Ammo in pocket?

[hostler]

I mainly carry a 38 revolver for my CCW. I carry an extra speed strip in my front pocket. I've noticed that over time the copper jackets will discolor, they turn a purple color. I know it's from humidity, (ie. perspiration) through my pocket fabric. I'm not worried about the discoloration but I do think about the effect of high humidity on the powder charge and primer. I try to cycle my carry ammo at the range as often as I remember to, usually every few months I'll shoot and exchange my carry ammo. I've never had any of those discolored rounds fail but I still wonder about the possibility.
Am I worried about nothing or had anyone ever had an issue with this?

 

[Old cop]

When I retired from law enforcement in ‘97 I had some lose .38 ammo in a plastic bag in my locker, can’t even remember why anymore. I took the stuff home and forgot about it for another 10 years before going to the range. Every round went off absent any problems, but it’s always a good idea to shoot up your carry ammo now and then. We were issued new carry ammo semi annually during qualification at my former agency and can’t recall anyone having a problem. Anyhow, hope this helps.

 

[Ribwizzard]

Paint around primer and case with red fingernail polish. We use it in saltwater on powerheads, cant get worst than that

 

[hostler]

Paint around primer and case with red fingernail polish. We use it in saltwater on powerheads, cant get worst than that

Why red???
Anyway I don't think I'm going to do that.

 

[just plain joe]

I don't think you have need to worry about this. I follow a similar regimen of ammunition rotation/replacement and have never had a problem. I normally carry my reload in the form of a Safariland speed-loader in my right front pocket.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and those in law enforcement utilized revolvers, many of us carried our spare ammunition in leather dump-pouches either "loose" or with a Bianchi Speed Strip. In all those years, as long as a modicum of care was taken to periodically check the cartridges, I never saw or heard of a failure to fire due to a slight discoloration of the copper jacket of the exposed bullet.

At my old address we qualified semi-annually. At qualification time I mandated that officers use the ammunition they carried the prior six months to shoot for score, and then issued another box or two for the next six months. This system worked for us.

As an aside on one occasion, when I was a newly minted officer, a.k.a. a "rookie", I observed a bluish/green substance on some loose .38 Special 158 round nose lead cartridges that were located in the leather dump-pouch of a veteran officer. I presume he never rotated his ammunition and moisture had attacked the cartridges. That could be a show-stopper.

From what you have described in your situation, I believe it's a non-issue.

HTH

JPJ

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I don't think you have need to worry about this. I follow a similar regimen of ammunition rotation/replacement and have never had a problem. I normally carry my reload in the form of a Safariland speed-loader in my right front pocket.

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and those in law enforcement utilized revolvers, many of us carried our spare ammunition in leather dump-pouches either "loose" or with a Bianchi Speed Strip. In all those years, as long as a modicum of care was taken to periodically check the cartridges, I never saw or heard of a failure to fire due to a slight discoloration of the copper jacket of the exposed bullet.

At my old address we qualified semi-annually. At qualification time I mandated that officers use the ammunition they carried the prior six months to shoot for score, and then issued another box or two for the next six months. This system worked for us.

As an aside on one occasion, when I was a newly minted officer, a.k.a. a "rookie", I observed a bluish/green substance on some loose .38 Special 158 round nose lead cartridges that were located in the leather dump-pouch of a veteran officer. I presume he never rotated his ammunition and moisture had attacked the cartridges. That could be a show-stopper.

From what you have described in your situation, I believe it's a non-issue.

HTH

JPJ

That blue-green crud on cartridge cases or bullets is known as verdigris, a mold-like growth caused by an interaction between copper (a major component in brass) and the leather (specifically the tannic acids used in producing leather from hides). Easily cleaned off cartridges and leather with a bit of club soda and soft toothbrush. Not known to adversely affect either cartridges or leather (at least not within periods measured in years or decades).

Modern ammunition (past half-century or so) has an indefinite shelf life as long as it is not subjected to high heat or high moisture conditions.

I have made a practice of shooting up my carry ammo every six months or so. When I was a police chief I required that as department policy.

I have also found that properly stored ammo has been completely reliable for decades, including military surplus stuff having headstamps from WW1 and WW2 years. Took my 1944 US M1911A-1 Remington-Rand .45 to the range last year with a box of FC 63 ball ammo (54 years old at the time), no failures, and a 25-round group of 3.5" at 25 feet, taking the X-ring and 10-ring completely out of a B27 silhouette.

 

[Ribwizzard]

We use red just becouse it is easy to see any thin spots.
It definitely works, dont know why you would be timid about it.

 

[Rpg]

We see questions like this frequently.

What we DON’T see are accounts of ammo problems attributable to exposure to moisture, storage conditions or age.

The universal experience is that modern metallic ammo (ammo manufactured after World War I not including paper shotgun ammo) is reliable and works quite well without regard to age, storage conditions or moisture.

If anyone has experienced ammo failure due to age, storage or moisture, we’d love to hear about it.

 

[Nevada Ed]

If you want "Pretty ammo"..............
you might place it in an old glass case, either soft or hard.

The other option is shoot it and load some new ammo.

I know it might look ugly but it will still work.

 

[Ribwizzard]

Had a large ammo can full of 30 30 and 12g, from my grandfather when he passed away. So much going on, the can was put in a garage for near a year before I got back to it. The 30 30 shells were all split down the side, and shot shells were all green at the brass

 

[oink]

Yeah old ammo can go bad as in the brass can be compromised resulting in case ruptures when fired. Keeping spare ammo in your pocket for a few months shouldn't be an issue. Although I'd say it is time to replace it if it's turned purple or it's getting green.

 

[JH1951]

Have been shooting for over five decades. In the '60's we were shooting tons of mil-surp from many different countries. A supply of it turned up in an old storage container a few years ago, and it all worked fine.
The only ammo that I have encountered issues with was some old poorly packaged Russian steel-cased copper washed 7.62X54r (WWII vintage), and some old poorly stored paper shotgun shells.
I would not be overly concerned with modern ammunition, but would cycle it through during practice and replace with fresh stuff at least annually.

 

[bigggbbruce]

I've noticed that over time the copper jackets will discolor, they turn a purple color.

Am I worried about nothing or had anyone ever had an issue with this?

I load my SD ammo in Nickel plated cases.. end of story.

 

[hostler]

We use red just becouse it is easy to see any thin spots.
It definitely works, dont know why you would be timid about it.

Anything, like paint or burnt paint, on the case that could cause the case to hang up in the cylinders either while loading the gun or trying to eject it seems like a bad idea, as does hunks of paint in and around the firing pin hole and channel.

 

[hostler]

I load my SD ammo in Nickel plated cases.. end of story.

Cases, jackets......
I carry Hornady Customs or Fiocchi Extrema, they have nickel cases.

 

[Ribwizzard]

I dunno.....using fingernail polish has been practiced for 30 some years by who knows how many times. Everyone has there favorites color , or brand, but never heard of anyone ever getting paint in no action
Mil surp ammo is painted before you get it, and I have never seen it jam up a gun.
The only instance ever that I've seen a coating jam up a gun is back in the day, .22 had a ton of wax on them, and sitting in hot Florida sun, the wax would melt and then harden , sticking the cases together.
Anyway, you ask about sealing ammo, I tell you how, you dont believe, so good luck to you sir.

 

[Erich]

Get one of Sideguard's Rough Pouch ammo holders from Erik and forget about it - here's a link:


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[TomkinsSP]

Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and those in law enforcement utilized revolvers, many of us carried our spare ammunition in leather dump-pouches either "loose" or with a Bianchi Speed Strip...I observed a bluish/green substance on some loose .38 Special 158 round nose lead cartridges that were located in the leather dump-pouch of a veteran officer. I presume he never rotated his ammunition and moisture had attacked the cartridges. That could be a show-stopper.

From what you have described in your situation, I believe it's a non-issue.

I have personally observed brass cartridges so covered with green corrosion that a tool was required to clean them down to the diameter of the chamber, in order to fit. (It would not have been possible to simply load those rounds as they were.) Every round fired.

 

[TomkinsSP]

We use red just becouse it is easy to see any thin spots.
It definitely works, dont know why you would be timid about it.

For fun I once loaded sixty rounds of .38 LRNFP in new cases sealing each at the primer and case mouth with fingernail polish my wife graciously donated. Once the lacquer was thoroughly dry they went into a mason jar filled with water. Each month for a year, I pulled five and shot them, each one fired.

 

[Erich]

For fun I once loaded sixty rounds of .38 LRNFP in new cases sealing each at the primer and case mouth with fingernail polish my wife graciously donated. Once the lacquer was thoroughly dry they went into a mason jar filled with water. Each month for a year, I pulled five and shot them, each one fired.

Now try that with Kroil!