In this paper, we deal with the oxygen displacement reactions in the Cu2O + M, and CuO + M (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) systems under self propagating regimes. Mechanically induced Self-sustaining Reactions (MSR) and conventional Self-sustaining High-temperature Synthesis (SHS) methods were employed. In the MSR processes, heats of reaction and adiabatic temperatures were experimentally determined. CuO based systems showed shorter incubation periods than the Cu2O based systems, and Zr, Ti and Hf in the order, required longer milling treatment to ignite. The use of appropriate methodologies, to evaluate the milling dynamics parameters, permitted to relate the observed features to the intrinsic reactivity of the components and to the role of interfacial conditions and deformation mixing. Similar reactivity behaviours were observed under SHS conditions.