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Posted: 6/1/2016 10:21:24 AM EDT
| How many rounds through an ar before you guys would consider it reliable for home defense? |
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Couple mags, zero failures, and no excessive rim deformation. That said I don't think any of mine have seen less than a couple hundred in their first range session.
If there were a failure the source would have to be determined and fixed, if the source couldn't be determined add another hundred rounds. IME gun problems aren't very intermittent, mag and ammo problems may be. |
| Interesting question but I don't think there's really a specific number. It will depend on the tolerances of the components and build quality...and sometimes just a little bit of luck of how your parts were manufactured and mesh together in a build. It's the same reason an engine dyno can show different horsepower/torque numbers for identically manufactured crate engines. Still, if you want a number that probably insures a decent level of displayed reliability and debugging, it's probably somewhere around 200 rounds in most AR15's...and that's probably only with a somewhat specific category of ammo...bullet weight, brand, case material, etc. You can take a perfectly functioning AR and jump around between high quality ammo and some of the cheapest stuff you can find and end up with some reliability issues. Some tuning of the buffer or gas system might be required to reliably shoot "ALL" possibly available ammos. And while there are some guns that owners have found to eat just about any ammo, it's probably due to being overgassed, and that might in itself cause issues down the road. Variables...variables...variables. |
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500 rounds will generally get you in the high 90s confidence for the avg lifespan., although it doesn't factor in mech wear rates/increased malfunction rates/decrease mtbf
I use 500 as a lot testing min on ammo. I also think docgkr recommended 500 as a decent sample size in a thread a few years back for ammo selection/reliability in a rifle |
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It's been my experience that either a rifle runs, or it doesn't. If you have tolerance or gas issues, they'll usually show up in first few rounds. I build using primarily Spikes Tactical parts and the only time I've ever had a problem was with a firing pin being slightly out of spec, and getting stuck in the bolt. I troubleshooted it pretty quick, and Spikes gave me a new pin the same day (I live close). The problems I HAVE seen, are with my cheap friends who buy an unknown mix-match of parts from the gun show/random-Internet-search, and try to cobble together the cheapest rifle they can. Then they call me to try and figure out what's wrong. I tell them straight-up "what's wrong is that you bought cheap-ass parts that probably came from China, then you did a half-assed job putting them together, and you expect it to run?!" We always get them fixed, after swapping the bolt, or aligning the gas block, or replacing out of spec bolt catches or disconnectors, that type of stuff. Use good parts, pay attention to the fit as you assemble, and you should be fine. When I test, I run a mag or two of imported steel case, PMC .223, and Federal XM193. (Sometimes I'll even mix it all up in one mag and do a dump  ) If no problems pop up, I'm GTG. After that, it's just and issue of proper maintenance and a thorough inspection every 1000 rounds or so.
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Are you having issues or just asking for a nice round number? Any firearm that hiccups won't be used by me for self-defense until the problem is solved. I have zero tolerance for malfunctions in a fighting firearm. I'll accept lower accuracy but never reliability problems.
My first AR-15 was a wake up call. Purchased in 1981 out of curiosity and respect for it's place historically, it never failed me. I could shoot it upside down, held limply, hip shoot it and it always worked. This reliability was unheard of by my friends who served in Vietnam. They had NOTHING good to say about the rifle or the round. I had friends quit shooting NRA/DCM high power tournaments in the early 1990's after being top competitors for over a decade simply because AR-15's were taking over. They hated the rifle that much. Both former Marines, M1-A shooters and set in their ways. If any AR-15 isn't totally reliable it's probably out of neglect. Magazine quality is better than ever and the old ones were good as far as I'm concerned. I bought a bunch of Colt 5.56mm marked 20 round magazines that continue to serve with distinction. They were Air Force contract magazines from the 1970's complete with metal followers. I paid $4.00 whole dollars apiece for them in the early 80's and they keep going and going and....... Buy quality firearms and keep them cleaned and lube and they should always work for you. If they don't, find out why and fix it. 300 rounds without a malfunction tells me a new firearm can probably be relied upon to protect and serve. SHONUFF is on the mark in regards to saving money. People who build guns at home (like me) should be building the best possible rifle with the best parts available. The goal is to have a custom quality rifle built to your exact specifications. If you want cheap, you'll get cheap. |
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