Keeping a round count

kathys · March 24, 2013, 09:17 AM

I often see on these forums and others like it people mention how many rounds they've put through a firearm throughout its life. I've only been shooting for a little less than a year but I haven't really been keeping track of how many rounds I put through each gun. Should I be? And for those of you that do, do you keep a strict count or just sort of estimate it?

whip1 · March 24, 2013, 09:19 AM

Shooting is a hobby to me. Keeping track of the rounds I fire thru each gun sounds to much like work. I don't see any logical reason to track how many rounds I've fired, so I don't.

**Spats McGee** · March 24, 2013, 09:22 AM

I don't keep anything more than a ballpark, in-my-head estimate, and then only on certain guns. If I bought an older, used gun, I don't even bother, for example.

Venom1956 · March 24, 2013, 09:31 AM

naw.

I just shoot em as best I can as much as I can. If i'm selling its just like every other gun, "not even a box" LOL riiiight

Mike38 · March 24, 2013, 09:33 AM

I kept an accurate round count on three pistols that I have back when I shot competitively. My reasoning was to see how long they would last, because I was shooting around 900 rounds a month. That and I replaced the recoil and main springs at regular intervals. I planned on shooting competitively until late in life, but a motorcycle accident forced early retirement from competitive shooting.

thedudeabides · March 24, 2013, 09:43 AM

I log the rounds thru my 1911s, helps me keep track of when to swap out the springs.

kirbinster · March 24, 2013, 10:18 AM

Once upon a time I was an engineer, so I keep track of everything. I record how many rounds and what caliber I shoot each time I go to the range. What if anything I will ever do with this data I have no clue

AK103K · March 24, 2013, 10:23 AM

I keep track on a couple of Glocks I shoot all the time, mainly to see how long they will go before things start to break.

Other than that, I usually dont bother. Although its usually not to hard to figure things out if you shoot them on a regular basis, and know what you shoot when you go.

campbed · March 24, 2013, 10:23 AM

I track rounds fired in a simple spreadsheet.

Tracking so I know when to perform manufacture recommended maintenance and spring replacement.

Also track issues to see if there are any increasing issues or patterns (gun or ammo).

I was particularly concerned about my .22LR conversion, but after 360 rds 2 issues (FTF, FTE). My 9mm barrel has had 1 FTF out of 350 rounds.

I know is better than I think.

redhologram · March 24, 2013, 10:44 AM

I keep count for maintenance purposes, selling or trading down the road, and should it need to go back for repairs for a particular reason I can give an accurate figure on how many rounds I've run through it.
I also keep a break down on what kind and how many rds of different ammo I've used. To try and watch for trends of any kind that a particular pistol may or may have with different types of ammo.

rodfac · March 24, 2013, 10:55 AM

Yep...I do for a cpl of my plastic framed autos...just curious as to how they'll hold up. I have never bothered with any other type of gun...been at it for 53 years now too. If you keep a loading or range book, it's pretty easy to keep it up to date...Rod

cvc944 · March 24, 2013, 10:57 AM

I've been logging rounds since 2006. Wish I had done it all along. The only real value to me of logging rounds is so I can see at a glance that I need to work less and shoot more!

kathys · March 24, 2013, 11:05 AM

It just occurred to me there should be a smart phone app for this...and there are! I just may start keeping track.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 24, 2013, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaths

I've only been shooting for a little less than a year but I haven't really been keeping track of how many rounds I put through each gun. Should I be? And for those of you that do, do you keep a strict count or just sort of estimate it?

I keep an accurate count. I write it down in a small notebook at the range, then transfer it to an Excel spreadsheet when I get home. I track rounds fired by firearm, and I also track each magazine. The gun count tells me when I should think about replacing the recoil spring. Tracking by magazine allows me to see if/when a particular magazine is misbehaving.

In the spreadsheet, I use a separate worksheet for each firearm.

BigJimP · March 24, 2013, 12:35 PM

I make a note in a spreadsheet....most weeks...when I think about what guns I shot this last week / how many rounds per gun.

Its just a part of the hobby ...and I'm always amazed at how many rounds I put thru 4 or 5 of my favorite guns...but what the heck...( and it helps me evaluate when to change springs on 1911's, etc...)..

SHE3PDOG · March 24, 2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

I don't keep anything more than a ballpark, in-my-head estimate, and then only on certain guns. If I bought an older, used gun, I don't even bother, for example.

This. I have a general idea of how many rounds I have shot through my handguns, but I don't keep track of the rounds through used guns. For instance, my 1903 Springfield has probably had more rounds through it than I can count before it ever got into my hands, so I don't see any point in recording how many rounds I personally have shot through it.

Old Grump · March 24, 2013, 12:46 PM

I budget my rounds per session and I know how often I shoot each gun so that part is easy. In addition I keep a running tally of my ammo inventory so it backs up my round count.

Nanuk · March 24, 2013, 01:34 PM

I don't bother. The only one I ever did was my issue gun, it was easy, how much ammo was I issued.....

newfrontier45 · March 24, 2013, 02:10 PM

I wish I did but I don't. Now it seems weird to start, so I won't.

Kreyzhorse · March 24, 2013, 03:09 PM

I might have a ballpark number on a few guns and no idea on others. Just never thought that it mattered much to me.

SC4006 · March 24, 2013, 03:35 PM

I keep a fairly accurate round count on all of my guns, just for interest sake.

WiscBuckmaster · March 24, 2013, 05:48 PM

I only keep track of how many rounds I shoot on my SR9c. Because it's my only handgun and I'm curious to see how many rounds all of the stock parts will handle before I have to replace something. I keep a rough estimate in my head and just keep adding each time I go shoot. I can figure out exactly how many rounds by counting my ammo boxes. Each time I shoot a box I break the cardboard outer down flat and keep them all together in a box, so if I want to know the exact number I count the number of boxes and multiply by 50.

MarkDozier · March 24, 2013, 05:53 PM

I used to keep track, Now I just track when I run low on ammo and that lets me know when to change springs on certain guns.

Redhawk5.5+P+ · March 24, 2013, 06:42 PM

I just ballpark it.

jad0110 · March 24, 2013, 06:49 PM

Probably not necessary on my revolvers, bolt and lever guns. But I do it out of habit anyway. As others stated, I change my recoil and mag springs in semi autos at regular intervals. Also, with the AR platform I hear it is not uncommon to see bolt lug failures after roughly 5k rounds. It'll be a while before I reach that mark with either of my ARs, but I am tracking it.

March 24, 2013, 09:17 AM	#1
kathys Junior Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Posts: 9	Keeping a round count I often see on these forums and others like it people mention how many rounds they've put through a firearm throughout its life. I've only been shooting for a little less than a year but I haven't really been keeping track of how many rounds I put through each gun. Should I be? And for those of you that do, do you keep a strict count or just sort of estimate it?

March 24, 2013, 09:22 AM	#3
Spats McGee Staff Join Date: July 28, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 8,821	I don't keep anything more than a ballpark, in-my-head estimate, and then only on certain guns. If I bought an older, used gun, I don't even bother, for example. __________________ I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. If you need some honest-to-goodness legal advice, go buy some.

March 24, 2013, 09:31 AM	#4
Venom1956 Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 2008 Location: WI Posts: 3,656	naw. I just shoot em as best I can as much as I can. If i'm selling its just like every other gun, "not even a box" LOL riiiight __________________ E-Shock rounds are engineered to expend maximum energy into soft targets, turning the density mass into an expanding rotational cone of NyTrilium matrix particles, causing neurological collapse to the central nervous system.- Yeah I can do that. I guarantee you will know it if a bicyclist hits your house going 1000 mph. -Smaug

March 24, 2013, 10:23 AM	#9
campbed Member Join Date: March 8, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 75	I track rounds fired in a simple spreadsheet. Tracking so I know when to perform manufacture recommended maintenance and spring replacement. Also track issues to see if there are any increasing issues or patterns (gun or ammo). I was particularly concerned about my .22LR conversion, but after 360 rds 2 issues (FTF, FTE). My 9mm barrel has had 1 FTF out of 350 rounds. I know is better than I think. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis SIG P226 MK25 9mm \| SIG 239 9mm \| Beretta Nano SIG M400 Enhanced Black \| Ruger PC9 \| Winchester 9422

March 24, 2013, 10:55 AM	#11
rodfac Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,623	Yep...I do for a cpl of my plastic framed autos...just curious as to how they'll hold up. I have never bothered with any other type of gun...been at it for 53 years now too. If you keep a loading or range book, it's pretty easy to keep it up to date...Rod __________________ Cherish our flag, honor it, defend it in word and deed, or get the hell out. Our Bill of Rights has been paid for by heros in uniform and shall not be diluted by misguided governmental social experiments. We owe this to our children, anything less is cowardice. USAF FAC, 5th Spl Forces, Vietnam Vet '69-'73.

March 24, 2013, 09:19 AM	#2
whip1 Senior Member Join Date: January 6, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 383	Shooting is a hobby to me. Keeping track of the rounds I fire thru each gun sounds to much like work. I don't see any logical reason to track how many rounds I've fired, so I don't.

March 24, 2013, 09:33 AM	#5
Mike38 Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2009 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 2,710	I kept an accurate round count on three pistols that I have back when I shot competitively. My reasoning was to see how long they would last, because I was shooting around 900 rounds a month. That and I replaced the recoil and main springs at regular intervals. I planned on shooting competitively until late in life, but a motorcycle accident forced early retirement from competitive shooting.

March 24, 2013, 09:43 AM	#6
thedudeabides Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Posts: 1,031	I log the rounds thru my 1911s, helps me keep track of when to swap out the springs.

March 24, 2013, 10:18 AM	#7
kirbinster Member Join Date: March 10, 2013 Posts: 54	Once upon a time I was an engineer, so I keep track of everything. I record how many rounds and what caliber I shoot each time I go to the range. What if anything I will ever do with this data I have no clue

March 24, 2013, 10:23 AM	#8
AK103K Senior Member Join Date: May 1, 2001 Posts: 10,223	I keep track on a couple of Glocks I shoot all the time, mainly to see how long they will go before things start to break. Other than that, I usually dont bother. Although its usually not to hard to figure things out if you shoot them on a regular basis, and know what you shoot when you go.

March 24, 2013, 10:44 AM	#10
redhologram Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2013 Posts: 352	I keep count for maintenance purposes, selling or trading down the road, and should it need to go back for repairs for a particular reason I can give an accurate figure on how many rounds I've run through it. I also keep a break down on what kind and how many rds of different ammo I've used. To try and watch for trends of any kind that a particular pistol may or may have with different types of ammo.

March 24, 2013, 10:57 AM	#12
cvc944 Senior Member Join Date: March 17, 2013 Location: Lenhartsville, PA Posts: 164	I've been logging rounds since 2006. Wish I had done it all along. The only real value to me of logging rounds is so I can see at a glance that I need to work less and shoot more!

March 24, 2013, 11:05 AM	#13
kathys Junior Member Join Date: July 19, 2012 Posts: 9	It just occurred to me there should be a smart phone app for this...and there are! I just may start keeping track.

March 24, 2013, 12:35 PM	#15
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I make a note in a spreadsheet....most weeks...when I think about what guns I shot this last week / how many rounds per gun. Its just a part of the hobby ...and I'm always amazed at how many rounds I put thru 4 or 5 of my favorite guns...but what the heck...( and it helps me evaluate when to change springs on 1911's, etc...)..

March 24, 2013, 12:46 PM	#17
Old Grump Member in memoriam Join Date: April 9, 2009 Location: Blue River Wisconsin, in Posts: 3,144	I budget my rounds per session and I know how often I shoot each gun so that part is easy. In addition I keep a running tally of my ammo inventory so it backs up my round count. __________________ Good intentions will always be pleaded for any assumption of power. The Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern will, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters. --Daniel Webster--

March 24, 2013, 01:34 PM	#18
Nanuk Senior Member Join Date: January 2, 2005 Location: Where the deer and the antelope roam. Posts: 3,082	I don't bother. The only one I ever did was my issue gun, it was easy, how much ammo was I issued..... __________________ Retired Law Enforcement U. S. Army Veteran Armorer My rifle and pistol are tools, I am the weapon.

March 24, 2013, 02:10 PM	#19
newfrontier45 Junior member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Posts: 921	I wish I did but I don't. Now it seems weird to start, so I won't.

March 24, 2013, 03:09 PM	#20
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	I might have a ballpark number on a few guns and no idea on others. Just never thought that it mattered much to me. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

March 24, 2013, 03:35 PM	#21
SC4006 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2012 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 525	I keep a fairly accurate round count on all of my guns, just for interest sake. __________________ I don't always go to the range, but when I do, I prefer dosAKs. They say 5 out of 4 people are bad at math.

March 24, 2013, 05:48 PM	#22
WiscBuckmaster Member Join Date: February 16, 2013 Posts: 69	I only keep track of how many rounds I shoot on my SR9c. Because it's my only handgun and I'm curious to see how many rounds all of the stock parts will handle before I have to replace something. I keep a rough estimate in my head and just keep adding each time I go shoot. I can figure out exactly how many rounds by counting my ammo boxes. Each time I shoot a box I break the cardboard outer down flat and keep them all together in a box, so if I want to know the exact number I count the number of boxes and multiply by 50.

March 24, 2013, 05:53 PM	#23
MarkDozier Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2010 Posts: 363	I used to keep track, Now I just track when I run low on ammo and that lets me know when to change springs on certain guns.

March 24, 2013, 06:42 PM	#24
Redhawk5.5+P+ Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2012 Location: NV Posts: 743	I just ballpark it.

March 24, 2013, 06:49 PM	#25
jad0110 Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2007 Posts: 761	Probably not necessary on my revolvers, bolt and lever guns. But I do it out of habit anyway. As others stated, I change my recoil and mag springs in semi autos at regular intervals. Also, with the AR platform I hear it is not uncommon to see bolt lug failures after roughly 5k rounds. It'll be a while before I reach that mark with either of my ARs, but I am tracking it.

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