How many rounds per trip to the firing range?

[crums]

The other day a friend and I took a brand new Browning Hi-Power to a firing range and shot 250 rounds of 9mm in about an hour's space. We were in a hurry to get in the shots before the range closed for the day. I seriously regret doing that because that seems like too many rounds in too short of time. What I'm afraid is that shooting so many shots at one time damaged the rifling of the gun barrel, since we kept shooting even though the barrel was probably red hot.

Are my fears justified? How many rounds do you usually go through with a gun at the range? How many "rounds per hour" is considered optimum to protect the barrel? Should you let a gun cool down after each few magazines before resuming fire?

Also, are there ways to tell if the rifling is significantly damaged? I looked at the muzzle of the barrel and the rifling grooves at the muzzle seem worn down a bit.

 

[Master Blaster]

I always bring a .22lr and warm up with 100-150 rounds of that. It improves my marksmanship, then I shoot 50-100 rounds of centerfire.

Slow down and move back to a greater distance from the target, you shouldnt shoot a gun red hot, you are shooting way too fast for good accuracy. I doubt you really shot it red hot or did any damage to it. Get a good solvent and a bronze brush and some patches and give it a good cleaning.

 

[siglite]

Usually about 250-ish. And unless your barrel was glowing, it's fine.

 

[mekender]

200 + in my pistol... 200+ .22lr... a whole bunch of rifle rounds too, probably at least 100

 

[Starter52]

250 is about right for me, but never from the same gun. I run three handguns at each range session. More cleaning, but more fun.

 

[Chuck Dye]

My shooting range is about 15 feet from where I now sit. Although I don't do it, I could switch on the flood light and use the 100 foot side after sundown. Never a schedule, never a hurry, no rules, no Range Officer, no strangers, no Rambos, etc. etc. etc.

As to high volume rapid fire and barrel wear, I do not know anything useful about it but standard barrels are relatively inexpensive, drop in items, easily replaced. If you notice significant accuracy decline, buy a new one. If you have the loot, upgrade.

 

[Galen]

I guess a good question would be how many rounds should I expect to be able to fire before I ware out a barrel (I assume this would depend on your specific gun and ammo used)?

 

[Golden Hound]

At least 200 rounds of .22 and 250 or so of 7.62x39.

 

[siglite]

For standard pistol calibers, tens of thousands of rounds, Galen.

 

[FlyinBryan]

100-150 pistol (45acp)
100-200 rifle (ar15-223)
all handloads

sometimes a few hundred 22lr rifle


your rifling should be fine.

light machine guns fire as many rounds in seconds, at much higher pressures and velocities with no measurable wear.

not cleaning it after such a session and then doing it again would be another matter.

 

[yakkingallover]

Mostly I fire over a thousand rounds, usually alot of .22 between three guns and a few hundred between centerfire pistols. I shoot in the evenings mostly and am fairly alone so I will procure up to four stalls and roate between guns as they warm up.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Between semi-automatic firing rate, the time it takes to load magazines, change targets, sit through range "cease-fires," etc., there is no way your handgun barrels are going to overheat.

I typically - depending on what kind of shooting and how many guns I want to take - shoot around 200 rounds on average, sometimes more, sometimes less.

 

[zxcvbob]

I usually take two revolvers at a time (.45LC, .357 Mag, .30 Carbine) to the range and shoot 50 to 100 rounds in each. (If I didn't reload, I couldn't afford to do this more than once or twice a year) If I take my BHP, I shoot about 100 rounds with it, but I don't take it very often.

When it dries out a little here, I'm ready to start taking a rifle to the range, then the round count will drop quite a bit.

I shoot .22LR in the winter at the indoor range. Usually about 60 rounds, and then maybe 24 to 30 .38 Specials.

 

[mekender]

ive seen pistol barrels handle upwards of 60,000 rounds without needing to be replaced... remember you are using brass and lead/copper (soft metals) in a barrel made in hardened steel... unless you are particularly abusive when cleaning the gun, you should be fine...

 

[scrat]

For sure the more guns you take the better. I try not to shoot so much at one time. Unless your just anctious to blow rounds and waiste money.

 

[dewage83]

yea between 250-500 rds. on average. I used to go to the range weekly but I got a couple lawn jobs so that has slowed to about every other or one every 3 weeks. I try to get close to 500 in between all my guns, if at all possible.

 

[glink]

I found out when practicing with a bow that more frequent sessions with fewer shots per session seemed to maintain a high skill level better than large volume sessions spaced further apart in time. I then started doing the same with my SD firearms. Couple of 3 shot groups from each weapon couple of times per week. May not be practical for some I realize. I am fortunate, I can drive a few miles and shoot on a relative's property down the road.

 

[bnkrazy]

There was a summer two years ago I easily shot 500 rounds a weekend through my 229. I have close to 20k rounds through it now and still have plenty of barrel life left. You don't need to worry.

 

[32winspl]

I usually shoot 75 to 150 (45acp) at a session, mostly as inexpensive fmj's as I can find as I'm trying to build up my supply of reloadable brass.
To the OP, 250 rounds in an hour is just over 4 rounds per minute. You didn't hurt a thing. 15 years ago, I was still shooting a pistol that over a 3 or 4 year period, I'd put about 170,000 rounds through. The vast majority of those were lead swc's, but it shot about as accurately then as it did new.

 

[jrpbullrider]

A few years ago (Sept, 04) my oldest son was killed and I was not in a great mood so I went to my gun closet and pulled all of my ammo and guns I had well over 2500 rounds and I blew thru them in about 4 hrs of shooting. I don't remember the right #'s but I know I put over 400 rounds thru my sks and over 100 rounds thru my 12 ga. I shot a .357mag, sks, 12 ga., .22lr, 30-30, .40 cal, .38, and a few others. I never had a prob with any of them after that. granted this was a few years back when ammo was a lot cheaper, and I had my guns.
John

 

[tinygnat219]

I think you are fine. I usually go through 100-200 rounds of ammo.

 

[XDKingslayer]

I usually take 100 rounds of .45, 200 rounds .380, and at least 2 bricks of .22 for my daughter. Kid goes through ammo like water.

 

[ByAnyMeans]

Money is tight lately so my 22's see a lot of action. I usually go through a brick of 22's in my rifles ( hanguns once i can get some) and then a hundred rounds through either my shotguns at the skeet pit or my ak and keep it all rifles. I would add in handguns of larger caliber (9mm and 45) once i'm able to purchase them into the range trip rotation but I mainly use 22's for the time being.

 

[possum]

welcome to thr.

i typically shoot 200-300rds per trip to the range.

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

My range ammo allotment every weekend :

30 Carbine = 30 rounds
SKS = 20 rounds
XD-40 = 55 rounds
Taurus Mil-Pro 40 = 60 rounds
Ruger 22/45 = 60 rounds
357 mag = 30 rounds, or 5 cylinders worth.

Grand Total = 255 rounds.

It takes me about 2 hours to shoot all this ammo, a nice relaxing pace, I get to enjoy it.

I also reload my pistol ammo, so I can afford this.