Round count on Bushy uppers?

[BD1]

Reading about the assorted extractor issues got me thinking about the reliability of the platform in general, as well as any parts replacement that should be "scheduled". My own 16" upper has somewhere over 500 rounds through it. I have yet to experience any excessive wear or parts breakage, and the only function issues I've had have been due to various reloading experiments using heavier cast bullets. I clean it every couple hundred rounds and I have yet to replace the recoil spring, although I have a spare on hand.

Anyone else care to contribute? We probably could leave extractor discussion in the threads currently addressing that issue.
BD

[Hoot]

I'm at 350 rounds at the moment with 25 .284s loaded for fire forming tomorrow, assuming the rain quits. So, as of tomorrow, I should be at 375. Like BD1, no significant wear and tear other than a small scuffing on the BC next to the gas key and even that has only just effaced the oxide. My bolt has 4 additional ounces in it and I believe it will help reduce pounding of the related components. Time will tell. It seemed like a good idea. Definitely changes the perceived recoil so it's doing something. All moving parts that abrade against one another carry a heavy coating of Tungsten DiSulfide (WS2). I've cleaned the gun in a parts washer tank down to the oxide and recoated once since initially doing it when it was new. So once every 200 rounds sounds about right.

Hoot

[wildcatter]

Ok, I've got many that have made 100,000 plus and dozens that are still running in the low to mid five figures. Listen up gents, the AR system will normally ware out barrels, before anything else happens and that is lots of five figure rounds going down range before a barrel swap happens. Notice how I said "Normally", because things can and do happen and anomalies will occur, from time to time. The 450 with standard running gear, acts and reacts, as if it were running with standard 5.56 ammo. Now here's the 450 kicker. It is designed to run with the normal equipment as I have said and if you think you are smarter than the guys that have spent several generations making a better mouse trap, well, you just might be able to do that. But, if you start playing with special weighted buffers and trying to squeeze the last minute of angle out of the round, and all other manor of experimentation, well again, you might be successful, BUT, you might just be working towards a break down and because we have some here on this board now, that will blame the system, the designers, the manufacture, the ammo, the moon faze etc., let's understand right now, we are imperfect and working toward perfecting a new system and as Men, we confess, we are, individually, the responsible parties. I guess what I'm saying is, it's better not to chase Ghost, so you can learn to put up with the Goblins, something I too am very guilty of, and it always rears its ugly head and bits me in the Took-us, when I least expect it. Other than that, when the problems start to occur, well, lets own the little elves "Ourselves", and work together, to over come the foibles and not squawk about this or that or anything else, but let us look to ourselves for the guilty party, and I for one, want to be part of the party, that helps us get through the WALL.

Now, I'm off my soap box and it's extremely muggy and hot here, I'm grabbing the Dogs and going for a swim, down at the boat launch, who's coming, and bring the hot-dogs? ..t

[bushmeister]

I'm right around 300 with the majority being factory loads. No issues.

[Siringo]

1500+

[Colohunter]

Wow, I envy you guys, I'm at 45 rounds.

[Hoot]

Wow, I envy you guys, I'm at 45 rounds.

Don't be. It's more about quality than quantity. I dare say I have round counts like yours on all my hunting rifles and almost without exception, each one of those shots is worth 10 at the range on the 450b. When you're sitting there at the bench fire forming 50 round lots of brass, it's a long way from quality. Living 10 minutes from the rifle range you have the keys to also adds an element of opportunity. Some of the fellows who shoot there drive an hour just for some range time. In that situation, I know my round count would be lower. Then there's the cost of ammunition. Folks with families, maybe going to college, chasing tang, car that doesn't want to run, you name it, ammunition is what disposable income is for. If you don't reload, you're paying through the nose right now. We need more sources, but even with that, the mall ninjas are keeping the prices elevated by simply paying whatever is asked of them. Uh Oh, Hoot's starting to drift again...

Hoot

[slash2]

Somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 would be my guess, with only 200 factory rounds to start, the rest have been 200 gr Barnes, 230 gr fmj, 230 gr hp, 240 XTP/MAG and 275 gr Barnes. All moderate to hot. Failures? 2 sets of trigger pins.

[Colohunter]

Wow, I envy you guys, I'm at 45 rounds.

Don't be. It's more about quality than quantity. I dare say I have round counts like yours on all my hunting rifles and almost without exception, each one of those shots is worth 10 at the range on the 450b. When you're sitting there at the bench fire forming 50 round lots of brass, it's a long way from quality. Living 10 minutes from the rifle range you have the keys to also adds an element of opportunity. Some of the fellows who shoot there drive an hour just for some range time. In that situation, I know my round count would be lower. Then there's the cost of ammunition. Folks with families, maybe going to college, chasing tang, car that doesn't want to run, you name it, ammunition is what disposable income is for. If you don't reload, you're paying through the nose right now. We need more sources, but even with that, the mall ninjas are keeping the prices elevated by simply paying whatever is asked of them. Uh Oh, Hoot's starting to drift again...

Hoot

Very good points, I do have to drive for awhile to get to the range. I also don't have dies yet to reload for the 450, it is the only centerfire I own currently that I don't reload for. I have been finding deals on loaded ammo to get somewhat of a brass supply and hope to get the dies when I next make an order from Midway or someone along those lines.

Though I still wouldn't mind it if I had put a few hundred rounds through it.