How many rounds of defense ammo until your confident?

[Kankujoe]

I've read in a few books that you should fire atleast 200 rounds of a particular brand of defense ammo before you can be confident with it's reliability. Is it necessary to do this anytime you try a new brand or load?

How many rounds of defense ammo do you put through your gun before you feel confident of its feeding and extracting reliability? Do you shoot this same amount with each brand you plan on carrying?

How often do you cycle through your defense ammo and load fresh carry ammo?

I never worried about this with my PPK/S cause it ate everything I put into it...

[oldgranpa]

Shucks, I've never shot more than half a box JHP for confidence, shoot some cheap FMJ, like UMC if you want to check out the pistol more. If you have no malfunctions with that, it's good to go.
og

[pocketgun]

For pocket pistols, I want 200 failure-free rounds with a variety of ammo (usually practice stuff), followed by 50 rounds of my carry ammo. I clean/lube every 25 rounds.

[Flyer]

I have a strange method that's worked very well for me and never led to a malfunction.
When I decide on a brand of ammo for a defensive load, I buy a couple of boxes. I then shoot ammo from the first box until I only have enough left to fill the mag and chamber one last time. Those are the carry rounds I use.
Flyer

[rhinokrk]

I have a strange method that's worked very well for me and never led to a malfunction.
When I decide on a brand of ammo for a defensive load, I buy a couple of boxes. I then shoot ammo from the first box until I only have enough left to fill the mag and chamber one last time. Those are the carry rounds I use.
Flyer

Ditto
After pistol break-in with practice ammo of course.
I rotate rnds about once a month.

[Kankujoe]

Thanks for posting your recommendations. As always they are very helpful.

One more question: Once you are confident with a Kel-Tec gun how often do you shoot with it? How many rounds? Do you practice tactical scenarios with it or with your other pistols?

[pocketgun]

I like to practice with mine 1-2 times/week, about 50 rounds/session. When I am at a place where I can move around, I prefer "tactical" practice to punching paper, but will do either.

[rhinokrk]

2 mags every trip to the range.

[Flyer]

I've said this before, but it's worth repeating...
One of my favorite "exercises" is to staple paper plates to tomato stakes and ram five or six into the ground at different ranges, six or seven feet apart.
Then, pull your pistol and try nailing the center of each plate as fast as you can. Don't even bother with sighting (this is for ranges of 21 feet or so). Just bring the pistol up until it registers in your peripheral vision and fire.
You'll be amazed at how quickly you'll learn to get every one of them on the first try - it's almost eerie.
Flyer

[klambpix]

I prefer the photocopies of Bin Laden's head! Although most of the time I either get the turban or the chin...haven't quite nailed down that 007 between the eyes quickshot yet...though I do get lucky sometimes, and trim a few nose hairs for him!