A few days ago I went to the range and rented a S&W .22 revolver (medium frame I think, don't know the model). I am not an experienced handgun shooter, but I have been reading the forums here for a little while and I have read the recent threads about misfires from match grade ammo in rimfire revolvers and the need to make sure the cartridges are pushed fully into the chambers. I started with a 4" bbl revolver and after 4 misfires I switched to an otherwise identical 6" model which had another 3 misfires in a total of 150 rounds. The cartridges fit rather loosely in the chambers of both guns so I don't think the chamber was dirty. Some of the misfiring cartridges looked like the ones that fired (had a nice dent on the rim) and others looked pristine; I ran the undented ones through again and they all fired. The ammo was cheapo Winchester and I was sure to push each round in fully, but they fit so loosely that they probably shifted around in the chambers when I closed the cylinder.
I want to get a .357 revolver and if I shoot enough for ammo to put me in the poor house I'll get a .22 also. My question is is this misfire rate (say, 1 out of 25 rounds) considered normal or acceptable in revolvers in general or rimfire revolvers in particular? When people say their guns are reliable, what kind of misfire rate would you consider reliable? Before the other day I had fired about 50 rounds from handguns, all from semi-autos, most from a .22 with no misfires. I have shot probably 500 - 1000 rounds total in my life from .22 rifle and shotguns without a single misfire ever. I would just blame the gun except that this happened with two guns. Can anyone explain this to me and tell me what kind of misfire rate I can reasonably expect (from factory ammo) from handguns? I find misfires very annoying and something I wouldn't like to put up with on a regular basis.
I want to get a .357 revolver and if I shoot enough for ammo to put me in the poor house I'll get a .22 also. My question is is this misfire rate (say, 1 out of 25 rounds) considered normal or acceptable in revolvers in general or rimfire revolvers in particular? When people say their guns are reliable, what kind of misfire rate would you consider reliable? Before the other day I had fired about 50 rounds from handguns, all from semi-autos, most from a .22 with no misfires. I have shot probably 500 - 1000 rounds total in my life from .22 rifle and shotguns without a single misfire ever. I would just blame the gun except that this happened with two guns. Can anyone explain this to me and tell me what kind of misfire rate I can reasonably expect (from factory ammo) from handguns? I find misfires very annoying and something I wouldn't like to put up with on a regular basis.