When do you decide your autoloader is reliable?

[FNWylde]

I asked this in another thread and don't want to hijack it, so please comment on reliability here.

Curious, is 500 or 1000 rounds enough to gauge an autoloader?

I've had 2 fail to feeds and one failure of the slide lock on an empty magazine in around 2500 rounds of FMJ through my FNP40, all 3 failures were with Federal 165gr loads which I won't purchase again after I shoot whatever I have left. The failures were within the first 200 rounds of the Federal, probably in the first 1200-1300 rounds through the gun. Since then I have shot alternately the Federal 165s and other 180gr remans with no issues. Was it just the gun getting broken in? Hope so, though all my cheap reload HSM, etc. 180 gr rounds have been flawless. I'm feeling pretty comfortable now but would like to get to 6-8k rounds and then see where I'm at.

I haven't shot enough PD ammo get a comfort level with what feeds best through this gun.

 

[Naybor]

To be honest, I feel if a handgun gives 100 rounds with no errors, I consider it reliable. If I get a few failure to fire or failure to eject, stovepipes, etc., I must get at least 100 rounds after the last malfunction to consider it reliable. Sometimes I have to polish the feed ramp, etc...... Each weapon realistically has a "break in" period, some longer than others even of the same make/model.

True, the longer the string of "no error" rounds, the more reliable a weapon is considered.

The only weapons with a "no error" history are now my only handguns ~ a Ruger LCP, SP101, and MK III.

Also, you are right that an individual weapon likes some brands of bullets and doesn't work well with others. Sounds like yours doesn't like Federals.

 

[SGB]

I like to have 500 trouble free rounds through an auto before I carry it.

 

[stingray2100]

let me see the math.

2500 rds = 100%
3 failures =

300/2500 = 0.12% failure rate.

now with that said you do not use the ammunition that produced the failure...so, in my humble opinion (take it with a grain of salt) youe gun should me 99.88% reliable....if you consider usinf Federal. That is alot....but this is just numbers the most important thing is...are you confortable carrying this firearm knowing this? I feel you are looking doe someone to say that it is ok to carry it...but it is up to you to make that decision..

good luck...and yes I would personally would carry that particular gun if it was mine, but it is not.

 

[FNWylde]

let me see the math.

2500 rds = 100%
3 failures =

3/2500 = .0012 = 0.12% failure rate.

now with that said you do not use the ammunition that produced the failure...so, in my humble opinion (take it with a grain of salt) youe gun should me 99.88% reliable....if you consider usinf Federal. That is alot....but this is just numbers the most important thing is...are you confortable carrying this firearm knowing this? I feel you are looking doe someone to say that it is ok to carry it...but it is up to you to make that decision..

good luck...and yes I would personally would carry that particular gun if it was mine, but it is not.

Good analysis, sting. The question of reliability and how people conclude what is reliable to them started in the LCP thread because I don't have the experience with semi-autos to say if 100 or 500 rounds with no failures is enough to call any gun reliable. It is my first handgun. Actually I have 2 FNP40s in stainless now and liked #1 enough after I bought it that I found a 2nd reasonably priced so picked it up. The FNP fit my hand very well and felt natural when aiming- big first step in choosing a handgun, and I shoot it pretty well. Looking forward to shooting some others and getting some experience with different guns and different calibers. I do carry it occasionally and have it close by 100% of the time if not carried. I want to shoot more JHPs and find what it and I like. Appreciate the insight.

 

[RichardM]

With my new G26 I have had one failure in over 700 rounds, and that was a ammo manuf issue not gun. So I am confident in my weapon

 

[Jahshoewah3619]

I have not had one single malfunction of any kind after thousands of rounds each through my sig p220 and usp45

 

[Shoobee]

I have not had one single malfunction of any kind after thousands of rounds each through my sig p220 and usp45

Then you are overdue. Jams happen all the time due to no fault of the gun just the laws of physics with springs.

The most common jam is failure to feed the round or failure to lock-in the magazine.

Your reaction should therefore be automatic, to bump the magazine in place at the bottom with your palm, and then to work the slide to re-feed.

 

[Shoobee]

I have fired 500 rounds thru my 45ACP in one day at a training class, and the only misfeed was towards the end as one of the magazines was getting fouled.

Easy solution: switch to another magazine and clean the fouled one later.

In a civilian defensive combat situation, do you have any idea how often you would be shooting 500 rounds? Answer: never.

Most civilian defensive combat is over with 1 or 2 shots. A full magazine at most. Maybe two magazines if you run afoul of the local gangbangers selling dope and making deals.

Now Custer at The Little Bighorn was a different story. But the salient issues there were that the indians had repeating Winchesters while the cavalry only had single shot trap door rifles, and also Custer divided his force and sent it off in three different directions, whereas the indians remained massed as one whole body, hence they had certain strategic advantages.

In addition as far as gun maintenance goes, you should take your weapon to your local gunsmith at some interval to have him service and maintain it, just like any other machine, your car, truck, watch, camera, etc.