry Irishman]

I'm sorry to say it sounds like some of the posts here are being made by people who don't normally shoot or carry a revolver for SD. Revolvers are totally different than semi-autos.

The way the OP phrased the question made it seem to me that it wasn't a question of ammo reliability (ie, testing for HP feeding in semis, vs that being totally irrelevant with a revolver) but of the reliability of the firearm itself, so I answered in that context. While revolvers won't be prone to feed issues or failures to return to battery, they're still mechanical devices that are prone to different failure modes. As Hawk posted and I have experienced as well, there are generally a lot more threaded things in a revolver that have a tendency to vibrate themselves loose. With my guns, I like to put 1000 or more through them to allow those problems to come to the surface before I say the gun is or is not reliable.

[Hawk]

Revolvers are totally different than semi-autos.
No doubt. And their respective failure modes are generally totally different. But failing in a different manner doesn't make it any less of a failure.

That's how context changes the meaning of "FTF": it's "failure to feed" in the autoloader section and "failure to fire" in the revolver section. And "face to face" in the classified sections and "fight the future" on x-files forums.

I can't recall ever having a failure to feed in a revolver or a failure to fire (ignite) in an autoloader.

But I've had a lot of failures to fire in revolvers - over a dozen just yesterday with that rarest of beast: a current production model I actually bought. I already had a history of used S&W with filed strain screws and used Colts with molested springs.

Neither was it the first time I've had a strain screw unscrew itself. It is the first time I've had one unscrew that I thought I'd battened down. "Old Timers" disease no doubt. Nevertheless, a good reason why it wasn't (yet) trusted for nightstand duties.

[1911shooter]

voted for 100 or more, in all reality it is more like 1,000rds before i even begin to think about carrying a pistol for protection or work. not just 1k for a model but 1k or more for a single pistol and that is every and any type of ammo that is available for that caliber.

[10-Ring]

For my semi auto's the number is 1000. I've had guns that needed to be broken in before they proved their reliability. Wheelguns are a slightly diff't animal -- no mag issues to worry about, not a lot of function issues to be concerned over so -- typically after 150 fmj's and 250 defensive rounds and I'm good.

[sohcgt2]

ArchAngelCd wroteI'm very surprised there are so many votes for "100 or more." You did ask about a revolver, didn't you? I can understand wanting to shoot 200 or more rounds from a semi-auto to make sure the ammo is reliable in that pistol but a revolver is a whole different matter.

In a revolver all you really need to find out is where the POA differs from the POI. Once you know that you are good to go. There are no feed problems with a revolver.

I read regular posts on this forum from people who have cylinder lockup issues every x number of rounds fired but I can group 3 shots and find the difference between POI and POA if there is any. That doesn't instill in me the confidence to bet my life or the life of others on that weapon. I trust your judgement for your protection but I will continue "waste" ammo until I feel confident that my sidearm will perform when needed.

[JohnKSa]

In a revolver, I'd be more than satisfied after putting a box through it. Less would be ok but I can't imagine going to the range and shooting less than a box of ammo. In an autopistol it takes 200 rounds to make me comfortable.

[ArchAngelCD]

That's not how I read the original post but I can see how it might have been meant that way. If that's the case then I agree shooting more than 100 would be necessary to determine if the revolver is reliable.

Even though I voted 25 rounds I practice with my carry every week so it's really not an issue with me. I just love to shoot and would do so even if I could put 50 rounds through 1 hole at 25 yards. (which I can't!)

[Gunfighter123]

I voted for 50 rds. ---- double or triple that for a semi-auto.

Out of the 50 rds --- I would try AT LEAST two or three good SD loads because of primer variation.

[KBintheSLC]

I would trust a revolver after only 50 rounds and a good inspection. An auto loader needs at least 200 IMO to be trusted.