How OLD is your carry ammo?

[R3COIL]

SD ammo is pulled from mags and visually inspected about every 30 days. I tend to cycle the chambered rounds into a range lot after a few trips in the tube as they are physically handled more than what is in the magazine(s). The SD range lot allows me to see how well it cycles in the pistol as well as how it differs from my practice ammo (I tend to carry heavier gr loads for SD and train with lighter stuff).

 

[Horsetrader]

Is there a certain brand that’s going bad on you? I never thought ammo went bad. Only black powder and Russian ammo . Thanks I’ll be checking more closely.

 

[NHT3]

To coin a VERY tired phrase, At this point what difference does it make?
It might be a little while before fresh is available.

 

[dudley0]

Is there a certain brand that’s going bad on you? I never thought ammo went bad. Only black powder and Russian ammo . Thanks I’ll be checking more closely.

I have never noticed Russian ammo going bad. My M&P pistols do not like the hard primers, but my rifles eat it up all the time. I do have one .223 round that came in without a primer, but I also had an American made .45 acp round that came in that way.

 

[2A-Hoosier23]

Is there a certain brand that’s going bad on you? I never thought ammo went bad. Only black powder and Russian ammo . Thanks I’ll be checking more closely.

it's not necessarily that ammo in general goes bad, or that a certain brand goes bad. Even Russian ammo just sitting on a shelf or stored in typical conditions won't go bad for a very long time.

The issue at hand is the unique circumstances that come with carrying a gun often.

Sweat, rain, general filth can get into the gun, mags and ammo if you're carrying a gun regularly. The heat from your body and constant changes of temperature also might affect your carry ammo. Humidity etc.

Plus if one is in the (bad) habit of unloading then re-chambering the same round with a semi-auto handgun, that can cause "bullet setback" with that round, or just mangle the hell out of the bullet as the slide slams that round into the chamber over and over. Will probably still go "bang" but not ideal.

For those reasons (and more I'm probably missing) it's a common practice to switch out carry ammo after a while. For some it's every month (seems expensive to me), others a year or maybe longer... I don't really keep an exact schedule but make sure I shoot my carry mags empty every few months and recharge with fresh rounds.

So how likely is it that you'll really mess up your ammo from carrying? I don't exactly know. I had some bad habits when I started carrying especially unloading and re-chambering the same round too often. This was almost certainly causing bullet setback and therefore higher chamber pressures than that round was designed for, but I didn't even know that was a thing yet... rookie mistake.

My Glock 43 has been submerged in filthy creek water several times when kayaking (is it still kayaking if I'm under water?) and each time that happened, I shot the gun empty that same day or the next day. No issues at all.

So even including those abused/submerged rounds I've never had my self-defense ammo "go bad". It all goes bang and it all hits where the gun points.

Now that I think about... maybe it's all a lie started by ammo manufacturers to sell more of that high dollar defense ammo...

All that being said... I certainly don't want to find out, in the worst possible way and at the worst possible time, that I should've loaded fresh carry ammo... so I keep it fresh-ish.

Here's an article on the subject by people who sell ammo so... take it with a grain of salt I suppose.

When to Replace Your Self-Defense Ammo - Lucky Gunner Lounge

Routinely inspecting and replacing your self-defense ammo is an important part of owning and carrying a handgun. Here are some quick guidelines.

www.luckygunner.com

 

[econnell]

I don’t want to kick a dead horse, but I check my ammo weekly, especially if extra mags are in leather carry holster, if any tarnish is use 0000 stew wool, but I also seal the case mouth and primer with clear fingernail polish, worked for me last 30 years...as they say if bent, buckled, distorted, corroded, dented...may want to pull the bullet and dump the powder and recycle it...but that’s just me.

 

[dudley0]

I don’t want to kick a dead horse, but I check my ammo weekly, especially if extra mags are in leather carry holster, if any tarnish is use 0000 stew wool, but I also seal the case mouth and primer with clear fingernail polish, worked for me last 30 years...as they say if bent, buckled, distorted, corroded, dented...may want to pull the bullet and dump the powder and recycle it...but that’s just me.

Quality carry ammo is already sealed. At least the stuff I use is. If I get something too tarnished I shoot it.

My carry gun and spare mag are unsightly to say the least. Dirt, sweat, dust bunnies, paint drips, you name it... I have managed to get it on my stuff. My spare mags get surface rust on them. I swap them out about annually because of that. Just add them to the practice pile since I hate reloading mags when at the range.

Really wish someone made stainless mags for my M&Ps

 

[2ndamendlover1]

I haven't changed my carry ammo in a solid year but it's high dollar stuff so I couldn't imagine it being unreliable.. Ik old farts that have ammo they have been storing for 20 years that go to the range and have no issues.. I guess to each their own .

 

[dudley0]

I haven't changed my carry ammo in a solid year but it's high dollar stuff so I couldn't imagine it being unreliable.. Ik old farts that have ammo they have been storing for 20 years that go to the range and have no issues.. I guess to each their own .

Big difference between storing and carrying tho. Just the opinion of an old fart

 

[Gunnutttrader MEHS]

Change every 2weeks.

 

[MindfulMan]

Change every 2weeks.

Dang, bro .... you run clean !

 

[Angrysauce]

My carry ammo stays for no more than a year typically.
Occasionally it'll get shot for sh*ts and giggles or to train with it.
Occasionally I'll change it just because it looks old and tarnished or the bullet/case are scratched or dented.

 

[E-4 461]

LOL about a decade!

 

[econnell]

Quality carry ammo is already sealed. At least the stuff I use is. If I get something too tarnished I shoot it.

My carry gun and spare mag are unsightly to say the least. Dirt, sweat, dust bunnies, paint drips, you name it... I have managed to get it on my stuff. My spare mags get surface rust on them. I swap them out about annually because of that. Just add them to the practice pile since I hate reloading mags when at the range.

Really wish someone made stainless mags for my M&Ps

It’s old habits that cause me to seal my ammo, well I guess I can say it gives me something to do and the saying “I trust me”....haha

 

[E-4 461]

my 10mm and .454 Casull is decades old, but my .308, 5.56, 9mm is brand spanking new!

 

[STEEL CORE]

For a lot of people, it will get a whole lot older as I can’t easily be replaced.

 

[dudley0]

I am hearing from some that plan to swap calibers so they have fresher SD ammo. I am pretty good on SD ammo for a variety of firearms, but sticking with my EDC as I am used to how it handles.

 

[shadow64]

I have some in the night stand that’s been there 10 years . Last time I went to the range I shot a magazine full to test it . no problems and yes there’s multiple magazines ready to go! now the stuff in my edc gets changed at least once a year .sooner if i’m out in the weather. (usually caught in the rain on my motorcycle) If the ammo problems mellow out a little I will get more hp before the next ammo crisis!!

 

[Ingomike]

Quality carry ammo is already sealed. At least the stuff I use is. If I get something too tarnished I shoot it.

My carry gun and spare mag are unsightly to say the least. Dirt, sweat, dust bunnies, paint drips, you name it... I have managed to get it on my stuff. My spare mags get surface rust on them. I swap them out about annually because of that. Just add them to the practice pile since I hate reloading mags when at the range.

Really wish someone made stainless mags for my M&Ps

A friend took year old carry SD ammo and put it in a sock and tied it shut, then when washing jeans he ran the sock of ammo through the washing machine, a total of 8 times. Every singe round went BANG!

Although tragically my friend was shot by a wild bullet when he ran them through the dryer. LOL. Just a joke.

I would never worry about quality ammo being carried long term

 

[smittygj]

I'll chime in here as my every day job is to manage ammunition inventory. As far as the Navy and Army go, unless there are failures in a particular lot, it is good forever.

WRT the USMC, I've seen a trend of taking anything older than 11 years and relegating it to training use only

Just my 2 cents.