Why aren't today's semi-auto pistols more reliable?
- Thread starter ezmiraldo
- Start date
power5 said:
You must be REALLY rough on your light switches!!
I've lived in my current home for over 30 years, raised three kids. That's 30 x 365 = 10,950 days.
I've never replaced a light switch. I would estimate that every switch in the living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms has been used well over 10,000 times without failing. They all still work fine.
I know that the light switches in the master bedroom, living room, kitchen, and master bathroom get used at least four times a day (turned on then off in the morning, turned on then off at night.). That would mean they've been used a minimum of 4 x 10,950 = 43,800 times.
That's not even counting how many times the switches were used before I bought the house. It was 6 years old when I bought it.
My mother's house that I grew up in was built in 1961, and still has the original light switches working fine in it.
And you are basing the date on...????
Recoil operated firearms need something to recoil against, in order for them to work. Some guns use the mass of the gun for this. Browning machine guns are a good example.
Lighter guns, HANDGUNS, generally need to be held and some need to be held just the right way, or they won't work right.
Was 1905 the date of the first recoil operated semi auto pistol? Check your sources, I'm thinking ..no.
Is it the date of the first pistol shown to be sensitive to "limp wristing"? I don't know. So, I'm asking...
With all the talk of cleaning and lubing, and maintenance I'm vaguely recalling reading about the testing that was done by the US military when deciding what 9mm pistol they would be going to. I wish I could remember where I read it, but I rember after reading it that I was convinced that the "revolvers are more reliable" theory was way off base. I'm more a revolver guy, and am not going to a semi vs revolver discussion. My point is that if you saw the abuse some of these pistols went through in testing and still functioned, you be laughing at pistols that malfunction due to excessive dust and the wrong slide lube! 
8MM Mauser
New member
Over the last year I've put a few thousand down the pipe of my Glock 19 and it has never failed. Every time I pull that trigger I get bangs and the only time I've heard a clock was dry firing. Even manufactured goods with interchangeable parts are not totally identical to eachother you know.
In the last 30 years I've only had two hand guns malfunction. Ruger GP100 Wiley Clapp REVOLVER, and a Sig 1911.
Both when brand new, Rugers cylinder would completely lock up, that was this year. Sig was about 5 yrs ago, a couple last round failure to feeds. Ruger had to go back to Ruger, Sig mysteriously worked itself out after a few hundred rounds, since then the 1911 has had over a thousand rounds through it with no problems, the Ruger a couple hundred.
Last year I put over 20,000 rounds through pistols without a single issue when I was shooting them, both my wife and young son could induce some failure to feeds in polymer guns.
In 30 yrs I've owned and shot....the following with no issues
Sigs, 230, 220, 226, 225, 228, 229, 1911 in 22lr
Glocks, 26, 27, 19, 23, 17, 22, 34 multiples of most of those
Ruger Gp 100s, SP 101, P89, Mk2 and Mk3 22s
Browning Hi Powers
Smith & Wesson M&P 9s and 45s, PC1911
Kimber ultra sapphire
Bersa Thunder 380
Walter PPQ
Dan Wesson Guardian
None of those have ever malfunctioned on me, in 30 yrs of shooting, some of those guns have < 1000 rounds through them some more than 20k....
For me I've not seen any decrease in reliability, but I have seen a decrease in quality control for more minor issues...
I don't do anything extra ordinary, they are cleaned every time they are shot, lubed, and put away until the next time they are shot unless it's been yrs in which case a re lube happens.
Both when brand new, Rugers cylinder would completely lock up, that was this year. Sig was about 5 yrs ago, a couple last round failure to feeds. Ruger had to go back to Ruger, Sig mysteriously worked itself out after a few hundred rounds, since then the 1911 has had over a thousand rounds through it with no problems, the Ruger a couple hundred.
Last year I put over 20,000 rounds through pistols without a single issue when I was shooting them, both my wife and young son could induce some failure to feeds in polymer guns.
In 30 yrs I've owned and shot....the following with no issues
Sigs, 230, 220, 226, 225, 228, 229, 1911 in 22lr
Glocks, 26, 27, 19, 23, 17, 22, 34 multiples of most of those
Ruger Gp 100s, SP 101, P89, Mk2 and Mk3 22s
Browning Hi Powers
Smith & Wesson M&P 9s and 45s, PC1911
Kimber ultra sapphire
Bersa Thunder 380
Walter PPQ
Dan Wesson Guardian
None of those have ever malfunctioned on me, in 30 yrs of shooting, some of those guns have < 1000 rounds through them some more than 20k....
For me I've not seen any decrease in reliability, but I have seen a decrease in quality control for more minor issues...
I don't do anything extra ordinary, they are cleaned every time they are shot, lubed, and put away until the next time they are shot unless it's been yrs in which case a re lube happens.
Guns
Intricate mechanical devices designed around mechanical timing. I'm amazed that these old school firearms don't have more failures considering the environmental conditions impeding mechanical motion. Less moving parts probably would increase reliability. Anyone working on a laser pistol design?
Intricate mechanical devices designed around mechanical timing. I'm amazed that these old school firearms don't have more failures considering the environmental conditions impeding mechanical motion. Less moving parts probably would increase reliability. Anyone working on a laser pistol design?
stagpanther
New member
Sometimes it's kinda interesting to see that when you mention you had a failure--how many people will jump on you "I have that same weapon and never have had a problem" as if somehow that changes the fact the weapon failed.
When I was a kid the handlebars on my bike worked loose a bit. I had to tighten them with a wrench.
As an adult I've had revolvers and semis malfunction a couple of rifles as well. I had to repair the problem and move on.
How did any of this become the stuff of drama? Or something worth discussion?
The fella above asks that if one gun malfunctions does it effect the many that don't or vice versa. It doesn't. I have a pair of socks with a hole in the toe but not all socks have a hole in them but many will eventually.
The op is a hard luck fella with guns. I don't care. It does not effect the millions of guns that run well. And whose owners don't fuss about the occasional burp in the road.
tipoc
And yet all home depot stores have thousands of light switches. Either I am failing to see the thousands of buildings being built or light switches do fail. Yours may be the good kind. Like all my handguns are the good kind. Also a light switch was a very bad comparison by the op due to the very simple mechanical device compared to a handgun that sees exponentially more stress. So let's just take those out of the theory.
As I cant figure out how to reply to post on this forum .
44AMP . 1905 is from a reprinted article I read . I dont have it with me now but it described holding the handgun firm with a stiff arm to insure the slide makes a complete cycle . Did not use the term limp wrist but meant the same .
44AMP . 1905 is from a reprinted article I read . I dont have it with me now but it described holding the handgun firm with a stiff arm to insure the slide makes a complete cycle . Did not use the term limp wrist but meant the same .
I can say the same for my 92fs and my canik55-c. Doesn't mean all 92s or canik have never failed.
orionengnr
New member
More reliable than what?
In my experience, any quality semi-auto is more than reliable.
As long as I don't buy crap (Kel-Tec, etc) I don't have any problems.
As far as light switches and faucets go...I think these are non-sequiturs.
A light switch costs $2-3, and does not contain an explosion each time it is actuated. When turned off, it contains nothing.
A faucet (or more correctly, the consumable parts therein) cost a buck or less, and is always containing water pressure. Fails every few years.
In my experience, any quality semi-auto is more than reliable.
As long as I don't buy crap (Kel-Tec, etc) I don't have any problems.
As far as light switches and faucets go...I think these are non-sequiturs.
A light switch costs $2-3, and does not contain an explosion each time it is actuated. When turned off, it contains nothing.
A faucet (or more correctly, the consumable parts therein) cost a buck or less, and is always containing water pressure. Fails every few years.
Most semi-automatics are reliable but under the same circumstances, revolvers fail less. I trained LE for nearly 30 years now. The first 20 was almost all revolvers; a few Colts in the very beginning, a bunch of Smith model 10s then model 64s and 65s. They would rarely fail but when they did, the most common problem was the the extractor rod backing out and jamming the cylinder. I had a short stint with Glock 21s and then finally Glock 17s. Rarely did we get though a relay with the Glocks without some type of stoppage. This is with plain FMJ training ammo; most commonly Federal American Eagle. The Glocks failed more often but you gain more capacity. I wouldn't hesitate to use a revolver or a Glock as a service handgun but I don't have any delusions that they will never fail--they all will have some type of failure if you shoot them enough.
I've had all manner of 1911's fail to work years ago, even some better brands such as Colt. But the 4 I currenty own have NEVER failed to work. One Colt, one Kimber, and 2 S&W's. I'd say 1911's have gotten better in the last few years.
I had an HK in 45 briefly that didn't impress me with reliability.
Never had a Glock in any caliber fail to work. That would include 9mm, 40, 45, and 10mm.
I've had some problems with CZ's, but other than that I've never had any other 9mm fail to function. In addition to Glocks I've owned Beretta, Sig, Browning, FN, and Ruger.
I've had more revolvers made by S&W fail than any other handgun, including semi-autos. Rugers have been more reliable, but I've had a few issues with them.
I think sometimes any company just makes a bad gun. I know HK and CZ are at least decent guns, yet the small samples I've owned have been the most problematic. Don't buy junk ammo and I believe most any of the mid to upper level guns are as reliable as possible.
I had an HK in 45 briefly that didn't impress me with reliability.
Never had a Glock in any caliber fail to work. That would include 9mm, 40, 45, and 10mm.
I've had some problems with CZ's, but other than that I've never had any other 9mm fail to function. In addition to Glocks I've owned Beretta, Sig, Browning, FN, and Ruger.
I've had more revolvers made by S&W fail than any other handgun, including semi-autos. Rugers have been more reliable, but I've had a few issues with them.
I think sometimes any company just makes a bad gun. I know HK and CZ are at least decent guns, yet the small samples I've owned have been the most problematic. Don't buy junk ammo and I believe most any of the mid to upper level guns are as reliable as possible.