How many rounds thru until barrel replacement?

[Kev308] · Feb 14, 2021

I was looking thru Sig Sauer website and saw they had 1 barrel in stock for a pistol I own. The handgun is 13 years old and I figured I should get it in case it never comes in stock again. (Now that they are moving on to newer models) This is a gun I hope to never sell.

I don't shoot it often, but I usually shoot about 100 rnds each time I take it out. How many rnds do you guys run through your barrels before you consider replacement? (If at all)

Name Taken · Feb 14, 2021

I'm sure there is a "spec" for a handgun barrel. Unless you are bulls eye shooting, I don't think anyone is going to see a replacement need at several hundred rounds a year.

Get it to have it if it is in stock. But I wouldn't expect to have to replace it.

RuralRifleGuy · Feb 14, 2021

Name Taken said:
Get it to have it if it is in stock. But I wouldn't expect to have to replace it.

This, if it's something they no longer make then I'd pick up at least one to have. I need to pick up some 357 Sig and 40S&W barrels since they've stopped making guns in them. I will probably never actually need to replace them, but I'd rather have them on hand in case I do.

ohen cepel · Feb 14, 2021

I hope to have the time and ammo to wear out a few handguns in my life. Not trying to be snarky but most won't be able to do it. I know I don't have the time to do it these days.

On one of my deployments they had barrels of M9's on the range. You would walk up, grab one, fire your 40 rounds and put it back in the barrel going off the range. This went on for hours each day, likely 350 days or so a year. There was no finish left on those M9's but I shot expert and went on.

Handguns aren't as hard on barrels as over bored rifle rounds. I have a S&W .38 that (when I have time) I shoot like I stole it (long story behind my love/hate of said gun). Rarely clean it and not putting abusive hot rounds into it but I really do not think I will wear it out in my life.

If you have the $$$ to buy enough ammo to wear out the barrel I would think you have enough $$ to buy a new barrel is my thought process.

Go shoot, enjoy things and fix as needed. Nothing wrong with having that spare barrel though.

Muleskinner · Feb 14, 2021

Ive owned a stainless S&W 5906 for over 30 years. Of all of my firearms i shoot it the most since i use it to work up all of my 9mm loads.. i probably shoot 2-3k rounds a year through it. I have never had an accuracy issue. Micing the barrel shows very little wear if any.

Boats · Feb 14, 2021

in my experience, it is velocity that kills barrels, not really round count, as evidenced by how quick a .17 remington will kill a barrel vs a 1911 with tens of thousands of rounds through it.

Pistol rounds (with few exceptions) don't get to the velocities that will wear out a barrel.

Seems the effort would be better spent ensuring your pistol barrels don't get rusty or loaded with copper or lead.

Kman · Feb 14, 2021

I have a Glock 17 I bought new in 1987.
It's the pistol I have shot the most. No idea of a round count, but a safe guess is 3 to 4 thousand and the barrel looks and shoots fine.

River02 · Feb 14, 2021

You should hope to live so long and shoot so much-- so I've been told by others

Speed3 · Feb 14, 2021

River02 said:
You should hope to live so long and shoot so much-- so I've been told by others

This 100%. I have no idea round count on pistols, but I've got some lead down range. He'll I put 1,800 rounds through a pistol in a 3 day course almost 20 years ago(had the blisters to show for it too). No telling how many are through it now.

randomuser · Feb 14, 2021

Look at the guns, rifle and pistol that the military uses. I have qualified as expert using iron sights at 500 yds on barrels that many would probably want to throw in the trash can, but they work just fine. I never knew how many rounds those barrels had down them, but from the scratches and wear on those guns I know they were probably older than I was at the time. One was a car-15 used in 1999 or 2000 and it was just fine. Most guns are more accurate than the person shooting them.

Blaster229 · Feb 14, 2021

Our Air Marshal P229 barrels were replaced at 20k rounds.

Speed3 · Feb 14, 2021

Blaster229 said:
Our Air Marshal P229 barrels were replaced at 20k rounds.

Ever notice accuracy fall off or just liability issues ?

Blaster229 · Feb 14, 2021

Speed3 said:
Ever notice accuracy fall off or just liability issues ?

Nah. It was an admin replacement basically. Had an armorer shoot 50k rounds without cleaning and only lubing it. It shot flawlessly.

We worried more about Center spring expansion on the guide rod springs that can affect slide cycling.

alucard0822 · Feb 14, 2021

Barrels are tough, takes a lot of heat and pressure to erode the bore, and most handgun calibers just don't get there. Lots of 100K+ round count pistols with minimal wear, and I know lots of competitors still hitting A-zones with high mileage pistols. Have an M&P pro(aftermarket stainless barrel) I competed with for 10+ years, at least 1K rounds a year through it, and still locks up tight and accurate as it was when new. The locking lugs and block can wear after several thousand rounds, especially with little or no lubrication, so would probably need more than just a barrel if it's worn. Rifles are a different matter, especially with mag dumps or overbore calibers they can erode enough to loose accuracy after a few thousand rounds.

Gcs7th · Feb 14, 2021

What gun are you shooting? Some guns have great aftermarket support, p226, Glock (most models), 1911 And I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about finding parts. As others said speed kills barrels so other than cosmetic it’s unlikely you’ll shoot out the rifling however a match barrel may offer better accuracy over stock.

I’d always pickup a threaded barrel if I can for each gun if I can.

[Kev308] · Feb 14, 2021

Gcs7th said:
What gun are you shooting? Some guns have great aftermarket support, p226, Glock (most models), 1911 And I don’t think you’ll ever have to worry about finding parts. As others said speed kills barrels so other than cosmetic it’s unlikely you’ll shoot out the rifling however a match barrel may offer better accuracy over stock.

I’d always pickup a threaded barrel if I can for each gun if I can.

P220 carry edition. If it was standard I would feel more confident of availability in the future. It probably has about 4k thru it.

Appreciate everyones input.

Gcs7th · Feb 14, 2021

45acp is the slowest pistol cartridge out there. I don’t think you would ever shoot out the rifling.

atblis · Feb 14, 2021

Gcs7th said:
45acp is the slowest pistol cartridge out there. I don’t think you would ever shoot out the rifling.

Friend had a Springfield GI in college. Winchester white box was dirt cheap at Wal-Mart. That thing got g********* at the range all the time. Bump fired a good bit too. The barrel did wear out but I don't actually know how many rounds were fired through it.

Jimbob2.0 · Feb 14, 2021

alucard0822 said:
Barrels are tough, takes a lot of heat and pressure to erode the bore, and most handgun calibers just don't get there. Lots of 100K+ round count pistols with minimal wear, and I know lots of competitors still hitting A-zones with high mileage pistols. Have an M&P pro(aftermarket stainless barrel) I competed with for 10+ years, at least 1K rounds a year through it, and still locks up tight and accurate as it was when new. The locking lugs and block can wear after several thousand rounds, especially with little or no lubrication, so would probably need more than just a barrel if it's worn. Rifles are a different matter, especially with mag dumps or overbore calibers they can erode enough to loose accuracy after a few thousand rounds.

This- Barrel is one of the last things to worry about. Get spare recoil springs, locking blocks etc. Though that said never hurts to have a spare barrel around just incase.

Gcs7th · Feb 14, 2021

Well if the price of ammo doesn’t subside soon there’s definitely no way you’re gonna shoot that barrel out unless you’re made of money or sitting on a stockpile of 45acp.

How many rounds thru until barrel replacement?

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