Wearing Out A Revolver???

S

steve reynolds

Inactive
I've recently read that high quality competition grade over/under shotguns are able to take hundreds-of thousands of rounds during their lifespans. Does the same hold true for modern high quailty revolvers? Assuming someone gave their gun the best of care and shot only lite to moderate loads, would a revolver hold up to such high volume shooting? Do competitive handgunners stick to one gun & caliber through their careers? :confused:
 
It really depends on the type of shooting done. If it is slower fired then yes, they will take a tremendous amount of shooting with no problems. If they are shot hard and fast DA the life will be a lot shorter.
 
There is a curve, my .44 mag takes high powered hand loads no problem but is only shot every now and then (it gets expensive). I think there is a curve that goes up like from geometry.

The beginning bottom left of the curve is when the revolver is new, the top middle is it's peak 'broken in' point where it begins to operate smoothly and without error and then the curve slopes downward.

It would all be relative to time which could depend on what was said above, how hard you shoot etc. etc.

The curve goes with any guns, and if you want to ever accelerate the wear out of a gun just mistreat it ;)
 
I say your revolver will last longer if shot with mild loads versus heavy loads using slow burning powders. I have a GP100 that is probably in the 18000 rounds. About 80% of those loads are 125 grain cast lead at 1000 fps, and the rest are magnum loads. That is not counting the countless hours of me dry firing. It is still as tight and accurate as the day I bought it, though the action is a lot smoother. If you shoot magnum rounds I can only guess it will take 30-50 thousand rounds before you'll see a remarkable looseness and eroded barrel. josh
 
My little diamondback has over 45,000 rounds down it. It has been back to Colt 2 times for repairs and once to a local smith for other repairs. They do break over time but I still love it.

My 1930 Heavy duty has got to have been shot many times that from the wear patterns. It was definately very used, but still in great shape. My bet is over 100,000 rnds fired, but I am guessing.
 
A good Smith and Wesson, Ruger, and now im shocked to say Taurus revolver is like a diamond. Its forever. I've inherited 4th generation smithy's that have been fired all to hell. They arent pretty, but I trust my life with em'.
 
Mags gun can get a little loose

From firing 10's of thousand of rounds but you can do more harm to a gun by the care you give it than shooting.
Poor care, poor handling things like excessive dryfiring and slamming the cylinder closed (you know the hollystupid way to close a revolver) will shorten the life more than anything.
Keep the average revolver clean, oiled and treat it properly and the average shooter CANT ware one out.
 
Most high quality firearms will take a tremendous amount of shooting before they wear out. There are, however, a few exceptions to this. K-Frame .357's have a reputation for splitting forcing cones and going out of time if shot continuously with high performance 125 grn loads. Also, many steel framed auto pistols chambered for 10mm and .357 SIG don't have as long a life expectancy as the same pistol in another caliber. I suspect this is one of the main reasons that the 10mm didn't become more popular than it is.
 
The K-frame is actually one of the most durable when shooting hard fast DA, even with heavy magnum loads.

There really isn't a hard fast rule.
 
My 1955-56 m&p 38spcl. has around 10000 rounds thru it, (lost count some time ago) but today, still puts it in 3" groups at the 10yd line. (could do better, but I'm old)

Also, about a third of that were +p loads. It went in for a minor tune up about 10 years ago, as the cylinder had a little play in it, other than that these things are solid as rocks.
 
I have never seen a Ruger or a Smith that was worn out. I have seen some that were getting a little loose but still in time.

I have a S&W Model 60 that has about 8,000 (just a guess) rounds through it and almost all of it was +P ammo. That is a small light gun with thin cylinder walls and it seems about as tight as it was the day I bought it new back in about 1980. I have a Ruger Security Six with about 15,000 rds. and it still keeps on ticken. I agree that the Smiths and Rugers (and maybe others) will shoot almost forever if taken care of and shot with mild loads...but I really don't know :confused: crap...just wanted to say my M 60 was doing well sofar.
 
I put 28000 rounds of hot handloads through my Colt's 1917, plus many cases of GI ammo before the cop stole it. It would still lock up solid, was in time and would take a running jackrabbit every time I did my part (stop thinking and SHOOT, dummy.) :D

Pops
 
Revolvers will go eventually go out of time and have to be corrected by a gunsmith. Barrels will become worn after time but can be replaced. Most are torn up from improper cleaning or handling rather than being shot out.

I've seen a few revolvers where burning gases have cut the top strap a bit right at the forcing cone. But they were still in use. It doesn't seem to be a problem these days--powders have been improved or the steel has been improved. I don't really know.

The cylinder, frame and major parts will hold up more than one lifetime in Colt or Smith and Wesson revolver. Rugers are bull strong as well. There are still plenty of quality revolvers in use that date from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
 
I think that....

I think wearing out a revolver is like wearing out a drive shaft..... its gonna be there for a while.... ecept for a coupl of parts I would be surprised to see anyone where out a revolver. :) :) :) it seems to me that revolvers have much less friction in the firing process than semi's
 
Over the long haul revolvers can last for a very long time. Its not unusual to read of older shooters getting 60,000 rounds out of a wheelgun.
Thing is, most of those guys used non magnum ammo and tended to cock the guns before firing or fire them slowly not high speed DA shooting.
Its like a car, drive it hard and it wears out faster.
Generally, old timers like Elmer Keith would wear a barrel out before they had to have the cylinder and lockwork retimed, (except for .44 magnums).
The thing to remember is that so long as you have a good sturdy frame, barrel and cylynder you can rebiuld a revolver over and over and over again.
I don't think you can say the same thing for many modern autos with their stamped and welded and injection moulded parts.
 
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