Let's talk round count...

[Cat-Herder]

I primarily shoot ammo i've manufactured myself. I keep track of that, and have a general idea of how many have gone through my guns. Which reminds me..I need to order some spring kits from Wolff!

 

[K_W]

I do...

Ruger P95: 1638 rounds
SKS: 580 rounds
870: 100 shells

But the Mosin and the .22 refuse to tell me...

 

[findingZzero]

I wondered about that. I'm up to about 700 rnds, or 50-100 rnds in the classified metric system.

 

[shibumiseeker]

For pistols for the first few hundred rounds I have a good idea +- 10%. Beyond that I don't bother. Any brand new gun I get I put a hundred rounds through it almost immediately to see if I like it, how reliable it is, etc. I set aside two boxes of factory ammo just for that, so if I say it's had a hundred rounds through it, I know for certain.

I usually know within 500 rounds if I want to keep a pistol or not. Often I am selling because I just never warmed up to a gun, not because it wasn't reliable. If I have a pistol that's not a collection piece (my 10mm collection) and it's sat in the safe for a year or so without me shooting it much then it has to go to free up funds for guns I like better.

Rifles are a different story. Unless it's a .22lr, I usually know pretty exact round count for any bolt action rifle as I only own precision rifles. ARs I don't bother because everything is so replaceable that I didn't know they could wear out (this has been a great axe, I've replaced the handle 5 times and the head twice, I love this axe...). Of course, I've also never sold an AR since they just keep turning into more ARs.

 

[foszoe]

I assume, perhaps wrongly, that they build these things to hold up for many more rounds then I will put through them. I doubt I will live long enough to own and put 5000-10000 rds through 99% of my guns. There may be 3 guns that will be an exception to that round count.

 

[rhino]

I always see classified ads with number of rounds fired listed, or recommendations to replace X part after Y rounds, but how many of you guys honestly know your round count? Do you carry notebooks with you to do the math?

I have a spreadsheet in which I document rounds counts, most maintenance, repairs, modifications, etc. of my guns. The rounds counts start from when I acquired the gun.

I keep track of round count by either how many times I load my magazines, how much ammo I used from what is left in the box, or by writing it on paper. I then transfer the information to my spreadsheet.

One upside is that I can prove how reliable some of my guns are. Some people claim their gun has gone XXXX rounds without a malfuntion, but I know the actual numbers and have documented them. When I have a malfunction, I note it in the spreadsheet and reset the column for the number of rounds since a failure.

For example, my highest round count gun is my Springfield 1911A1 9mm. As of 02 JUN 2012 (the last time I shot), the round count was 29,052 rounds. This gun has fired 1265 rounds since its last malfunction. The last malfunction was 13 NOV 2011 during an NRA Action Pistol match at Wildcat Valley. I had a weak mag spring that failed to feed the top round quickly enough in a filthy mag tube, resulting in the slide locking to the rear. This happened during the moving target event.

You can take the boy out of engineering, but you can't take the engineering out of the boy.

 

[Mackey]

LC9 - 537 with one stove pipe
PX4 - 299 no problems
22/45 LITE: 878 with one failure to fire due to old ammo
Oh, all the above is BS.
The correct answer is: "Hell, I don't know."

 

[42769vette]

on most of my guns its a rough guess, but on a few i can tell you how many rounds, how they were loaded, what the weather was, and exactly what happened with each trigger pull

 

[churchmouse]

I can tell you within 100 rds. on each gun I currently own. I load up the mags and see whats left when I come home. I know which mags are used in which gun. Not a definite science but close enough. Shot guns are by the box. Bolt guns are the same system, by the box. Rarely come home with rds. left in the box. Rhino seems to have it right. I am but a mere plinker by comparison.

 

[churchmouse]

For pistols for the first few hundred rounds I have a good idea +- 10%. Beyond that I don't bother. Any brand new gun I get I put a hundred rounds through it almost immediately to see if I like it, how reliable it is, etc. I set aside two boxes of factory ammo just for that, so if I say it's had a hundred rounds through it, I know for certain.

I usually know within 500 rounds if I want to keep a pistol or not. Often I am selling because I just never warmed up to a gun, not because it wasn't reliable. If I have a pistol that's not a collection piece (my 10mm collection) and it's sat in the safe for a year or so without me shooting it much then it has to go to free up funds for guns I like better.

Rifles are a different story. Unless it's a .22lr, I usually know pretty exact round count for any bolt action rifle as I only own precision rifles. ARs I don't bother because everything is so replaceable that I didn't know they could wear out (this has been a great axe, I've replaced the handle 5 times and the head twice, I love this axe...). Of course, I've also never sold an AR since they just keep turning into more ARs.

Stop feeding them after mid-nite. Same thing happens with my 1911's

 

[JTinIN]

Check the used link buck vs the to be used link buck and mark when cycle back through the 10000 links.

 

[Trading_Fool]

I know exactly how many rounds have been thru every gun that I have. That is every round that did not get ejected due to misfire. If you know what you have shot thru it it is either too new to tell how it shoots or too old to care.

 

[Hookeye]

I can shoot a light bullet on a max charge of ball powder and get top strap flame cut rather quickly on a Smith .44 mag. Matk appears but it only goes so far and then stops. People who don't know what is going on assume excessive shooting, lots of wear (overall)..........even when the forcing cone looks fine.

Could use a different propellant or run heavier bullets and shoot a lot more rounds, with way less evidence.

I could also shoot 300 grainers at max and stress the trigger pivot (or break it) possibly within a cylinder or two (non endurance package models).

Round count by itself doesn't mean crap.

It has to be the number AND type.


Remember when LBT was the "in thing"? Seen guys wipe out barrels with a handful of shots. Yeah, round count LOL.

 

[nox]

What's LBT? I'm a relative gun "noob". Only been feeding the addiction for the past 2 or 3 years.

Edit- 3 years according to my join date.

 

[NolaMan61]

I have an approximate count, just based on the average number of rounds I buy with each trip to the range, and how many times I've gone. It's sitting somewhere in the neighborhood of ~1,400 for all my guns.

 

[churchmouse]

I can shoot a light bullet on a max charge of ball powder and get top strap flame cut rather quickly on a Smith .44 mag. Matk appears but it only goes so far and then stops. People who don't know what is going on assume excessive shooting, lots of wear (overall)..........even when the forcing cone looks fine.

Could use a different propellant or run heavier bullets and shoot a lot more rounds, with way less evidence.

I could also shoot 300 grainers at max and stress the trigger pivot (or break it) possibly within a cylinder or two (non endurance package models).

Round count by itself doesn't mean crap.

It has to be the number AND type.


Remember when LBT was the "in thing"? Seen guys wipe out barrels with a handful of shots. Yeah, round count LOL.

I see your point but most of us (myself anyway) shoot mainly factory loads as we are not set up for re-loading. I want to get involved but time, space and any other number of excuses keep me from investing in the equipment.
Round count is a simple way to keep track of usage on my guns just like mileage on a car reflects use. it is not just the miles on the clock but the way they were compiled. I see that with a gun as well. Good point.

 

[RandomName]

When I was shooting competition I kept an accurate round count with the pistols I used for that. I have a rough count for my carry gun.

With my AK or hunting weapons I have no idea. I just shoot them.

 

[Leo]

High round count on a handgun does not worry me. High round count on a rifle does not worry me, but I do take the price into consideration. Since a quality match grade barrel, (I like HART) costs between $400 to $500 start to finish, I deduct serious money for a high round count, but would still consider the rifle.

On my match rifles, I do keep a data book with records of my matches and rounds fired, as well as sight settings, wind conditions, scores, ammo selection, etc. I also monitor throat errosion (that is way easier with a Stoney Point gauging system) Chome Moly medium barrels (.223, .308, .30-06) get kind of rough at 3500 or so rounds. Good quality Stainless barrels typically make it to 5000 or so. Magnum or other high wear rifles, like 6.5 X 284 or .243 for example, start showing serious wear at as low as 1000 shots fired.

For pistols I do not really care about count. I just keep them clean and lubed. My first bullseye prepared .45 Government had been used in competition by the 1st owner for about 25 years and was pretty worn as 1911's go. I had the play in the frame rails tightened up and polished, another barrel bushing fitted, replaced (and refitted) the sear and it was very accurate with the same barrel for the ten years I shot it. The guy I sold it to still shoots it. If I was still active in Bullseye competition, I would not hesitate to buy it back. The same with my Smith & Wesson PPC revolver and my Dan Wesson Silhouette revolver.

 

[KoopaKGB]

I always see classified ads with number of rounds fired listed, or recommendations to replace X part after Y rounds, but how many of you guys honestly know your round count? Do you carry notebooks with you to do the math?

I don't know the count in any of my firearms. I just shoot, clean, enjoy and repeat. Am I missing the big picture here?

IMHO its no different then the mileage on a car. You simply like to know "how much" its been driven. No a round count/mileage cant tell you how hard the gun/car was driven/shot. Or if it received proper maintenance like oil changes and regular cleanings. The best way to find out is to inspect its internal components. For handguns I can usually determine by how many boxes I buy since I dont reload and buy it by the box usually, very casual shooting. Rifles I can usually estimate by how many magazines I've ran. Not the most accurate assessment. But "good enough" for my desire to know and to pass on to whomever I sell/trade/give it to. A notebook might not be overkill if say you are shooting a .50 BMG rifle and document what each load went thru. Or if you're shooting any specialty gun similar. I'll admit I've never replaced a spring or component based on the amount of rounds I've estimated the gun had fired because it simply never reaches that high amount for me when I'm buying the ammo vs when the American taxpayer, then my armory keeps that round count.

 

[Hookeye]

What's LBT? I'm a relative gun "noob". Only been feeding the addiction for the past 2 or 3 years.

Edit- 3 years according to my join date.

LBT was "Lead Bullet Technology" IIRC.

There was a fad of "fire lapping" some years back.
Not everybody did it correctly