How many rounds through a CCW before you get a replacement?

Gather App
Guns.com Vault
Stibnite37

Stibnite37

Joined
May 18, 2026
Messages
2
Reaction score
3
City & State/Province
Massachusetts
How many rounds would you guys consider to be too much to be put through a CCW before you start to question its reliability. I’ve got nearly 3k rounds on my 2.0 Compact in 9mm. I know that’s not a groundbreaking number of rounds to put through a pistol and I’ve got a lot more to go before I see any real failures. But it’s got me thinking about when would be the proper time to get a second one and keep that second pistol at a low round count while keeping the high round count pistol as a training tool.
 
Well. I buy a second firearm to train with.

3-500 through ccw and carry . Run the practice one to the ground.

So my answer is I don't replace my ccw.

I have two spare j frames and a 22 charter pathfinder that I train with.
 
For my autoloaders, I've got two of each. The one I carry gets 100-150 rounds of my carry ammo and a few hundred of ball to make sure it runs okay, then doesn't get shot again until it's time to refresh the ammo in the two magazines I use for carry. I'll shoot those, clean and lube the gun, and that's it. The one I practice with gets cleaned when/if I think of it, or if it stops running. Revolvers get pretty much the same treatment, except it doesn't take as much ammo to prove the guns work right, since the ammo doesn't run the gun like it does in autoloaders.

I haven't reached the point where I've had to replace a carry gun. I've got upwards of 5-10k through some of my practice guns, and replacing the recoil spring assembly is the most I've needed to do. I've got two K frames that I used when I was heavily involved in shooting IDPA with over 7k rounds through each, and they're still going strong.
 
Last edited:
Call my crazy
if it has 100,000 rounds but still runs I would have no problems betting my life on it. if it has malfunctions at 600 rounds I would not bet my life on it. I do not believe there is a magic number. if it works it works, if it don't, it don't.
 
There are certainly makes, models, and designs of handguns that are more (or less) durable than others. There are also variations within every line of products that has ever been mass produced (metallurgy, manufacturing processes, tooling, etc). Failures may occur, either suddenly or as a result of extended wear and tear.

That said, very few people will ever live long enough (or pay for enough ammunition) to wear out any quality handgun that has been properly maintained and used sensibly. Probably more firearms die due to poor or improper maintenance than by wear and tear.

I have never kept a round count on any of my personal firearms. I have a 6" Model 19 purchased in 1976 and used for several seasons of PPC competition (and some use as a duty weapon). I estimate that it has been fired at least 30,000 rounds. It is still as tight, accurate, and serviceable as it was 50 years ago.

My daily carry piece today started life about 1979 as a police department issued handgun. I purchased it as surplus about 2008 or so. Still goes BANG every time I go to the range, and probably worth triple the price I paid (S&W Model 64 RB 2").

My little collection includes several pieces from mid-19th Century, Civil War, Indian Wars, Spanish American War, World Wars I and II. All remain completely serviceable and I enjoy an occasional range visit with any of them whenever the mood strikes me.

I recall a popular song from the 1960s and 1970s with lyrics something like: "Paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep, it starts when you're always afraid............................................."

Personally, when I can't remember how old the lunch meat is I throw it out and buy fresh. No worries that way.
 
1) Your hand will wear out before your CCW does.

2) Back in the day when NYPD still carried round guns they have a very simple test to determine what guns were on the "you can buy and carry one of these for duty use" list. It had to go 10,000 rounds with approved ammo without breaking. Colt and Smith and Wesson did this with no trouble.

3) I have been shooting for well over 50 years and have never "worn out" a handgun. I have broke a couple but have never worn one out. Of course I have changed recoil springs, magazine springs, firing pin springs and the occasional firing pin due to use. My principle carry gun (Springfield EMP) I have two of just in case one is down for routine maintenance.
 
Replacement service intervals in rounds on the M&P 2.0.
5,000: slide stop, trigger return spring, recoil spring assembly, magazine spring and follower
10,000: same as 5,000 plus trigger bar and striker assembly
15,000: same as 5,000
20,000: same as 10,000, plus locking block assembly, magazine catch, striker block, spring, and spacer, and ejector.

The striker is also recommended to be replaced after 30,000 dry fire pulls. You're still best advised to use a snap cap to protect the striker and slide breech face.

From talking to guys who've run up a lot of rounds on their M&Ps, all of these are conservative prescriptions for service pistols. I don't have 5,000 on one pistol (I now have 4 full size M&Ps), but I've certainly got more than that across the 3 magazines I've designated for practice over the past 8 years. The springs still work fine.

That being said, eb07's advice of a second gun designated for practice is still a very sound idea.
 
cracker57 said:
Call my crazy
if it has 100,000 rounds but still runs I would have no problems betting my life on it. if it has malfunctions at 600 rounds I would not bet my life on it. I do not believe there is a magic number. if it works it works, if it don't, it don't.
Click to expand...
As long as it’s reliable I’ll carry it-and it’ll run at least 500 of various flavors with ZERO malfunctions before it’s EVER carried. Guns don’t have a “best if used by” date. An 85 year old GI 1911 (If it’s been taken care of) is just as reliable and provides just as much “security” as the new $3500 custom 2011 made last week. Indeed it may well be more reliable than some “new” pieces. I bought a very expensive cc9 from a company with a K a few years ago that, despite multiple trips to the mfgr, never made it through 2 magazines without an FTF or FTE. My decades old .45 just keeps going like the everyready bunny-the only reason it’s not carried is because of weight/mass, not reliability.
 
Modern better pistol brands (Glock, S&W, Beretta etc) are only smooth and run in after 1000 - 1500 shots. I would not start carrying them until then. Thereafter a proper service and spring replacement.

Most of these better brands can easily run up to and over 100 000 rounds and still function. ()

As long as that goes I'll carry and shoot them.
 
LoboGunLeather said:
There are certainly makes, models, and designs of handguns that are more (or less) durable than others. There are also variations within every line of products that has ever been mass produced (metallurgy, manufacturing processes, tooling, etc). Failures may occur, either suddenly or as a result of extended wear and tear.

That said, very few people will ever live long enough (or pay for enough ammunition) to wear out any quality handgun that has been properly maintained and used sensibly. Probably more firearms die due to poor or improper maintenance than by wear and tear.

I have never kept a round count on any of my personal firearms. I have a 6" Model 19 purchased in 1976 and used for several seasons of PPC competition (and some use as a duty weapon). I estimate that it has been fired at least 30,000 rounds. It is still as tight, accurate, and serviceable as it was 50 years ago.

My daily carry piece today started life about 1979 as a police department issued handgun. I purchased it as surplus about 2008 or so. Still goes BANG every time I go to the range, and probably worth triple the price I paid (S&W Model 64 RB 2").

My little collection includes several pieces from mid-19th Century, Civil War, Indian Wars, Spanish American War, World Wars I and II. All remain completely serviceable and I enjoy an occasional range visit with any of them whenever the mood strikes me.

I recall a popular song from the 1960s and 1970s with lyrics something like: "Paranoia strikes deep, into your life it will creep, it starts when you're always afraid............................................."

Personally, when I can't remember how old the lunch meat is I throw it out and buy fresh. No worries that way.
Click to expand...
For what it’s worth


 
I can’t remember ever even seeing a gun I thought was worn out because of the number of rounds had been run through it. Very occasionally I’ve seen guns with sufficiently worn parts that it didn’t run reliably (usually extractors), but these guns have been older than I am (I’m 78). There’s a big difference between wanting a new gun and really needing one.
 
robertrwalsh said:
1) Your hand will wear out before your CCW does.

2) Back in the day when NYPD still carried round guns they have a very simple test to determine what guns were on the "you can buy and carry one of these for duty use" list. It had to go 10,000 rounds with approved ammo without breaking. Colt and Smith and Wesson did this with no trouble.

3) I have been shooting for well over 50 years and have never "worn out" a handgun. I have broke a couple but have never worn one out. Of course I have changed recoil springs, magazine springs, firing pin springs and the occasional firing pin due to use. My principle carry gun (Springfield EMP) I have two of just in case one is down for routine maintenance.
Click to expand...
AMEN!
 
I’ve been around mechanical devices, high tech equipment, hand tools, electronic devices, and party to lots of “testing” of quality and cause of failure in man-made stuff.

Nothing made by man or anything made my nature is always completely flawless.

There is no magic number… HOWEVER.. Defects exist. Mean Time To Failure (MTTF), and Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) can be measured and statically recorded.

The BG2 has quality and design failures and documented parts failures out of the box that are way less common with other striker-fired semi-autos.

If this is accurate…

“Sig Sauer officially recommends a comprehensive factory service interval every year or every 5,000 rounds (whichever comes first). If you are uncomfortable doing a detail strip of the Fire Control Unit (FCU), you can send your handgun in for a paid service evaluation via the Sig Sauer Service Plan page.”

“For a Sig Sauer P365 used for daily carry or high-volume training, proactive maintenance is crucial. Replace the Recoil Spring Assembly (RSA) every 2,500 rounds, and the trigger return and striker springs every 2,500 to 5,000 rounds. Magazine springs should be swapped every 3,000 to 5,000 rounds.”

… then keeping my defense carry under 1,000 rounds seems to be prudent thinking to avoid a potential failure at a higher round count.

There are lots of choices, we all get to pick what works and feels good.
 
I've shot maybe 50 rounds through my 640-1 since I got it a few months back. I dry fire it once in awhile but I doubt I'll fire it more than 100-200 rounds a year.

At that rate it should last me until I am around 108 years old.
 
For a modern duty-grade pistol like the M&P 2.0 Compact 9mm, 3,000 rounds is nothing. Absolutely nothing. You are barely past the break-in period. The idea that 3k rounds makes you question reliability is like driving a new car 3,000 miles and wondering if the engine is about to fail. It's not. It's just getting comfortable.
 
I doubt I've fired enough rounds through all of the guns I've owned (and I've owned a LOT of guns) to wear even one of them out.

I get bored with one, or the next greatest thing comes along, or I just see something else I can't live without. Actually, I almost never buy a "new" gun, they're most always used so I have no idea how many rounds have been through them before I get them.

I say it a lot, but IF I ever wear out a gun, I'm going to brag about it.
 
When it quits working. I've never had that happen and I don't keep count of the number of rounds fired so Damned if I know.
Stibnite37: Nothing personal brother but to me this sounds like another
1747608647177.webp ;) something else to worry about. Ease your head my friend, enjoy the simple things in life.
 
Last edited:
I wore out an S&W 638 and it wasn't difficult at all.

My Dillion progressive press is set up to load wadcutter 38 ammo. Being my carry gun, I would take a box of ammo and shoot it through the 638 about every weekend.
It only took about a year of this until the bolt hole enlarged enough to make the gun unsafe to shoot.
S&W said they couldn't fix it. I persisted and they replaced the frame with another used frame that was slightly less worn.

I now carry a Glock.
 
Stibnite37 said:
How many rounds would you guys consider to be too much to be put through a CCW before you start to question its reliability. I’ve got nearly 3k rounds on my 2.0 Compact in 9mm. I know that’s not a groundbreaking number of rounds to put through a pistol and I’ve got a lot more to go before I see any real failures. But it’s got me thinking about when would be the proper time to get a second one and keep that second pistol at a low round count while keeping the high round count pistol as a training tool.
Click to expand...
On my service M&P 9 compact, 10,000 rounds and still as solid as when new. No burps. If 1911 family we change recoil set every 3500 rounds. No idea on revolvers. My first duty gen 1 Glock 17 had 40,000 rounds through it before a spring (slide lock) broke.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Glenn R. McMannly
Makarovs
2
Replies
49
Views
1K
warguns
W
Don 73
Approaching 1,000 rounds... issues, improvements and upgrades.
Replies
6
Views
342
Don 73
Don 73
Ronster007
How many rounds do you think a properly maintained shield can endure?
2 3 4
Replies
93
Views
3K
sousana
sousana
A
A little help with a Ruger, please (generic question)
Replies
22
Views
617
65Whelen
65Whelen
chief38
How a drill chuck should be properly tightened and why it is important to gun smithing (and many other drilling jobs)
2
Replies
40
Views
2K
a5werkes
A

Latest posts

Back
Top