How many times can I chamber the top round in a semiauto?

[Cygnus]

How many times do you think you can chamber a round and unchamber ii before you cause the bullet to be pushed back in enough to worry about increased pressure?
This would arise from clearing the pipe on a carry peice nightly or after a road trip.

Thanks!

 

[CSK22]

Wow, was getting ready to post this question in the next few days(thanks!)

What i've been doing is keeping a spare unchambered round and side by siding it after each time i chamber a round. I know its not scientific, but I'm not on a budget where I can constantly buy new carry ammo. Its expensive.

I've read online no more then twice, but i've also read much more then that. So I'm excited to see what people say. Sorry I'm no more help then that

 

[Archbishop]

while it may not be good for it. I can attest that I've done it's many times (not sure how many.) with no ill effect at the range. Might also depend on the weapon in question. Different angles of feed ramps and different spring loads might impact the bullet differently. Oh and different brands of ammo might be effected differently as well. I don't see you getting a definite answer on this. Just my two cents worth.

 

[nighthawk80]

while it may not be good for it. I can attest that I've done it's many times (not sure how many.) with no ill effect at the range. Might also depend on the weapon in question. Different angles of feed ramps and different spring loads might impact the bullet differently. Oh and different brands of ammo might be effected differently as well. I don't see you getting a definite answer on this. Just my two cents worth.

Kinda what I was thinking. I don't tend to unload at night as I just put it in the safe. But when I had to unload, I took a couple of round out and rotated them.

 

[motoman]

i have also done it several times with the same round with no ill effect. i do inspect my rounds though to make sure there isnt any visual damage or anomalies regularly.

 

[IndyGunworks]

while the liability side of me wants to say keep it minimal, in reality i have done this plenty of times on the same round with no ill effect... i am thinking over 10? so if you rotate your ammo through with a 10 round mag thats 100 times!!!

 

[jblomenberg16]

I generally don't empty my carry gun all that often, but when I do, I try to rotate the first couple of rounds in the mag.

Also, when rechambering, I don't strip the round ouf of the mag. I place a round into the chamber, then let the slide slam home. My only logic on this is to help minimize the chances of teh bullet slowly and gradually being pushed in.

 

[Scutter01]

Seems like if you have even a cheap micrometer or some other measuring caliper handy it would be easy enough to monitor.

 

[Jack Ryan]

How many times do you think you can chamber a round and unchamber ii before you cause the bullet to be pushed back in enough to worry about increased pressure?
This would arise from clearing the pipe on a carry peice nightly or after a road trip.

Thanks!

12 times per .1" of the actual bullet diametre times the total over all cartridge length.

Check your reloading manual for specific limits per the different manufacture's recomendations or call the bullet manufacture for their recomdations with consideration of the match between their amunition and your specific firearm. For revolvers you can increase all recomendations by 10%

 

[IndyGunworks]

I generally don't empty my carry gun all that often, but when I do, I try to rotate the first couple of rounds in the mag.

Also, when rechambering, I don't strip the round ouf of the mag. I place a round into the chamber, then let the slide slam home. My only logic on this is to help minimize the chances of teh bullet slowly and gradually being pushed in.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

BAD ADVICE

that is very very hard on extractors and will eventually cause one to break, esp, when you dont want/need it to break... the round when chambered normally is actually "lifted" up the breech face and "inserted" behind the extractor.... semi automatics were never designed to be closed on a round in the chamber... will it work? Yes. Will it cause damage? YES over time.

 

[sporter]

Basically the worry with chambering rounds repeatedly is bullet set back.

If a bullet gets set back far enough into the cartridge case it can cause an over pressure which could lead to a host of failures.

As a rule of thumb I think most cartridges are safe with .5-1mm of set back. After that I would replace with a fresh cartridge.

 

[mettle]

Basically the worry with chambering rounds repeatedly is bullet set back.

If a bullet gets set back far enough into the cartridge case it can cause an over pressure which could lead to a host of failures.

As a rule of thumb I think most cartridges are safe with .5-1mm of set back. After that I would replace with a fresh cartridge.

I just leave the thing loaded, all the time; and, put the pistol out of my kids reach when we are home. They cannot get to the firearm, but I can in a hurry. I solved that problem of having to 'clear' the gun every night.

 

[dwh79]

Never really have thought of this very interesting. I guess I need to evaluate my carry ammo.

 

[wtfd661]

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

BAD ADVICE

that is very very hard on extractors and will eventually cause one to break, esp, when you dont want/need it to break... the round when chambered normally is actually "lifted" up the breech face and "inserted" behind the extractor.... semi automatics were never designed to be closed on a round in the chamber... will it work? Yes. Will it cause damage? YES over time.

+1

Also unless you absolutely need to empty your gun for some reason, just leave it loaded with one in the chamber. If your securing your main carry gun overnight in a safe or other secure area there is no real reason to keep emptying it. my

 

[jblomenberg16]

+1

Also unless you absolutely need to empty your gun for some reason, just leave it loaded with one in the chamber. If your securing your main carry gun overnight in a safe or other secure area there is no real reason to keep emptying it. my

Glad I posted that, and lesson learned. I typically don't unload it, just store it safely in the loaded condition. I usually only do this after unloading for a cleaning (typically after a day of shooting, I will reload with my carry ammo for the way home until I can clean it).

I guess I thought it wasn't any different than normal operation, but hadn't considered that the case rim actually slid up behind the extractor.

Won't do it again! Thanks!

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I always keep mine hot, unless of course I'm cleaning or go to the range using ball ammo. I always put the extracted round at the bottom of the mag, and keep track. I'm kinda anul about some things.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

I encounter this problem frequently with my P-32: It is seldom fired, but since it rides with me in my pocket it gets dirty. I like to keep my guns clean, so I break it down periodically.

This requires me to eject the round in the chamber before and chamber a new round after cleaning. Am I worried about bullet setback? Nope.

I use Fiocchi ammunition: its crimped, like any decent defensive load. I have chambered the top few rounds in the magazine at least a dozen times and none of them show any bullet setback.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

BAD ADVICE

that is very very hard on extractors and will eventually cause one to break, esp, when you dont want/need it to break... the round when chambered normally is actually "lifted" up the breech face and "inserted" behind the extractor.... semi automatics were never designed to be closed on a round in the chamber... will it work? Yes. Will it cause damage? YES over time.

+1 for speaking up first.

Repped for actually knowing how the internals of a handgun function.

 

[CVictor]

Never thought about this, very interesting. My carry ammo is somewhat old.

INGO knowledge FTW

 

[Cygnus]

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

BAD ADVICE

that is very very hard on extractors and will eventually cause one to break, esp, when you dont want/need it to break... the round when chambered normally is actually "lifted" up the breech face and "inserted" behind the extractor.... semi automatics were never designed to be closed on a round in the chamber... will it work? Yes. Will it cause damage? YES over time.

Glad you posted that! I nodded off for awhile but i would have sid the same thing.

 

[Cygnus]

Thanks everyone!

I was worried about bullet set back really. I have some PDX1 9mm for my P95 and am down to my last mag. (anyone seen any for sal?e!!!) I have been rotaing the round for a weeks now since I was told about bullet setback. I usually do keep it loaded with one chambered but of course at the range it's a diferent story. I have rechambered the same round no more than 10 times. Should be ok to fire especially since I've gone to the rotation.

I think I will keep it to under 6 times for my p3at.


Thanks again INGOers!