The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - So what are your high mileage round counts?

orionengnr · October 1, 2012, 07:56 PM

I do not keep track of rounds, but after I started handloading, I kept track of boxes of primers (1000 per box) for a while. Eventually quit that too.

But I can tell you that in the last three years I have put 6 pounds of Green Dot and a couple pounds of W231 into .45 cases. A few have been .45LC, the vast majority into .45acp and run through a certain steel framed 4" Kimber.

My standard target load is 5 grains. So...7000 divided by 5 equals 1400 rounds per pound. Six pounds of Green Dot times 1400 is 8400 rounds. Add a couple pounds of W231 at the same 5 grains and we get 2800 more.

That makes 11,200 in round numbers. As I say, I have used a small amount for .45LC (maybe 200?) and a smaller number of .41 Mag (50 or so). When I was experimenting with 10mm and .380, I built maybe 10 rounds of each.

I have put a box here and a box there of these handloads through various other 1911s, but not a great amount.

I'm going to guess-timate that I have 10k through that Kimber, and although it has some finish wear, it shoots as well today as the day I bought it. And although these days my back dictates the carrying of an alloy-framed 1911 (maybe even a 3 1/2 incher) I would not hesitate one tick to grab that Kimber and trust my life to it.

I recently acquired a used Scandium framed S&W 1911 and am trying to put enough rounds through it to trust it unconditionally. So far, so good...I'll get back to you in a few thousand rounds.

October 1, 2012, 07:56 PM	#15
orionengnr Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2004 Posts: 5,177	I do not keep track of rounds, but after I started handloading, I kept track of boxes of primers (1000 per box) for a while. Eventually quit that too. But I can tell you that in the last three years I have put 6 pounds of Green Dot and a couple pounds of W231 into .45 cases. A few have been .45LC, the vast majority into .45acp and run through a certain steel framed 4" Kimber. My standard target load is 5 grains. So...7000 divided by 5 equals 1400 rounds per pound. Six pounds of Green Dot times 1400 is 8400 rounds. Add a couple pounds of W231 at the same 5 grains and we get 2800 more. That makes 11,200 in round numbers. As I say, I have used a small amount for .45LC (maybe 200?) and a smaller number of .41 Mag (50 or so). When I was experimenting with 10mm and .380, I built maybe 10 rounds of each. I have put a box here and a box there of these handloads through various other 1911s, but not a great amount. I'm going to guess-timate that I have 10k through that Kimber, and although it has some finish wear, it shoots as well today as the day I bought it. And although these days my back dictates the carrying of an alloy-framed 1911 (maybe even a 3 1/2 incher) I would not hesitate one tick to grab that Kimber and trust my life to it. I recently acquired a used Scandium framed S&W 1911 and am trying to put enough rounds through it to trust it unconditionally. So far, so good...I'll get back to you in a few thousand rounds. Last edited by orionengnr; October 1, 2012 at 08:03 PM.