Do I need a new barrel?

[MartyZ 692]

Ok, so I have a USP 45 (polygonal bore) with countless thousands of rounds thru it. I was cleaning it last week and noticed that the .45 bore brush went thru the barrel with absolutely no effort, I ended up having to clean it with a .50 bore brush, which went thru the barrel with little effort. The gun still shoots pretty accurately, but i'm afraid I am soon going to end up with a semi-auto musket.

 

So the first question. Do I need a new barrel?

 

If I do need a new barrel, is there any benefit to getting the threaded barrel which also has the o-ring? And will the o-ring work with the standard USP 45? 

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

Are both brushes well used?  You shouldn't be able to tell the difference even with a slightly shot out barrel by feel with a brush.  If it aint broke don't fix it.  How many is countless thousands?  5-10k or 50-100k?  If the latter, it's possible.  If the former, i doubt it especially with polygonal rifled bore.

[MartyZ 692]

Brand new brush. I would say closer to 10k

[blksheep 466]

I have seen HK USPs in 40 with close to 100,000 rounds through them, if not more with no loss of accuracy.

[MartyZ 692]

Ok, I will try a different brand bore brush, see if that is the issue. Thanks.

[RichP 115]

If it shoots accurately, then the barrel is fine. The few thousandths that might be lost in the rifling wouldn't ever be felt in a bore brush.

The frame and slide of your HK will crack before you wear out the barrel from shooting.

[Schrödinger's cat 87]

If there is no loss in accuracy than what would be the point of replacing the barrel ?

[GRIZ 3,369]

I have never seen a worn out barrel in a handgun in nearly 50 years of shooting.

 

If your gun shoots well don't worry about it.

[robot_hell 72]

Slug the bore with a ball of dead soft lead, then measure with a caliper. It's cheaper than a new barrel and will give you the answer you're looking for. It's more likely the bore brush is worn out, though.

[dino71 7]

When the USP's were first tested in the 90's they fired test samples to 50,000 rounds and they were still perfect so you still have 40,000 more to go. I bought mine back in 96 and I haven't even cleaned it yet!

[MartyZ 692]

Thanks guys, i just got worried when the bore brush was moving so easily. Believe me, i don't want to spend $250 on a new barrel, i can put that money to better use. But i also want a 100% functioning gun, that's why i asked. Thanks again for the replies.

[GRIZ 3,369]

FWIW, I remember Skeeter Skelton trying to do a destructive test on a LE Colt Commander. IIRC, he found the gun more accurate after about 10,000 rounds.

 

I have a Combat Commander (steel frame) with probably 20,000+ rounds thru it. I must note that probably 80-90% of that has been lead bullets at 900-1000 fps. At 15k rounds or there about had the innards redone as the hammer was falling to half cock (only new part was a sear). Replaced the springs. Not because the gun was malfunctioning. Figured it made sense after 25+ years. So much for "needing" to replace springs after so many rounds.

 

I bought that gun used in 1975 and still shoot it. It was my duty gun for about 20vyears.

 

Each gun is unique and what happens to one gun is no indication what may happen to another.

[raz-0 1,259]

Handgun barrels can wear out. Unless something visibly cracks, a round count under 75k before the bore has something wrong with it would be unusual. Lots make it to 100k.

[son of sam 9]

Handguns dont wear like rifle barrels with a few exceptions (think 460s&w). Velocity is low and powder volume burning is low compared to rifles. Not sure if the USP is polygonal rifling. If so that may be the reason the bore brush feels a bit loose.

[W2MC 1,699]

I have a S&W Model 41 where the bolt and the breech face show so much wear by being pounded by at least 50,000 rounds of .22 rimfire, to the point where S&W has recommended replacing the barrel and bolt.

 

The rifling still looks perfect.