Establishing reliability.

[YVK]

Add me too to a 200-300 rounds group. I do make a point of running several kinds of defensive ammo to be sure I can use them interchangeably, especially since my go-to source for HST ammo made it "LEO only purchase".

[LittleLebowski]

500 rds without cleaning or additional lube, box or two of defensive ammo.

[JodyH]

Along the same lines re: reliability.
I don't get too caught up in things like 500 rounds without lube or the 2000 round challenge being the reliability goal post for a carry gun.
If my carry gun will shoot every round I carry on my person without a hiccup, it's gtg.
While my current primary carry (H&K P2000Sk) would easily pass a 2k challenge, one of my previous carry guns (Colt LW Commander) would start bobbling after a long, hot, dirty range session.
No big deal because it was always 100% for the 3 magazines I had on my person.
My Kahr PM9 rarely goes more than 50 rounds between cleanings, no big deal because it has always been 100% and I only have 7 rounds on me for it anyway.
If it's 100% for my ammo loadout, it's gtg in my book.

[SecondsCount]

After owning quite a few guns since 1988, I think 200 rounds is a good starting point. Any problems that I have had with a gun have revealed themselves in less than 100 rounds. After that I just keep shooting them for proficiency and if any problems come up I make a note of it. If the problem is persistent then I know that the issue is probably the gun and not the ammo.

For carry ammo I try to pick something that is quality and shoot at least 50 rounds through the gun before carrying it. I also run a variety of my reloads to see how the gun reacts. For instance, my M&P45c chokes on semi-wadcutters but runs fine on truncated, hollow point, and ball ammo, as well as Winchester Ranger T without an issue.

[l8apex]

500 rounds of carry ammo = GTG for me.

[fuse]

I don't have a problem carrying a service pistol from a top tier manufacturer after 100 rounds of FMJ and a 20 round box of carry ammo.
If I picked up another H&K P2000 tomorrow I'd have zero reservations about carrying it after a 120 round range session. Heck I'd carry it after running a magazine or two of carry ammo through it and not lose any sleep.

ditto glock

[sqeeler]

i usually run about 500 rds of my reloads for break in , then 50 fact fmj and 50 fact jhp to be good 2 go

[JohnN]

What standard do you set? What does a gun have to do before it is put into a defensive role? Is there a widely accepted standard somewhere?

For me, 500 FMJ's and at least 200 of the JHP I'm going to carry have to run flawlessly before it gets considered for social purposes. Is this acceptable?

The guns that I apply the 500/200 standard to are guns with a well established track record I. E. Glock etc.

This seems about right to me.

[mgobel]

With a SIG / Glock / S and W etc.

200 rounds carry ammo

1000+ overall

Mark

[mlk18]

I will jump on the 300-500 rounds of FMJ and 100 rounds or so of JHP bandwagon, minimally speaking of course. But you can expect about an equal number of dry fires, mag changes and holster presentations to that mix as well. Reliability is not just about function of a round firing and automatically loading another. I need to know if the mags will drop, slide will shut, slide will lock open, levers are not going to bend or break, what may snag, etc., etc.