barrel life of a .357 magnum - Page 2

WIL TERRY · October 1, 2015, 04:14 PM

MY S&W M19 4" has 49,000 rounds thorugh it almost equally divided between 38SPL and 257MAG ammunition. I have other pistols with 55,000 and 65,000 rounds through them. SO FAR...no big deal.
And so it goes...

reddog81 · October 1, 2015, 04:26 PM

7,000 rounds of wadcutter loads would basically mean the gun is broken in. If there is damage to the gun it is not from 7,000 light target loads.

salvadore · October 1, 2015, 05:49 PM

I use to trade a gent back in the late 70s my lead for his linotype. He claimed he was on his 2nd M 27 because he shot out the barrel of his first, I assume with linotype loads. Maybe BS.

James K · October 1, 2015, 06:06 PM

Assuming wear only and not abuse, like over-aggressive cleaning or use of corrosive primers, it takes a long time to wear out a revolver barrel, even with jacketed bullets. The type of throat erosion seen in rifles can occur in the cylinder and forcing cone of revolvers, but not so much in the barrel itself. Erosion in the corners of the grooves is common in auto pistols fired with bullets having thick and hard jackets, and the same thing will happen in revolvers with those bullets, but few revolvers fire auto pistol ammunition.

Jim

tallball · October 1, 2015, 06:26 PM

I have owned a lot of revolvers, some new and some used. Only one of them has what I would call significant wear of the rifling. It was made in 1915. (And it still shoots pretty well, actually.)

If that particular S&W lasts as well as mine has, you should get many decades of shooting out of it.

FairWarning · October 4, 2015, 02:24 PM

Most guns/barrels will probably outlive their owners with ease, especially if you have a lot of them to choose from. So no need to worry.

October 4, 2015, 02:24 PM	#31
FairWarning Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2008 Location: GA Posts: 1,149	Most guns/barrels will probably outlive their owners with ease, especially if you have a lot of them to choose from. So no need to worry. __________________ Mauser Werke, Schmidt-Rubin, Colt, Walther, HK, Weatherby, Sig Sauer, Browning, Ruger, Beretta, etc, etc....a few friends of mine

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October 1, 2015, 04:14 PM	#26
WIL TERRY Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2000 Location: BLACK HILLS Posts: 1,322	MY S&W M19 4" has 49,000 rounds thorugh it almost equally divided between 38SPL and 257MAG ammunition. I have other pistols with 55,000 and 65,000 rounds through them. SO FAR...no big deal. And so it goes...

October 1, 2015, 04:26 PM	#27
reddog81 Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2014 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,634	7,000 rounds of wadcutter loads would basically mean the gun is broken in. If there is damage to the gun it is not from 7,000 light target loads.

October 1, 2015, 05:49 PM	#28
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	I use to trade a gent back in the late 70s my lead for his linotype. He claimed he was on his 2nd M 27 because he shot out the barrel of his first, I assume with linotype loads. Maybe BS.

October 1, 2015, 06:06 PM	#29
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Assuming wear only and not abuse, like over-aggressive cleaning or use of corrosive primers, it takes a long time to wear out a revolver barrel, even with jacketed bullets. The type of throat erosion seen in rifles can occur in the cylinder and forcing cone of revolvers, but not so much in the barrel itself. Erosion in the corners of the grooves is common in auto pistols fired with bullets having thick and hard jackets, and the same thing will happen in revolvers with those bullets, but few revolvers fire auto pistol ammunition. Jim

October 1, 2015, 06:26 PM	#30
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	I have owned a lot of revolvers, some new and some used. Only one of them has what I would call significant wear of the rifling. It was made in 1915. (And it still shoots pretty well, actually.) If that particular S&W lasts as well as mine has, you should get many decades of shooting out of it.