how do you keep your gun working like a champ after 10k rounds?

F

Field

New member
ive kind of wondered about this because some people with some guns will say they have put thousands and thousands of rounds through it and it still works like new but then...

speaking of semi-auto pistols in general not revolvers

how do you know when a gun has definitely become unusable junk? what parts tend to wear out first?

other than proper cleaning, how do you keep your gun working great after tons and tons of use? im mainly under the impression that the springs will be the first things to go bad like not providing enough pressure and such but idk
 
You are correct in the fact springs are always the 1st to go in any gun.
Outside of springs if you have properly maintained and keep the gun clean and properly lubes, not much else will fail.
Now I have not put more than maybe 7 - 8k rounds down any of the composite frame guns but they all work and look like new.
As for revolvers I have a couple that have had well over 80k rounds down them and just now showing minor signs of weak main springs.
IMO guns are like car; maintain them well and they last a very long time with only minor repairs here and there.
 
Springs: Recoil spring, firing pin spring and some guns have springs one the extractor. Then there's magazine springs. And trigger return spring.

Extractor: It gets worn after several thousand rounds.

Barrel: Depending on if you shoot lead or jacketed and how hot they are, your barrel will last from 5K to 100K rounds.

Recoil spring guide: This may get stressed, or it may not. Depends on the gun.

I've heard of 1911 shooters who replace recoil springs every 1000 rounds. Not sure if that's overkill or not.
 
In 1911's ( which are my high volume round guns - at 5k rounds a year easily ), I try to follow Wilson Combat's recommendations:

I keep a notebood log / on my guns - in my safe / note when I change springs, or any other parts on a gun:

Shock Buffers - replace 1K - 2K or when they look "ratty"..and beat up ( not everyone uses them in 1911's ) but I like them.

Recoil springs on a 4" gun replace at 3,000 rds / 5" guns 5K ( they will run twice that long ) - and if you have any feed issues replace the springs.

Firing pin spring - replace at 20K / it'll run twice that long.

Replace mag springs at 10K / or whenever you have feed problems and you've already replaced the recoil sping.

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Barrels on 1911's will need to replaced at 10 - 50K rounds / depends on barrel - and initial quality / and when you see accuracy detiorate.
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In general, I clean my guns every time I shoot them / grit in these guns is not good for them - even if they will still run. I also run my guns on the "wet side" not bone dry.

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Depending on the gun / they can all be reworked, if they're worth it. In terms of 1911's - Wilson Combat does nice refurbishing work ( but they don't work on all 1911's or other guns ).
 
I have some high count pistols, I think my Beretta 96 and Colt 45 have the most at around 8,000 rounds.

Nothing has been replaced because of wear yet. I did replace the recoil springs by choice to Wolf and added a full length rod to the 45 but there was nothing wrong with the originals. I use a shock buffer on the 45 and when it looks beat I put a new one in.

I did have to replace the extractor in the Beretta but that was my fault not the guns.

The barrels are find though I shoot lead. The rails have signs of wear but everything is tight. I can't say anything but normal cleaning has kept these two working well.
 
I've run many thousands through 1911s, generally what gets replaced at/before 10k is the recoil spring and extractor.

Some of the cheaply made or MIM parts will give out before then too; I had an MIM sear on a 1991A1 exhibit some peeining from the thumb safety necessitating replacement after maybe 10k. Had a firing pin stop plate go rather quickly on a Springfield Mil-Spec too.

If the pistol is made of quality milled steel internals then you should only see extractors and springs go out until you get into really high round counts.

Glocks tend to just wear out springs, and at less frequent intervals than 1911's, although I haven't kept as good a track of those.
 
A proper cleaning helps. A little while ago my Colt MKIV locked back, "the usual suspects" did not help, I finally stripped the receiver down to the component parts, thoroughly cleaned the trigger mechanism, that did the trick.
A gentler touch with cleaning helps. I like to clean my guns the same way I do dishes-use chemistry instead of elbow grease. I apply Hoppe's No. 9 or Gun Scrubber or brake cleaner, let it sit for a while.
 
I've got a couple of handguns that are probably over 10000 rounds, I have an HK MP5 and a SWD M11/9mm SMG that are each probably in the 50000+ round arena, and an old Colt SP1 thats got to be in the 75000+ round arena, and other than a couple of chewed up recoil buffers on the MAC, and a broken roller retainer on the MP5, I really havent had to do anything to any of them.

On the other hand, I've had a number of new guns that couldnt even make it to the "so called" 200 round break in point without problems.
 
at this point I don't know if I will ever be able to afford to put 10k rounds through a new gun. the one gun I have that probably has seen that many rounds is my S&W model 19, and unless my dad ever did any thing back when it was his, it's only seen standard maintanece, I expext some day I'll be replacing the firing pin, I can't belive its still in the shape it is.
 
Housezealot:

at this point I don't know if I will ever be able to afford to put 10k rounds through a new gun. the one gun I have that probably has seen that many rounds is my S&W model 19, and unless my dad ever did any thing back when it was his, it's only seen standard maintanece, I expext some day I'll be replacing the firing pin, I can't belive its still in the shape it is.
Click to expand...

Yeah, at the prices of ammo now, it's a disposable gun before 10,000, unless you reload of course. If I put 10,000 round through my $1000 gun it would cost me $5,000.

TBS, I did put about 3000rds through a S&W SW9VE and a Taurus 608 .357s. and both ran and looked like new.

Even if I could afford and justify spending the money (Reloads or not) shooting 10,000rds, I don't think I would anyway, unless it was over many, many years.
 
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Personally, apart from high wear things like springs and extractor, I do not consider 10K rounds to be a "high" round count. I know a couple of shooters who competed a lot in their past, and practiced far more then 10K rounds a year. They did not purchase new weapons annually - decades later, one guy is still shooting some of his old competition 1911s.
 
Of all in my collection, I think I have three that are just under or over the 10,000 round count. Hard to be exactly sure, but empty boxes of ammo and cast lead and component jacketed bullets offer some evidence of how many rounds.

Here is what has worked for me. First thing is that they don't get neglected. After a range day, they get thoroughly cleaned. Not half cleaned and not left for dead, but cleaned. Just as important is to avoid over zealous cleaning, hard scrubbing, leaving them with solvents and cleaning agents in them, haphazard scrubbing and going haywire with the copper brush.

Next big thing has been that they eat my ammo these days. Each has had a small amount of factory ammo, but the lion's share of their diet has been my own handloads, and I tend to shoot a lot of cast lead. Lead bullets are easier on the bore. They make the handguns dirtier, no doubt, but I clean them carefully. And the other benefit of feeding them my own handloads is that I know they aren't getting max loads or overloads. Most factory ammo (outside of match target ammo) is loaded to SAAMI spec or "max" load. It's not unsafe, it's not overloads, but it is max load, and most of my reloads and handloads fall short of max. So there's a little less wear and tear through my handguns then they'd see with the same round count of all factory hardball or defense type ammo.

The finish on my handguns see wear... no way to avoid it. But internally and functionally, they all seem to run as if they are new.
 
Often guns get cleaned too hard and take on more wear (especially barrel wear) from cleaning versus being fired. This is why I use amonia free cleaner and nylon instead of brass bristle brushes.

I tend to replace the recoil springs on my 1911s every 1000-2000 rounds, have yet to have an extractor that needs replacing. Never had anything actually fail on me despite thousands and thousands of rounds. I check the extractor on each gun during each cleaning to be sure it's not bent, chipped, cracked etc. Have yet to change a barrel... barrels don't wear out so much as they get less accurate.
 
35 years ago, the Army taught me....

To replace the springs on a 1911A1 when they got short. I forget the specified length, but it was in the repair manuals we used. It had nothing to do with round count, and everthing to do with spring condition. Recoil Spring, and firing pin spring were the only ones routinely checked.
 
"...how do you know when a gun has definitely become unusable junk?..." When it stops being 100% reliable with whatever ammo you use. Doesn't make it unusable junk though.
 
Clean and inspect. When something goes bad or starts to you will usually start to have some problems.
And then there are things that just happen.
Mostly springs go first, recoil, trigger, hammer and so on.
Check your manual for suggestions on parts to replace or have on hand.
 
oil

One of my two 1911s, a Colt Gold Cup has at least 50K rounds through it.
I keep it clean and oiled, at least every two hundred rounds. I shoot mostly lead bullets in the thing, only my own loads, and I do not load to the maximum.
I have not had to replace any springs - I use a 14lb. recoil spring - though I do rotate a couple of recoil springs.
I can count the FTFs in 50K rounds on the fingers of one hand. They were all a function of an imperfection in the ammo.
Pete
 
Well, I have only bought well made firearms, so that makes things easier. I clean after every shooting session, but I do not clean abusively. I have no ammonium cleaners, and no brushes made of stainless steel. I use nylon brushes more than brass. I use plastic cleaning picks and never scrape surfaces with anything metallic. I change recoil buffers at 1K rounds. For my 1911s I buy a set of Wilson springs and swap the whole set out at 5000 rounds (cheap at $16). I use both Wilson 47C or Brown 847 magazines in all 4 of my 1911s and keep spare springs on hand. If any mag starts to stumble I rotate it out for the day, clean it, and if it happens again, swap out the spring. This never fails to solve the problem. I have the same admiration for both magazines, and suggest that if you have any magazine related problems; try a Wilson or Brown magazine and see if that does not fix it. Extraction failures have almost always been due to contamination and been solved by cleaning. I have had two extractors over the years that completely failed (both Colts), one was my '59 Commercial, the other a WWII Remington Rand, and I had no idea of how many rounds either pistol had consumed before failure.

Until Thursday, these were the only mechanical failures I had ever had with a 1911. On Thursday afternoon I went to a friend's ranch and did some pistol shooting, my Springfield Armory GI .45 quite a bit of work. The GI .45 was the last to get clean, and after cleaning I do something I do periodically with a 1911; check the safety. With chute clear, empty pipe, I cocked the hammer, engaged the safety and pulled the trigger; not extreme squeeze, just about a 5 lb pull. The trigger fell forward about 1/8 inch. Talk about pucker factor! I subsequently released the safety and the hammer fell to the "safety notch". Again, maximum pucker factor! I tried this again and the same event recurred. I disassembled the pistol. No excess oil. hammer and sear looked good. Obvious signs of wear on the engagement surfaces of the safety. I reassembled the pistol and performed the previous tests and got the same results. Today I took the GI .45 to Ken Genecco, an extremely good local gunsmith, and he confirmed that the surface of the safety had worn away (probably not too hard to begin with). He took some measurements and is going to order a new safety from Wilson and fit it to my pistol; take about two weeks. I could have sent it to SA, but I have had the slide milled for sights and the ejection port relieved, and I don't know how SA will behave.:confused: Plus, I trust Kenny to do it right.:)

As far as revolvers I have only owned two brands: S&W and Ruger. I clean them after shooting; I don't batter or abuse. I've yet to see anything fail on a Ruger.:) I have had main springs go soft on K frame S&Ws after a whole lot of shooting; start getting mild primer strikes. But those springs are cheap and easy to replace.:)
 
hmmmm....

Mine with over 50K include two EAA Witnesses, one dedicated as a 9x19, with a hard-fit Nowlin barrel and hardchrome (and an EGW firing pin) done by Accurate Plating & Weaponry; the other, also a "9mm", also runs 9x21 (barrel swap), 41 Action Express (barrel and recoil assembly swap), and a complete top in 40 S&W.
These guns are over 15 yrs old.

The 'custom' has had its recoil spring replaced.

The 'swapper' has had its extractor and spring and recoil spring replaced.
This one has very recently become unreliable on extraction.
I'll do something to it to fix it, probably install another new extractor first.

I have one 45 ACP-chambered (and occasionally a barrel swap to 400 CorBon) 1911 that have well over 10K through it, no doubt past 20K.....
I bent its extractor a few years ago when it failed to extract a few cases; I think I've replaced its firing pin spring, too (but I ain't certain).

I have a 45 ACP Witness with over 10K rd-ct; I haven't done anything to it (except monkey with recoil spring weights; not sure what's in it today).
I have one 9x19 1911 with over 10K, and it was already used when I got it.
I have one 45 1911 that was built in 1988, and was used in Bullseye competition; I have no idea of its total rd-ct, having traded into it 5 or 6 years ago, but I've put a bit through it.
I have a 40 S&W 1911, too, that I've shot probably less than 1K, but it was used when I got it.

ALL of them have been used for ammo development, to include non-SAAMI loads.

Generally speaking, I do nothing. Except shoot 'em.



Modern barrels, even those used in USPSA, often pass 80K without noticeable wear. Even in 38 Super.....
And years back a gun-rag ran 10K of ball through a SIG 220 without any barrel wear.
 
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