During my 30 year LEO career my agency issued new/fresh duty ammo annually. I've informally followed that practice in retirement and wondered what others here did. Thirty-eight is plentiful here but finding .380 can be a challenge.
How Often Do You Change Your Carry Ammo?
- Thread starter Old cop
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2012
- Messages
- 3,345
- Reaction score
- 5,556
Revolvers- I'll carry the same loads up to two years.
Autos- Probably no longer than 6 months max,as I generally shoot the chambered round each time I go out.
Autos- Probably no longer than 6 months max,as I generally shoot the chambered round each time I go out.
I do once a year. If I was still working and if I had an outdoors job where the environment was harsh (like F&G, Park Ranger, Marine Patrol) I would probably go more often.
Rastoff
US Veteran
When I go to the range to practice with my carry gun, the first two shots are from whatever is already in the gun. Then I'll switch to range ammo. That means it takes about 4 or 5 trips to switch out the ammo.
If you're not practicing with your carry gun, you should be.
If you're not practicing with your carry gun, you should be.
I'm a once a year kinda guy as well. Never had one that didn't go bang.
Rpg
Member
I use the same handloaded 45acp ammo for everything.
As a result, when I go to the range, I shoot what's in the gun then shoot some more of the same.
Then I load up with the same ammo for carry.
As a result, when I go to the range, I shoot what's in the gun then shoot some more of the same.
Then I load up with the same ammo for carry.
Fishinfool
Member
When I was on the job, we were issued new ammo quarterly. Constant loading and unloading with an auto raised concerns with bullet set back and reliability issues with dirty or damaged ammo.
Now, retired, I seldom unload a carry weapon once loaded. I usually practice at least a couple times a month with my carry guns, and include the loaded magazine of carry ammo in that particular gun every other practice session in my shooting practice.
Spare mags for my carry guns usually stay loaded and unused until I load them into my carry guns, then end up firing them in practice as noted above.
Between my 3 main carry guns, I am maybe going thru 6 or 7 boxes of carry ammo a year. The rest are usually practice reloads.
If I was someone who loaded and unloaded my semi autos every day, I would be concerned with bullet set back, and rotate my ammo in the magazine, and fire it off more often.
Ammo in revolvers can go a lot longer as long as they are not exposed to harsh or wet conditions.
Larry
Now, retired, I seldom unload a carry weapon once loaded. I usually practice at least a couple times a month with my carry guns, and include the loaded magazine of carry ammo in that particular gun every other practice session in my shooting practice.
Spare mags for my carry guns usually stay loaded and unused until I load them into my carry guns, then end up firing them in practice as noted above.
Between my 3 main carry guns, I am maybe going thru 6 or 7 boxes of carry ammo a year. The rest are usually practice reloads.
If I was someone who loaded and unloaded my semi autos every day, I would be concerned with bullet set back, and rotate my ammo in the magazine, and fire it off more often.
Ammo in revolvers can go a lot longer as long as they are not exposed to harsh or wet conditions.
Larry
snowman.45
Member
Generally, the same methods you use; informally about once a year. As others have mentioned, I've never had a bad round using that practice. I also shoot a lot of my own loads in .38/.357, 9mm, .45 and 5.56, although I haven't carried anything but factory ammo so far. I don't know, I kinda like some of my loads a bit better for some applications.
Named User
Member
Usually one mag or drum / speed loader every other month for me, which ends up every six months for the whole rotation. I keep two spares for each, blast one at the range, and rotate after my fill of cheep FMJ . my house guns however every six months, unless they make it to the range before that. Similar practice as most it seems. Always worked great for me.
Last edited:
forrestinmathews
Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2009
- Messages
- 1,063
- Reaction score
- 725
I had the chambered round go click in the face of a buck ten yards away. It was my carry gun and I had something in my hand so I couldn't malfunction drill.
With semis I change out about annually or so. Mainly I focus on the chambered round. With rimfires I shoot the cylinder out frequently.
With semis I change out about annually or so. Mainly I focus on the chambered round. With rimfires I shoot the cylinder out frequently.
TomkinsSP
Member
One advantage of rolling-yer-own is that practice ammo is carry ammo, and every time you practice you reload with nice fresh carry ammo. Not that I think it goes bad unless subjected to extremes that would make me more concerned with me than the ammo.
Annually. Quarterly I inspect each round in every magazine then reload never chambering the same round. Don't know why. Just seems like a good idea.
Whitwabit
US Veteran
All my carry guns have 3 magazines I use with each .. I shoot the mag in the pistol once a month and rotate mags in doing so .. so every 3 months the ammo in the mag gets shot .. if not carrying just range ammo through the pistol if its taken to range .. ..
New pistols gets 400 rounds of range ammo and then 100 rounds of my carry ammo with no failures before it makes the rotation !!
New pistols gets 400 rounds of range ammo and then 100 rounds of my carry ammo with no failures before it makes the rotation !!
My EDC is a 340 M&P so annually makes sense. When my LCP is unloaded the chambered round goes into a range bag just to be on the safe side. My Glock was my service weapon and my agency issues retirees new carry ammo when we qualify for LEOSA, which is coming up for me next week. Looking froward to seeing everyone.
OLDSTER
Member
I use 110 gr. Hornady Critical Defense .38 in my 642. A couple time a year I'll shoot up the 25 round box, then buy another.
Lee's Landing Billy
Member
forrest, this happens ALOT more than people realize. I have a coffee can half full of factory ammo that went "click" on this range. I tell all my shooters to bring me their "clicks". It makes the case for revolvers easier to explain.
Rastoff
US Veteran
Drop whatever is in your hand.
Lee's Landing Billy
Member
The old TAP-RACK-BANG clearance drill is modified to exclude the first two when using a DA revolver. Just BANG remains with another trigger pull.
I carry one of each for this reason. Everyday. Like right now.
I carry one of each for this reason. Everyday. Like right now.
BigDog48
US Veteran
That's pretty much what I do. My first mag at the range is always the mag of carry ammo that is in the pistol. I then shoot as many mags of range ammo as I want, then reload a mag with my carry ammo and head home.
I usually have at least 5 mags with me at the range and go out to shoot once a week on average, so I rotate carry ammo at the rate of about a box/month.
Before I settle on a carry ammo, the chosen pistol has to handle at least 200 rounds of it flawlessly before I trust it. It's an expensive start-up routine, but I'm betting my life it will work if ever needed.
