Is mixing ammo bad?

SmithNWesson · Mar 3, 2017

I am curious if mixing ammo is bad or a plain old dumb idea.

To specify i mean mixing different weights in the same magazine. Alternating 115gr and 135gr

Will recoil difference be noticeable?

rwsmith · Mar 3, 2017

All that you would risk.....

All that you would risk would be a misfeed....maybe. If both loads are at the same power level recoil should be about the same. i.e. The light bullet going faster and the heavier bullet going slower. They may 'feel' a tad different, but unless you have a large difference in power level I doubt that it would be much.

Fishinfool · Mar 3, 2017

As long as the ammo being mixed together all feeds properly, not really an issue, other than different recoil feeling and maybe slight POI differences.

When I carry a big bore revolver in the woods during small game season, I will often load the first three with heavy loads when in bear / moose country, followed by three target / small game loads.

Some guys load the first 2 or 3 in their self defense semi auto's with hollow points, followed by FMJ's for penetration, especially with marginal calibers.

A couple snake shot shells, followed by regular loads has been a common practice for years in snake country.

Larry

DocB · Mar 3, 2017

People do it. I don't. In an auto, it's a strange practice. In a revolver, it might make some sense. I would tend to carry two handguns loaded differently and appropriately if I felt the need for that kind of diversity. Ever been in snake country looking to kill some snakes, and can't find a snake anywhere. Happens to me all the time. Life tends to be full of surprises that you can't ever anticipate.

30-30remchester · Mar 3, 2017

Where I live, bears and mountain lions are common. A couple of times a year when I leave the house in the pre dawn I hear bears beating a hasty retreat. Usually carry a little 380. I know from several recovered bullets from game that the hollow points I carry for 2 legged vermin would be far from idea for anything bigger. So my house guns and personal pocket guns are loaded alternately with a good quality hollow point and the next round being a Buffalo Bore fmj. That way at least every other shot will be ideal.

gwpercle · Mar 3, 2017

Usually different weights impact to different points . I don't know if you're aware that guns have to sighted in to impact with one weight bullet, change the weight and POA / POI will change.
What are hoping to accomplish by mixing ammo in a magazine?
The difference between loads and where they hit on a target once you fire different ammo on different targets , you will see the groups move around.
My advice is pick a load, sight it in and stick with it.
Gary

SmithNWesson · Mar 3, 2017

Fishinfool said:
Some guys load the first 2 or 3 in their self defense semi auto's with hollow points, followed by FMJ's for penetration, especially with marginal calibers.

Larry

This is partially where my inquiry came from. When i carried .380, a friend of mine told me it would be good to alternate HP and FMJ during the winter (heavily clothed bad guys).

I will most likely not mess around with my life and stick to 1 load. But i may try my alternating weight magazine at the range

ContinentalOp · Mar 3, 2017

For self defense purposes, I don't see any benefit to mixing loads. In the stress of a gunfight it's not uncommon for people to lose count of how many rounds they've fired. If one can't keep track of the number of rounds fired, how is one to know which type of round is being fired?

I think it's best to just pick a good HP load that works across a range of situations and stick with that.

bigwheelzip · Mar 3, 2017

I mix in two instances.

For woods walks with the .357, I alternate 180gr hard cast and Swift A-frame ammo.

For the 12ga HD, the first 2 shells are #4, the rest are 00.

SmithNWesson · Mar 3, 2017

After watching some ballistics videos i am thinking a RIP 92gr in the chamber and the rest can be the same. Low recoil (?) first shot aswell

Protected One · Mar 3, 2017

SmithNWesson said:
After watching some ballistics videos i am thinking a RIP 92gr in the chamber and the rest can be the same. Low recoil (?) first shot aswell

What if you miss with the first shot?

Since there is no way to know exactly what any self defense situation will look like there is also no way to "assign" specific duties to specific bullets.

My suggestion? Find a good Premium jacketed hollow point that will run reliably in your gun and load up your magazines with it.
Get some quality training with your gun and become proficient in putting rounds on target. That will serve you MUCH better than trying to come up with exotic magazine loading schemes.

gen3guy · Mar 3, 2017

It may not be "bad". But that begs another question. Why?

30-30remchester · Mar 4, 2017

gen3guy said:
It may not be "bad". But that begs another question. Why?

For me personally and for most hunting of dangerous game in Africa, one soft point in the pipe and the pantry full of solids. In many hunting situations the first shot can be taken with some care, after the first shot is fired everything is moving fast. Not much time for precision shooting. I have only had to pull my gun 3 times in defense against 2 legged targets. None had to be resolved with the trigger but in each incidence I had time. This is not always the case I know. After the first shot most sane people hunt cover whether it be behind a vehicle, couch, tree, or wheel barrow. When I load alternately with hollow points and fmj, I know that in any situation every other bullet will be ideal. That gives me comfort though it may not be ideal for others. When I carry my 380 however, Buffalo Bore fmj is the lead round as I feel more crowded by bears than humans where I live. To each his own as everybody has different needs.

Disabled1 · Mar 4, 2017

I have been mixing ammo for well over 30+ years with no problems at all. My main reason for doing it is to get rid of old ammo in my stash to replenish with new ammo.
For instance, I have some 2.5 year old 9mm OATH ammo and TULA ammo I have had in my ammo drawer that I will be shooting this weekend. I will be loading magazines with it, mixed up. I will be replacing it with Hornady Critical Duty and WWB.

Is mixing ammo bad?

SmithNWesson

Member

rwsmith

Member

Fishinfool

Member

DocB

Member

30-30remchester

Member

gwpercle

Member

SmithNWesson

Member

ContinentalOp

Member

bigwheelzip

Absent Comrade

SmithNWesson

Member

Protected One

Member

gen3guy

Member

30-30remchester

Member

Disabled1

US Veteran

Similar threads

Latest posts