How many carry rounds to use to verify function check?

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Posted: 1/24/2020 12:23:30 PM EDT

What is the norm for function checking carry ammo in a carry gun? 50 rounds? 100?

Posted: 1/24/2020 12:29:11 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
What is the norm for function checking carry ammo in a carry gun? 50 rounds? 100?

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For me it would depend on the model of the gun. Glock- 100 rounds. Kahr-300 rounds...ect.
I know, it's my funeral.

Posted: 1/24/2020 12:34:26 PM EDT

[#2]

With a new gun I usually run at least 200 rounds of FMJ and then a few mags of my carry ammo ~50rds. At that point if I haven't had any malfunctions with either that's good enough for me to trust.

Posted: 1/24/2020 12:59:34 PM EDT

[#3]

I usually figure the gun is good to go after I run 100 hot loads, and 100 plinker loads thru it.

I don't buy name brands that aren't trusted... And never buy anything new until it's had time for everyone else to tell me if it's a turd.

Posted: 1/24/2020 1:09:22 PM EDT

[#4]

Unbox ,clean and lube shoot 100 rounds of plinking ammo ,clean and lube shoot 100 rounds of the SD ammo I plan to carry with and clean and lube .

Posted: 1/24/2020 1:12:10 PM EDT

[#5]

Run a box through it. A mag or 2 as fast as possible.
If there are no issues you are as GTG as you could expect.
If there are issues then continue until there are none.

Posted: 1/24/2020 1:37:10 PM EDT

[#6]

Quote History

Quoted:
With a new gun I usually run at least 200 rounds of FMJ and then a few mags of my carry ammo ~50rds. At that point if I haven't had any malfunctions with either that's good enough for me to trust.

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Posted: 1/24/2020 1:49:07 PM EDT

[#7]

Yeah a few boxes of practice ammo, and a few mags of carry ammo. If no issues, then I'd trust it. If it has issues, then more testing would need to be done.

Posted: 1/24/2020 8:20:04 PM EDT

[#8]

You’re gonna have most here tell you that you’re nuts if you do any less than 500. And that’s after 500 FMJ.

I’ll run a hundred or so of FMJ. Maybe 200 if I’m sitting on a bunch. You’ll know pretty quick if there's gonna be problems. Then a box of 20 JHP just to make sure they feed properly.

But really it’s probably already had a good amount of ammo through it if I’ve decided it’s going to become my carry gun. I’m not a “carry rotation” guy...the notion boggles my mind. So I’ve had to shoot a fair bit to determine if I prefer a new gun over a previous.

Posted: 1/24/2020 8:49:33 PM EDT

[#9]

Everything the guy above me said! I'll run 200 FMJ 50 JHP & be done with it. But I also carry Glocks....

Posted: 1/24/2020 9:25:39 PM EDT

[#10]

Honestly it depends on the gun...Glocks, I'd put maybe 200 through including at least 50 of my carry ammo and call it good. Probably the same for most CZs, H&Ks, like that. You're not just running the gun, but the magazines as well...and magazines are a big failure point.

A 1911 (Colt, Wilson, etc...I'd honestly try to stick with this protocol regardless of who made the 1911) - probably 4-500 including at least 100 of my carry ammo, and I'd want to make sure at least 300 of that was in a relatively compressed period. If it's got an iffy extractor, the heat of that many rounds in a compressed period should show it up, or if it's marginal and only functioning on stacked tolerances, again that volume in a compressed period should be enough to induce stoppages as parts heat up and expand out of spec, etc. I'd tend to trust some 1911s over others (I'd have more faith in a box stock Colt, or STI, or higher end Springfield than say an RIA, or Iver Johnson, or Auto Ordnance, etc) but at the end of the day, I still want to trust it when I know it's been rode hard.

Just IMO

Posted: 1/24/2020 9:29:04 PM EDT

[#11]

3 rounds. One to make sure it feeds, one to make sure it feeds the second and a third to make sues it feeds the last

Posted: 1/24/2020 9:36:14 PM EDT

[#12]

200 TROUBLE FREE ROUNDS.

If there are hiccups then you need to fix it, not hope the gun broke in on the last half a box.

Posted: 1/24/2020 9:39:31 PM EDT

[#13]

One mag of carry rounds, after one to two hundred rounds of practice ammo.

Posted: 1/24/2020 10:12:56 PM EDT

[#14]

For any guns I want to carry I willdeep clean it, then shoot ~500-1000rds (will add lube but I won't wipe anything), followed by 50-100rds of whatever self defense ammo I'm going to use. If it doesn't fail it passes. If it does fail I apply a little more lube and try shooting it again. If it passes at that point I still have confidence in the gun. If it fails then I have to do more investigating as to why it's failing. Even my most neglected carry gun was never filthier than one that had that many rounds shot through it.

Ideally I should probably clean my carry gun weekly. Realistically it's a month or more unless something forces me to deep clean it. I know I've "cleaned" a gun by wiping what I can with a cloth, relube, reassemble, and carry like that for another chunk of time. Even my 1911's which I carry have passed the above "abuse/neglect" test without issue.

Posted: 1/24/2020 10:41:47 PM EDT

[#15]

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Ideally I should probably clean my carry gun weekly.

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Why? Unless you've dropped it in a mud puddle and then threw it into the sand on a beach somewhere, there's no reason to clean a gun that hasn't been shot? You'll do more damage over-cleaning than anything else..

Blow out/wipe off any dust/crud that gets on the gun/around the front sight when holstered once a week or so, and that's about it for needed maintenance IMO.

I'm assuming you disassemble and clean the gun after every range trip as it is...

Posted: 1/24/2020 10:58:59 PM EDT

[#16]

I normally shoot 300 to 400 rounds of fnj, and 100 rounds of what I intend to carry. All round have to be fired with no malfunctions.

Posted: 1/25/2020 12:08:05 AM EDT

[#17]

I've been fortunate, of the 50 plus semi auto handguns I've owned in my lifetime, only a few have had function related issues. Normally, if 50 rounds of cheap FMJ rounds run fine, and 50 rounds of carry ammo run fine, I figure I'm GTG. However, if I have feeding or jamming issues, I want to see 500 flawless rounds before I'd carry a gun. I have a new Kimber 9mm that might not ever be a carry gun, more failures to eject / extract reliably in the first 200 rounds then the rest of my semi auto shooting experience put together. I may keep it as my gun to train clearing jams with. :). Probably won't ever carry it.

Posted: 1/25/2020 12:25:39 AM EDT

[#18]

500 to 1000

Posted: 1/25/2020 12:51:00 AM EDT

[#19]

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500 to 1000

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Hmm.... that’s a lot of $$$... I’m assuming you mean target loads and not self defense rounds

Posted: 1/25/2020 1:49:40 PM EDT

[#20]

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Quoted:

Why? Unless you've dropped it in a mud puddle and then threw it into the sand on a beach somewhere, there's no reason to clean a gun that hasn't been shot? You'll do more damage over-cleaning than anything else..

Blow out/wipe off any dust/crud that gets on the gun/around the front sight when holstered once a week or so, and that's about it for needed maintenance IMO.

I'm assuming you disassemble and clean the gun after every range trip as it is...

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@Evil_Ed you misunderstood. I do the same thing you do, except I clean /wipe down and oil the exterior surfaces. I check the slide rails as well and re-oil as needed. I do this because my sweat must be more corrosive than most, if I don't my gun will rust.

And the other reason why I should be cleaning more frequently. I have my carry gun on me while doing a lot of dirty/dusty work. Exposure to less than ideal conditions is fairly regular for me. As such I probably should be field stripping, wiping down, and pulling a patch/boresnake through the barrel to remove debris.

And yes I do disassemble and clean my carry gun after range trips. Now some of my other guns are a different story. My most shot AR hasn't been cleaned in years...but I'm purposefully neglecting it to see just how long it will go before I need to clean deeper than wiping the bolt on a rag.

Posted: 1/25/2020 3:12:45 PM EDT

[#21]

Gotcha, that makes more sense. I only carry IWB and it's never exposed to outside air unless I'm at a range, so even when I'm in cruddy areas things don't really get bad enough to require more than an exterior wipedown on occasion. Since my carry gun is usually something that's got a modern type finish on it, it's pretty resistant to rust...unlike older folded slide Sigs, blued 1911s, etc

If my Glocks or H&Ks ever start to rust, I'll start taking way better care of them

Posted: 1/25/2020 5:06:10 PM EDT

[#22]

More than just testing if it functions, you want to be sure it groups and impacts where you want it to.

Posted: 1/25/2020 6:55:41 PM EDT

[#23]

My 5 shot revolver gets 100 rounds of generic 9mm ammo.

I buy 5 boxes of Self defense ammo, all from the same lot.

I shoot 10 random rounds from each box to ensure the ammo is good.

I have 50 rounds of self defense ammo I use for CCW

Posted: 1/25/2020 7:44:23 PM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
Hmm.... that’s a lot of $$$... I’m assuming you mean target loads and not self defense rounds

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Quoted:

Quoted:
500 to 1000

Hmm.... that’s a lot of $$$... I’m assuming you mean target loads and not self defense rounds

Learn how to reload and duplicate (at least as close as you can get) the round you plan on using.

Posted: 1/25/2020 11:09:10 PM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:

Learn how to reload and duplicate (at least as close as you can get) the round you plan on using.

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I'll reload rounds for plinking and long range shooting... i wont reload for my carry ammo. I don't trust myself enough to depend my life on it... and it's just another thing the court can use against you if you find yourself in that kind of situation.

Posted: 1/26/2020 12:03:26 AM EDT

[#26]

500 rounds of FMJ and 150-200 rounds of carry ammo for me.

Posted: 1/26/2020 11:05:36 AM EDT

[#27]

I just bought an HK VP9sk.

I shot 250 rounds of a few different varieties of FMJ ammo, then 50 rounds of my carry ammo (124g HST).

I shot a magazine right and left single-handed held loosely, and the rest of the 50 rounds rapid fire.

Zero malfunctions that first range session (and now zero for 600 rounds+) and I was perfectly comfortable carrying it.

I'd be the same with a Glock or S&W M&P 2.0, YMMV

Posted: 1/26/2020 12:57:56 PM EDT

[#28]

Typically I will shoot 1,000 rounds of practice ammunition and 100 rounds of carry ammunition.

I'm not against someone shooting 500 rounds practice / 50 rounds carry, but I prefer to put a minimum of 1,000 downrange before I trust a gun.

Posted: 1/27/2020 3:38:21 AM EDT

[#29]

I’ll shoot 200 rounds of fmj and a box of my carry ammunition.

Posted: 1/27/2020 5:43:51 PM EDT

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:
I'll reload rounds for plinking and long range shooting... i wont reload for my carry ammo. I don't trust myself enough to depend my life on it... and it's just another thing the court can use against you if you find yourself in that kind of situation.

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Quoted:

Quoted:

Learn how to reload and duplicate (at least as close as you can get) the round you plan on using.

I'll reload rounds for plinking and long range shooting... i wont reload for my carry ammo. I don't trust myself enough to depend my life on it... and it's just another thing the court can use against you if you find yourself in that kind of situation.

No one has found a case that involved this.
Wonder why?
It has been speculated on for many years.

You can still get close enough to your actual purchased load to practice for a lot less money.
And then carry the factory stuff.

Posted: 1/28/2020 7:17:38 PM EDT

[#31]

I run around 100 rds of FMJ stuff, and 30 to 40 rds of Fed HST or Gold DOT wipe down lube, another 50 good to go .

Posted: 1/29/2020 2:00:17 AM EDT

[#32]

I don’t carry a pistol until it’s had 1K rounds through it, or 2-3 range sessions.

I’ll allow a hiccup in the first 200 but after that it needs to be problem free. The first 500 I usually shoot 124gr NATO as it’s roughly 10% hotter than most and the extra power breaks the pistol in and ensures proper function. The second 500 is a mix of ammo ending with at least 100 rounds of HSTs which is all I carry anymore regardless of caliber.

I’ve only had one pistol out of about 2 dozen fail my testing and get rejected. Unfortunately it was one of my all time favorite pistol designs, a first series Walther P99 QPQ. I LOVE the trigger system. It had continuous malfunctions throughout the testing period. IIRC it kept locking the slide back with a loaded mag. I traded it ASAP for a USPc .357SIG.

TLDR:100 rounds minimum of carry ammo at the end of a 1K break in/observation test/evaluation. The more the better though.

Posted: 1/29/2020 2:27:33 AM EDT

[#33]

I own 5 glocks and a shield. Each gets 10 rds of carry ammo through it and only to check accuracy. I've never not had a glock eat what I feed it.

That's initially anyway. I do shoot and rotate my carry ammo yearly

Posted: 1/29/2020 2:59:16 AM EDT

[#34]

Out of the box, strip, clean, and lube gun and magazines. Go to Range, and shoot what I feel like. Clean and lube again, reassemble, in an empty chamber stick a pencil in the barrel, point the gun up, and pull the trigger. The pencil should be propelled out of the barrel. Load and be happy.

What ever gun is the flavor of the day when I go to the range I shoot a few mags through.

Posted: 1/29/2020 3:41:05 AM EDT

[#35]

Carry/defensive rounds? At least 100. Brand new gun? Gets at least 500 rounds before being tossed into the defensive lineup.

My carry gun is a Glock 30s. Only Glock I’ve owned. It definitely wasn’t perfection out of the box. FTF every mag or two. Turned out to be poor QC with their magazines. Still, it’s proof you should never trust an unknown quantity; regardless of the manufacturer.

Posted: 1/30/2020 10:39:07 AM EDT

[#36]

before everyone got poor, the benchmark was 200 rounds of HP... depends on the gun and how aggressive a HP profile you got.

modern design with widespread LE acceptance, 50 rounds should be more than plenty. Want to carry grandpa's gun he brought back from WWII for CCW, 200 rounds might be recommended.

Posted: 1/30/2020 10:42:18 AM EDT

[#37]

200 rounds hard use.

Posted: 1/30/2020 10:37:36 PM EDT

[#38]

I don’t have a hard number, but at minimum a few hundred of ball followed by at least 100 JHP.

Inspect the gun and lightly lube. 10 RDS at 25yards on a bull. Another 200 shooting fast at various ranges while using each mag INCLUDING dropping mags on concrete. Two or three mags strong hand only. Two or three mags weak hand only. Burn down three mags as fast as possible and then shoot another 25 yard bull.

Posted: 1/30/2020 11:23:05 PM EDT

[#39]

edit

Posted: 2/1/2020 12:21:51 PM EDT

[#40]

Quote History

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One mag of carry rounds, after one to two hundred rounds of practice ammo.

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/thread

Posted: 2/2/2020 7:58:02 AM EDT

[#41]

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But my two cents are worth more! /sarcasm

I'll do 250rds of ball, and with no notable issues, a box of carry ammo.

I'm not terribly concerned if a round of cheap ball short cycles or if a steel case slips the extractor.

I also prefer to run it dirty. As in clean the factory junk out, shoot the ball, and jhp in the same trip. Just to make the gun's life more difficult. Figure if it will do it dirty, it'll do it clean.

Posted: 2/5/2020 8:11:03 AM EDT

[#42]

If I have a gun that has zero problems after 100 I carry it but I also take it to the range every time I go no matter what other guns I bring and shoot it.

Posted: 2/5/2020 8:50:23 AM EDT

[#43]

...if it shoots a couple mags issue free, it's going to shoot a few boxes issue free too. No reason to shoot hundreds of rounds of expensive HP ammo for the sake of ensuring it works.

Posted: 2/7/2020 5:43:31 PM EDT

[#44]

If I have had no trouble with practice ammo then 3 full mags of SD ammo and I'm happy.

Posted: 2/11/2020 3:21:07 PM EDT

[#45]

Quote History

Quoted:
I normally shoot 300 to 400 rounds of fnj, and 100 rounds of what I intend to carry. All round have to be fired with no malfunctions.

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Posted: 2/11/2020 3:24:34 PM EDT

[#46]

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Quoted:
If I have had no trouble with practice ammo then 3 full mags of SD ammo and I'm happy.

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Yup...this. It’s either going to work or it’s not.

Posted: 2/11/2020 3:41:50 PM EDT

[#47]

I guess it takes me a LONG time to carry a new gun. I shoot them as often as possible with ball and carry ammo, I may swab the chamber afterward but generally not, lube the rails and continue shooting them till they fail. When I know that, I'll give them a good cleaning and it will go on my hip AFTER the next range trip to make sure something did not happen from field stripping and cleaning.

I never carry a spanking clean gun, I want to know that the last time it was shot it worked and will likely work to my discovered failure point.