Long Term Durability? Which One?

[Texasred]

To put it simply which platform for specific calibers would last the longest based on most rounds before the weapon becomes totally useless and no major parts breakage. Does Glock have all the auto cartridges and Ruger all the revolver cartridges?
I hear about Glocks reaching 100,000 rnds+ and Rugers reaching 50,000 rnds+. So as they're numbered what would theoretically and in your own experience last the longest?

1. .22LR
2. 9mm
3. .357 MAG
4. .45 auto
5. .44 MAG
6. 10mm
7. .454 casull

The reason I ask is that these handgun rounds are all that interest me and seem to have any use to me. So for that sake of my great, great, great grandchildren. I've decided to gather as many copies of each so for the parts similarities and simplicity. One day, sooner or later, maybe not in our lifetime. But if things continue the way they are going I imagine our options will be severely limited in our choices.
So if you guys could help me out here I'd really appreciate it and so would my kids someday.

Should I just collect Glocks and Ruger revolvers and make things easy on me?

 

[Tom C.]

Here is my take. Your mileage will vary.

1. .22LR: Ruger Mk III, Ruger Single Six, S&W 617, S&W 41

2. 9mm: CZ-75, SIG 226, GLOCK 17

3. .357 MAG: S&W 27-2, 28-2, 586, 686, Ruger GP100, New Model Blackhawk

4. .45 auto: 1911, Glock 21, S&W 625, Ruger New Model Blackhawk

5. .44 MAG: Ruger Super Blackhawk, Redhawk, Super Redhawk, Dan Wesson 44/744

6. 10mm: Glock 20

7. .454 casull: Freedom Arms 83, Ruger Super Redhawk

All of them will last longer if not firewalled constantly.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

357 mag: Ruger redhawk or a freedom arms.
9mm: Blackhawk convertible.
44 mag: Either of these three- freedom arms, super blackhawk, or super redhawk.

 

[10-Ring]

You know most modern firearms will out last most shooters. I know alot of shooters that shoot maybe 1X a month or so & maybe only a couple 100 rounds. So, maybe 1000 rounds a year...even w/ a 20,000 round life, that 20 years of shooting - I could easily justify a gun purchase to replace guns every 20 years
But more to the point....
22lr - I like either the Ruger Mk II or even a S&W wheelgun mod 617
9mm - Any poly guns but I prefer HKs and Glock
357, 44 mag - Ruger
10mm - Glock
454 casull - Freedom Arms

 

[aaronrkelly]

May I nominate the Browning High Power for 9mm - been a service pistol for alot of people for a long time with very few complaints.

 

[mljdeckard]

It starts and ends with Glock. (I don't carry one anymore.) A couple of years ago, I read an article in one of the mags where one of theditors who had already put 500k rounds through his G-17, sumberged it in salt surf for over a month, and fired another 100k rounds through it.

I also agree that with minimal care and common sense, most guns will far outlast their owners.

 

[MCgunner]

Here is my take. Your mileage will vary.

1. .22LR: Ruger Mk III, Ruger Single Six, S&W 617, S&W 41

Any larger .22 will last vertually forever.

2. 9mm: CZ-75, SIG 226, GLOCK 17

Add Ruger P89. It'll be shootin' when these are dust.

3. .357 MAG: S&W 27-2, 28-2, 586, 686, Ruger GP100, New Model Blackhawk

Can't argue here. I'd lean toward Ruger

4. .45 auto: 1911, Glock 21, S&W 625, Ruger New Model Blackhawk

The Ruger P90 will be shootin' when the 1911 turns to dust, but the 1911 can be rebuilt forever. The P90 is the strongest .45 acp caliber platform I can think of.

5. .44 MAG: Ruger Super Blackhawk, Redhawk, Super Redhawk, Dan Wesson 44/744

Add TC contender, Freedom Arms (I think they make it in .44)

6. 10mm: Glock 20

No problem here

7. .454 casull: Freedom Arms 83, Ruger Super Redhawk

No problem here, though I'd go with Freedom Arms. Any single action is potentially stronger than a DA, at least equal sized guns. The Smith X frame is more like a revolving carbine with no butt stock. The Ruger Alaskan's barrel/frame design sure looks strong.

 

[CountGlockula]

Go Glocks on 9mm+. There's a video out on them.
http://www.tuffsteel.com/DVD/glocktorture.htm

 

[Confederate]

I hate to say this but I really think we're going to see gun confiscation in the next two decades. Gun ads aren't allowed on radio or television, in schools a child can get in serious trouble just for drawing one, and the rising generations are voting increasingly for democratic socialists who by and large don't like guns. So if you buy them, you might want to consider which will be the easiest to hang onto.

I'd say .22LR handguns made by Ruger, 9mm and .45 autos by almost any good quality manufacturer, and .38/.357 by Ruger or Smith.

Glocks, to me, lack class. I mean, who'd want to engrave one? Still, they work and work well. My semiautos are made by Ruger (Mark II) and Smith (645 and 659). A good .22LR rifle also ought to be included in your collection.

Me, I'm so old I don't require my mattresses to have 30-year warranties!

 

[JohnKSa]

The Ruger P-Series autopistols, especially the polymer frame guns, are amazingly durable. If your standard is how long a gun will go without ANY parts breakage, I think they'll top the list. The Glocks are probably next if you don't mind replacing a trigger spring every so often.

 

[Plumber576]

Mark 23 in .45. Can a production handgun get any more rugged?

 

[jlh26oo]

Should I just collect Glocks and Ruger revolvers and make things easy on me?

Pretty much. Mkii, g17, gp100, g20/21, super redhawk etc

 

[Ala Dan]

You are probably right in suggesting Glocks and Rugers for long term
durability, but one would think that Springfield Armory XD pistols
would be right on track to join them.

 

[MCgunner]

Me, I'm so old I don't require my mattresses to have 30-year warranties!

ROFLMAO! Wow, a new catch phrase I can use! I MIGHT last 30 years, but if you believe all the TV stories about mega tsunamis, super volcanoes, falling asteroids, global warming, coming ice ages, etc, etc, etc, I don't know if ANY of us will last 30 years.

 

[El Tejon]

All guns break (and I have broken them).

Buy multiple copies of whatever you decide.

 

[alpha6164]

I can tell you that I have personally put more than 20,000 rounds thru my Sig P226 9mm and it has functioned flawlessly. And I can categorically say that I have never ever ever had a single jam or malfunction on that gun. And hopefully I won't get flamed, but I am not the most maticulous when it comes to cleaning after every shooting. There has been times that out of curousity, (doing my own torture test) I have not cleaned the gun for weeks and have shot thru it several times a week and could not get it to malfunction, what so ever.

I think SIG, HK and Glock would be the ultimate guns as far as reliability. I would chose the SIG and HK over glock though.

 

[chris in va]

Doesn't matter, you won't put that many rounds through any of these guns. The higher the caliber, the fewer the rounds.

Small parts will break, and those just get replaced...not the whole gun.

 

[aka108]

For 9mm--The Star Model 30

 

[Malamute]

"All guns break (and I have broken them)."


I agree, tho some seem to break much less than others.


I have broken 2 or 3 transfer bars in different Ruger SA revolvers. I've never had a Smith & Wesson "break", tho they can wear some and affect timing. They still work tho. I have a Smith K-22 that has had over 200k rounds thru it with no repairs. Still shoots very tight groups. I vote for Smith as the most reliable for long term from my experience.

Basic spare parts aren't very expensive for any of them tho.


I don't have much long term experience with autos to add to the discussion other than every 1911 I've had has malfunctioned at least once in some way.