handgun barrel life expectancy
What's the normal life to be expected out of the average service/ concealed carry handgun barrel? Not in a precision target pistol, but something intended for defensive use. Ballpark how many rounds can you expect to mail through the tube before its considered shot out? Let's say also that the cleaning and maintence is done as it should and never neglected or abused. Let's also say that the caliber in question is the. .40 s&w. And only jacketed ammo is used. Normal jacketed ammo. Not excessive+ p's or+ p+'s... just average off the shelf or handloaded to medium pressure ammo...
Would 9mm and 45 acp be similar lifespans or different due to different velocities? What kind of life could we expect from these barrels?
Would 9mm and 45 acp be similar lifespans or different due to different velocities? What kind of life could we expect from these barrels?
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9mm, .38. .40 and .45 (along with many others) have relatively large diameter bores for their length and low velocities and low pressures when compared to rifle cartridges. Realistically if you fire nothing but standard loads without a lot of rapid fire shooting and give the barrel an occasional cleaning you are probably looking at 30,000-40,000 rounds. Target and bulls eye shooters can wear out barrels through the shear volume of ammunition fired but a typical sport shooter would probably be looking at two lifetimes before worrying about serious barrel wear issues. Various small parts on the handgun will give out, go out of spec and need replacement long before the barrel will become unserviceable. 0 -
I get 100.000 rounds through my Target barrels on 45 ACP with LEAD loads. I only change barrels because the hood and locking lug wear. The groups at 99,900 are just as good in a barrel tester as new. I don't think if you are shooting NON FULLY auto pistol rounds and keep the barrel clean the number of rounds are much of a factor. I think pistol wear and neglect leaving a barrel dirty will really shorten the live . on most calibers . Now some of the SUPER HOT RIFLE/PISTOL may burn out a barrel in front of the chamber from HEAT but not on most NORMAL rounds. 0 -
That's about what I was thinking. I figured id check here for verification. Thanks again guys! 0 -
It takes a lot to wear out the NORMAl pistol barrel. For the most part, any barrel, rifle or pistol shoots best when clean, but some military and police weapons do not have that commodity, when engaged in a long firefight.
As perryshooter suggested, the lead alloy bullets will be easier on the barrel, than jacketed ones, but still you should be able to get at least 30 thousand rounds thru a pistol barrel before it gives up servicable accuracy.
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Agreeing with everything above, the two biggest things that wear out handgun barrels are HEAT and (improper) CLEANING.
HEAT comes from volume of powder burned, plus rate of fire.
If you're rapid firing rounds as fast as you can, you'll wear out a barrel faster. Likewise, something like a 357 SIG just burns more powder than say a .380, and all else being equal, you'd expect more service life from a .380 barrel.
If you're firing nothing but soft lead wadcutter target rounds at low velocity, you'll basically NEVER wear out a hardened steel barrel. In fact, some people say that these soft rounds actually polish the inside of the barrel improving accuracy.
Target .22s basically last forever for this reason. . .they're all using soft lead bullets, driven to subsonic velocity by extremely small amounts of powder. Its definitely possible to burn out a .22 barrel if you run it full-auto and let it badly overheat, but at the controlled rate of fire that most target shooters shoot at, they're capable of 100,000 rounds or more.
The quick answer to the question is what Mark said.
If you keep your barrel from corroding with normal maintenance, use normal ammo, don't repeatedly let the barrel get scotching hot by ripping through multiple full magazines in rapid fire, and don't damage the crown with overzealous cleaning, then the barrel should last at LEAST 25,000 rounds. Other parts of the gun will probably wear out from normal use before the barrel will.
As a basis for comparison, 25,000 rounds = 50 rounds per week x 50 weeks per year x 10 years. If you're spending only $0.20 per round, then you'll have to spend $5000 on ammo. . .probably 10x the cost of your gun. . .before you'd have to replace a $150 barrel.
Lastly, 4" 25 yard groups are probably adequate for a "service" type pistol, and certainly good enough for a concealed carry gun that is presumably only going to be used at close range. So even a pretty worn barrel is still probably "good enough for gov't work", as they say.0 -
I saw a picture of a .38 Super sawn lengthwise after 30,000. It was pretty eroded from rapid fire of loads hotter than factory, but I bet it would still have hit a crook. And you will not be firing that heavy a load and probably not that fast.
There was an old old article describing a .44 Magnum fired 20,000 full charge loads, about half jacketed, half cast. The revolver forcing cone was eroded out so they had it set back and the cone recut and kept on shooting with good accuracy.0 -
Try this barrel life calculator ...
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2010/11/handy-excel-formula-predicts-useful-barrel-life/0
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