Service Life for frame and barrel

[guns_and_labs]

Looking at a couple of "for sale" offerings led to a question: how long is the service life for a competition barrel in a 1911? How about the frame?

I have several pistols that have several thousand rounds down range, I change out the springs regularly and clean them carefully.

When do the experts suggest changing a barrel, and when do you retire a frame?

[RH45]

As far as the frame/slide goes, it really depends on how well it was originally fit. I would think 50,000 rounds shouldn't be a problem with a decent fit.

As far as the barrel goes, if you are talking about it being "shot out", that depends a lot on what load is put through it.

[Jasonub]

1911 in 45 acp?

Barrel may last 100t rounds or much more with lead or coated bullets. less if fmj.

I have a 40 cal shuemann ultimatch barrel that has shot 150t rounds or so. it still is very accurate. the lands and grooves are a little bit deteriorated on the first inch when viewed from the chamber. but it still works.

I Shoot coated bullets exclusively. YMMV

I got an aet to replace it this quarter though

Frames would seem to last forever on forged 1911 frames

[joecichlid]

I have heard of many shooters with 100k+ through their guns although there is a good chance they had used more than one barrel in all of those rounds. YMMV

Joe W.

[Matt Cheely]

Had an Open 9mm Major I built go 120,000 rounds before the slide cracked on the short side of the ejection port. It was still accurate. Put a new top end on it and it was good to go.

[Julien Boit]

A friend of mine replaced his frame after more than 200 000 rounds on his SV, a 40sw standard pistol.

The other components (slide and barrel) remained the same.

[Jasonub]

may i ask why did he replaced the frame?

Edited December 23, 2009 by Jasonub

[BillD]

I've got a Kimber 1 with about 20-25K and a Rinco with 45K.

Both frames are cracked.

[calishootr]

I had a springfield custom shop singlestack(yeah its that old) go 50k before i sold it to a friend, who put another 25k on it and then sold it to someone lese and we lost track of it...with the exception of actual cracks in the slides/frames the guns should be fine, keep checking accuracy by shooting groups at known distances and keep those records, also keep an eye on velocity, as the barrels wear you will have to nudge the powder charge up,assuming all the components staythe same....