Reliability testing for a carry revolver?

[WNC Seabee]

How many rounds of Self Defense ammo would you run through a revolver before being satisfied with reliability for the gun/ammo combo?

In my autos, I run at ~200 rounds of carry ammo before going with a carry combo. But, it seems to me that a revolver wouldn't need such extensive trial.

Thoughts?

BTW...I'll be carrying a GP100 4" with to-be-determined ammo for Self Defense while fishing/camping.

 

[SouthShoreTJ]

A problem showed up in my GP-100 after ~400 rounds. The cylinder bound up, I'm still not sure exactly why but I sent it back for warranty repair and they "replaced internal components" and "repaired the cylinder" and sent it back to me. the action is tighter and smoother than ever, I've only fired 18 rounds through it since I got it back to make sure it worked. I'd fire at least 200 rounds through ur gun before being satisfied with reliability. The trigger will start to break in (if it's a new gun) and you'll start feeling comfortable with shooting it at the same time. Be aware, mechanical devices can fail at any time for any number of reasons, the good thing about the way my gun failed is it kept working through it's last cylinder, I fired the last six rounds through it before it broke and then after I reloaded it didn't work anymore. If I had been shooting a bad guy and didn't kill him in six rounds I probably shouldn't be carrying a revolver.

 

[WNC Seabee]

To clarify, this is a "new to me" GP 100, but it's been around the block a couple times. Trigger has either been worked on or is well broken it; either way it has a real crisp break.

I shoot my revolvers a lot at the range (hate chasing brass!), so this will get a good amount of .38 spcl reloads on a regular basis.

So, my question has more to do with the accuracy/reliability of the AMMO in a particular gun vs. the mechanical reliability.

 

[David E]

One thing I'd test is rapid fire. How well does it hold up to the heat generated by 5-6 cylinders full (30-36 shots) of your chosen carry (or equivalent) ammo fired as fast as you can?

 

[xstuntman]

I'm carrying my new revolver with only twenty rounds run through it. It checked ok for correct timing, no binding and good accuracy with carry ammo today. Did I mention I'm carrying my NEW gun? It feels good to carry a .38 snubby again X

 

[Sport45]

I'd put a hundred rounds or so of non-premium ammo through it just to get familar with it before carrying. Shoot at least one cylinder full as fast as you can get back on target to see if the cylinder tries to outrun the bolt. (Pull the trigger fast to give the cylinder some speed.) You know, do the kind of stuff you wouldn't dream of doing to a nice gun.

One cylinder of your SD ammo should be enough. Check the last round or two for bullet jump.

 

[Oyeboten]

Ideally...if one could go to the Range and use one's Carry, for practice Shooting, every week or so, any problems it is going to have, would sooner or later show up.


Ironically, if, say, after four or five hundred rounds, or four or five thousand rounds, if there were a problem, then those could have been four or five hundred, or, thousand, 'SD' rounds which would have been trouble free, if one had needed them as 'SD" rounds...so...


I dunno...


As for me, if all seems well with a first Box of Shells and a new-to-one Revolver...I'd expect the next Box of Shell's worth to be a good bet on all being well and fine...but I'd make sure the Ejection Rod is screwed in well, and inspect and check other things, too...and dismantle, clean, Oil, and Grease, initially, then periodically, regardless...as routine maintenance.

 

[Jim K]

Well, I need to drive about 20 miles today. Would I be better off driving a car with 100,000 miles on it, or one I just bought last night?

Sure, one is new, but I bet the odds are pretty good that the old car will go 20 miles more, where the new car could have a problem I don't know about yet.

Jim

 

[KBintheSLC]

If the revolver is already well broken in and you have determined that it works, you should not need more than a couple of cylinders worth of a particular ammo choice to make sure it works in your gun.

For a brand new revolver, 200 trouble-free rounds should be enough to prove itself.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Shouldn't need more than a cylinder or two. Any problems should be readily apparent. If they're not, shooting several hundred more rounds probably won't catch the problem.

 

[Sport45]

Your carry revolver must have a straigth barrel AND shoot to point of where your eyes are looking when fired from the hip.

I'm SOL then. I don't have any handgun that will do that. And the barrels are indeed straight. Go figure.

Seems I'll have to keep using those bumpy things on top to line up with my targets.

 

[gvf]

The advice I always got for any new gun or used gun I just bought - (but especially used) -was to shoot the hell out of it for the first few days or week - when you could still return it if there was a major problem. i.e., stress it. Better to find out right off than two months later when you can't get your money back - or, worse, are in the middle of some SD emergency.

 

[Brian Dale]

So, my question has more to do with the accuracy/reliability of the AMMO in a particular gun vs. the mechanical reliability.

In that case, I'd just note its reliability along the way, as you improve your accuracy with this particular revolver, with its particular stocks (I don't know whether Ruger calls 'em stocks or grips) and sights. I'd put a few boxes of practice ammo through it right away anyway, just because I like to do that with any new gun. Then a box of defensive ammo and I'd feel fine about it.