2,000 Round Challenge

[1986s4]

Pistol: 2013 Colt .38 Super Auto
Rounds fired 1100 [test stopped]
Dates of testing 2/1/2015 to 3/28/2015
Ammunition used: Remington 130 grain ball, reloads with Hornady 115 HAP, Bayou Bullet 135 RN, Precision Delta 124 RN, Zero 125 JHP, Xtreme 124 RN. Powder used VV N310, N320 and N340. Primers: Tula, S&B, CCI
Breakages: None

Test stopped because pistol was not returning to battery.
Pistol lubed with Froglube before test. It ran fine until about 750 rounds. Started to experience failure to return to battery. Replaced recoil spring with heavier unit and ammunition bumped up in power factor. This worked for a short time. Lube and slide felt sticky so I decided to disassemble. Lube had become pasty and parts moved with reluctance. I ended the test and cleaned with my old methods and products. Reassembled using my old supply of Enos slide glide and Mobile One. It may be a while before I reattempt this test.
For some reason the Froglube had turned in to a sticky paste that hindered slide movement. I am no longer using this product.

[psalms144.1]

For some reason the Froglube had turned in to a sticky paste that hindered slide movement. I am no longer using this product.

I bought into FL hook line and sinker when it first hit the market. Living in Tampa and traveling MOSTLY to very warm places around the world, I never had any issues. Moved to NY, and during my first November, I found the FL had "gelled" on most of my guns, and all the cleaning equipment I used to apply it was covered in goopy/waxy/sticky mess.

I stripped all my weapons, relubed with Fireclean, put a decent protectant on the exteriors, and I'm cooking along with no problems now, even during the coldest Feb in 70 years...

[1986s4]

The thing is most of my shooting was done on an indoor range. Last match was outdoor and was the last straw. Light rain but not to cold and I couldn't get through a single stage without the slide sticking short of battery. I also have stripped my AR of the Froglube and I am moving through my other firearms.

[Paul D]

Pistol: Smith & Wesson M&P Shield (no safety version).
Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: Reloads (115 gr Berry's RN over 4.5 gr Titegroup)
Dates of testing: 03/22/15 - 04/01/15
Total rounds fired: 576 (test stopped)
Stoppages: 0
Malfunctions: 0
Breakages: Recoil spring assembly failed (stopped test).

Comments:
This is my first S&W gun ever. I normally carry a Glock 17 AIWB but wanted something flatter for shorts and t-shirts here in AZ. When I got the gun, I changed out the sights for Trijicon HDs and the Apex duty sear kit. The gun shot well but I noticed the retaining cap of the recoil spring assembly extruding out at 500 rounds and then gone at round 576 (on April Fool's day). I've read of recoil spring assembly problems early on in this model. I called S&W that day and they sent out a new unit (not here after 12 days). This is disheartening but I'll give it another chance and restart the test from zero once the new unit comes in. If it fails again, I'll sell it and get the Glock 43.

[MSparks909]

Pistol: HK VP9
Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: 2,000 rounds Freedom Munitions 124RN Reman; 16 rounds Speer Gold Dot 124+P
Dates of testing: 03/01/15 - 04/09/15
Total rounds fired: 2,016
Stoppages: 0
Malfunctions: 0
Breakages: 0

Bought this gun used with 50 rounds down the pipe from a guy local to me. Decided to pick up this one and make it my dedicated carry VP9. I also have a second VP9 that will be my primary training/competition/beater gun. The 2,000 round challenge was rather un-eventful. Not surprisingly, the pistol got filthy, but it did not malfunction once over the test. I shot it in the rain, in a dust storm and it rode in the bottom of my range bag in between range sessions. Lubed it with Lucas Extreme Duty Gun Oil. Pretty impressed with this stuff. Very slick but has "tacky" modifier in it that keeps the lube where you want it; it doesn't run all over the gun like FireCLEAN. There was still a noticeable sheen on the barrel, slide rails and trigger components at the end of the test (the barrel hood was dry).

Here's some pics:

[ssb]

Glock 19 Gen 4 #1

Purchased 02/27/15. Test dates 03/12/15-03/31/15. 2129 rounds fired. No malfunctions. No stoppages. No parts breakages. Ammo used included 100 rounds Federal P9HST3, 1000 CCI Blazer Aluminum 124gr FMJ, 500 WWB 115gr FMJ, 50 Freedom Munitions 115gr FMJ, 200 Speer Lawman 124gr FMJ, 200 ZQI 124gr FMJ, 54 Prograde 115gr TAC-XP JHP, 15 Barnes TAC-XPD JHP.

Glock 19 Gen 4 #2

Purchased 04/06/15. Test dates 04/07/15-04/19/15. 2072 rounds fired. Ammunition used included 1572 124gr CCI Blazer Aluminum, 100 Federal P9HST3, 400 WWB 115gr FMJ. No stoppages, malfunctions, or breakages as defined by the standards set in the OP. At class today, however, I noted at least three BTFs and several cases that bounced off my right shoulder today using CCI 124gr Blazer Aluminum. Have not observed this with other ammunition types, but I'd like to get a video taken to see what it's doing. Gun does have the correct APEX FRE and SLB installed.

Both guns got APEX FREs w/ non-LCI SLBs, Trijicon HDs, a Slug Plug, and a quick polish on the internals. Both were lubed with Fireclean.

One will remain my carry gun and see limited use. The other will be my dedicated dry fire + training gun.

[Casey]

This seems like as good a place as any for my first post.

Pistol: HK VP9
Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: 992rds Blazer Brass 115gr, 695rds Freedom Munitions 115gr (new), 300rds Freedom Munitions 147gr (new), 51rds Winchester Ranger 147gr (Q4364), 20rds Corbon 100gr Pow'RBall
Dates of testing: 3/27 - 4/23/2015
Total rounds fired: 2,058
Stoppages: 0
Malfunctions: 0
Breakages: 0

Comments: Pistol was purchased new (LE package) from G&R Tactical in January 2015. Original Meprolight sights were replaced with Trijicon HDs. 1,335 rounds were fired prior to the start of the test with no stoppages, malfunctions, or breakages. Pistol was cleaned and lubricated with FireClean. At the conclusion of the test, most lube on the barrel hood had dried up, but the barrel and slide rails remained visibly wet. Ejection seemed to weaken a bit during the last few hundred rounds of the test; not sure if this was due to accumulated fouling or because Freedom Munitions' 147gr stuff is on the soft side.

[ReverendMeat]

Failed Attempt:

Pistol: SIG M11-A1 (2015 mfg)
Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: S&B 115, Magtech 124/115, CCI brass 115, WWB 115, Winchester 124gr NATO, 147gr Hydrashok
Dates of testing: 3/25/15-4/30/15
Total rounds fired: 1,408
Stoppages: 9
Malfunctions: 0
Breakages: 0

Pistol bought from SIG directly, cleaned/lubed with either Fireclean or Breakfree (don't remember), installed Hogue G10 grips and standard reach trigger. First ~500 rounds were problem free, then I started experiencing failures to extract resulting in a doublefeed and failures to feed, across multiple ammo types and all magazines. Pistol was returned to SIG, came back a week later with an invoice stating they polished the feed ramp, replaced a magazine, replaced extractor spring, and test fired 50 rounds of Hydrashoks without issue. Shot <400 after that experiencing 4 more FTE/FTF. Pistol sent back to SIG again with a detailed note (as with the first time). Pistol was returned in a week with the invoice stating inspected and test fired, nothing replaced. I sold the pistol the next day with full disclosure.

Update from earlier test (4,000 round challenge):
Pistol: Walther PPQ
Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: S&B 115, Magtech 115/124, CCI 115, Armscor 124, PMC 115, Win 124gr NATO, AE 115, random old stuff
Dates of testing: 10/3/2012 -- onward
Total rounds fired: 2,000 since last test (4,036 total)
Stoppages: 0
Malfunctions: 0
Breakages: 0

Posted results from first 2k challenge when I joined this site 8/2014. Pistol was not cleaned, lubed, or maintained in any sort afterwards (I threw on a set of traction grips though). I had put this gun away for the past year or so, as I was focusing on SIGs. Unfortunately, that didn't work out and in hindsight I should've stuck with the Walther instead. I can shoot it objectively better than anything else I own but I worry about lack of parts availability. I've got a CCC "uno" holster on order for it anyway though.

Some crappy cell phone pictures:

[VegasHK]

Pistol: M&P CORE 5" w/ Leupold Delta Point RDS
Caliber: 9mm
Dates of test: 05/05/2015- 06/05/2015
Ammo: Speer Lawman 124 FMJ 1300 rounds Speer Gold Dot 124+P 700
Malfunctions: 0
Stoppages: 0
Breakages: 0

Let me introduce myself. I am an adjunct F/A Instructor with a very large metropolitan dept. We have approx 3500 gun carriers. I have been an adjunct for 10 years. I recently tested and am going to go to the range full time. Our range is the largest in the county, and FBI/ DEA/yada yada all use our facilities. So, needless to say, it is a busy place, but great to work at if you love to shoot.

On to the pistol. I have to say, I am completely blown away by this S&W CORE. I am a HK guy, and have carried them for years. First the HK45, then the VP9. I bought this CORE on a fluke because my buddy was selling it right, and I wanted to play with the red dot sights. We have just approved them for duty use, and I wanted to really run one hard and get an idea of its potential. I would have done this test with my VP9, but I can't carry a duty gun for 2000 rounds w/o cleaning and lubing it. Just me, but no way.
I got the CORE and knew right away what I wanted to do.

The gun had around 2-3k through it when I got it. I cleaned it and lubed it with Slip 2k oil and some grease. In the last month I have used it strictly as a range gun. I've carried it teaching classes, and shooting drills, as well as shooting steel. I can say without a doubt, 100%, this is a great gun. It changed every preconceived notion and negative thing I have ever felt about S&W pistols. It is super fast, handles great, ergonomics rock. I have nothing bad to say about the gun.
I did run the Leupold Delta the entire test. I like it very much, and can fully recommend them as duty worthy. It took me about 4-5 hundred rounds to start to "drive out to the dot" instead of hunting for it. My best Bill Drill ever is with this gun and The DeltaPoint. I shot 2.09 clean. Draw to first shot at 1.23. The gun and sight can be very fast.

Worth mentioning is the fact that the last time I shot steel, as well as today, the shooting cadence has the gun super hot. I was shooting fast and hard. I had the slide hot enough that press checks were a no no. You'd burn your fingers. The frame got warm enough that I was not running quite so thumbs forward, as resting them on the frame was uncomfortable. I only through this in to note: the gun just kept running along. 411 rounds in about 45 minutes. Not a hiccup.

There you have my intro, and the results of my 2K test. Thank you for taking the time. I hope it was helpful to someone.

[ReverendMeat]

Pistol: Beretta 92G
Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: Magtech, Blazer brass, Aguila, PMC, local remans, Fiocchi (all 115gr), Magtech 124, Win 124 NATO
Dates of testing: 4/15 - 6/24
Total rounds fired: 2,020
Stoppages: 16?
Malfunctions: 0
Breakages: 0

Bought new, lubed with Breakfree CLP. Installed Beretta factory oversize mag release, steel trigger+D spring and VZ golfball grips.

Pistol went ~1,400 rounds without issue, until I had 2 failures to fire from the same box of Magtech. Next range trip out of 260 rounds I had multiple failures to lock back on empty (I think 5?), as well as a failure to eject (stovepipe) with the local remanufactured stuff, which definitely felt softer shooting than anything else. I tried Fiocchi and had 9 stovepipes out of 10 rounds. Always been told Fiocchi is loaded a bit hot but this stuff was pretty weak. Next trip I let my girlfriend shoot 15 rounds, she experienced two stovepipes. Today it limped its way to 2,020 rounds and had two more failures to fire with Magtech. I immediately threw some CLP on the frame rails and shot the remaining 40 rounds of Fiocchi without issue.

So the FTEs were caused by too much filth + no lube + weak ammo/limp wristing. Not terribly worried about that but what concerns me are the failures to fire (all of which had shallow dimples on the primer indicating light strike, and all fired on the second try). I don't think I've ever had an FTF with Magtech ammo, and I've never heard of people having reliability issues with the factory D-spring. If anybody has any input there I'd be happy to hear it.