"Life Expectancy" of 22 Handguns

[TomJ]

In a couple of recent threads members mentioned pretty impressive round counts of their guns, mainly 9's and 45's. With the shortages my shooting habits have changed from primarily shooting an average of 500-600 rounds of 9mm per range session with other calibers such as 45, 10mm and 40 sometimes mixed in to shooting 200-300 rounds of 9mm and another 300-400 rounds of 22's. I have four 22 handguns, a Ruger Mark IV and SR22, a M&P Compact and a GSG 1911. I was wondering if quality 22 handguns are as durable as some of the other guns discussed and if it's common to see round counts in to 50,000 to 100,000 range.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I dont believe you can wear out a Ruger MK. There are decades old ones still running like new.

 

[12Bravo20]

I have a Ruger MkII that I bought used so no telling how many thousands of rounds through it. I have a GSG 1911 conversion slide that I have finally wore out enough that it no longer functions reliably. I bought a Glock G44 back in March and have 6,000+ rounds through it with no issues. My S&W 22A has over 10,000+ rounds through it and it is still going strong.

 

[John Joseph]

I think a poor cleaning regimen will be more damaging to longevity than anything else.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I dont clean my Ruger MKs until they need it. They let me know it's time by malfunctioning. Even then, they usually dont get much other than the bolt face and chamber area cleaned up a little bit. All my guns are I and II series. I can't tell that years of shooting and not that much cleaning has caused any harm.

 

[FL-NC]

I have a Ruger standard model and a S&W M&P 22 that both have unknown thousands of rounds through them. They both work just like they should.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Depends on the gun---a Mk* or Buckmark or Single Six/Bearcat should last a long, long time-------a SR22 or LCP --not so much

 

[CapnMac]

Probably 1.5 centuries, really.

.22LR was introduced about 1880--that's 140 years, and there are working examples from that age as well.

Modern versions will likely out live those originals, which will remain in circulation as well.

 

[gc70]

I bet our grandkids might discover the answer to that question.

 

[Jim Watson]

A coworker claimed to have worn out a Woodsman, but he did not show it to me.

 

[mavracer]

My Mk1 target is my age 1965 and is still shoots great. My mk2 I bought in the early 90s has probably had north of 50K rounds put thru it and is tight and ready for more.

 

[Alex Clayton]

I would have to guess someone has managed to wear out one of the common ones, like a Ruger. I personally have never seen it done. First pistol I ever owned was an original Ruger. It was shot and carried so long before I got it there was almost no finish left. I must have run a boxcar of ammo through it growing up. Later someone talked me out of it and I would run into the guy decades later and he was still shooting hell out of it. Currently the oldest one I have is a couple decades old MKII. I am sure my kids will get it and if they keep it will pass it on to their kids and it will still be plinking. Basically for almost all of us they are a lifetime pistol.

 

[Sistema1927]

My Ruger Standard Model is as old as my wife (1958). I have spent considerably less on its maintenance than I have on hers.

 

[Tallball]

My S&W K22 Masterpiece is from 1921, IIRC. It was shot a lot before I ever got it, and it functions perfectly.

My Ruger "Standard" is one of the later models, from the mid 1980's. It was also shot a lot before I ever got it, and it functions perfectly.

My Ruger Single SIx is from the late 1970's, IIRC. It is a "rescue revolver" that needed two minor parts and some cold blue, It was shot a lot and neglected/abused before I ever got it, and it functions perfectly.

I shoot them all quite a bit, and sincerely doubt that they will need anything other than maybe a new spring or something while I am still able to shoot them.

Maybe my kids will wear one of them out after I'm gone.

Ruger Standard 22lr

• Tallball
• Nov 17, 2018

 

[bannockburn]

I was wondering if quality 22 handguns are as durable as some of the other guns discussed and if it's common to see round counts in to 50,000 to 100,000 range.

Probably have run easily between 40K and 50K through my Beretta Model 70S over all these years. It's my constant companion to the range and on backwoods walks and has been the kid's favorite for as long as I can remember. Having it hard chrome plated by Ron Mahovsky at Metalife most definitely extended it's lifespan by a couple of millennia at least! This one is here to stay for a long time to come!


And don't even get me started on my Ruger Mk.II! There's just something about all steel .22s that makes them last for what seems, well like forever!

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

Grew up with a Ruger single six, we put 10,000's of rounds through it, my brother has it now and still runs great. We did have to replace the firing pin twice, but a little too many dry fire's might have contributed to that.

 

[shootstraight57]

I have an old Colt SAA in 22 and have had it since 79! My father in law bought it in the early 60's and gave it to my wife a few years after we got married. Shoots great and pretty accurate.

 

[TomJ]

These responses are what I was hoping to hear. We've been racking up the round count, especially on our Mark IV. It's my youngest son's favorite gun and he'll easily put 500+ rounds through it in a range session.

 

[Alex Clayton]

These responses are what I was hoping to hear. We've been racking up the round count, especially on our Mark IV. It's my youngest son's favorite gun and he'll easily put 500+ rounds through it in a range session.

I go weekly and one or more .22's get a few hundred or more run through them. If Wife is with me it's twice that. I fully expect ours will outlive us and be passed on. At most some small part may give up but the guns? Couple generations at least.

 

[Obturation]

Impossible to say. I bought a mk3 competition target (stainless slab sided barrel ) about 6 or so years ago as "the last 22 pistol I'd ever need". That was kind of a joke to my wife, but I was trying to buy what I felt was an over built, tough as nails 22. It's done nothing but work and I always bring it to the range.
I had a mk3 22/45 that had 25,000+ rds through it in less than 2 years and it cleaned up nice, worked reliably and had no parts replaced. I sold it for $20 less than I paid to a guy who really wanted it.

They last a long time

 

[jonnyc]

"I bet our grandkids might discover the answer to that question."

I bet they won't!

 

[Tommygunn]

I'd suspect good ones like Buckmarks and Rugers would last maybe for generations .... cheapo zytel framed guns like one Sig (Mosquito, IIRC) makes might have a rather finite life by comparison.

I've seen old .22 revolvers and rifles from my father's days as a youth that were still great firearms, and I think many here have had similar observations too.

 

[sparkyv]

Good to hear! I don't shoot mine much anymore as it has lost favor to others, but I always wondered if it would hold up to decades of shooting.

My S&W 22A has over 10,000+ rounds through it and it is still going strong.

 

[12Bravo20]

Good to hear! I don't shoot mine much anymore as it has lost favor to others, but I always wondered if it would hold up to decades of shooting.
View attachment 958760

On my S&W 22A, I do change out the plastic buffer on a regular basis. That is the trick to keeping them running a long time. I inspect the buffer at each cleaning and replace as necessary.

 

[Obturation]

cheapo zytel framed guns like one Sig (Mosquito, IIRC) makes might have a rather finite life by comparison

I didn't mention a gsg 1911 -22 my buddy has, under 20,000 rds it started to disintegrate . I say disintegrate because it was very loose and worn but still functioning most of the time but the hammer had struck the slide and knocked a piece off , I assume from the excessive looseness. That gun does still fire but isn't shot much. I'd call it mostly worn out.