How many rounds until you should think about changing your barrel?

[eclayton05]

My friend and I were shooting the other day and the topic came up of after how many rounds should you change the barrel of your hand gun(specifically my 9mm XDm and his 9mm XD service). He seemed to think somewhere around 5,000 but i think that is too low. I told him at the rate that i've been shooting since i got interested in firearm and personal protection that i would have to change my barrel every year and that doesn't seem right, but idon't know i am new. What do you think???

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[Gunner3456]

I have to see something such as throat erosion or wear in the barrel, or notice a change in accuracy. That's rare. Imho high powered rifles will more likely wear barrels. High powered is relative - I wore out a chrome moly AR-15 barrel after about 5,000 rounds from throat erosion. On the other hand I put 100k rounds through a .22lr rifle with no noticeable problems.

Actually, my "thing" is changing the mainspring in semi-autos every 1,000 rounds and even sooner if the manufacturer calls for it. That spring weakens with cycling, but may show the weakening suddenly rather than progressively. By the time it's seriously weakened, it will actually also be shorter than the new one, but I never wait that long. A weak spring will cause feeding/ejecting problems.

The same goes for mag springs. They can stay loaded or empty or anywhere in between without harm. It's cycling which wears springs out.

I have a Browning High Power with more than 20k rounds through it and the barrel is still fine.

YMMV.

 

[The B]

i guess it can depend a little on application, and on the handgun.. but generally speaking, i'd say replace the barrel somewhere between 100,000 and never.. handguns don't burn NEARLY hot enough to eat barrels.

5,000 rounds... that's funny. that's barely broken in, for nitrated poly gun.

 

[SSG]

Check for wear and accuracy degradation.

 

[longcolt]

I have to see something such as throat erosion or wear in the barrel, or notice a change in accuracy. That's rare. Imho high powered rifles will more likely wear barrels. High powered is relative - I wore out a chrome moly AR-15 barrel after about 5,000 rounds from throat erosion. On the other hand I put 100k rounds through a .22lr rifle with no noticeable problems.

Actually, my "thing" is changing the mainspring in semi-autos every 1,000 rounds and even sooner if the manufacturer calls for it. That spring weakens with cycling, but may show the weakening suddenly rather than progressively. By the time it's seriously weakened, it will actually also be shorter than the new one, but I never wait that long. A weak spring will cause feeding/ejecting problems.

The same goes for mag springs. They can stay loaded or empty or anywhere in between without harm. It's cycling which wears springs out.

I have a Browning High Power with more than 20k rounds through it and the barrel is still fine.

YMMV.

Excellent advice! Springs yes, barrel replacement is rare.

Some of the hot magmum rifles can fry a barrel but again its rare you would want to shoot one that much.

I would suspect that the quanity of rounds fired through an AR or mini-14 could result in a barrel replacement before any handgun or hunting rifle.

I have been shooting since the 1960's and have never shot out a barrel.

 

[RallySoob]

I like HK's bbls. Octogonal shape, made from tank barrel steel. tough stuff... I cant imagine wearing one of these out...

http://www.streetpro.com/usp/torture.html

 

[eclayton05]

I have to see something such as throat erosion or wear in the barrel, or notice a change in accuracy. That's rare. Imho high powered rifles will more likely wear barrels. High powered is relative - I wore out a chrome moly AR-15 barrel after about 5,000 rounds from throat erosion. On the other hand I put 100k rounds through a .22lr rifle with no noticeable problems.

Actually, my "thing" is changing the mainspring in semi-autos every 1,000 rounds and even sooner if the manufacturer calls for it. That spring weakens with cycling, but may show the weakening suddenly rather than progressively. By the time it's seriously weakened, it will actually also be shorter than the new one, but I never wait that long. A weak spring will cause feeding/ejecting problems.

The same goes for mag springs. They can stay loaded or empty or anywhere in between without harm. It's cycling which wears springs out.

I have a Browning High Power with more than 20k rounds through it and the barrel is still fine.

YMMV.

Thanks I didn't even think about the spring and with as much as i practice i will need to keep on that.

 

[45_70Sharps]

Let your buddies think they barrel wears out at whatever number that trips their boat. They probably tend to blame their bad shooting on the gun being worn out.
Just agree with them and after a while tell them that you will buy it. You know it doesn't shoot worth a damn anymore but you just want a beater gun anyway.
Offer them what a gun that won't shoot any good is worth.
Next time you go shooting with them you can out shoot them with their "worn out" gun.

 

[jonn5335]

When your firearm can no longer shoot better than the operator.

 

[Joe13]

You just revived a 6 year old thread and added nothing of value to the conversation...

Kudos?

 

[IheartSig]

You just revived a 6 year old thread and added nothing of value to the conversation...

Kudos?

 

[Mikej]

Holy crap! I didn't realize how long I'd been a member here. Doesn't seem like it's been that long. Like they say I guess, time flies?
Hmm.

 

[etrain16]

You just revived a 6 year old thread and added nothing of value to the conversation...

Kudos?

To top it off, the OP hasn't been on the forum since 2010 as well. My guess is he won't see the reply

 

[Medic!]

Wait I actually have something constructive to add!

Mag dumps can cause premature throat erosion.
So how you shoot can be more important than the number of rounds you put through a barrel.

Also I have used copper solvents to clean out badly fouled barrels. Barrels that had their accuracy fall off badly! And returned them to sub MOA guns.

OK. ''That is all''.

You may now return this thread to it's grave. And give it it's long and just sleep.

 

[clearconscience]

I'll change my barrel when it blows up.
Or starts shooting like a smooth bore musket

 

[Joe13]

I'll change my barrel when it blows up.
Or starts shooting like a smooth bore musket

I think that's called a rifle to shotgun conversion

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

When one cant hit the broadside of a barn is always a good rule of thumb.

 

[Member 34319]

My G17 gen 2 is on close to 140,000. That's what I calculate putting through it. Not sure what was put through it by the officer that owned it before I purchased it.

Still shoot a 4" dueling tree plate at 15 yards just fine. Groups 2ish inches at 7 yards.

 

[Stomper]

When you unintentionally start shooting around corners, consistently.... it might be time to change your barrel.


Arise necro-thread... ARISE!!!

 

[Cameron72]

A year ago I purchased a LE turn in Glock 21. My gunsmith told me the barrel looked pretty well shot out but the proof was if the bullet was spinning or tumbling down range. Tumbling was bad.