Thoughts on training with your carry gun?

[LMT Shooter]

I have a Glock 19 and a 43 that I carry depending on clothing/destination. I carry the 19 as much as I can and have around 3000 rounds through it this far. If I only had one gun, I would have no problem training and carrying the 19. We have Glock 17s at work that, no exaggeration, have close to 10,000 rounds through them with no changing of parts and I can't remember anyone ever having a malfunction with any of them. Still accurate and 100% reliable. We do have spare unused 17's in the armory so I guess it's a moot point but as for personal concealed carry, I have no problem carrying a gun that I have verified as reliable through lots of training.

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Not even recoil springs? I may be wrong, but doesn't Glock specify replacing recoil springs at 5,000rds or less for every model?

[Klingkong251]

I could be wrong but I don't think so. I've asked if the barrels have ever been replaced and the answer I received was no with a chuckle. I'll ask my armorer if the springs have been replaced but I doubt it. The federal government doesn't spend money on anything until it's broken......

Not even recoil springs? I may be wrong, but doesn't Glock specify replacing recoil springs at 5,000rds or less for every model?

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[ST911]

10k on a G17 is nothing, even with a single RSA. Best practice is to replace at 2500 (gen1-3) or 5000 (gen4-5) rounds.

[Chameleox]

I have 4 "primary" handguns:
2x G19s (gen 3)
2x j-frames


One of each sits at work in my locker as a primary and BUG. The other 2 are EDC/commuter/spare guns. I rotate the Glocks every six months or so. A couple years ago I consolidated so that I wouldn't have to take my primary guns home and risk forgetting them the next day.

My only othe handgun is an early gen. 3 G17. It's primarily an HD option, but occasionally goes to a course or a competition. 100% reliable, accurate, but due to a couple factors, I almost never carry it.

I like the idea of having spares of my most used guns for training, etc. But, I wouldn't forgo training with a carry gun out of concern for parts wear. If the components wear out that badly, then I would be cautious about carrying it on the regular.

Glock recoil springs: I recall reading or hearing Glock suggesting a replacement schedule for the G22s a while back, and I sorta remember that suggestion applying to other Glocks as well a short time later. The 9mms will run for a loooong time, though. I replace my springs around 10k or so. Probably don't need to, but I had a series of events that convinced me to be more fastidious with my spring replacements.

[ROCKET20_GINSU]

If you are shooting and dry firing moderately with a reliable pistol option 1 probably works for most; however, I see few downsides to picking up an identical pistol for carry...lower wear and corresponding probability of failure during CCW use, and the trainer is a backup if you pistol is confiscated post shooting.

On my quest to try to make M in Uspsa I committed to shooting literally one pistol, G34, until I did. Over the course of several years (and thousands and thousands of rounds) I encountered many failures (despite a detailed log and appropriate PM) that deadlined the pistol: chipped extractor (FTEs), broken mag catch spring (mags fall out of the gun), broken striker (click no bang), broken connector (mushy trigger), multiple broken trigger return springs. Fortunately I was carrying a different pistol as each of these failures was very unexpected and it gave me piece of mind that my carry pistol was not worn and G2G. Yes, if I was even more diligent and more proactive with maintenance and parts replacement these problems could potentially have been avoided; however, I find it simpler and lower risk just to have a duplicate.

When I was in the army I was perfectly comfortable training and deploying with the same weapons...though if something did go wrong and I had a parts breakage in action it would be highly likely that one of my buddies would step in to take up the slack on the spot. As a civilian it’s just me.

No wrong answer just my opinion. FWIW I would also be comfortable carrying a properly maintained carry / training pistol if it was back up by a low round count BUG.

[Sgt_Gold]

You know those carbines and pistols people carry into combat?

The ones they have shot and trained a ton with?

You mean the ones that are tracked by professional armorers and are all T&E'd by depot level maintenance prior to their deployments?

[miyagi]

I have two carry guns that I shoot at the range each week. I shoot 150 rounds each time. I usually shoot 100 with the one I am currently carrying and 50 with the other. I would love to shoot more often but the cost keeps it down to 150 once a week. The more training the better. One article I read suggested at least 50 rounds through your carry gun once a month.

[Ron3]

Absolutely train with a carry gun.

Have another gun like it, or spare parts for things more likely to break. Or both.

Back a time I was jobless for too long but still trained with what I had; A Makarov and a Ruger Sp-101. (Back then a Makarov was $100. 9x18 and .38 special was cheap!)

Currently I carry four (pretty much down to three) different types of gun and have to train more to stay proficient. (Jetfire, Cheetah, Glock, Ruger LCR)

[Vegas]

So I think my plan is to shoot my current carry gun to around 3-4k and then buy new and relegate the current carry to training only. I'll see how far I can push it on it's current parts. Will be a good exercise for seeing what breaks when.

[_Stormin_]

I have a "clone" of my carry gun that I train with, but I make sure to shoot my carry specific pistol for at least one magazine per trip to the range just to be 100% confident in it. Biggest issue that I have always had is finding training ammo that mimics defensive ammo for recoil. The NATO spec 9mm feels mighty close to SD ammo in the pistol for recoil in practice, and I believe that adrenaline in an defensive situation might overpower the differences from there.

At least one 22 makes it to the range every time, but that's honestly because I find them to be the most fun to shoot (of course, considering cost as well, 300BLK subs with a can are the most fun to shoot but still damned expensive). Ammo has gotten cheap and plentiful again, and when I can shoot until my hands are tired for less than $20 it's a good life.