mike4sigs
Member
How long should one keep the Carry ammo in there every day carry gun? i usually shoot my ammo once a year and get new out.
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Carry Ammo
- Thread starter mike4sigs
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I also cycle about once a year. Not really a hard rule though.
I was taught to shoot my carry ammo every time I shoot my carry firearm. In that way it's always fresh. I shoot my EDC once a month.
geeollie
Member
Setback is mentioned above by Ziti 4445. I never considered how this affects pressure until putting this thread with the one called 38 special Wad-cutter brass. The link in that thread shows that 1/8th inch of setback (bullet setting depth) can DOUBLE the pressure of a cartridge.
Set back is caused by chambering a cartridge in a semi-auto several times. It hits the feed ramp and is pushed into the case a little bit each time.
Thank You all for posting this.
Set back is caused by chambering a cartridge in a semi-auto several times. It hits the feed ramp and is pushed into the case a little bit each time.
Thank You all for posting this.
DHernandez
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Depends how much duty ammo you have. It’ll last forever (unless, as stated, you are repeatedly chambering the same round in a semi-auto), but quarterly is a good time to shoot and swap duty ammo. Same for light and sight batteries. Some do sight batteries once per year, but for a daily carry/use I do quarterly.
Valmet
Member
I’m a 6 months to a year cycler…
Back in the early 90s I bought a batch of the old Silver Bullet 124 gr 9mm Geco that was especially good. My Glock 26 stays loaded with it.
THE PILGRIM
Member
The old school hunting rifle rule is - check reliability and accuracy with first shot cold barrel, using your preferred hunting ammo.
That’s the shot that counts when hunting.
So when you shoot your carry piece, shot the ammo that’s loaded in it.
Then you can revert to range ammo, ball, etc.
Then reload with preferred carry ammo when you depart the range.
That’s the shot that counts when hunting.
So when you shoot your carry piece, shot the ammo that’s loaded in it.
Then you can revert to range ammo, ball, etc.
Then reload with preferred carry ammo when you depart the range.
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I used to shoot out my carry ammo and reload with new about twice a year. Then I went to once a year and currently about once every 2 years.
While I would never say that this procedure of swapping out ammo every 6 months is a bad one, I truly find it is not really necessary. I have shot vintage ammo known to be stored in humid basement and garage conditions (inherited) and have never had one failure. All my ammo is and has been stored under air conditioned environments and should last just about forever. My component are stored only in air conditioned environments as well.
Most quality carry ammo now days has been factory waterproofed by sealing around the bullet to case seam and around the primer. I know all the ammo I carry certainly is. Unless your carry ammo is exposed to extreme heat, extreme cold, extreme humidity and dampness, oily or other conditions, it should not be affected in any negative way. Like I said in the past I have hunted with ammo as old or older than I am and I have never had any issues with any rounds fired.
Again, certainly not a bad thing to rotate ammo and I would not argue with that procedure done more often, but after 50 years of consistent CCW, I have not had one single round ever fail from age and carry. For me 2 years seems about right - unless there is a specific need to change more often that is because of a circumstance.
The one exception to note here is that any single round that is carried in the chamber of my daily CCW gets shot out when at the range for practice with my P365. I do not typically practice with the Federal HST's (carry load) but with Federal 124 grain American Eagle FMJ which for me in my gun shoots identically and see no reason to waste expensive carry ammo. I do not like chambering any round in a semi auto more than once. I will shoot out the HST carry ammo at the end of the two years or sooner if applicable. The reason I like to practice with the Federal AE is it feels pretty much the same at 1/3 the price - and I do like practicing often. 9mm hardly pays to reload now when components can be used for more expensive calibers and cost so much now days. 9mm practice ammo can be had for just over $10/box of 50 delivered and if you add up the cost of the reloading components it just does not pay. I use the components for 38 specials and 357 mag's. There it shines!
While I would never say that this procedure of swapping out ammo every 6 months is a bad one, I truly find it is not really necessary. I have shot vintage ammo known to be stored in humid basement and garage conditions (inherited) and have never had one failure. All my ammo is and has been stored under air conditioned environments and should last just about forever. My component are stored only in air conditioned environments as well.
Most quality carry ammo now days has been factory waterproofed by sealing around the bullet to case seam and around the primer. I know all the ammo I carry certainly is. Unless your carry ammo is exposed to extreme heat, extreme cold, extreme humidity and dampness, oily or other conditions, it should not be affected in any negative way. Like I said in the past I have hunted with ammo as old or older than I am and I have never had any issues with any rounds fired.
Again, certainly not a bad thing to rotate ammo and I would not argue with that procedure done more often, but after 50 years of consistent CCW, I have not had one single round ever fail from age and carry. For me 2 years seems about right - unless there is a specific need to change more often that is because of a circumstance.
The one exception to note here is that any single round that is carried in the chamber of my daily CCW gets shot out when at the range for practice with my P365. I do not typically practice with the Federal HST's (carry load) but with Federal 124 grain American Eagle FMJ which for me in my gun shoots identically and see no reason to waste expensive carry ammo. I do not like chambering any round in a semi auto more than once. I will shoot out the HST carry ammo at the end of the two years or sooner if applicable. The reason I like to practice with the Federal AE is it feels pretty much the same at 1/3 the price - and I do like practicing often. 9mm hardly pays to reload now when components can be used for more expensive calibers and cost so much now days. 9mm practice ammo can be had for just over $10/box of 50 delivered and if you add up the cost of the reloading components it just does not pay. I use the components for 38 specials and 357 mag's. There it shines!
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I make a habit of shooting it up once a year at qualification time The ammo you are actually carrying around with you every day is likely to be the crappiest ammunition you own as far as physical condition. If you carry a semi-auto and load and unload and clear it regularly your ammo will be really suspect.
How often you change out your carry ammo is like a lot of things - it depends... 
I'm a retired guy who lives in the Deep South. We have 7-8 months of summer here, but I'm not out in the heat that much, so my ammo doesn't have to deal with the same stuff that, say, a farmer or an LEO would. It could last pretty much indefinitely.
For revolvers, when I go to the range I clear the ammo from my carry gun at the beginning of the range session and reload it (after brushing out the chambers and under the extractor star and checking the screws for tightness) at the end. I'll shoot that ammo and reloads around once a year and replace it with fresh.
For autoloaders, I'll drop the magazine at the beginning of the range session but leave the chambered round in there. That chambered round is the first round downrange. At the end, I'll run a bore snake through the barrel to knock out any loose crud, load the chamber with the next round in the carry magazine, replace that round with a fresh one, and replace the magazine in the gun. I have extra magazines for all my carry guns so I don't have to worry about unloading and reloading my carry magazines. I guess I shoot up my carry ammo every year or so, no schedule for that either.
In addition to bullet setback as noted above, there can be an issue with repeatedly re-chambering the same round due to the effect of the round slamming forward on the primer - there have been cases of this messing up the primer to the point where it doesn't work when you try to fire the gun. That's why I fire the chambered round of carry ammo at the range.
I'm a retired guy who lives in the Deep South. We have 7-8 months of summer here, but I'm not out in the heat that much, so my ammo doesn't have to deal with the same stuff that, say, a farmer or an LEO would. It could last pretty much indefinitely.
For revolvers, when I go to the range I clear the ammo from my carry gun at the beginning of the range session and reload it (after brushing out the chambers and under the extractor star and checking the screws for tightness) at the end. I'll shoot that ammo and reloads around once a year and replace it with fresh.
For autoloaders, I'll drop the magazine at the beginning of the range session but leave the chambered round in there. That chambered round is the first round downrange. At the end, I'll run a bore snake through the barrel to knock out any loose crud, load the chamber with the next round in the carry magazine, replace that round with a fresh one, and replace the magazine in the gun. I have extra magazines for all my carry guns so I don't have to worry about unloading and reloading my carry magazines. I guess I shoot up my carry ammo every year or so, no schedule for that either.
In addition to bullet setback as noted above, there can be an issue with repeatedly re-chambering the same round due to the effect of the round slamming forward on the primer - there have been cases of this messing up the primer to the point where it doesn't work when you try to fire the gun. That's why I fire the chambered round of carry ammo at the range.
As noted above, a lot depends upon the environment you carry in. The home defense ammo that lives in a heated & air conditioned home has an almost unlimited life-assuming that WD40 or something similar doesn't kill the primer. I've fired 50 year old ammo without incident, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.
Repeated chambering of rounds can result in bullet set back. A lot depends upon firearm design, the feed path of some designs is rather harsh on the bullet. Best to keep a pristine round and if you can see bullet setback, trash the round. Or, maybe shoot that up for practice. DON'T try to avoid this by putting a round in the chamber and then closing the slide. You'll eventually damage the extractor. A lot of .40 Glock over pressure incidents were traced back to bullet setback.
Once upon a time, ammo for semis had case cannelures at the bullet base to aid in keeping the bullet where it belonged. That pretty much has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Possibly except for some contracts, so has bullet sealant. FWIW, I once had 5 rounds of .223 reloads go through the wash a couple of times (maybe the dryer too) and they still fired OK.
Repeated chambering of rounds can result in bullet set back. A lot depends upon firearm design, the feed path of some designs is rather harsh on the bullet. Best to keep a pristine round and if you can see bullet setback, trash the round. Or, maybe shoot that up for practice. DON'T try to avoid this by putting a round in the chamber and then closing the slide. You'll eventually damage the extractor. A lot of .40 Glock over pressure incidents were traced back to bullet setback.
Once upon a time, ammo for semis had case cannelures at the bullet base to aid in keeping the bullet where it belonged. That pretty much has gone the way of the dinosaurs. Possibly except for some contracts, so has bullet sealant. FWIW, I once had 5 rounds of .223 reloads go through the wash a couple of times (maybe the dryer too) and they still fired OK.
taz666
Member
Interested in how many wash cycles the carry ammo is good for ... askin' for a friend.
I'm just curious...
For setting up your carry, if a setback condition is a possibility, would it be prudent to chamber a round by hand, and not letting the slide slam, then inserting the mag with the rest of the carry ammo?
For setting up your carry, if a setback condition is a possibility, would it be prudent to chamber a round by hand, and not letting the slide slam, then inserting the mag with the rest of the carry ammo?
I wouldn't. Any ammo that can't be chambered once isn't worth having. Any firearm that won't chamber a factory fresh round without setting it back is defective.
Also, I want the velocity of the slide to be sure the firearm is fully in battery. Although, if the firearm is operating correctly it should chamber a gently closed round.
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This for me as well.
I don't see the point of hanging on to it for a year. When I go to train with my EDC I shoot the rounds that are in it. When I'm done it gets cleaned and reloaded with carry ammo and it's all fresh and new again.
I just fired some Federal 357B 125 grain JHP from 1986 last year - it worked fine.
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
The Police Department I retired from shot up the carry ammo annually. We did that with revolvers and later when we went to autoloaders.
It makes sense to inspect and swap out old ammo annually.
It makes sense to inspect and swap out old ammo annually.
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SGT ROCK 11B
Member
Who taught that? The USCG?
