Appropriate Number of rounds to test for a CCW

I run a couple hundred RN through thye gun and a couple of mags of JHP through and I'm good to go.

This same subject has been brought up for discussion previously the number of occasions eludes me. A response that I recall from one particular respondent was statistically 300 was the optimum number. I believe that S&W tested each 4506 with 24 rounds total with a mix of brands and configurations. That said my example of the 4506 after 25Yrs of service with 26,000 plus rounds fired thru it has not had nettlesome issues.

Buy a glock and you're good to go. Lol just kidding...

I run a couple hundred rn for break in and a couple mags of my carry load and if no issue I'm happy with that. That being said I'm very good about keeping guns and mags clean.

Ledgehammer said:

Buy a glock and you're good to go. Lol just kidding...

I run a couple hundred rn for break in and a couple mags of my carry load and if no issue I'm happy with that. That being said I'm very good about keeping guns and mags clean.

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After a making sure the gun will digest your SD ammo, that is probably the most important thing to do.

My opinion on how to determine reliability has changed over the years of shooting. At first, I did it by successful rounds cycled and fired, mostly FMJ with small sample tests of JHPs. Then I got into IDPA and saw things differently.

Firing at a static range that most shooters have publicly available vs. an IDPA stage are very different. Most indoor ranges have rules on rate of fire, and I agree that it's an acceptable policy without knowing everyone's firearms experience. A "troubled" pistol may work fine during slowfire. But at a rapid pace, perhaps the magazine springs aren't keeping up. I've seen guns that work fine on a bench absolutely choke in an action shooting sport, where rate of fire can be pretty high.

So nowadays, my criteria is 100% flawless function throughout a full match or two. I highly recommend that those who carry use their carry weapon in IDPA. It's a good way to check for bugs or find a part failure. This is also where I see a lot of "limp wrist" failures in glocks, and is why I will not use something so temperamental. This "trial by fire" is how I determine the trust in a pistol, and no longer do I worry about firing a certain type of round. Check that it feeds, but don't shoot 200 rounds of it.

After a prospective carry piece has been broken in, I clean it thoroughly before I test it. For the test, I place my newly clean a oiled firearm in a box with 2 hand fulls of pocket lint and dust bunnies. Then I used canned air to mix it all up, and crud up the gun. After that, the gun needs to perform through a full load plus one reload.

CCWs pick up a lot of crud, and I want to know how the gun will perform under less that ideal circumstances.

I use Glocks for defensive weapons.

So before I carry one for that purpose I run a box of 50 rounds of ammo thru it. If it is good for those 50. I feel confident in loading up and carrying it.

How many rounds do you shoot before you are satisfied it will cycle reliably?

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My opinion has evolved over the years. Currently I believe three magazines fully loaded with the defense ammo under test is sufficient. Seat the magazine; chamber a round; remove, top-off, and replace the magazine; shoot until the magazine is empty. Magazine capacity and round count don't matter. If the ammo doesn't feed and function well with the gun then it will be quickly apparent.

If the gun is new then shoot 50-100 rounds inexpensive FMJ ammo to exercise the gun before testing the defense ammo.

My previous position - "Personal Defense Ammunition Functional Reliability Test for Semiautomatic Handguns" at http://www.firearmstactical.com/briefs25.htm