[dennisd]

I did a search but couldn’t find this topic. I recently picked up a M&P40 full size and want opinions on how many rounds most of you put through before relying on a gun for carry. I personally put a mininum of 800 before I carry but is that overkill? Don’t get me wrong, I still shoot for fun after “break in” but I’m talking about reliability for carry.

 

[m4arc]

I like to get at least a case (1000 rounds) through one before I start carrying it.

 

[jtaliani]

I'm probably not cautious enough but I only waited until I had 400 rounds through my M&P. This decision was largely based on its excellent track record and a flawless 400.

 

[xring]

I think if one needs to put a case through, you should buy something more guaranteed to fire every time. I run at least 6 rounds through my wheel guns and deem them good to go.

 

[targetsup]

I fired 800 rounds of target ammo, WWB, american eagle and so forth. Then I shot various rounds of the defense ammo I would Carry, ie 100 rnds EFMJ , 60 rnds CorBon Powerball, 60 rnds Hydrashocks and 50 winchester rangers. All flawless. Thats when I started to carry my MP40 as my concealed piece. I normally carry EFMJ as my defense ammo.

 

[Jester]

200 rounds of the carry ammo, and 1k of the target ammo

 

[K]

I put 500 rounds of what you will carry thru it first and it has to perform 1000% w/out fail or any type of malfunction before carrying it. Plus, when I shoot it, I dont just stand there and shoot freestyle, I shoot it strong and weak hand, on its side, upside down, hose, you name it, it gets done w/ that 500 rounds.



If it passes all this with the 500 rounds, I'll carry it.

 

[Jhp147]

I'm prone to put more through a new style or type of gun...like an M-P...than through something that has been out a while. I don't prefer or own Glocks, but if I had to carry one, I could be perfectly happy with a couple of boxes of carry ammo through a 17 or 19 due to track record. With the M-P, four or five hundred rounds. A DA/SA Smith? Maybe a couple of hundred. With a 1911? Depends on the individual gun.

 

[boomstik45]

I put about 200-250 rounds through my new MP .40 and had one failure to feed with the last round of a mag, which happened to be an old hydrashok. I thought, oh brother, this gun won't run dirty for long. But I then fired another full mag of 15 hydrashoks and had no problem at all. I can't help thinking it may have been something I did. I wasn't holding it as firmly for on thing. 'Cause I had no problems firing another mag of Hornady TAP rounds. Looking at the hydrashok, it was a tad warped at the hollopoint end, which may have contributed to the problem. The Winchester white box, Hornady TAP, Winchester hollopoints and gold dots had no problems. I tend not to get too hung up on how many rounds fired through a gun before carrying it. I usually fire no less than 200-250, but even if you fire 1000, if the gun fails on round #1,001 is it now no longer reliable? Malfunctions can happen for a number of reasons, many of them operator-involved. But, it depends on everyone's comfort level. A friend of mine has fired over 1200 rounds through his MP .40 and still hasn't cleaned it.

 

[forty5]

I like to put at least 200 rounds of the load I will be carrying and about 500 rounds of generic target ammo (usually WWB) through a firearm before I will even think about carrying it for SD.

 

[K]

Boom,



Im at about 1100-1200 thru my duty gun with no malf's of any kind. It might have been something you did for it not to feed.



My dept just transitioned to the MP40 and we had 12-15 officers doing things that caused the gun to malf, very infrequently. It was a shooter problem, not the gun b/c when I corrected it, it didnt happen again. Our dept is 300 sworn.

 

[YukonGlocker]

I start with 500rds. of various target ammo. If I have zero malfunctions, I will then run at least 100 rds. of my carry load. If no malfunctions I will start to carry the weapon.

 

[snscott]

I start with 500rds. of various target ammo. If I have zero malfunctions, I will then run at least 100 rds. of my carry load. If no malfunctions I will start to carry the weapon.

What if you DO have a malfunction during that time? What if you have more than one, but different malfunctions in that time? Do you just keep range shooting until there are no mlfunctions within that number of rounds and just not carry it until it passes? Or do you write it off and move on to testing a different carry gun?

 

[Gregchico]

I put 500 rounds of what you will carry thru it first and it has to perform 1000% w/out fail or any type of malfunction before carrying it. Plus, when I shoot it, I don't just stand there and shoot freestyle, I shoot it strong and weak hand, on its side, upside down, hose, you name it, it gets done w/ that 500 rounds.



If it passes all this with the 500 rounds, I'll carry it.

I follow the same principal. I also try limp wisting and other known issues for autos. One failure in the 500 "testing" and I try to figure out why (bad crimp, whatever) then start the testing over again.

 

[forty5]

If I have a few malfunctions within the first couple of hundred rounds, I usually do not worry too much (just part of the breaking in process). If they continue after that then I become concerned and have the pistol worked on. After the firearm is worked on, I start over again. I will not carry any firearm for SD that will not go through at least 500 rounds without a malfunction. If it will not pass this test, I then either use it just for recreation or I get rid of it.

 

[YukonGlocker]

"snscott" asked:

What if you DO have a malfunction during that time? What if you have more than one, but different malfunctions in that time? Do you just keep range shooting until there are no mlfunctions within that number of rounds and just not carry it until it passes? Or do you write it off and move on to testing a different carry gun?

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If I have a malfunction during the initial test, I will try to figure out why and then start over. An auto pistol used for defensive purposes should run 500 rounds without a malfunction. Once I get the gun to work reliably for 500 rounds, with various different target loads, I then start the carry ammo test.



If I can't get the gun to cycle through 500 rounds without a malfunction, then I will get rid of it or just use it as a range gun.

 

[Dan Burwell]

I hate to break up the party here but what if you go the 500 then your next time out on the range you start getting a few misfeeds. Does this mean it is still OK since it made it 500 once.



What if the first 3 mags ever get 3 misfires each then it goes 500 without a problem is it still OK to carry.



I guess what I am getting at is I don't believe there is any set number of rounds that will get me believing a gun is perfectly ready to roll. For me it is a feel thing. When I feel I can shoot it accurately, manipulate the controls, and clear jams then I will carry the gun.



You must know how to clear any malfunction your gun can give you. I figure no matter how many rounds my gun can go between cleanings or malfunctions at the range it will likely fail when I need it most. So I must make that first shot count and be proficient on clearing drills



I put on my flame suit before I typed this so let 'er rip.

 

[YukonGlocker]

No flame coming from me. I totally agree. There is no set number of rounds. Every gun is a little different. Any time my carry gun malfunctions, and I don't know why, it is no longer a carry gun. But the malfunction can usually be narrowed down to mags, ammo, or the gun. Mags or ammo problems are easy fixes. Gun problems are not always easy to diagnose or fix.

 

[raz-0]

My guns get 500 rounds of whatever is cheap plus about 1000 rounds of fryfire when new. As far as I can tell this is sufficient use for any teething pains to show up on a new gun. I also like to give a gun 1000 rounds without a cleaning as you will either find out what kind of TLC it needs to run like a top, or know that it will run past the point I clean it just from it being too nasty to handle.

 

[INTP]

If I had another choice as a carry weapon, I'd probably go with around 1000. If I had no other option, I'd carry with 500 and get the count up as soon as I could.